How to obtain alcohol beverage wholesaler license in Japan
Category of Alcohol beverage business in Japan
In the case, you sell alcohol beverage to a person or company who has alcohol beverage seller license, you need to obtain alcohol beverage wholesaler license ( shurui oroshiuri gyo menkyo = 酒類卸売業免許 ).
This alcohol beverage wholesaler license ( liquor wholesaler license ) does not include alcohol beverage ( liquor ) seller license.
So, if you sell alcohol beverage ( liquor ) to general customers or restaurants, you need to obtain alcohol beverage ( liquor ) seller license, too.
There are eight kinds of alcohol beverage ( liquor ) wholesaler license in Japan.
If you plan to wholesale all kind of alcohol beverage ( liquor ) in Japan, you need to obtain named “all kind of alcohol beverage wholesaler license = 全酒類卸売業免許 “.
However even if you apply for acquisition of this license, it is not easy to acquire this “all kind of alcohol beverage wholesaler license = 全酒類卸売業免許 “.
Because the number of persons who can obtain this license ( Including Beer wholesaler license ) is limited and decided by lottery once a year.
In the case you import alcohol beverage by yourself and sell it to alcohol beverage seller, “ import and export alcohol beverage wholesaler license = yushutsunyu shurui oroshiuri gyo menkyo = 輸出入卸売業免許 ” is suitable.
If other persons imported alcohol beverage, you can not wholesale it with this import and export alcohol beverage wholesaler license.
It will be easier to obtain this import and export alcohol beverage wholesaler license compared to “all kind of alcohol beverage wholesaler license = 全酒類卸売業免許 “.
In the case of import and export alcohol beverage wholesaler license, registration tax of 90,000 is required.
Though, name of license is “import and export alcohol beverage wholesaler license”, you may be able to obtain only “import alcohol beverage wholesaler license” depending on your business plan and several conditions will be attached to your license.
Dedicated Office space is necessary to obtain alcohol beverage wholesaler license
You can not obtain alcohol beverage wholesaler license at alcohol beverage manufacture factory or alcohol beverage seller shop or restaurant.
You need to prepare dedicated space for this business ( So, you need to submit drawing map of your selling place ).
You ( applicant for alcohol beverage wholesaler license. If you are going to obtain this license under the name of company, your company ) should have stable financial situation.
If you have failed to pay tax
Or
Amount of loss carried forward is more than capital amount
Or
Amount of loss of your company for past 3 years are 20% or more of capital amount,
you can not obtain this license.
In order to obtain alcohol beverage wholesaler license, you ( if you are going to obtain this license with your company name, director and manager of your company ) need to have enough knowledge to operate wholesaler license.
If you can satisfy requirements below, you will be deemed to have such knowledge.
In the case of “all kind of alcohol beverage wholesaler license = 全酒類卸売業免許 “ or beer wholesaler license.
You have engaged in alcohol beverage manufacturer business or seller business for ten years ( in the case your office is located in Okinawa prefecture, it is three years ) or more ( if you are officers of such company, five years or more ),
Other than “all kind of alcohol beverage wholesaler license = 全酒類卸売業免許 “ or beer wholesaler license, you need to have experience above mentioned of three years or more.
However as for import and export alcohol beverage wholesaler license, authority ( tax office ) does not require such experience.
You need to have enough facility and fund to operate this business or have high likability that you can prepare enough facility by acquisition of license.
In the case of “all kind of alcohol beverage wholesaler license = 全酒類卸売業免許 “, you have intention to wholesale 100KL or more per a year.
Other than all kind of alcohol beverage wholesaler license or Beer, there is not such regulation.
It will take three months to receive wholesaler license after your application.
In the case you apply for alcohol beverage wholesaler license under name of company, in objectives of your company should include “ wholesale of alcohol beverage ”.
If it does not include, you need to file registration of change of commercial register.
It cost registration tax of 30,000 yen.
Duty in operating of alcohol beverage business in Japan
In the case you operate alcohol beverage wholesaler license, you need to prepare register and keep several kind of information, including address and name of your customers, vendors, sales price, purchase price, amount of transaction.
You need to report to tax office the amount of sales etc, every year.
Necessary documents to apply for alcohol beverage wholesaler license
Application form
Drawing map of your selling place and warehouse
Explanation about your facility
( Refrigerator, computer etc )
Estimate of Income and expenditure
Explanation about source of your fund to operate this business.
( Scanned copy of bank book, Loan agreement etc.)
Commercial register of your company and articles of incorporation
Certificate of residence ( without MY NUMBER ).
( If you apply for it by your name )
Resume of all directors and auditors
Lease contract of selling place
Financial statement of past three years of your company
Certificate that you have paid tax dully ( issued by prefectural and city government )
Agreement paper from your supplier and customers.
Other that these documents, after authority has received papers it will demand additional documents.Exporting alcohol beverage from Japan and necessary license
In the case brewery ( liquor beverage maker = owner of alcohol beverage. Of course, it has liquor beverage make license ) exports liquor beverage from Japan, it does not need to obtain wholesaler license.
In the case brewery hires a company ( “B company” ) and the company assist process of exporting, the B company does not need to obtain wholesaler license.
In the case brewery sells liquor beverage to P company ( located in Japan ) and P company exports it from Japan, P company needs to obtain wholesaler license.
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(July, 2022, UPDATED)
