[2025 Edition] Company Establishment Forms: Types of Corporations and Comparison List

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item	Co., Ltd.	LLC	joint stock company	partnership company
Kanji abbreviation	(KK)	(same)	(Capital)	(given name)
Katakana abbreviation	mosquito)	)	C)	Me)
Business purpose	freedom	freedom	freedom	freedom
Conditions for establishment	registration	registration	registration	registration
Competent authority	none	none	none	none
Transition to a corporation	－	Possible	Possible	Possible
minimum capital	1 yen or more	1 yen or more	0 yen	0 yen
credit labor investment	Not possible	Not possible	Possible	Possible
Articles of incorporation stamp tax	40,000 yen (0 yen for electronic authentication)	40,000 yen (0 yen for electronic authentication)	40,000 yen (0 yen for electronic authentication)	40,000 yen (0 yen for electronic authentication)
Articles of incorporation certification fee, etc.	Approximately 52,000 yen	0 yen	0 yen	0 yen
Registration license tax	Minimum 150,000 yen (capital amount x 7/1,000)	Minimum 60,000 yen (capital amount x 7/1,000)	60,000 yen	60,000 yen
Investor	shareholder	employee	employee	employee
profit dividend	proportional to investment	freedom	freedom	freedom
Number of people required for establishment	1 or more people	1 or more people	1 or more members 1 or more members with unlimited liability, 1 or more members with limited liability	1 or more people 1 or more unlimited liability employees
highest authority	General meeting of shareholders	Consent of all employees	Consent of all employees	Consent of all employees
Investor responsibility	limited liability	limited liability	unlimited liability	unlimited liability
company representative	Representative director	Representative employee	Employees (you may specify a representative)	Employees (you may specify a representative)
board member	1 or more directors	1 or more employees	unlimited liability employee	unlimited liability employee
Term of office	Within 10 years	No term of office	No term of office	No term of office
Publication of financial results	Public notice required	No obligation to publicize	No obligation to publicize	No obligation to publicize
tax system	full income tax	full income tax	full income tax	full income tax
social credibility	○	△	△	△
Features	Separation of ownership and management, aiming for public offering (listing)	Ownership and management are the same, and company establishment costs are the lowest	The investor with unlimited liability is the manager, so the form of liability is almost the same as that of a sole proprietorship.	Although it is a small corporation with unlimited liability members, with the abolition of the minimum capital system and the creation of limited liability companies, the significance of establishing a new limited liability company is being lost.

① Comparison list of specific corporate forms

item	NPO corporation	General incorporated association	social welfare corporation	medical corporation
Kanji abbreviation	(Special non-standard)	(one company)	(Fuku)	(medicine)
Katakana abbreviation	Tokuhi)	Sha)	Fuku)	stomach)
Business purpose	Mainly 20 types of specified non-profit activities (profitable activities are also possible)	freedom	Social welfare business (other public interest businesses, profit-making businesses possible)	Providing medical care, health, and welfare
Conditions for establishment	Registered within 2 weeks after certification by the competent authority	registration	Registered within 2 weeks after approval from the competent authority	Registration after approval from the competent authority
Competent authority	Prefectures, ordinance-designated cities	none	Prefectures, ordinance-designated cities, core cities	Prefectures, ordinance-designated cities
Transition to a corporation	Not possible	Not possible	Not possible	Not possible
minimum capital	0 yen	0 yen	0 yen	0 yen
credit labor investment	Not possible	Not possible	Not possible	Not possible
Articles of incorporation stamp tax	0 yen	0 yen	0 yen	0 yen
Articles of incorporation certification fee, etc.	0 yen	Approximately 52,000 yen	0 yen	0 yen
Registration license tax	0 yen	60,000 yen	0 yen	0 yen
Investor	employee	employee	none	none
profit dividend	Not possible	Not possible	Not possible	Not possible
Number of people required for establishment	10 people or more	2 or more people	8 or more people (15 or more if a board of councilors is established)	There are detailed standards
highest authority	General meeting of employees	General meeting of employees	Board of Directors (requires consultation with the Board of Trustees)	board of directors
Investor responsibility	limited liability	limited liability	limited liability	limited liability
company representative	representative director	representative director	Chairman	Chairman
board member	3 or more directors, 1 or more auditors	1 or more directors	6 or more directors, 2 or more auditors, more than 2x board members	There are regulations regarding the composition of officers.
Term of office	Basically 2 years	Within 2 years	Director within 2 years, Auditor within 4 years	Basically 2 years
Publication of financial results	Submit financial statements, etc. to the competent authority	Public notice required	Submit a status report including financial statements to the competent authority	There is a duty to disclose
tax system	Tax exempt in principle, profit business tax	In principle, tax exempt, profitable businesses are taxed, profit-type corporations are taxed on all income	Tax exempt in principle, profit business tax	Exempt from tax or taxable under certain conditions
social credibility	×	×	◎	◎
Features	Unique regulations regarding executive remuneration, huge amount of documents to be submitted to the competent authority at the time of establishment and every year, which is labor-intensive.	Similar to limited liability company, legal revision allows normal business, public image	Strict human and financial requirements, public support and subsidies	The primary purpose is to provide medical care, and specific standards and regulations have been set.

②Comparison list of specific corporate forms

item	Foundation	religious corporation	school corporation	Independent administrative agency
Kanji abbreviation	(Foundation)	(sect)	(academic)	Independent administrative agency
Katakana abbreviation	Zai)	Shu)	gaku)	solo)
Business purpose	Activities for public interest purposes	religious activities	Promotion of education and scholarship	Providing public services
Conditions for establishment	Registration after approval from the competent authority	Establishment certification, registration	Approval and registration from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology	Establishment of country, establishment based on law
Competent authority	Prefectures, ordinance-designated cities	Prefectures, ordinance-designated cities	Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology	Ministries and agencies
Transition to a corporation	Not possible	Not possible	Not possible	Not possible
minimum capital	There is a minimum standard for the amount of capital	0 yen	There is a minimum standard for the amount of capital	Capital provided by the state
credit labor investment	Not possible	Not possible	Not possible	Not possible
Articles of incorporation stamp tax	0 yen	0 yen	0 yen	Not applicable
Articles of incorporation certification fee, etc.	0 yen	0 yen	0 yen	Not applicable
Registration license tax	0 yen	0 yen	0 yen	Not applicable
Investor	none	believer	none	country
profit dividend	Not possible	Not possible	Not possible	Not possible
Number of people required for establishment	There are detailed standards	There are detailed standards	There are detailed standards	There are detailed standards
highest authority	board of directors	Board of Directors or equivalent body	board of directors	board of directors
Investor responsibility	limited liability	limited liability	limited liability	limited liability
company representative	Chairman	representative	Chairman	representative director
board member	3 or more directors, 1 or more auditors	There are regulations regarding the composition of officers.	3 or more directors, 1 or more auditors	There are regulations regarding the composition of officers.
Term of office	In principle, within 2 years	according to regulations	In principle, within 2 years	according to regulations
Publication of financial results	There is a duty to disclose	There is a duty to disclose	There is a duty to disclose	There is a duty to disclose
tax system	Exempt from tax or taxable under certain conditions	Exempt from tax or taxable under certain conditions	Exempt from tax or taxable under certain conditions	Exempt from tax or taxable under certain conditions
social credibility	○	○	◎	◎
Features	Established for public purposes and focused on holding and managing funds	specialized in achieving religious objectives and belonging to a particular religious group	Operates highly independent educational institutions with the aim of promoting education and scholarship.	Supporting the realization of national policies and goals for the purpose of carrying out official duties

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