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The Legal Cost Framework in Japan

Legal fees in Japan follow a fixed structure with freely set amounts. Consultation fees, retainers, and success fees combine per matter, and since April 2004 each firm sets its own rates after the former JFBA mandatory schedule was repealed.12

Confirm current details with official sources

Procedures, fees, and requirements can change. Confirm current figures with the firm you retain and the JFBA fee-explanation page linked below. This article is general information, not legal, tax, or immigration advice; for your specific matter, consult a bengoshi for a written dispute estimate, or a gyoseishoshi or zeirishi for filing and tax estimates.

Overview​

Three components carry most matters: the consultation fee (相談料, sōdan-ryō) for advice time, the retainer (着手金, chakushu-kin) paid on engagement, and the success fee (成功報酬, seikō-hōshū) paid on outcome. Out-of-pocket costs and per-diem charges bill separately.12

The repealed JFBA schedule still anchors expectations: most firms benchmark their quotes against its old tiers even though nothing obliges them to. Treat any quote as comparable only against other written quotes.2

Consultation fees​

Paid initial consultations typically run 5,000 to 10,000 yen per 30 minutes (as of 2026-05; confirm current figures with the firm). Many firms now offer the first session free, and bar-association centers plus Hoterasu provide free or low-cost first contact for qualifying callers.2

ItemAmountAs ofNotes
Paid consultation, 30 minutes5,000–10,000 yen2026-052Per-firm setting
First session, many firmsFree2026-052Confirm scope in advance

Use free consultations to comparison-shop. Two or three written estimates reveal the market for your matter faster than any guide.2

Retainers and success fees​

The retainer is paid when you engage and is generally non-refundable, even if the case fails. The JFBA defines it as neither an advance on the success fee nor a deposit, so budget it as spent money.1

The success fee is paid at conclusion on success, including partial success scaled to the degree achieved. Total loss means no success fee is owed.1

Former-schedule benchmark tiers on economic benefit run as follows (as of 2026-05; benchmarks only, since firms set their own fees): up to 3,000,000 yen at 8 percent retainer and 16 percent success fee (confirm current benchmarks with the firm). Higher bands step down in percentage with fixed add-ons: up to 30,000,000 yen at 5 percent plus 90,000 yen retainer and 10 percent plus 180,000 yen success fee (as of 2026-05).2

Budget the retainer as spent before you sign

Because the retainer does not return on a loss, the engagement decision is really a decision to spend that amount whatever happens. Confirm the success-fee definition for partial wins in the same letter.1

Hourly billing and fixed fees​

Firms that bill by the hour typically charge 30,000 to 50,000 yen per hour for senior partners and 15,000 to 30,000 yen for junior associates (as of 2026-05; practitioner-reported bands, confirm current figures with the firm). Corporate and IP-heavy matters use hourly billing most often.2

Single-task work uses fixed handling fees instead: demand letters, contract reviews, and similar one-shot tasks carry per-task prices set per firm. Confirm whether revisions and follow-up correspondence sit inside the fixed price.12

Typical case-cost ranges​

Bands below are practitioner-reported ranges for budgeting, not quotes (as of 2026-05; confirm current figures with the firm you retain). Complexity moves every figure.

MatterBandAs ofNotes
Contested divorceFrom ~800,000 yen up2026-052Mediation-to-trial transitions add fees
Basic visa filing via gyoseishoshi80,000–200,000 yen2026-05Practitioner band; plus ISA stamps
Real-estate purchase via shiho-shoshi100,000–300,000 yen2026-05Practitioner band; registration taxes separate
Sole-proprietor zeirishi retainer30,000–80,000 yen/month + annual-return fee2026-05Practitioner band; bookkeeping volume decides

The engagement letter and estimate norm​

Written engagement letters specifying scope and fees are the professional norm. The letter should state the retainer, the success-fee formula including partial-success treatment, hourly rates if any, and how out-of-pocket costs and per-diem charges are handled.12

There is no standard retail price for legal work, so the estimate is the product. Ask for the total projected cost including court and filing costs before retaining, and compare letters across firms.1

Good to know​

Retainers are generally non-refundable​

Engagement letters state this expressly. Read the clause before signing rather than discovering it after a loss.1

Court and filing costs sit on top of professional fees​

Revenue stamps, postage deposits, transcript copying, transport, lodging, and per-diem charges (half-day practice around 30,000 to 50,000 yen) bill outside the retainer and success fee. Confirm their treatment in writing.12

Compare written estimates before you retain​

Price comparison is acceptable and expected. Identical-seeming quotes diverge on partial-success definitions and cost handling, so compare the letters line by line.12

See also​

References​

Footnotes​

  1. 日本弁護士連合会. 「弁護士費用（報酬）のご説明」 (fee-type definitions; non-refundable retainer; court costs separate). https://www.nichibenren.or.jp/legal_advice/cost/legal_aid.html ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11

  2. Abe Legal. 「Japan Lawyer Fees 2026: Complete Cost Guide by Practice Area」 (2004 repeal; consultation and tier bands; case ranges; published 2026-05-03). https://abe-legal.jp/en/pricing ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11 ↩12 ↩13 ↩14