Check if a Japan company is active
Free, official, source-cited — updated 2026-06.
Search Company Records in Japan
3 free lookups per day. No sign-up required.
How do I check whether a company is still active in Japan?
Search the company by name or registration number and read its status field. On gBizINFO / Legal Affairs Bureau, an "active" or "registered" status means the entity is currently on the register; "dissolved", "struck off" or "liquidation" means it is not trading legally.
Step-by-step
- 1
Find the company
Search by name or registration number to open the correct record.
- 2
Read the status field
The status is the register's own verdict on whether the entity currently exists. Treat anything other than active/registered as a red flag before contracting.
- 3
Check the last filing date
An entity can be nominally active but years behind on filings. A long gap since the last filing is a warning sign even when the status reads active.
- 4
Confirm at the source
Status changes propagate from gBizINFO / Legal Affairs Bureau at https://info.gbiz.go.jp. For a decision with money attached, confirm there.
https://info.gbiz.go.jp
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if a Japan company is still trading?
The register's status field is the authoritative answer. An active/registered status on gBizINFO / Legal Affairs Bureau means the entity is currently on the register. It does not by itself prove the business is operating, so also check the most recent filing date.
What does "dissolved" or "struck off" mean?
The entity has been removed from the register and can no longer legally trade or enter into contracts. Any invoice or agreement issued under that name after removal should be treated as invalid.
Is checking company status in Japan free?
Yes — status is part of the free public record on gBizINFO / Legal Affairs Bureau. No account is needed.
What is a KK (Kabushiki Kaisha)?
KK (株式会社 / Kabushiki Kaisha) is Japan's standard joint-stock company, equivalent to a corporation. Minimum capital is ¥1. It's the most prestigious and common company form for medium to large businesses. Almost all listed Japanese companies are KK.
People also ask about check whether a company is still active in Japan
The exact questions searchers type into Google — answered from the primary source.
Is the Japan company register free to search?
Yes. Basic company lookups on the gBizINFO / Legal Affairs Bureau are free — you can search by company name or registration number, view legal status, registered address and (usually) directors at no cost. Some jurisdictions charge a small fee only for downloading full filed documents.
What is the official Japan business registry?
The gBizINFO / Legal Affairs Bureau is the official public register of companies incorporated in Japan. It is operated by the government and is the primary source cited on this page — https://info.gbiz.go.jp.
Related guides and tools
More Japan guides
- Search companies by name
Find any registered company from a partial name — free, no signup.
- Search the company register
What the official register holds, and how to search it free.
- Search the business registry
Match a trading name to the registered legal entity behind it.
- Find the right entity
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Japan data
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