Financial report accounting
Q1. Are you (i.e., EY) able to input data into EY (i.e., the client’s) ERP (NetSuite)?
A1. Yes. We can input data directly into your company’s ERP accounting system. In many cases, it is more efficient to initially input data into our cloud application from the perspective of handling consumption tax. The standard outsourcing procedure is to input your company’s transactions in accordance with your company’s chart of accounts using a Japanese-English cloud application (“WebAccountingManager (WAM)”). If you would like to import accounting data to your headquarters’ ERP system, We have several EPR interfaces (e.g. NetSuite, Dynamics and SAP).
Q2. How will monthly reports be prepared?
A2. After closing the monthly ledgers, we will notify you once the latest reports (e.g. trial balance, the general ledger, income statements by segment) in WAM become available for viewing. We can also provide you with an English monthly BS (Balance Sheet) account prepared in a format of your choice or based on our standard template reconciliations.
Q3. Are you able to book entries based on generally accepted accounting principles of the US ( i.e.US GAAP)?
A3. In general, we can prepare ledgers based on US GAAP so long as your company does not have specific regulatory reporting requirements. We have a large number of qualified staff in our professional team who have passed all sections of the USCPA exam.
Q4. Communication in English is required, but are EY professionals able to communicate fluently in English?
A4. We provide in-house training and educational allowances and employees regularly take the TOEIC language test to maintain a high level of English proficiency. The majority of EY professionals have scored more than 900 out of the maximum 990 points on the TOEIC test. They can correspond with English-speakers via email without any issues. In situations where a high level of English is necessary, other EY professionals from inside or outside the Client Service Team will participate in telephone conversations and meetings.
Q5. Is it all right to dispose of invoices and receipts that we have received in paper form?
A5. If you are unable to meet the following requirements, you will be required to print them and preserve them for a period of seven years in preparation for future tax audits:
Invoices and receipts received in paper form:
To scan and store paper invoices issued by vendors or receipts submitted by employees to be reimbursed for company expenses:
a. Before 1 January 2022, approval from the tax office is required.
*Furthermore, some of the major requirements that must be met are as follows:
(1) Appendage of a timestamp
(2) Retention of a search function
(3) Placement of restrictions on the period data can be entered
(4) Appropriate administrative process requirements
b. Starting 1 January 2022, approval from the tax office is not required.
You may adopt controls/procedures that prevents revisions/deletions or allows revising or deleting electromagnetic records s long as they can be confirmed. Also, the appropriate administrative processing requirement (4), will be abolished.
PDF invoices:
For clients to store PDF invoices sent by vendors in the form of electromagnetic records, one of the following requirements must be met: (1) Appendage of a timestamp; (2) establishment of administrative process rules; or (3) utilization of a system in which data cannot be modified.
Payroll calculation, social insurance and labor insurance procedures
Q1. Would you please explain the details of new employee acceptance procedures?
A1. Responsible HR personnel (the Human Resource Administrator (hereinafter, the “HRA”)) will access EY’s personal information management system known as the Employee Profile System (EPS), enter basic employee information (including corporate email addresses, but excluding salary information), and issue EPS links to each new employee. The new hires will access the EPS via the links and enter their personal information. The HRA will then confirm the details, and afterward, the responsible EY personnel will receive a message. We will receive salary information from you via the Excel-based “Monthly Gross Pay Spreadsheet” template.
Q2. How will overtime payments be calculated?
A2. We will retrieve work hour information from the “Monthly Gross Pay Spreadsheet.” Another option is for us to obtain work hour management data from your company’s ERP system and calculate gross salaries under Japanese labor laws and your company’s policies.
Q3. How should we communicate revisions in salaries?
A3. Please inform us of any revisions in salary information via the “Monthly Gross Pay Spreadsheet.” Personal information will be obtained via the EPS system.
Q4. Will you make arrangements to pay salaries, social insurance and employee insurance premiums?
A4. We support clients to whom we provide “Payment Support Services” by preparing payment data and having the clients grant final payment approval.
Q5. May we ask you to prepare notifications for receiving deductions of statutory benefits and social insurance and labor insurance notifications?
A5. The EY organization will carry out procedures related to social insurance premium deductions, resident taxes and year-end adjustments for income taxes. Furthermore, in partnership with EY Social Insurance and Labor Advisors Corporation, we will carry out notification procedures related to social insurance, etc. We will also make arrangements to issue health insurance cards for employees and their family members who are deemed as dependents.
Q6. How will we receive salary calculation results?
A6. We will submit detailed salary statements in English or Japanese. Preparations of salary statements per department will also be possible. In addition, we will prepare reports such as personnel expenses per employee that may serve as your company management or accounting materials. Every month we will prepare web-based salary statements for each employee.
Q7. Do you have a system where we can view employee information?
A7. The above application, Employee Profile System (EPS), fulfills that function. Under ordinary circumstances, personal information of employees and their dependents and commuting expense information are collected using this application. HR managers will be able to view the data of all employees.
Q8. Do you provide advice concerning the dismissal of employees?
A8. Depending on the circumstances, we will respond to such matters in partnership with EY Social Insurance and Labor Advisors Corporation or EY Law Co.
Payment support services
Q1. Can we have you manage our bank accounts and pay expenses on our behalf?
A1. It is possible for us to open bank accounts for you at MUFG Bank, Ltd. under your Japanese corporation’s (or Japanese branch’s) name and make payment arrangements on your behalf. Furthermore, we can set up SWIFT MT940 services that will allow notification of transaction information daily through your foreign bank’s portal site.
Q2. How should we send payment invoices to you? Should we send them directly to EY teams via post?
A2. Please have the representative of your Japanese corporation, or other designated persons sign the invoice. You will then be able to store the approved invoice on the portal site in PDF format. EY professionals will enter payment data in the online banking portal site and then ask you to grant payment approval. We are also capable of summarizing unprocessed invoices in English to obtain secondary approval from your parent company.
Tax
Q1. If we wish to outsource to you the preparation of tax returns, will we also need to outsource accounting services to you?
A1. Even if you do not outsource accounting services to us, the EY teams will prepare corporate income tax returns, local tax returns and consumption tax returns, provided that you manage your accounting ledgers in Japan and in accordance with Japanese tax laws and regulations.
Q2. Do you provide transfer pricing advice?
A2. We will introduce you to the department within our group that specializes in transfer pricing.
Q3. Are you able to prepare BEPS’ country-by-country reports? How about master files?
A3. We assume that parent companies usually submit country-by-country reports (CbC reports). We can submit master files on behalf of your Japanese subsidiaries. It is the responsibility of shareholders to decide whether to preserve local files (documentation required to calculate arm’s length price) until the final tax return submission due date.
Q4. Prior to filing the tax return, we need to have our US Tax Department review the tax return and grant their approval. Do you provide direct support for such a process?
A4. Yes. We provide a service that includes preparing ledgers and tax return adjustment worksheets and directly contacting overseas tax departments.
We will charge additional fees for this service.
Other
Q1. Do you provide advice and support for registering a company in Japan?
A1. This is an area that must be handled by Japanese lawyers and judicial scriveners. We will introduce you to EY Law Co. who have a team that manages company secretarial matters, as well as Japanese law qualified lawyers.