2017年-世界发展银行全球_Economy_Profile_of_Japan_119页_1mb

Summary of Doing Business 2018: Reforming to Create Jobs

Core Content

The Doing Business 2018 report by the World Bank Group evaluates business regulations across 190 economies, focusing on how these regulations affect the ease of doing business. It provides quantitative indicators that measure the procedures, time, and costs involved in various aspects of business operations, including starting a business, getting electricity, registering property, getting credit, protecting minority investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts, and resolving insolvency. The report also assesses labor market regulation, though it does not include these indicators in the overall ease of doing business ranking.

The report's main goal is to encourage economies to reform their regulatory environments to improve efficiency and competitiveness. It serves as a benchmarking tool for governments, researchers, and businesses, offering data-driven insights into how to enhance the business climate.

Key Indicators and Their Purpose

• Starting a business: Measures the procedures, time, and cost to establish a limited liability company.
• Dealing with construction permits: Assesses the ease of obtaining permits to build a warehouse, including time and cost.
• Getting electricity: Evaluates the procedures, time, cost, reliability, and tariff transparency for connecting to the electrical grid.
• Registering property: Analyzes the procedures, time, and cost to transfer property and the quality of land administration.
• Getting credit: Focuses on movable collateral laws and credit information systems.
• Protecting minority investors: Assesses the rights of minority shareholders in related-party transactions and corporate governance.
• Paying taxes: Measures the total tax rate, time, and payments required for compliance with tax regulations.
• Trading across borders: Evaluates the time and cost to export and import goods.
• Enforcing contracts: Assesses the time and cost to resolve commercial disputes and the quality of judicial processes.
• Resolving insolvency: Measures the time, cost, outcome, and recovery rate for insolvency cases.
• Labor market regulation: Focuses on flexibility and job quality in employment regulations.

Japan's Economy Profile

General Information

• Population: 126,994,511
• GNI per Capita: $38,000
• Income Category: High income
• Region: OECD high income
• City Covered: Tokyo (and Osaka for some indicators)

Ease of Doing Business in Japan

• Ranking: Japan ranks 22nd globally.
• Distance to Frontier (DTF): Japan has a DTF score of 72.7, indicating it is close to the best practices in business regulation.

Starting a Business in Japan

Overview

The report measures the procedures, time, and cost for a small-to-medium-sized limited liability company to start up and operate in Japan's largest business cities (Tokyo and Osaka). The standardized company is assumed to be 100% domestically owned, with five owners (all individuals), and a paid-in capital of 10 times the income per capita.

Key Metrics

Procedures to Start a Business in Tokyo

1. Search the company name

   • Agency: Legal Affairs Bureau
   • Time: <1 day (online)
   • Cost: No charge

2. Make a company seal

   • Agency: Seal maker
   • Time: 3 days
   • Cost: JPY 10,000–20,000

3. Open a bank account

   • Agency: Bank
   • Time: 1 day
   • Cost: No charge

4. Register at the Legal Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Justice

   • Agency: Legal Affairs Bureau
   • Time: 3 days
   • Cost: 0.7% of capital or JPY 60,000 (whichever is higher) + JPY 450

5. File the notification of company incorporation and the opening of a payroll office; apply for blue tax returns

   • Agency: National Tax Agency
   • Time: 1 day
   • Cost: No charge

6. File the notification of commencement of business

   • Agency: Local tax department of Tokyo Metropolitan Government
   • Time: 1 day
   • Cost: No charge

7. File labor insurance notifications and employment rules

   • Agency: Labor Standards Inspection Office
   • Time: 1 day
   • Cost: No charge

8. File applications for health insurance and public welfare pension

   • Agency: Japan Pension Service
   • Time: 1 day
   • Cost: No charge

9. File the company application for employment insurance

   • Agency: Public Employment Security Office
   • Time: 1 day
   • Cost: No charge
   • Applies only to women and occurs simultaneously with the previous procedure.

Procedures to Start a Business in Osaka

The procedures for starting a business in Osaka are largely similar to those in Tokyo, with the following differences:

• Notification of commencement of business: Takes 2 days instead of 1 day.
• Cost of registration: 0.7% of capital or JPY 60,000 (whichever is higher) + JPY 450.

Main Viewpoints and Key Information

• Regulatory Environment: Japan has a well-structured and efficient regulatory environment for starting and operating a business.
• Gender Neutrality: The report compares procedures for men and women, showing that they are generally the same, with no additional procedures for women in most cases.
• Online Procedures: Many procedures can be completed online, reducing time and increasing efficiency.
• Cost Efficiency: Japan's cost to start a business is relatively low, with no charges for most procedures.
• DTF and Rankings: Japan's DTF score of 72.7 places it among the top performers in business regulation, reflecting its proximity to best practices.
• Standardization: The report uses standardized assumptions to ensure comparability across economies, including the legal form, capital requirements, and business activities of the company.

Conclusion

The Doing Business 2018 report highlights Japan's strong regulatory environment, particularly in the area of starting a business. The country's procedures are streamlined, with minimal costs and time, and it is ranked highly in terms of ease of doing business. The report also emphasizes the importance of data transparency, online accessibility, and the protection of minority investors, all of which contribute to a favorable business climate. Japan's performance in these areas is benchmarked against other high-income economies and the global best performers, showcasing its efficiency and regulatory maturity.