Last updated: 23 Mar 2012
Taxation
You should seek professional advice on taxation is it applies to foreign companies and operations in Japan. The major international accounting companies operate in Japan and have English-speaking staff. A five per cent consumption tax is levied on all purchases in Japan including food. Some hotels charge 8-10 per cent service tax on accommodation. Businesses operating in Japan will be subject to a range of taxes including:
- corporate tax
- income tax
- withholding tax
- local tax
- residents tax
Liquor taxes, expressed in specific terms per quantity, are levied on beverages, whether imported or domestically produced.
Excise tax is levied on tobacco imports.
Top Business Risks
IP Passport fact sheets
These fact sheets outline foreign Intellectual Property (IP) regimes and some of the issues and challenges which may be faced by Australian exporters.
The current fact sheets are available on the IP Australia website.
Bilateral agreements
Australia has social security agreements with several countries that address the issue of 'double super coverage' for employees sent to work overseas. To take advantage of these agreements, Australian employers sending employees overseas to work must apply to the Tax Office for a Certificate of coverage.
For more details, please visit the Australian Taxation Office website.
OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
Multinational Enterprises should be aware of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises that provide voluntary principles and standards for responsible business behaviour in a variety of areas, consistent with applicable domestic laws. These Guidelines are endorsed and promoted by the Australian Government. For more information, go to the AusNCP website.