Corporate Number number search (Japan)
Free, official, source-cited — updated 2026-06.
Search Company Records in Japan
3 free lookups per day. No sign-up required.
How do I look up a company by its registration number in Japan?
Enter the Corporate Number to look up a Japan company directly on gBizINFO / Legal Affairs Bureau. Unlike a name search, an Corporate Number returns exactly one entity, which is why it is the identifier to use for KYC, invoicing and contract checks.
Step-by-step
- 1
Find the Corporate Number on the paperwork
The Corporate Number normally appears on invoices, contracts, the website footer or official correspondence. It is the number counterparties are required to quote.
- 2
Search the Corporate Number
Enter the number exactly as printed. Punctuation and spacing vary between documents — strip them if the search returns nothing.
- 3
Confirm the returned entity
Check the legal name on the returned record matches the name on your paperwork. A mismatch between quoted number and quoted name is a serious warning sign.
- 4
Verify at gBizINFO / Legal Affairs Bureau
For anything contractual, confirm the number against the primary source at https://info.gbiz.go.jp.
https://info.gbiz.go.jp
Frequently asked questions
What is a Corporate Number in Japan?
It is the identifier gBizINFO / Legal Affairs Bureau assigns to a registered entity. It stays with the entity even if the trading name changes, which makes it the reliable way to track a company over time.
Is a Corporate Number lookup free?
Yes. Looking up a company by Corporate Number on gBizINFO / Legal Affairs Bureau is free and requires no account.
What if the Corporate Number returns no result?
Re-enter it without spaces or punctuation first. If it still returns nothing, the number may be mistyped, belong to a different country's register, or not exist — ask the counterparty to confirm it in writing.
Should I use the Corporate Number or the company name?
The Corporate Number. Names are duplicated across entities within a group; the number is unique to one entity.
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 look up a company by its registration number 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
Tell apart several entities registered under near-identical names.
Japan data
- Japan company search
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