Compare Investing in Japan

Q: How do I start investing in Japan?

Giraffy tracks 20 investing platforms across 20 providers in Japan. Most platforms let you open an account online in minutes. Consider your risk tolerance, investment horizon, and whether you want self-directed or managed portfolios before choosing a platform.

Q: What are platform fees and why do they matter?

Platform fees are what you pay to hold investments — typically an annual percentage of your portfolio (0.15–0.45%) or a flat monthly fee. On a £50,000 portfolio, a 0.1% difference in platform fee is £50/year — small annually but significant compounded over decades. Compare total cost: platform fee plus fund charges (OCF/TER).

Q: What is the difference between ETFs, index funds, and individual stocks?

ETFs (Exchange-Traded Funds) and index funds both hold a basket of securities tracking a market index — they provide instant diversification at low cost. Individual stocks are single-company shares with higher risk and potential return. Most long-term investors start with low-cost index funds or ETFs before branching into individual stock picking.

Q: Is my money protected if my investing platform fails?

Investor protection varies by market. In the UK, the FSCS covers up to £85,000 in eligible investments per firm. In the US, SIPC covers up to $500,000. In Japan, check whether your platform is FSA-regulated — this determines what protection applies.

Q: What is a minimum investment amount on investing platforms?

Many platforms in Japan now offer fractional shares and funds with minimums as low as £1 or equivalent. Traditional brokers may require a minimum opening deposit of £500–£5,000. Compare minimums on each deal card if you're starting with a small amount.

Q: What taxes apply to investment returns?

Investment returns may be subject to capital gains tax (on profits when you sell) and income tax (on dividends). Rules differ significantly between markets — in Japan, check the Financial Services Agency (FSA)'s guidance or consult a tax adviser. Using tax-efficient wrappers (ISA in the UK, TFSA in Canada, etc.) where available can significantly reduce your tax bill.

Q: What is the difference between active and passive investing?

Passive investing tracks a market index (e.g. S&P 500, FTSE All-World) via index funds or ETFs — low cost, broad diversification, and typically outperforms most active funds over 10+ years. Active investing involves fund managers (or you) selecting individual securities trying to beat the market — higher cost, higher risk, mixed results.

Compare ongoing platform fees and individual trade costs separately — low annual charges matter more for buy-and-hold investors, while frequent traders need low per-trade commissions.

20 live investing offers tracked across 20 Japanese providers, with fees from 0.15% /yr. Data current as of 23 October 2026 and updated daily from the Giraffy database.

Live offers

20 live offers compared from 20 providers, from 0.15% /yr. Updated daily.

SMAM Index Funds Sumitomo Mitsui Asset Management

0.15% /yr

Trading Fee: 0.05–0.15%/yr
Account Types: NISA, iDeCo, Tokutei
Min Investment: ¥100
Key Feature: Low-cost index funds

iShares ETFs Japan BlackRock Japan

0.20% /yr

Trading Fee: 0.05–0.20%/yr
Account Types: NISA, Tokutei
Min Investment: ¥1,000
Key Feature: BlackRock ETFs Japan

Fidelity Japan Funds Fidelity Japan

0.30% /yr

Trading Fee: 0.09–0.30%/yr
Account Types: NISA, iDeCo
Min Investment: ¥1,000
Key Feature: Active and passive funds

Nomura Asset Funds Nomura Asset Management

0.30% /yr

Trading Fee: 0.09–0.30%/yr
Account Types: NISA, iDeCo
Min Investment: ¥100
Key Feature: Japan equity specialist

Tsumiki Securities Tsumiki Securities

0.60% /yr

Trading Fee: 0.6%/yr
Account Types: NISA
Min Investment: ¥100
Key Feature: Cultural value investing

Folio Folio

1% /yr

Trading Fee: 0.8–1.0%/yr
Account Types: Tokutei, NISA
Min Investment: ¥10,000
Key Feature: Thematic investing

