To start a coffee business in Japan, sequence your launch around legal setup, a compliant site, and a menu that fits local demand. Incorporate as a GK or KK, secure 5 million JPY capital if seeking a Business Manager visa, lease the shop, register at the Legal Affairs Bureau, and file tax and social insurance. Obtain the Inshokuten Eigyo Kyoka from your health center, appoint a Food Sanitation Manager, implement HACCP-based controls, and meet fit-out specs: handwash sink, grease trap, washable surfaces, pest plan, calibrated thermometer. Pass fire and gas inspections, and confirm smoking rules. If importing beans, file a Food Import Notification via NACCS; green coffee needs a phytosanitary certificate under the Plant Protection Act; roasted beans must meet Food Sanitation Act standards. Consider early consumption tax registration and ensure qualified invoices to reclaim early build-out input tax. Expect reikin/shikikin of 4–8 months’ rent and 8–15 million JPY to build 10–20 tsubo near stations; sign an industrial waste contract and grease-trap service. Offer Suica/PayPay/credit, highlight pour-over and seasonal single origins, and train meticulous, quiet service. Hire part-timers, follow the prefectural minimum wage (updated each October), enroll eligible staff, and track beverage margin, seat turns, and footfall from day one.
