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Crypto Tax in Japan: The Ultimate Guide (2024)

Having trouble reporting your cryptocurrency transactions on your taxes in Japan? You are not alone. Cryptocurrency’s unique properties make tax reporting a challenge all over the world. While the National Tax Agency (NTA) is cracking down on crypto tax fraud, it’s often difficult for investors to accurately report their gains, losses, and income.

In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about how crypto is taxed in Japan. We’ll also break down how the NTA taxes different transactions and share a simple strategy to help you report your taxes in minutes.

Crypto Tax in Japan: The Ultimate Guide (2024)
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Our content is designed to educate the 500,000+ crypto investors who use the CoinLedger platform. Though our articles are for informational purposes only, they are written in accordance with the latest guidelines from tax agencies around the world and reviewed by certified tax professionals before publication. Learn More
Last update:
12/14/23

How is cryptocurrency taxed in Japan?

Profits from cryptocurrency are considered ‘miscellaneous income’ subject to income tax. This includes gains from the sale of cryptocurrency and income from activities such as mining and staking.

How much is cryptocurrency taxed in Japan?

Here are the tax rates that you’ll pay on your income from cryptocurrency and other sources.

Japan crypto tax rates

Remember, you won’t pay a flat tax on your income for the year. Instead, you’ll pay different tax rates as you progress through different tax brackets.

In addition, Japanese residents are required to pay the 10% inhabitant tax. That means your effective tax rate on cryptocurrency will be between 15-55%.

Japan’s tax rates on cryptocurrency are some of the highest in the world. Tax rates on cryptocurrency are significantly higher than capital gains tax on stocks and equities, which is capped at 20%.

What is the deadline for reporting your crypto taxes in Japan?

In Japan, the tax year runs from January 1st to December 31st. Your taxes must be reported by March 15th of the following year.

When do I need to pay tax on cryptocurrency in Japan?

In general, you’ll pay taxes when you earn or dispose of your cryptocurrency.

When you earn cryptocurrency, you’ll recognize income based on the fair market value of your crypto at the time of receipt.

Here are a few examples of cryptocurrency earning events .

  • Mining rewards
  • Staking rewards
  • Airdrop income

When you dispose of cryptocurrency, you’ll recognize income based on how the price of your crypto has changed since you originally received it.

Here are a few examples of cryptocurrency disposal events.

  • Selling your cryptocurrency
  • Crypto-to-crypto trades
  • Using crypto to make a purchase

Tax-free crypto transactions in Japan

At this time, it’s reasonable to assume that there’s no tax for the following transactions.

  • Buying cryptocurrency with fiat like the Japanese Yen
  • Holding cryptocurrency
  • Transferring crypto between wallets that you own

How do I calculate my income from cryptocurrency disposals in Japan?

To calculate your income from crypto disposals, you can use the following formula.

Gain/Loss = Proceeds - Cost Basis

In this case, your proceeds are how much you received for disposing of your cryptocurrency. Meanwhile, your cost basis is how much you paid to acquire your cryptocurrency.

To better understand how to calculate gains and losses, let’s take a look at an example.

Selling crypto for profit tax example

How do I calculate income from earning cryptocurrency in Japan?

Cryptocurrency earned through staking, mining, and airdrops is considered income. You’ll recognize income based on the fair market value of your crypto at the time of receipt.

If you dispose of your cryptocurrency rewards in the future, you may be subject to additional income tax based on how the price of your crypto has changed since you originally received it.

earning crypto tax example

How are crypto losses taxed in Japan?

In Japan, cryptocurrency losses can offset gains from cryptocurrency and other sources of ‘miscellaneous income’ within the same tax year. However, crypto losses cannot offset stock gains and income from your job. In addition, individuals cannot carry forward crypto losses into future tax years.

Does the NTA know about crypto?

If you’ve used a major exchange in Japan, it’s likely that the NTA already has information about your cryptocurrency transactions. After the hack of the Tokyo-based exchange Coincheck, regulators have been paying close attention to the crypto ecosystem.

Today, exchanges are required to register with the FSA IN and follow strict requirements on data sharing in order to operate in Japan.

In addition, it’s important to remember that transactions on blockchains like Bitcoin and Ethereum are publicly visible. In the past, tax agencies around the world have used ‘data matching’ to match known individuals to anonymous wallets.

How to report your cryptocurrency taxes in Japan

You can report your cryptocurrency income online or through paper forms.

If you wish to report your taxes online, you can report your taxes through the National Tax Agency’s online portal.

If you wish to report your taxes on paper forms, you can report your miscellaneous income on Form A.

How CoinLedger can help

Trying to calculate your gains and losses manually can take serious time and effort. With crypto tax software like CoinLedger, you can file your cryptocurrency taxes in three easy steps.

Step 1: Import your transactions from your exchanges and wallets.

Step 2: Watch the platform calculate your income and capital gains.

Step 3: Generate your tax report!

Get started with a free account today
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Frequently asked questions

Let’s cap things off by answering some frequently asked questions about cryptocurrency taxes.

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How we reviewed this article

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All CoinLedger articles go through a rigorous review process before publication. Learn more about the CoinLedger Editorial Process.

CoinLedger has strict sourcing guidelines for our content. Our content is based on direct interviews with tax experts, guidance from tax agencies, and articles from reputable news outlets.

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