Registering a company in Japan requires creating a company seal. The company seal is a stamp that is usually a little larger than a normal personal seal. It also usually has the company’s name or logo on it. The company seal is used on documents and contracts as the company’s official seal of approval. However, in order to act as the company’s official seal, a stamp must be registered with the Japanese government. After registration, the Legal Affairs Bureau can provide a company with their seal registration certificate, which, as the name suggests, is a document that certifies that the company seal has been registered and is ready to use as the company’s official seal of approval.
A company seal registration certificate will sometimes need to be produced to confirm that the stamp placed on applications, filings, contracts, etc., was placed there with legitimate authorization from the company. Often business partners, banks or government institutions may ask for a copy of a company’s seal registration certificate before agreeing to enter into a binding contract with the company. The representatives of the branch office or subsidiary are the only parties authorized to use the official company seal.
If you have any questions about setting up a business in Japan, please contact our office for a legal consultation.