My wife filed a notification of business commencement!?
I just filed my notification of business commencement.
That was the sudden remark from my wife just as I got home and was about to enjoy the beer I had been looking forward to.
I knew she had already quit her job and was planning to start her own business, and I had supported her decision, but I was surprised to hear she had already filed the notification.
There are two types of business commencement notifications: the 'Notification of Commencement/Discontinuation of Sole Proprietorship' submitted to the tax office, and the 'Declaration of Business Commencement' (the name varies by prefecture) submitted to the prefectural tax office.
These are supposed to be submitted within a certain period after starting a business, but there are no penalties for not doing so.
However, since the commencement notification serves as proof that you have started a business, you may be asked for a copy when opening a bank account, applying for a loan, or renting an office. Also, since it allows you to file a blue return (by submitting an 'Application for Approval of Blue Return' along with the commencement notification), it is better to submit it.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there were cases where a copy of the business commencement notification was required when the national or prefectural governments provided subsidies. There were instances where people received subsidies late or were unable to receive them at all because they hadn't filed the notification and couldn't prove they were running a business.
I sincerely hope that something like the COVID-19 pandemic never happens again, but if there are any subsidies in the future, having filed the notification might come in handy.
When my wife told me she was going to become a sole proprietor, I had told her to file the notification, but I never expected she would do it on her own!
After that, as we were drinking beer and talking about legal matters related to starting a business, she said, 'You know a lot about this, don't you?'
It seems my wife didn't know that providing support for starting businesses is one of my professional services.
She said something like, 'When you told me I should file the notification, you should have told me you were an expert in business startup support!'
My wife lamented that once she started worrying about the legal aspects of starting a business, there was no end to the things she didn't understand.
Because of that, I have decided to take on the role of supporting my wife's business startup. Since I'm at it, I hope that sharing what I explain to my wife here will be helpful to others who are struggling with the same issues.