Japan Company Name Rules: Selecting a Trade Name (Shogo) for Incorporation
Japan Company Name Rules: Selecting a Trade Name (Shogo) for Incorporation
When incorporating a company in Japan, one of the earliest strategic decisions is the selection of the company name, or
“shogo” (trade name). Japanese law allows a wide range of characters and symbols, but there are also
clear restrictions on what may be registered. Foreign founders should understand these rules at the outset to avoid
delays at the Legal Affairs Bureau and to reduce the risk of future disputes.
Characters You Can Use in a Japanese Company Name
Under Japanese corporate registration practice, a company name may consist of:
- Japanese characters, including kanji, hiragana, and katakana;
- Roman letters (A–Z, upper- and lower-case);
- Arabic numerals (0–9); and
- Certain approved symbols, as discussed below.
By contrast, Hangul (Korean script), simplified Chinese characters, and
European characters with diacritics (such as umlauts, trémas, and other accented letters commonly used in Europe)
cannot be registered as part of a Japanese company name. Where such characters appear in a foreign brand,
they must be converted into katakana or into the appropriate standard Japanese characters for registration purposes.
It is also permissible to combine Japanese characters and Roman letters in a single trade name—such as
“ABCジャパン株式会社”—or even to adopt a trade name consisting solely of numerals, such as
“７７７株式会社”, provided all other legal requirements are satisfied.
Use of Required Legal Entity Terms (Kabushiki Kaisha, Godo Kaisha, etc.)
Japanese law requires that the trade name of a company clearly indicate its entity type. For example, a
joint-stock company must include the characters 「株式会社」 (Kabushiki Kaisha), and a limited liability
company must include 「合同会社」 (Godo Kaisha).
These mandatory terms cannot be replaced with English or abbreviated forms such as
“K.K.”, “Company Incorporated”, “Co., Inc.”, or “Co., Ltd.”
within the registered trade name. Even if such abbreviations are used in marketing materials or on business cards, the
officially registered name must contain the full Japanese terminology required by law.
Permitted Symbols, Punctuation, and Spaces
In addition to letters and numerals, certain punctuation marks and symbols may be used in a Japanese company name. As a
general rule, these symbols are allowed only when they serve to divide words or elements within the name:
- & (ampersand)
- ’ (apostrophe)
- , (comma)
- ‐ (hyphen)
- ． (period/full stop)
- ・ (middle dot)
These symbols may not be placed at the beginning or the end of the company name; they are recognized
only when used between letters, numerals, or Japanese characters to separate terms.
An important exception is the period (．), which may be used at the end of the name
when it indicates an abbreviation.
The use of a space is also tightly controlled. As a rule, a space is permitted only when it separates
two or more Roman-letter words within the trade name—for example,
“Global Consulting Japan株式会社”. Spaces may not be used arbitrarily, and they cannot be placed at the
very beginning or end of the trade name.
Prohibited Words, Restricted Terms, and Internal Division Names
Even if a proposed trade name satisfies the character and symbol rules, it may still be rejected if it contains
prohibited or misleading terms. Key examples include:
- Internal division or branch descriptors – Terms such as
「○○支店」 (Branch) or 「○○事業部」 (Business Division) indicate a department
or branch of an existing company rather than a separate legal entity. Such wording is not accepted as part of the
corporate trade name. - Industry-specific restricted terms – Words like “銀行” (bank),
“信託” (trust), and “保険” (insurance) are generally reserved for entities
that hold the appropriate licenses or regulatory approvals. Unauthorized use of these terms in a trade name is not
permitted. - Criminal or obscene language – Trade names that include words associated with criminal activity
such as “麻薬” (narcotics) or “殺人” (murder), or that contain obscene or
highly offensive terms, will not be accepted for registration.
Founders should therefore ensure that their preferred name is not only technically registrable, but also consistent with
public order and morality as understood under Japanese practice.
Avoiding Conflicts with Existing Trade Names and Trademarks
Even when a proposed company name meets all formal registration standards, there are additional legal and practical
risks to consider.
First, as a matter of corporate registration practice, an identical trade name cannot be registered
for another company at the same registered office address. This rule is intended to prevent confusion
in the official commercial registry.
Second, and more importantly from a risk-management perspective, a trade name may conflict with
existing trademark rights or give rise to claims under the Unfair Competition Prevention Act.
If a company adopts a name that is identical or confusingly similar to a registered trademark or a well-known trade name,
the existing rights holder may seek an injunction or damages through litigation. Accordingly, foreign founders are strongly
advised to conduct searches not only in the commercial registry, but also in the trademark database before settling on a
final name.
Practical Takeaways for Foreign Investors and Entrepreneurs
- Confirm that your preferred trade name uses only permitted characters, numerals, and symbols.
- Ensure the entity type—such as 「株式会社」 or 「合同会社」—is written in full, without substitution by “K.K.” or “Co., Ltd.”
- Avoid branch-style wording, restricted industry terms, criminal or obscene language, and other expressions that are likely to be rejected.
- Check for identical or similar names in both the commercial registry and the trademark registry to mitigate the risk of conflict and litigation.
- Engage local counsel early to align your branding strategy with Japanese registration rules and regulatory expectations.
For foreign investors, the company name is often the first point of contact between the business and the Japanese
marketplace. Taking the time to structure a compliant and distinctive trade name at the start will reduce legal risk,
support brand protection, and facilitate a smoother incorporation process in Japan.
FAQ: Registered Head Office Address in Japan: Legal Requirements for Foreign Entrepreneurs
Professional
Masakazu Murai Immigration consultant, financial advisor 18 years’ experience in Investment Banking at Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley. He had provided financial advisory more than 500 entrepreneurs and senior management.
Gyoseishoshi Immigration Lawyer
– Co head of the Tokyo Gyoseishoshi Association, Minato branch
CMA(Japanese financial analyst license)
CFP (Certified Financial Planner)
MBA in Entrepreneurship
CONTACT US TODAY