Accounting

Running a business in Japan requires staying compliant with local accounting, bookkeeping, and tax laws. We provide several tools to streamline the financial record-keeping side of things, and connects businesses with bilingual accounting professionals for full-service support.

MailMate's Built-In Accounting Tools

MailMate offers two integrated tools that directly support your accounting workflow:

Receipt Capture (Expense Management)
Capture receipts on the go, automate data extraction via OCR, and generate expense reports. Supports English and Japanese receipts.

Invoice Management (Accounts Payable)
Digitize and automate your accounts payable process. Compliant with Japan's Electronic Bookkeeping Act (電子帳簿保存法 / Dencho Chobo).

Japan's Electronic Bookkeeping Act (電子帳簿保存法)

Japan's Electronic Record Retention Law requires businesses to store electronic invoices and receipts in a compliant format. Key requirements include:

Electronic invoices received digitally must be stored electronically (paper printouts are no longer sufficient)
Records must be searchable by date, amount, and counterparty
Timestamping and access logs may be required for certain document types

Our Invoice Management and Receipt Capture tools are designed to meet these requirements.

Bilingual Accounting Support

For full-service accounting, bookkeeping, payroll, and tax filing, MailMate's Service Directory lists trusted English-speaking accountants in Japan, including:

Probitas — Accounting, tax, and financial management in English and Japanese
Kaori Fuchi Tax and Consulting — Bookkeeping, payroll, and tax-filing assistance

Post-Incorporation Tax Filings

After registering your company, you must notify the following offices:

Tax Office — Submit Notification of Incorporation, salary-paying office establishment, Blue Return application, and source income tax payment schedule
Labor Standards Inspection Office — Labor insurance (if you have employees)
Japan Pension Service — Health insurance and employee pension notifications
Public Employment Security Office — Employment insurance (if you have employees)

Documentation is updated from time to time — please confirm with MailMate personnel in all cases. Documentation may be out of date, lack details, or have mistakes.