International tax consulting for accounting firms
How Accounting Firms Can Use International Tax Expertise
Bring to your firm
an adviser with Big Four experience.
A long-standing client has asked about expanding or relocating overseas. You want your own firm to support them, but you are unsure about the international tax judgments involved.
For tax and accounting firms that do not need a full-time international tax specialist but want someone to consult when necessary, we offer an ongoing advisory service.
Our principal, tax accountant Kenji Yanagisawa, formerly of KPMG Tax Corporation, serves as your firm's international tax adviser.
Together, we build your capacity to respond to international tax inquiries while preserving your client relationships.
For Your Clients' Overseas Needs,
Help your firm answer your clients' questions.
The more local businesses an accounting firm supports, the more diverse its clients' needs become: starting international trade, forming an overseas company, or an owner relocating abroad. These situations may require analysis beyond routine domestic tax work.
Tax accountants have different specialties. Combining your understanding of your clients with our international tax experience broadens the advice you can provide. We welcome inquiries from firms seeking international tax support, including medium-sized and larger regional practices.
Consults their usual adviser about overseas matters.
Acts as the client's contact, clarifying circumstances and objectives.
Works with you behind the scenes on international tax issues and the response strategy.
More than a referral destination,
a trusted adviser for your firm.
We generally provide support through your firm. There is no need to transfer client contracts or day-to-day communication to us.
If direct explanations to clients or attendance at meetings are needed, we agree on roles with you in advance. Information received from your firm is handled under our duty of confidentiality.
On your firm's website,
you can introduce us as your international tax adviser.
During the advisory engagement, you may display the photograph and biography of our principal and tax accountant, Kenji Yanagisawa, on your firm's profile or information pages.
Sample Profile
International Tax Advisor: Kenji Yanagisawa, Certified Tax Accountant
Formerly with KPMG Tax Corporation, he supports our firm's international tax consultations as an external international tax advisor.
You can tell clients and prospective clients that your firm has access to an international tax specialist. We provide a portrait and biography for publication and review the proposed content beforehand.
For questions like these,
We Work Through the Issues Together.
| Cross-border transactions | Review Japanese tax implications of cross-border payments, withholding, tax treaties, and related transactions. |
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| Overseas expansion and company formation | Identifying issues and next steps before implementation, including business and funding flows and corporate ownership structures. |
| Overseas Relocation for Owner-Managers | Consider resident or non-resident status and its relationship to companies, income, and assets remaining in Japan. |
| Tax Audits Involving International Tax | Organizing facts and documents, examining the basis for arguments, and developing a tax audit response. |
We bring to your practice experience at KPMG Tax Corporation, followed by independent work supporting overseas expansion and relocation and handling international tax audits and disputes.
Beyond Answering Client Questions,
A learning opportunity for your staff, too.
“I want our staff to develop international tax knowledge for the years ahead.” We also want to support firm principals with that ambition.
For actual consultations, we explain not only the conclusion but also which facts to verify and the basis for our judgment. We aim to help your staff recognize the documents and issues to check in future consultations.
Ask Us about In-House Training and Study Sessions Too.
We consider topics suited to your staff's experience and the inquiries your firm receives, including cross-border transaction basics, withholding tax and tax treaties, and resident and non-resident status. Our principal, tax accountant Kenji Yanagisawa, leads the sessions.
Training content, frequency, delivery method, and fees are agreed individually.
The Tax Accountant Responsible for Consultations and Training
Kenji Yanagisawa, Founder and Tax Accountant
- 1999: Graduated from Keio University's Faculty of Economics.
- 2001 Completed a master's degree at Keio University's Graduate School of Economics, graduating second in his class.
- 2002: Joined Arthur Andersen's tax practice (now KPMG Tax Corporation). Worked in the Transaction Advisory Group (TAG) on international tax and finance-related tax matters, including M&A.
- 2004: Established his independent practice, now Yanagisawa International Tax & Accounting Office.
- 2007 His paper “Taxation of Uncertainty: A Study on the Practical Determination of Residents and Non-Residents under the Japanese Income Tax Act” won the 30th Japan Tax Research Award in the tax accountant category, making him its youngest-ever recipient.
- 2011: Involved in the case in which the taxpayer prevailed at the Supreme Court,The Takefuji Gift Tax Case. Supported the taxpayer on tax matters, including advice on non-resident status and domicile and provision of research papers.
- 2011 An accounting firm network across AsiaOneAsiabegan to take shape.
How the service works
We ask about the expected topics, volume of inquiries, and support your firm needs.
We agree on consultation methods, expected volume, response procedures, and fees before entering into an advisory agreement.
Share the documents and issues for each case, and we will consider the response strategy with your firm.
Indicative Fees
| International tax consulting for accounting firms | From JPY 50,000 per month (excluding tax) From JPY 55,000 including tax |
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Advisory fees are quoted based on expected consultation volume, complexity, and depth of involvement. Before contracting, we agree on what the monthly fee covers, such as routine consultations, issue identification, and consideration of response strategies.
Detailed research, tax opinions, return preparation, tax audit attendance, and coordination with overseas professionals are quoted separately as needed. We explain the scope and fees before starting work beyond the monthly service.
Tell Us What Support Your Firm Needs.
Start with an Email Inquiry
Inquiries about advisory agreements and in-house training are free. Please describe the expected types and frequency of consultations and your staff training needs.
Submitting an inquiry alone does not incur a fee.