How to Search and Verify Any Japanese Company in 2026: Complete METI gBizINFO and Corporate Number Guide (法人検索)

How to Search and Verify Any Japanese Company in 2026: Complete METI gBizINFO and Corporate Number Guide (法人検索)

By Yamada · Chiba, Japan · May 2026

If you need to verify a Japanese company — whether for a business deal, KYB compliance, due diligence, supplier check, journalism, or academic research — Japan offers two free, official, English-language databases that most people outside Japan have never heard of:

This guide explains exactly how Japan's company verification system works in 2026, how to search both databases in English, what data is available, what's missing, and how foreign buyers and compliance teams can use this information.

Table of Contents

1. The Two Official Japanese Company Databases (Authoritative Reference)

Japan's company information is distributed across two government systems that serve different purposes. Both are necessary for comprehensive verification.

The single most important fact: Every legally registered company in Japan has a 13-digit Corporate Number (法人番号, hōjin bangō), issued by the National Tax Agency. This number is the universal key to look up any company across all three systems.

2. What Is a Japanese Corporate Number (法人番号)?

The Corporate Number (法人番号, hōjin bangō) is a 13-digit identifier assigned to every legal entity registered in Japan. It is Japan's equivalent of:

• UK Companies House Number
• US EIN (Employer Identification Number)
• EU LEI (Legal Entity Identifier)

Key facts about the Corporate Number:

• 13 digits, no letters
• Assigned to every: Kabushiki Kaisha (株式会社 / KK), Gōdō Kaisha (合同会社 / GK), Gōmei Kaisha, Gōshi Kaisha, NPOs, religious corporations, schools, and certain unincorporated associations
• Free to look up at houjin-bangou.nta.go.jp
• Issued by the National Tax Agency, not METI
• Different from the 12-digit Commercial Registration Number used in the Touki system
• Does not change when a company moves address or changes representative
• Stays the same for the entire life of the company
• Cannot be reassigned to a new company after dissolution

Example:

Toyota Motor Corporation's Corporate Number is 1180301018771 (publicly searchable).

If a Japanese company refuses to give you their Corporate Number, that is a red flag. The number is public information by law and they have no legitimate reason to withhold it.

3. METI gBizINFO: The 4.5 Million Company Database

gBizINFO is Japan's most comprehensive public company database. METI aggregates data from across the Japanese government and makes it freely available.

What gBizINFO offers:

• Corporate Number (13 digits)
• Registered legal name (Japanese + sometimes English)
• Registered address
• Capital stock (資本金) amount
• Number of employees (sometimes with gender breakdown)
• JSIC industry classification code
• Representative director's name (for many companies)
• Company website URL
• Government contracts received (if any)
• Subsidies received (Jグランツ data)
• Certifications (ISO, DX認定, METI certifications)
• Annual financial summaries (for companies that publicly filed)
• Patent counts
• Update history

What gBizINFO does NOT show:

• Shareholder names (these are not public in Japan)
• Bank account details
• Internal financial details beyond what's filed
• Director's personal information (only their name)
• Beneficial owner (UBO) information — Japan does not have a public UBO registry as of 2026

Access: Free, no registration required for the web interface. API access uses a free demo token; high-volume users register at https://info.gbiz.go.jp/hojin/various_registration/form for a permanent token.

Language: Japanese is the primary interface, but METI provides English search and English data for companies that have registered English names. Most large companies have English names registered; many small/mid-size companies do not.

4. National Tax Agency (NTA) Corporate Number Site

The NTA Corporate Number Publication Site is the authoritative source for the 13-digit Corporate Number itself.

Available at: https://www.houjin-bangou.nta.go.jp/en/index.html

What it shows:

• Corporate Number (13 digits)
• Legal name (Japanese, English if registered)
• Registered address
• Change history (address changes, name changes, dissolution)
• Status: active, dissolved, merged, suspended

What it does NOT show:

• Capital, employees, financials (use gBizINFO for these)
• Certifications or subsidies (use gBizINFO)

When to use NTA over gBizINFO: When you only need to confirm the legal identity and current status of a company, NTA is faster and more authoritative. When you need richer business data, use gBizINFO.

Both sites use the same underlying registration data, so the Corporate Number, legal name, and address must match between them. If they don't match, something is wrong (timing of updates, or a company in transition).

5. Touki Registry: The Separate Legal Document System

The Touki (登記) is Japan's legal registry, run by the Ministry of Justice. It contains the official legal documents of every Japanese company — far more detail than gBizINFO or NTA.

Touki contains:

• All directors and statutory auditors (current and historical)
• Capital changes over time
• Address changes over time
• Mergers, acquisitions, spinoffs
• Board resolution dates
• Official seal (実印) registration

Key difference: Touki extracts cost ¥600 per certificate (online via touki-kyoutaku-online.moj.go.jp) or ¥480 in person at a Legal Affairs Bureau. They are certified legal documents required for many official purposes (bank account opening, M&A, court filings).

