Your company name is the first thing clients, partners, and regulators see. It appears on every contract, invoice, bank document, and government filing. Getting it wrong creates problems at registration and beyond. Getting it right starts with understanding the rules defined in the Companies Act (会社法) and the Commercial Registration Act (商業登記法).
Here are the 10 questions that founders ask most frequently about naming companies in Japan.
Yes. Romaji (Latin alphabet) is permitted for company names. "MmowW合同会社" is a valid registration. The entity designation (株式会社 or 合同会社) must be included — this is the one non-negotiable Japanese element under Article 6 of the Companies Act.
Yes. Arabic numerals (0-9) are permitted. "Tech360株式会社" or "合同会社24Seven" are valid from a character standpoint.
Spaces between words of a romaji name are generally permitted (e.g., "Blue Sky 株式会社"). However, leading or trailing spaces are not accepted, and spaces within kanji/kana portions may not be permitted.
You can combine kanji, kana, and romaji in a single company name. "グローバルTech株式会社" is valid. However, the registered name is one name — you cannot register two separate names (one Japanese, one English) as a single company name.
Yes, as long as they are at different registered addresses. The Commercial Registration Act's same-name prohibition applies only at the same address. Nationwide name exclusivity requires trademark registration under a separate process.
The Companies Act does not specify a character limit for company names. However, extremely long names create practical issues with official documents, seals, and bank accounts. Most companies keep names concise.
Yes. There is no prohibition on using personal names. "田中太郎株式会社" or "Tanaka Consulting 合同会社" are both valid.
The Legal Affairs Bureau does not check trademarks during registration. Your name may be registered even if it infringes an existing trademark. However, the trademark holder can take legal action under the Trademark Act (商標法), potentially forcing you to change your name after formation.
Japan does not have a company name reservation system. The name is secured when your company registration is accepted at the Legal Affairs Bureau.
A name change requires amending the articles of incorporation and filing a change registration. The registration tax is ¥30,000. Professional fees, if any, are additional.
MmowW's Name Checker validates your proposed name against character restrictions, entity suffix requirements, and naming prohibitions. It gives you a concrete yes-or-no on compliance before you invest time in the full registration process.
Use our free tool to check your compliance instantly.
Try it free →Q: Where can I find the official list of permitted characters for company names?
A: The Ministry of Justice publishes guidelines on permitted characters for commercial registration. These are available through the Legal Affairs Bureau. MmowW's checker incorporates these guidelines into its validation logic.
Q: Can I use a name that is a common word, like "合同会社Japan"?
A: Common words and geographic names are generally permitted. However, names that mislead the public into believing the company has a special government affiliation (e.g., using "国立" meaning "national") may face scrutiny.
Q: Does the entity designation count toward any practical character limits?
A: The entity designation (株式会社, 合同会社) is part of the official company name and appears on all registered documents, seals, and bank accounts. Account for its length when planning your company seal design and business card layout.
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