杉山会計事務所
Sugiyama Accounting Office
Grounded in tax and accounting, we advise on business, technology,
working abroad, ways of working, and career transitions.
Sugiyama Accounting Office is the common name for the joint practice of two licensed tax accountants and certified administrative procedures legal specialists, Yasuo Sugiyama and Yasuhiko Sugiyama. The formal names of the two practices are Yasuo Sugiyama Tax Accountant Office and Yasuhiko Sugiyama Tax Accountant Office.
Born and raised in Kagurazaka. Since my father's generation, our family has run a tax office here for two generations.
After working in product marketing at Microsoft, I studied in China and opened a tax office in 1998. I was also involved in the early days of Tully's Coffee, seeing firsthand how a business gets off the ground. Since then I've served as an executive at venture companies while working on matters involving IT companies, IPOs, and public company board roles. Today I continue to think about and advise on AI and DX, crypto assets, working abroad, and the next careers of business owners and athletes. I hold a patent for remote-work environment setup and management, and have authored 31 books to date.
Tax consulting can't be separated from a company's or an individual's situation. What matters changes depending on the stage of the business, the owner's role, family, assets, where you work, and what you want to do next.
From a computer-loving student, through the internet's rise at Microsoft, to introducing IT and DX as a tax accountant — now working with AI at the center. From cloud-based accounting and tax work to AI agents, I offer the exact systems I use myself.
I've supported three clients through to IPO. At Microsoft, I handled many stock option filings back when they were still uncommon in Japan. Beyond the tax treatment of stock awards, ESPPs, and RSUs, I can also advise on crypto asset management and operations, not just taxation.
For over 30 years I've traveled between China and Japan, watching its growth firsthand. While I'm not fluent in Chinese, decades of relationships have given me a real understanding of the mindset and business customs. I support business owners from China who are starting or continuing a business in Japan.
Once people build up assets, I'm often asked, "Is it really fine to leave everything in Japan?" Personally, I don't think that's the best answer. I keep exploring possible destinations, mainly across Asia. I support working and living abroad from many angles, not just tax.
Second-career planning is essential for athletes. In an age of 100-year lifespans, more office workers are finding that retiring at 60 is too early. With a tax perspective in mind, I work with you on asset planning for changing income, and options like incorporation or independence, as we think through your next career together.
I don't think it can be measured by credentials or track record alone. What matters most is whether the tax accountant truly understands how you think about running your business. And beyond that, I'd say what matters even more is whether the chemistry is right — whether you simply get along. More than industry-specific knowledge, it's about finding someone who understands your way of thinking and can translate it into tax and accounting terms. I'd encourage you to choose a tax accountant who's willing to walk through that process with you.
Working while moving around abroad brings both freedoms and constraints, tax-wise. Before you start, it helps to know that some choices, once made, aren't easy to undo. That said, in terms of quality of life, I think it can lead to a genuinely rich way of living. My own ideal for the future is to build the kind of relationship where a business owner says, "No, I need Mr. Sugiyama to come with me," and to travel together to tax-advantaged places, often somewhere tropical. For anyone thinking about relocating abroad, I'd recommend starting the conversation early.
I'm convinced AI will fundamentally change how people work. Routine tasks will keep disappearing, and a person's value will increasingly come down to whether they can raise real questions and genuinely think. I believe the same is true for tax and accounting. As AI takes over routine work, tax accountants should be freed from that work and become someone who engages more deeply with what a client truly wants to do and express. Having watched the early days of the internet firsthand, I feel this shift isn't just about adopting a new tool — it's a transformation in the way we work.