Ohara & Furukawa, Author at Ohara & Furukawa

October 24, 2016

Does the Japanese government provide any support for single parents?

Raising a child as a single parent is difficult for many reasons but one of the major hurdles is usually the economic strain of raising a child, or children, alone on a single income. In order to ease the economic stress of single parents, the Japanese government offers single parents a Child Support Allowance.

October 21, 2016

How long do Japanese visas last and can they be renewed?

Foreign residents in Japan are usually granted visas lasting 1, 3 or 5 years. However, that does not mean that the foreign national must leave the country at the end of the visa term. In general, Japanese visas may be renewed continuously, which allows the visa holder to stay in Japan for extended periods.

October 19, 2016

What are the highest and lowest interest rates allowed in Japan?

Interest-free loans are allowed under the Japanese Civil Code so parties are free to contract into zero-interest loan agreements as they wish. However, there are limits on how much interest a lender can charge on a loan. The Interest Rate Restriction Law provides that the maximum allowed interest rate is 15% annually for amounts of 1 million yen or more.

October 17, 2016

How do investors prove their initial investment in a startup company?

One of the requirements to establish a company in Japan is to prove that the requisite money for the initial investment is available. However, since this proof is required before the company is formed, the yet-to-be-established company will not have a bank account yet. Therefore, the initial investment must be deposited into the bank account of one of the founding members.