Your First Business Website in Japan: Domain, Email, Hosting and Legal Pages
Updated 28 October 2026 · Chenab Digital
A new business in Japan needs a domain registered in the company's name (.co.jp, .jp or .com), business email on that domain, a website with home, services, company information (会社概要) and contact pages, a privacy policy, the 特定商取引法 notice if it sells online, a verified Google Business Profile, a LINE Official Account for Japanese customers, and analytics with conversion tracking.
You have registered your company or are about to. Now you need to get online: a domain, business email, a website and a Google Maps listing. This guide walks through each step for a new business in Japan.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. For company registration, visas and tax, talk to a licensed professional such as a gyoseishoshi, judicial scrivener or tax accountant.
1. Choose a domain
Your domain is your address online. The common choices in Japan:
| Domain | Who can register | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| .co.jp | Companies registered in Japan (one per company) | Signals an established Japanese company. Highly trusted by Japanese customers |
| .jp | Individuals or organisations with an address in Japan | Short and recognisable. Shows a Japanese presence |
| .com | Anyone | Good for international audiences. Easier to keep if you operate in several countries |
Tips:
- Register the domain in your company’s name, not a personal name or your web designer’s name.
- Keep it short and easy to spell for both English and Japanese speakers.
- Turn on auto-renew. A lapsed domain can be hard to recover.
2. Set up business email
Use an address on your own domain (for example info@yourcompany.jp), not a free personal account. It looks more professional and is less likely to land in spam.
Popular options are Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, both with English interfaces. Set up the SPF, DKIM and DMARC DNS records so your emails reach inboxes.
3. Pick hosting that matches your website
- A simple company website can run on modern static hosting, which is fast, secure and inexpensive.
- A WordPress site needs hosting that supports PHP and databases. Many popular Japanese hosts have Japanese-only control panels, so check language support if you will manage it yourself.
- An online store usually runs on a platform such as Shopify, which includes hosting.
4. Plan the pages
A first business website usually needs:
- Home: who you are, what you do, and for whom
- Services or products: one page per main service, with starting prices if possible
- About / company information (会社概要): registered company name, address, representative, date established
- Contact: form, phone, email, and the messaging apps your customers use (LINE for Japanese customers, WhatsApp for many international ones)
Decide early whether you need English, Japanese or both. If you serve Japanese customers, you need native-quality Japanese text.
5. Add the legal pages Japanese websites need
- Privacy policy (プライバシーポリシー). If you collect personal information, for example through a contact form, Japan’s Act on the Protection of Personal Information (APPI) requires you to handle it properly and tell people how you use it.
- 特定商取引法に基づく表記 (Notice under the Act on Specified Commercial Transactions). If you sell goods or services online to consumers, you generally must publish seller details: company name, address, phone, representative, prices, payment methods, delivery and returns policy.
- Terms of use or terms of service, if people can buy or sign up on your site.
6. Get on Google Maps
Create a Google Business Profile so your business appears in Google Maps and local search results. Choose accurate categories, add photos and hours, and keep your name, address and phone number exactly the same as on your website.
If you do not want your address shown, for example if you work from home, you can set it up as a service-area business.
7. Set up LINE
Many Japanese customers prefer contacting businesses through LINE. A LINE Official Account gives you a business profile, a contact button and tools for messages and coupons.
8. Measure from day one
Connect Google Search Console and an analytics tool before launch, and track form submissions, calls and messaging clicks. You will know what works from the very first month.
Checklist
- Domain registered in the company’s name, auto-renew on
- Business email on your domain, SPF/DKIM/DMARC set
- Website: home, services, company info, contact
- Privacy policy, plus the 特定商取引法 notice if you sell online
- Google Business Profile verified
- LINE Official Account (if you serve Japanese customers)
- Search Console and analytics with conversion tracking
Our launch kit for new businesses covers all of this, explained in English.