The 9 Best Accountants & Tax Advisors in Tokyo (2026)

The National Tax Agency (NTA) ties the duty to file to income, not nationality. Its final tax return page says that, in principle, you must file between February 16 and March 15 of the following year if your total income exceeds your deductions and the resulting tax is larger than the credits applied at the year-end adjustment. It lists exceptions, for example salaries of 20 million yen or less from a single payer, all subject to withholding, with other income of 200,000 yen or less. Non-residents are taxed on Japan-source income only, according to the NTA. The NTA also publishes a guide for foreign residents called "You can create a Final Tax Return at Home!"

The NTA's final tax return page says the filing period for a calendar year runs from February 16 to March 15 of the following year. Check the NTA's current-year income tax guide for the exact closing date, since it can differ from year to year. Takashi Yamaguchi Tax Accountant Office, in this guide, has posted on its site that acceptance of returns for a season had closed, so start early.

A zeirishi is a certified public tax accountant, and zeirishi and tax accountant corporations are registered with Nichizeiren. A certified public accountant is a separate qualification, and CPAs belong to JICPA. Some people hold both: Yasuda-Accounting, for example, lists both a CPA and a tax accountant registration on its site. If you want someone to prepare and file a Japanese tax return, ask which credential the person who will sign it holds.

The IRS says U.S. citizens and resident aliens living abroad generally must file if their worldwide gross income is at least the amount for their filing status in Publication 54 (see the IRS page "U.S. citizens and residents abroad – Filing requirements" on irs.gov). A Japanese return and a US return are separate filings. Most firms in this guide describe Japanese tax work only, so ask directly whether a firm prepares US returns. Accounting Intelligence says its team includes three US-certified CPAs, and Nakashima Tax and Accounting Office says its managing partner is a Washington-licensed US CPA, but neither site lists US individual returns as a service, so confirm before you engage.

Fees are not set by law and vary with the type of income and the number of items. Several firms give a fixed quote after a short questionnaire or an inquiry, such as Yasuda-Accounting and KAYANO. Mushiake Tax posts separate fee pages for corporations and for proprietors. Ask for the price in writing, what it covers (e-filing, an English summary, replies to the tax office), and what happens if the tax office asks questions after you file.

Nichizeiren runs a search site for licensed tax accountants and tax accountant corporations, and it states that all of them belong to a regional tax accountant association and are registered with Nichizeiren. The search page is in Japanese and shows names and office locations, so it helps to have the accountant's name written in kanji. Firms that publish a zeirishi registration number on their site make this easier.