Arai » About us

Praxity member

araico — Sat, 13 Aug 2016 04:46:13 +0000

ARAI & CO. is a participant of Praxity which is;

Praxity Global Alliance
Praxity is the world’s biggest alliance of independent accountancy and consulting firms and its 7th largest accounting association*. A not-for-profit association, Praxity facilitates the sharing of expertise among its participant firms around the world. Each participant firm hand-picks expert advisers from more than 40,000 professionals in over 100 countries. These expert advisers work together seamlessly in multidisciplinary teams across international borders to meet every client need. Praxity participant firms have a combined turnover of US$4.75 billion. Collectively, they have achieved ten years of continuous growth.

Organisation
Praxity is organised as an international not-for-profit entity under Belgium law (a so-called IVZW or AISBL), with its registered office in Belgium. Praxity has its administrative office in Epsom, UK, which is operated under Praxity – Global Alliance Limited (company number: 07873027), a not-for-profit company registered in England and Wales, limited by guarantee, with its registered office at Suite 2, Beechwood, 57 Church Street, Epsom, Surrey KT17 4PX. Praxity does not practice the profession of public accountancy or provide audit, tax, consulting or other professional services. Services are delivered by the participant firms, which are independent separate legal entities. Praxity is not a
‘network’ within the meaning of the IESBA Code of Ethics.

Visit the Praxity website to learn more: www.praxity.com

*International Accounting Bulletin World Table 2017, excluding correspondents and non-exclusive participant firms.

Reference: Paul T. TAKAKI

araico — Sat, 13 Aug 2016 02:15:37 +0000

My name is Paul Takaki, and I managed DeAgostini Japan K.K. for seven years. DeAgostini is an Italian publishing giant headquartered in Novara, Italy.

When I joined DeAgostini’s Japanese operation, the branch here earned $1 million in before-tax profit from $33 million in revenues. When I left DeAgostini to join United International Pictures (UIP), a joint venture between Paramount Pictures and Universal Pictures, DeAgostini Japan’s business had soared, with the company enjoying a pre-tax profit of $20 million from $120 million in revenues. With such a spike in profits, I wanted to increase the remittance amount from Japan to our Italian head office.

However, the big five accounting firms were hesitant to help, fearing retaliation by what was seen as a conservative and inflexible Japanese tax office. Hence, I asked Mr. Arai to join me in brainstorming what we could do to achieve my objective, and together we succeeded. Mr. Arai and his office supported DeAgostini Japan’s financial activities by providing accounting advice and payroll services, among other functions. He extended similar assistance during my tenure at UIP Japan and then Paramount Japan when UIP Japan was dissolved at the end of 2007.

Arai & Co. provided invaluable services to support our business growth, and I would recommend his company to anyone looking for professional financial solutions.

- Paul T. TAKAKI

Why choose Arai

araico — Sat, 13 Aug 2016 00:00:08 +0000

At ARAI & CO., responsiveness and personal service are what set us apart. We do our best to respond to all emails as soon as possible, no matter the type or scale of enquiry. This is largely due to the flat nature of our organization; without multiple layers of hierarchy each team member is empowered to provide direct service to clients. Our staff come from varied backgrounds, each with substantial accounting and tax knowledge, financial qualifications such as a CPA license, and at least a basic command of English. Each professional also has either an interest in or experience working for international companies. I personally train all staff to ensure they are equipped to efficiently provide a high level of service. A large part of our business comes from word-of-mouth referrals. We begin forming connections with clients from day one, to build a long-term business relationship. Many of our current clients are recently established subsidiaries of clients that used our services when first setting up operations in Japan. My own experience working abroad has instilled in me an appreciation of international business philosophies and approaches. Count on us to anticipate your questions and needs and to provide solutions that bring sustainable profit and growth.

-Tadao ARAI, CPA (Japan & US)

Managing director’s message

araico — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 01:51:43 +0000

When I started ARAI & CO. in 1991, I made it my mission to help businesses with inbound investment in Japan.

After working nearly two decades for big corporate accounting firms, I was motivated to start a company which would provide an unrivaled level of personal service. Today, as a result, many companies who successfully entered the Japanese market with our support remain our clients.

As a business leader, I strive for continuous growth on both a professional and personal level. After getting my CPA license in Japan, I began working for Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu International. Shortly thereafter, I was assigned to the New York office, where I spent two years serving Japanese clients. However, feeling limited and ready for a new challenge, I decided to take a hiatus to pursue an MBA at the University of Colorado Boulder.

A few years later (in between ski trips to the mountains), I was awarded an MBA in Finance. I returned to Deloitte as an auditor in Houston, Texas. Again, looking for a new challenge and opportunity to grow, I decided to study for the Texas CPA exam, which I passed after returning to Tokyo. I worked five more years as a manager for Deloitte, which gave me experience with high-profile international clients from a broad range of industries.

In the years leading up to the financial crisis in the early 1990s, I served as lead Financial Controller at CitiCorp Securities, and as Chief Financial Officer at Prudential Bache and Lehman Brothers. Then, the bubble burst and everything changed. In 1991, I became an entrepreneur.

I learned a great deal more than language skills during my time abroad, including an understanding of the mindset of foreign investors, knowledge which I offer to both ARAI & CO. employees and clients. Japan is my home, and I hope to encourage more companies to grow their businesses here.