Peernovo
Licensed tax accountants

How to become a Certified Tax Accountant

Advises companies and individuals on taxes such as income tax, corporate tax and resident tax, and prepares tax documents and handles filing and applications on their behalf.

Main tasks

Workers in this job say university is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

To become a certified tax accountant (zeirishi), you must hold the qualification of lawyer or certified public accountant, or pass the tax accountant exam and gain two years of practical experience (this can be before passing), then register with the Japan Federation of Certified Public Tax Accountants' Associations and join a regional association. Almost all tax accountants open their own office after gaining practical experience. As clients' needs have become more varied, more tax accountants are also sharing an office or forming a corporation. As well as specialist knowledge of tax law, you need strong number skills and administrative skills to do the work accurately. You can pass the tax accountant exam one subject at a time, so many people study at a senmon gakko (vocational college) and take several years to qualify.

Ways in

Pay · Job openings · AI and this job

Not sure this is for you? Take the 2-minute career quiz

Questions people ask

How do I become a Certified Tax Accountant?

To become a certified tax accountant (zeirishi), you must hold the qualification of lawyer or certified public accountant, or pass the tax accountant exam and gain two years of practical experience (this can be before passing), then register with the Japan Federation of Certified Public Tax Accountants' Associations and join a regional association. Almost all tax accountants open their own office after gaining practical experience. As clients' needs have become more varied, more tax accountants are also sharing an office or forming a corporation. As well as specialist knowledge of tax law, you need strong number skills and administrative skills to do the work accurately. You can pass the tax accountant exam one subject at a time, so many people study at a senmon gakko (vocational college) and take several years to qualify.

How much does a Certified Tax Accountant earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥8,108,100 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Certified public accountants and tax accountants, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a Certified Tax Accountant?

Usually. In this job's census occupation group, 72% of workers are university graduates.

Will AI change the work of a Certified Tax Accountant?

Generative AI could change many tasks in this job, which usually reshapes the work more than it replaces it, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026