Hi all! I’ve been living in Japan for almost 10 years and am testing a small online service with a friend (nothing live or public yet). To keep costs low we’re thinking of opening first as a 個人事業主 (sole proprietor) under my name.
If the project gains traction we’d like to switch to a structure that lets us share ownership and profits, a GK (合同会社) or KK (株式会社).
A few questions for anyone who’s done this:
- Are there any tax or paperwork when you move from sole proprietor to GK/KK later?
- Besides the higher setup cost, is there a downside to just starting as a GK from day one?
- Any bilingual accountants or bookkeeping tools you’d recommend for a small online business?
PS: Not looking for formal legal advice, just personal experience. Appreciate any pointers!
by fmatsuo