Japan Supplier Verification
Japan is the world's third-largest economy and a top supplier of precision machinery, electronics, automotive parts, chemicals, and high-grade steel. Japanese companies are generally well-regulated, but importers sourcing from smaller SME manufacturers must verify registration — particularly when trading through intermediaries or trading houses.
Official Registry
NTA Corporate Number Publication Site
Regulatory authority: National Tax Agency (NTA) / Ministry of Justice
Open official portal →Key Red Flags
- ⚠Trading house intermediary with no disclosed manufacturer relationship
- ⚠Expired business registration (torikeshioki-kaisha — dissolved company)
- ⚠Corporate seal forgery (hanko fraud) in lower-tier deals
- ⚠Parallel imports of branded goods from unauthorized distributors
- ⚠Currency hedging risk (JPY/USD/KES volatility in long-lead manufacturing)
Document Checklist — Japan Suppliers
⚠ NTA provides bilingual (Japanese/English) data. Request Japanese originals with certified translations for legal documents.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I verify a Japanese company?
Every Japanese legal entity has a unique 13-digit Corporate Number (法人番号) issued by the National Tax Agency. Search free at houjin-bangou.nta.go.jp. Our AI report queries this API directly — results in under 3 seconds.
What is a Kabushiki-gaisha (KK) vs Godo-kaisha (GK)?
KK (株式会社) is the Japanese equivalent of a PLC/Corp — the standard for trading companies. GK (合同会社) is equivalent to an LLC. Both are valid. Sole traders (個人事業主) do not appear in the corporate database.
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