Home Corporate Number (法人番号) Japan
Japan Corporate Number (法人番号) validator
How the Corporate Number (法人番号) format works
- Format
- 13 digits: a non-zero weighted mod-9 check digit followed by a 12-digit base number
- Example
- 7000012050002
Things to watch for
- The check digit is the leading digit, not the last — the remaining 12 digits are the base number
- The weighted mod-9 formula always produces a check digit from 1-9, never 0
- Checksum only — a pass doesn't confirm the corporate number is currently assigned to an active entity
^[0-9]{13}$The Corporate Number (法人番号, hōjin bangō) is the 13-digit identifier Japan’s National Tax Agency (NTA) has assigned to every registered corporation, national and local government body, and other organization in Japan since the system launched in 2015 — for example 7000012050002. Unlike Japan’s personal My Number system, which is deliberately kept private, the Corporate Number is designed to be public: the NTA publishes a free, searchable register of every number it has issued, along with the registered name and address.
A check digit at the front, not the back
Most check-digit schemes put the verification digit last; the Corporate Number puts it first. The leading digit is computed from the remaining 12-digit base number: each base digit is weighted 1 or 2 depending on its position, the weighted values are summed, and the check digit is 9 minus that sum’s remainder mod 9. That formula always lands between 1 and 9 — it can never produce a 0 check digit, which is a useful sanity check on its own.
Why this matters for data entry
Because the check digit sits at the front, a single mistyped digit anywhere in the 13-digit string is still caught by recomputing it from the base — the same protection a trailing check digit gives, just positioned differently. That’s useful when Corporate Numbers are copied from invoices or filings into spreadsheets or databases where a transposition is easy to miss.
What this check doesn’t tell you
A pass confirms the 13 digits are internally consistent — not that the corporation is currently active. The NTA’s public register is the authoritative source for a corporation’s current registered name and status.
Scope: this page and tool cover Corporate Number format and checksum validation only — not live registration status.
Content last reviewed 2026-08-09.
Corporate Number (法人番号) FAQ
Is Japan's Corporate Number public information?
Yes. Unlike Japan's personal My Number system, the 13-digit Corporate Number is designed to be public — the National Tax Agency publishes a free, searchable register listing every issued number alongside the registered organization's name and address.
Why is the check digit first instead of last?
Japan's Corporate Number puts its check digit in the leading position, computed from the 12-digit base number that follows it. It's the same error-catching idea as a trailing check digit, just with the base number and its checksum in the other order.
Does a valid Corporate Number checksum confirm the company still exists?
No. This tool only confirms the 13 digits are arithmetically consistent with the National Tax Agency's weighted mod-9 formula — confirming a corporation's current registered status requires checking the NTA's public Corporate Number register directly.