About FinBuddy 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.
FinBuddy Japan exists to change that. We combine AI that reads official Japanese financial regulations with clear English explanations, free tools, and expert guides — so you can make informed decisions about your money without guessing.
How we work
FinBuddy is an educational platform — like a comprehensive English-language reference book about Japan's financial systems, enhanced with interactive tools and AI-powered search.
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
Free, in-depth articles covering taxes, NISA, pensions, property, and more — written for foreigners, sourced from official Japanese regulations.
Use the free tools
Tax Filing Checker, NISA Calculator, Payslip Decoder — get instant, personalized answers without signing up.
Ask the AI
Got a specific question? Ask FinBuddy AI. It reads 国税庁 and 金融庁 sources directly and cites 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 AI answer 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.
Free means free
Our free tier is genuinely useful — not a crippled demo. All guides, all free tools, and 3 AI questions per month at no cost.
Important disclaimer
FinBuddy 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.