Strategy

How to Recruit Franchisees and Partners in Japan

Franchise recruitment structure in Japan and disclosure/representation rules.

9 min read2026-01-27By RIVACTA Team

The short answer

Franchise entry into Japan is B2B lead generation — recruiting partners, not acquiring consumers. Gather qualified partners while complying with disclosure obligations and earnings-claim rules.

Recruitment starts by defining criteria and an acquisition structure: who qualifies as a partner and how they are vetted.

Earnings and performance claims follow disclosure obligations under the Act on the Promotion of Small and Medium Retail Business and representation rules under the Keihyo-ho. Exaggerated earnings guarantees carry high risk.

Partner selection and contracts are decided by the client together with legal counsel. RIVACTA supports qualified lead generation and recruitment-structure design.

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