In this article, we detail the general workflow for a foreign national currently living overseas who wishes to launch a business in Japan that requires a Secondhand Dealer License.

The process involves three major pillars:

1. Establishing a Company
2. Obtaining the Secondhand Dealer License
3. Acquiring a Visa (Status of Residence)

1. Establishing a Company

While it is legally possible to obtain a Secondhand Dealer License as an individual or a corporation, most people choose to incorporate to establish commercial credibility and scale. Therefore, this guide assumes you are applying as a corporation.

Where to start?
Your first step is to legally register the company in Japan. This involves submitting registration documents to the Legal Affairs Bureau having jurisdiction over your chosen head office address.

• Timeline: Approximately 1 month.
• Procedure: You must draft the Articles of Incorporation and submit them with required attachments. Since this is complex for someone overseas, it is standard practice to hire a professional proxy to handle the filing.

The Office Requirement:
Crucially, you must secure an office space before registration.

While some entrepreneurs visit Japan on a short-term stay to view properties and sign leases, there are properties available that allow you to complete viewings and contracts entirely remotely from overseas. Securing a compliant office is vital not just for the company registration, but also for the Secondhand Dealer License and your Visa application later.

2. Obtaining the Secondhand Dealer License

Once your company registration is complete, you move on to the licensing phase.

• Timeline: Approximately 2 months.
  (Please refer to our previous articles for the specific documentation and application details.)

The Critical Role of the "Manager":
For this article, we must highlight the specific requirement regarding the "Manager" (Kanrisha).

As noted previously, the Manager must be full-time and reside within commuting distance of the office. Consequently, a foreign national still living overseas cannot serve as the Manager.

Furthermore, because the Manager must oversee compliance and coordinate with the police, they must be able to understand and speak Japanese.

If you do not have a resident business partner in Japan to fill this role, please see the "Alternative Sequence" section below.

3. Acquiring a Visa

To operate a business in Japan, you need a Status of Residence. For convenience, we will refer to this as a "Visa."

Since you will likely be the company representative, you will apply for a "Business Manager" (Keiei/Kanri) visa.

• Timeline: Currently, the Immigration Services Agency takes roughly 3 to 6 months to process these applications (as of April 2025).
• Key Criteria: The stability and clarity of your Business Plan are scrutinized heavily.
• The Licensing Catch-22: Immigration officers check if the business has obtained the necessary permits to operate. Therefore, the ideal sequence is generally License First, then Visa.

The Alternative Sequence (If you have no partner in Japan):
If you cannot appoint a resident Manager while you are still abroad, you cannot get the license first. In this specific case, the order of operations changes:

1. Establish Company.
2. Apply for and obtain the Business Manager Visa.
3. Move to Japan.
4. Apply for the Secondhand Dealer License yourself (serving as the Manager).

Summary

This outlines the streamlined flow for a foreign national entering the Japanese market: Incorporation → Licensing → Visa (or Visa → Licensing, depending on your staffing).

While there are other practical steps involved—such as opening a corporate bank account and filing notifications with the Tax Office and Pension Office—we have focused here on the three hurdles unique to foreign entrepreneurs.

At our firm, we provide comprehensive support covering all these procedures in one package. Please feel free to contact us to discuss your specific situation.

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