THEO by au THEO by au

1.10% /yr

Trading Fee: 1.1%/yr
Account Types: Tokutei
Min Investment: ¥1,000
Key Feature: au-backed robo

WealthNavi WealthNavi

1.10% /yr

Trading Fee: 1.1%/yr
Account Types: Tokutei, NISA
Min Investment: ¥10,000
Key Feature: Robo-advisor No.1 Japan

aukabucom Securities aukabucom

Price on request

Trading Fee: ¥0 domestic stocks
Account Types: NISA, iDeCo, margin, FX
Min Investment: ¥0
Key Feature: KDDI+MUFG JV — au ecosystem points; strong FX/CFD range

Matsui Securities Matsui Securities

Price on request

Trading Fee: ¥0 for <¥1M/day
Account Types: NISA, margin
Min Investment: ¥0
Key Feature: Matsui — free under ¥1M/day; oldest online broker JP

Monex Securities Monex

Price on request

Trading Fee: ¥110 domestic; US from $0
Account Types: NISA, margin, FX, US stocks
Min Investment: ¥0
Key Feature: Monex — best for US stock access; global research tools

SBI Securities SBI Securities

Price on request

Trading Fee: ¥0 (Zero Revolution)
Account Types: NISA, iDeCo, margin, FX, crypto
Min Investment: ¥0
Key Feature: SBI — Japan's #1 broker; 12M accounts; widest product range

Daiwa Securities Daiwa Securities

Price on request

Trading Fee: ¥0 online
Account Types: NISA, Tokutei
Min Investment: ¥100
Key Feature: Leading independent broker

CONNECT CONNECT

Price on request

Trading Fee: ¥0
Account Types: NISA, Tokutei
Min Investment: ¥100
Key Feature: SBI x Daiwa joint venture

GMO Click Securities GMO Click Securities

Price on request

Trading Fee: ¥0 US & JP stocks
Account Types: Tokutei, NISA
Min Investment: ¥100
Key Feature: CFD specialist

moomoo Japan moomoo Japan

Price on request

Trading Fee: ¥0
Account Types: Tokutei, NISA
Min Investment: ¥1
Key Feature: HK app Japan expansion

Nomura Securities Nomura Securities

Price on request

Trading Fee: ¥0 online
Account Types: NISA, Tokutei, iDeCo
Min Investment: ¥100
Key Feature: Japan top brokerage

Tokai Tokyo Securities Tokai Tokyo Securities

Price on request

Trading Fee: ¥0 online
Account Types: NISA, Tokutei
Min Investment: ¥100
Key Feature: Regional securities

Rakuten Securities Rakuten Securities

Price on request

Trading Fee: ¥0 domestic/US stocks
Account Types: NISA, iDeCo, margin, FX
Min Investment: ¥0
Key Feature: Rakuten ecosystem — earn points on trades; #2 JP broker

SMBC Nikko Securities SMBC Nikko Securities

Price on request

Trading Fee: ¥0 online
Account Types: NISA, Tokutei, iDeCo
Min Investment: ¥100
Key Feature: Bank-affiliated brokerage

What is investing in Japan?

Investing in Japan means buying stocks, ETFs, mutual funds (toshin) and bonds through securities brokers to grow wealth over time. Long a nation of savers, Japan has seen a strong shift toward investing, driven by the expanded, permanently tax-free NISA scheme launched in 2024 and the rise of low-cost online brokers that make market access cheap and simple.

How the Japanese market works

Online brokers dominate retail investing. SBI Securities and its peers Monex, Matsui Securities and aukabucom lead on low commissions and broad product ranges, with several now offering zero-commission domestic stock trading. Daiwa Securities represents the traditional full-service broker with research and advice, CONNECT and Folio target app-first and themed or robo investing, and Fidelity Japan brings global fund expertise. Most channel investing through the tax-free NISA wrapper.

Benefits

Tax-free growth via NISA — gains and dividends inside NISA are exempt from the roughly 20% tax on investment income, within generous annual limits.

