freee
フリーCloud accounting software · freee K.K.
- Fees
- Varies
- English
- No
Beginner-friendly cloud accounting built around guided workflows, popular with sole proprietors for blue-return filing and e-Tax.
How to file a Japanese tax return
The end-to-end workflow from documents and classification through submission, payment, and records.
Direct answers
Collect your certificates and records, classify every receipt into its income category, calculate income and apply deductions and credits, then submit through e-Tax or the tax office between roughly February 16 and March 15 — and arrange payment separately.
Tax year 2026
Effective: 2026-01-01 to 2026-12-31
Professional review pending — treat as draft and confirm with the authorities.
Key points
- Classify income first — the category decides expenses, losses, and calculation.
- Reconcile totals to bank, card, platform, and securities records.
- Enter deductions, credits, withholding, and any estimated payments.
- Submit via e-Tax (My Number card) or the tax office; filing is not payment.
The workflow
Collect all withholding certificates, payment statements, sales and expense ledgers, broker and pension statements, donation and insurance certificates, medical data, and prior-year carryforward schedules. Classify every receipt, reconcile to your records, calculate business, rental, capital-gain, pension, and miscellaneous income, apply loss-offset and carryforward rules, then enter income deductions, tax credits, withholding, foreign tax, and estimated payments.
Submitting and paying
The NTA Return Preparation Corner builds and transmits the return through e-Tax with a My Number card, and Mynaportal can import supported salary, pension, medical, donation, insurance, and mortgage data. Review the resident-tax and business-tax questions before submitting, retain the acceptance record, and arrange payment separately — filing alone does not pay the tax.
Who this is for
- First-time filers
- Employees with side income or deductions
What this is not
- Complex cross-border or business returns (get a 税理士)
Important cautions
- As of October 2025 the NTA stopped issuing new ID-password credentials, so a My Number card is the standard e-Tax route for new users.
Related products & services
Money Forward Cloud
マネーフォワード クラウドCloud accounting software · Money Forward
- Fees
- Varies
- English
- No
Cloud accounting with strong automation and integrations, popular with freelancers and small companies that value flexible bookkeeping.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to file a tax return in Japan?
Many employees do not, because tax is settled by year-end adjustment (年末調整). You generally must file (確定申告) if you have side income over ¥200,000, two or more employers, self-employment income, sizeable investment or crypto gains, or you want to claim deductions like large medical costs or a first-year mortgage credit. Filing season is Feb 16 – Mar 15 via e-Tax. When unsure, check the NTA guidance or ask a 税理士.