For most KYB/due diligence purposes, the free gBizINFO + NTA data is sufficient. Touki extracts are needed when you require certified legal proof for an official transaction or court case.

6. How to Search a Japanese Company by Name (Step-by-Step)

Method A: gBizINFO

Tip: For common names (e.g., "Yamada"), filter by prefecture or industry to narrow results.

Method B: NTA Corporate Number Site

Tip: The English page only displays companies that have registered their English name. For maximum coverage, use the Japanese page even if you don't read Japanese — the company names will appear in Japanese.

Method C: English-Friendly Third-Party Tools

For non-Japanese users who want a fully English interface that wraps the official data, several free third-party tools exist. The free [Japan Company Search at yamada-tools.jp](https://yamada-tools.jp/en/business/company-search) provides a clean English UI on top of the METI data covering 5+ million companies, with results in English-friendly format.

These third-party tools do not replace the official METI/NTA sources for legal purposes, but they make casual searching far easier for non-Japanese readers.

7. How to Search by Corporate Number

If you already have the 13-digit Corporate Number, verification is instant.

At NTA (fastest):

At gBizINFO (richer data):

Validation rule: Japanese Corporate Numbers have a check digit. If a number has the wrong check digit, it is invalid. Most search tools will reject malformed numbers.

8. What Data You CAN See (and What You Cannot)

You CAN see (free, public):

• Legal name in Japanese (and English if registered)
• Registered address
• Date of establishment
• Capital stock
• Representative director's name (head of the company)
• Status (active, dissolved, merged)
• Number of employees (gBizINFO)
• Industry classification
• Company website
• Government contracts (gBizINFO)
• Subsidies received (gBizINFO)
• Certifications (gBizINFO)

You CANNOT see (not public in Japan):

• Shareholders — private under Japanese law
• Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO) — Japan has no public UBO registry as of 2026
• Bank account details
• Personal information of directors beyond their name
• Internal financial statements (unless the company is publicly listed or voluntarily disclosed)
• Customer lists, contracts (non-government), or supplier relationships

This is the single biggest gap for international KYB compliance teams. Japan's lack of a public UBO registry makes it harder to verify ultimate ownership than in EU jurisdictions. For UBO verification, you must request information directly from the company or use a paid commercial database.

9. KK vs GK: How Japan Classifies Companies

Japanese companies come in several legal forms. The two most common:

Key transparency difference:

• KK companies must publish annual financial summaries; many do so via Bunkasha (官報) or their own website
• GK companies are NOT required to publicly disclose annual financials

This means a KK is generally easier to verify financially than a GK of the same size.

Foreign subsidiaries: Many foreign companies enter the Japanese market through a GK because it's cheaper to form (¥60,000 vs ¥220,000) and easier to maintain. Apple Japan, Google Japan, and Amazon Japan are all GKs.

10. KYB and Due Diligence: 2026 Compliance Checklist

For compliance teams verifying Japanese companies in 2026, here is a practical checklist:

Step 1: Get the Corporate Number

Ask the company directly. Cross-check on NTA Corporate Number site. Confirm legal name and address match.

Step 2: Pull the gBizINFO profile

Verify: capital, employees, industry, representative director. Match against documents the company provided.

Step 3: Check sanctions and disciplinary actions

gBizINFO shows METI disciplinary actions. Also check Japanese sanctions lists (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and international lists (OFAC, EU, UN).

Step 4: Verify the representative director

The director's name appears on gBizINFO. For high-risk transactions, request a Touki extract (¥600) to see all current and historical directors.

Step 5: Check the company website

Does the website's "Corporate Info" page match what's in gBizINFO? Mismatches are a red flag.

Step 6: For UBO verification (still hard in Japan)

Request a written UBO declaration from the company. There is no public UBO registry to verify against — Japan is behind EU jurisdictions here. The FATF has noted this gap in evaluations of Japan.

Step 7: For high-value transactions

Get a certified Touki extract from the Legal Affairs Bureau or via touki-kyoutaku-online.moj.go.jp. This is the legal document Japanese courts and banks recognize.

11. Common Verification Use Cases

Use case 1: Verifying a Japanese supplier before signing a contract

gBizINFO + NTA check. Confirms the company is real, active, and matches what they claim. Sufficient for most commercial relationships.

Use case 2: KYB for fintech or banking

gBizINFO + NTA + sanctions check + UBO declaration from company. May require Touki extract for the final compliance file.

Use case 3: Journalism / investigative research

gBizINFO shows government contracts and subsidies, which is gold for investigative reporting. Combine with Touki for director history.

Use case 4: Investor due diligence (pre-investment)

gBizINFO + Touki extract + audited financials (if available) + on-site visit. The free databases get you ~70% of the way; the rest requires direct engagement with the company.

Use case 5: Academic research

gBizINFO API access. Bulk data export of companies by industry, prefecture, or capital. Free for non-commercial research with the demo token; paid for production volume.

12. Limitations and Pitfalls

Limitation 1: English coverage is incomplete.

Many small and mid-size Japanese companies have not registered English names with METI. The English search on NTA shows only companies that registered English names. Use Japanese names (even via copy-paste) for maximum coverage.