Low costs — online brokers charge little or no commission on domestic shares and offer index funds with very low expense ratios.

Global access — invest in Japanese and overseas stocks, ETFs and funds from a single account.

How to choose

Compare trading commissions, the range of Japanese and foreign products, and the quality of the app and fund line-up. For most people a low-cost broker with strong NISA support and cheap global index funds is ideal. Decide between self-directed investing (SBI, Monex, Matsui, aukabucom), robo or themed platforms (Folio, CONNECT) and full-service advice (Daiwa). Check foreign-stock handling and any account or currency-conversion fees if you invest abroad.

Leading providers in Japan

SBI Securities is the retail leader on scale and low cost, with Monex, Matsui Securities and aukabucom close competitors on commissions and features. Daiwa Securities anchors the full-service segment, CONNECT and Folio serve app-first and robo/themed investors, and Fidelity Japan offers respected global funds and research.

What it costs

Trading costs are low: many brokers offer zero commission on domestic stock trades, and fund expense ratios on leading index funds run from around 0.1% to 0.2% a year, with fees on the order of the 0.15% to 1.1% range seen across products depending on type. Foreign-stock trades and currency conversion add small charges. Within NISA, investment gains and dividends are tax-free up to the annual and lifetime limits.

Protections and regulation

Securities firms are licensed and supervised by the Financial Services Agency (FSA) under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act. Client assets are segregated from the broker's own, and the Japan Investor Protection Fund compensates eligible investors up to a set limit if a broker fails and cannot return assets. Investing still carries market risk — prices can fall and capital is not guaranteed.

Common questions

What is NISA? A tax-free investment account letting residents invest up to annual and lifetime limits with no tax on gains or dividends — the default wrapper most investors use.

Is my money guaranteed? No — investments can lose value with the market. The investor protection scheme covers broker failure, not market losses.

Investing & Brokerage in Japan — FAQ

How do I start investing in Japan?

Giraffy tracks 20 investing platforms across 20 providers in Japan. Most platforms let you open an account online in minutes. Consider your risk tolerance, investment horizon, and whether you want self-directed or managed portfolios before choosing a platform.

What are platform fees and why do they matter?

Platform fees are what you pay to hold investments — typically an annual percentage of your portfolio (0.15–0.45%) or a flat monthly fee. On a £50,000 portfolio, a 0.1% difference in platform fee is £50/year — small annually but significant compounded over decades. Compare total cost: platform fee plus fund charges (OCF/TER).

What is the difference between ETFs, index funds, and individual stocks?

ETFs (Exchange-Traded Funds) and index funds both hold a basket of securities tracking a market index — they provide instant diversification at low cost. Individual stocks are single-company shares with higher risk and potential return. Most long-term investors start with low-cost index funds or ETFs before branching into individual stock picking.

Is my money protected if my investing platform fails?

Investor protection varies by market. In the UK, the FSCS covers up to £85,000 in eligible investments per firm. In the US, SIPC covers up to $500,000. In Japan, check whether your platform is FSA-regulated — this determines what protection applies.

What is a minimum investment amount on investing platforms?

Many platforms in Japan now offer fractional shares and funds with minimums as low as £1 or equivalent. Traditional brokers may require a minimum opening deposit of £500–£5,000. Compare minimums on each deal card if you're starting with a small amount.

What taxes apply to investment returns?

Investment returns may be subject to capital gains tax (on profits when you sell) and income tax (on dividends). Rules differ significantly between markets — in Japan, check the Financial Services Agency (FSA)'s guidance or consult a tax adviser. Using tax-efficient wrappers (ISA in the UK, TFSA in Canada, etc.) where available can significantly reduce your tax bill.

What is the difference between active and passive investing?

Passive investing tracks a market index (e.g. S&P 500, FTSE All-World) via index funds or ETFs — low cost, broad diversification, and typically outperforms most active funds over 10+ years. Active investing involves fund managers (or you) selecting individual securities trying to beat the market — higher cost, higher risk, mixed results.