Hire in Japan
Japan is one of the hardest countries to hire in without local help: social insurance is enrolled per employee, dismissal is tightly restricted, and most rules are published only in Japanese. We read those sources in Tokyo and lay out what a foreign employer actually pays, what it must not do, and which Employer of Record is right for the situation.
Where are you right now?
Pick the one that fits and jump straight to the answer- 01What will one hire really cost?Social insurance, bonuses, allowances — from official 2026 rates
- 02EOR or my own entity?When a Japanese company is worth it, and when it is not
- 03Which EOR vendor?Deel, Remote, Oyster, Rippling, Papaya — prices and limits
- 04Contractor riskMisclassification tests used in Japan
- 05Letting someone goWhy dismissal in Japan is different, and what it costs
- 06VisasCan an EOR sponsor a work visa in Japan?
Three steps before you hire in Japan
In this order, you will not be surprised by the first payslip-
1 Know the real cost
Gross salary is about 85% of what you pay. Use the official rates for the prefecture and age band.
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2 Pick the structure
EOR for one to a dozen people, entity when you are staying. Contractor only if the work really is independent.
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3 Choose the vendor and sign a Japanese-law contract
Compare price, visa sponsorship, offboarding terms and who holds the employment contract.
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