About YenMate Japan
Every foreigner in Japan deserves access to clear, accurate financial guidance in English — 24/7, without paying ¥50,000 for a consultation.
Our mission
Japan's financial system is powerful but opaque — especially if you don't read Japanese. Tax filing, pension rules, investment accounts, insurance options, mortgage processes — the information exists, but it's buried in Japanese-only government websites and ¥50,000+ professional consultations.
YenMate Japan exists to change that. We translate official Japanese financial regulations into clear English explanations, interactive tools, and expert guides — so you can make informed decisions about your money without guessing.
How we work
YenMate is an educational platform — like a comprehensive English-language reference book about Japan's financial systems, enhanced with interactive tools and searchable guides.
We are NOT a 税理士事務所 or financial advisory firm. We don't file taxes for you, prepare tax documents, or provide personalized financial advice.
What we do: make publicly available Japanese financial information accessible in English, so you can have informed conversations with licensed professionals.
When you need professional help, we recommend consulting:
- • 税理士 (certified tax accountant) — for tax filing and specific tax questions
- • ファイナンシャルプランナー (FP) — for financial planning
- • 弁護士 (lawyer) — for legal matters
What we cover
Tax 税金
確定申告 filing, 年末調整, freelancer tax, deductions, leaving Japan tax obligations
Investment 投資
NISA, iDeCo, stock trading tax, 特定口座 vs 一般口座, broker comparisons
Property 不動産
Buying process, 住宅ローン (mortgage), buy vs rent analysis, property tax
Pension 年金
国民年金, 厚生年金, pension refund (脱退一時金) when leaving Japan
Insurance 保険
Health insurance (国民健康保険 vs 社会保険), life, rental, and car insurance
Banking 銀行
Opening accounts, remittance, credit cards for foreigners, cashless payments
How it works
Read the guides
In-depth articles covering taxes, NISA, pensions, property, and more — written for foreigners, sourced from official Japanese regulations.
Use the tools
Tax Filing Checker, NISA Calculator, Payslip Decoder — get instant, personalized answers without signing up.
Search for answers
Got a specific question? Search YenMate. Our guides reference 国税庁 and 金融庁 sources directly and cite every answer.
Our commitment
Honest recommendations
We never recommend a worse product for higher commission. When we link to NISA brokers, insurance, or mortgage providers, we recommend what's genuinely best for you.
Cited sources
Every guide includes citations to official sources — specific 国税庁 tax answers, articles of Japanese law, or 金融庁 guidelines. No vague claims.
Knows its limits
When confidence is low or your situation is complex, we recommend a licensed 税理士 (tax accountant) or ファイナンシャルプランナー. We'd rather send you to a professional than give a wrong answer.
No paywalls, no signup
All guides, all tools, all calculators — no account needed. Supported by affiliate partnerships and advertising.
About the team
Bilingual team with first-hand experience
Written by a bilingual (Japanese/English) team with first-hand experience navigating Japan's financial systems. We read the regulations in the original Japanese so you don't have to.
Based on official sources
Content is based on official sources: 国税庁 (National Tax Agency), 金融庁 (Financial Services Agency), 厚生労働省 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare), 日本年金機構 (Japan Pension Service), and 国土交通省 (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism).
Cited laws and regulations
All guides cite specific Japanese laws and regulations — from 所得税法 articles to 国税庁タックスアンサー reference numbers. No vague claims, no unsourced figures.
Updated annually
Updated annually to reflect current tax rates and rules. Japan's tax code changes every year, and we review our content to make sure it stays accurate.
Part of LAIRIA Holdings
Part of LAIRIA Holdings — building tools for the international community in Japan, including Movemate (relocation guide) and Chartedly (comparison platform).
Content standards
Financial information is high-stakes — we take accuracy seriously. Every piece of content on YenMate follows these standards:
Official source citations
Every guide cites official sources — specific 国税庁タックスアンサー numbers, articles of law, or government ministry publications.
Verified tax rates
Tax rates and thresholds are verified against 国税庁 publications. We cross-reference every figure before publishing.
Reviewed for accuracy
Content is reviewed for accuracy before publication. We verify information against the original Japanese-language source material.
Updated when laws change
Guides are updated when laws change. Every article shows when it was last reviewed, and we monitor Japan's annual tax reform announcements (税制改正大綱).
Important disclaimer
YenMate Japan is an educational tool and form navigator. We are not a licensed 税理士 (tax accountant), ファイナンシャルプランナー, or financial advisor. All information is for educational purposes only. For your specific situation, consult a licensed professional.
A LAIRIA Holdings product.