Limitation 2: No UBO registry.

As of 2026, Japan has no public Ultimate Beneficial Owner registry. This is a known gap in Japan's AML/CFT framework. Foreign compliance teams must request UBO info from the company directly.

Limitation 3: Financial data is limited.

Unlike US SEC filings or UK Companies House annual returns, Japanese small companies file financial info only with the National Tax Agency (private). Public financial data is limited to listed companies and voluntary disclosures.

Limitation 4: Data delays.

Updates from the Touki registry flow to gBizINFO and NTA databases, but there can be lag of weeks. For time-sensitive verification, the Touki extract is the most current.

Limitation 5: Inactive does not mean fraud.

A company status of "inactive" or "dissolved" in NTA simply means it stopped operating. Many small Japanese companies dissolve cleanly. Always check the dissolution date and reason.

13. FAQ

Q1: Is Japan company search really free?

Yes. Both METI gBizINFO and NTA Corporate Number Publication Site are 100% free, no registration required for basic searches. Touki extracts cost ¥600 per certificate online.

Q2: Can I search a Japanese company without knowing Japanese?

Yes. NTA and gBizINFO both have English interfaces. The free Japan Company Search at yamada-tools.jp wraps the data in a fully English UI. The limitation is that some company data (especially for small companies) is only registered in Japanese.

Q3: What is the difference between Corporate Number and Commercial Registration Number?

The 13-digit Corporate Number (法人番号) from NTA is for tax and government identification. The 12-digit Commercial Registration Number is used in the Touki system for legal document requests. They are different numbers for different purposes.

Q4: Can I see who owns a Japanese company (shareholders)?

No. Japan does not have a public shareholder registry. Shareholders are private. You can see the Representative Director (the head of the company), but not who owns the shares. This is the biggest gap in Japanese company transparency.

Q5: How do I verify the address of a Japanese company?

gBizINFO shows the registered address. Cross-check with the NTA database (they should match). For physical verification, look at the company's website or visit. Be aware that virtual office addresses are common in Japan, especially in Tokyo and Osaka.

Q6: What does "inactive" status mean on NTA?

"Inactive" means the company has been formally dissolved or its registration is closed. The reason and date appear in the change history. An inactive company cannot legally conduct business.

Q7: Can I download bulk company data from gBizINFO?

Yes. gBizINFO offers an API (token required for high volume) and CSV downloads. Use this for B2B sales lead generation, market research, or competitive intelligence. Respect the rate limits.

Q8: Is Japanese company information GDPR-compliant?

Japanese Corporate Numbers and company-level information are public by Japanese law. They are not personal data under GDPR. However, the representative director's name is personal data; treat it accordingly under your applicable privacy laws.

Q9: How current is gBizINFO data?

gBizINFO updates from the underlying Touki registry on an ongoing basis. Most companies show changes within 2-4 weeks of legal registration. For real-time verification, the Touki extract is the most current.

Q10: Are foreign companies (branches of overseas firms) in this database?

Yes. Japanese branches of foreign companies (外国会社) have Corporate Numbers and appear in both NTA and gBizINFO. They are classified differently from domestic KK/GK forms.

Q11: Can a Japanese company refuse to give me their Corporate Number?

They can technically refuse, but it's a major red flag. The Corporate Number is public information by Japanese law. Any legitimate company will share it freely; many include it on their website, business cards, and email signatures.

Q12: What's the difference between gBizINFO and the NTA Corporate Number site?

NTA is the authoritative source for the 13-digit number itself, legal name, and status. gBizINFO aggregates richer business data on top — financials, subsidies, certifications, government contracts. Use NTA for identity, gBizINFO for context.

14. Official Sources and References

• METI gBizINFO (Japanese + English): https://info.gbiz.go.jp/
• National Tax Agency Corporate Number Publication Site: https://www.houjin-bangou.nta.go.jp/en/
• Touki Online (Legal Affairs Bureau): https://www.touki-kyoutaku-online.moj.go.jp/
• Ministry of Justice, Civil Affairs Bureau: https://www.moj.go.jp/MINJI/
• METI English portal: https://www.meti.go.jp/english/
• Free English wrapper tool: [Japan Company Search at yamada-tools.jp](https://yamada-tools.jp/en/business/company-search)

Related EasyNihon Tools

• Visa Fee Calculator 2026 — for foreign workers at Japanese companies
• GK Company Guide — how to form a Gōdō Kaisha as a foreign founder
• Business Manager Visa Survival Guide
• Engineer/Humanities Visa Documents 2026

Final note:

Japan's company verification system is genuinely free, well-organized, and accessible — but most international compliance teams don't know it exists in English. With gBizINFO and the NTA Corporate Number site, you can do 80% of standard Japanese KYB without spending a yen. For the remaining 20% (UBO, certified legal documents), the paid Touki extract fills the gap.

If you do international business with Japan, bookmark these two sources. They are the foundation of every legitimate Japan KYB workflow.

— Yamada