Retainer pricing

Pay for hours, get back weeks.

We are retainer-first because relationships in Japan compound. The longer we work with your suppliers, the smoother every future call gets.

All prices in USD. No setup fees. 30-day rolling agreements.

  • Starter

    For solopreneurs and very small operations

    $135–$200 / month

    5–8 hours

    • Priority phone reception based on your business hours
    • Up to ~10 outbound calls per month included
    • Bilingual message summaries and email triage (EN ↔ JA)
    • Light social post scheduling on request (1 platform)
    • Single point of contact, monthly review
    • Hours roll over once (within the next month)
    Start with Starter
  • Most popular — small foreign teams in Japan

    Standard

    $270–$400 / month

    10–15 hours

    • Everything in Starter, plus:
    • Dedicated Japanese phone number (optional)
    • Calendar management and meeting scheduling (bilingual)
    • Bilingual social media posting and community management
    • Vendor and government-office coordination (including ward & tax offices)
    • Translation of contracts, mail, and official correspondence (EN ↔ JA)
    Choose Standard

  • Add-ons

    One-off calls, projects, urgent translations

    From $35 / hour

    On-demand

    • Place a single difficult call (apology, negotiation, or city-office)
    • Spot translation of a contract, mail, or official letter
    • Social media profile setup or campaign launch
    • One-off relocation, real-estate, or business setup project
    • Event, venue, or travel research and booking
    • On-demand administrative support (spot hours)
    Request a quote

The math

Why this is cheaper than your alternatives

Three options most foreign teams weigh for the Japan side of their business. Each one looks reasonable on paper — here is the real trade-off, and where we fit instead.

  • The alternative

    Full-time Japanese assistant in Japan

    $2,300+ / month

    Plus benefits, recruiting, payroll, and the time cost of managing them. A six-figure annual line item — for hours you can rent.

    Elite Japan VA

    Our Standard retainer covers most of that workload at roughly ⅛ the cost — no recruiting, no benefits, no manager.

  • The alternative

    Generic offshore VA

    Cheap, but cannot place a keigo call

    They cannot legally hold a fluent Japanese phone call on your behalf, read a notice from the tax office, or call a ward office to resolve an issue.

    Elite Japan VA

    Senior Japan-based bilingual operators using correct sonkeigo and kenjougo on every call — every time.

  • The alternative

    AI tools alone

    Fast — until judgment is needed

    No human to escalate to, no read on cultural nuance, no memory of what your supplier said last quarter, no idea which excuse a vendor will actually accept.

    Elite Japan VA

    A real person who picks up, remembers your suppliers, and knows which apology actually lands.

Pricing questions, answered

How retainers compare to a full-time hire, what rolls over, and how to trial before you commit.

How do I choose between Starter, Standard, and hourly add-ons?

Starter ($135–$200/mo, 5–8 hours) fits solopreneurs who mainly need phone reception and light admin. Standard ($270–$400/mo, 10–15 hours) adds calendar management, government coordination, contract translation, full bilingual social media, and an optional dedicated Japanese phone number. Add-ons (from $35/hour) suit one-off calls, urgent translations, or setup projects. We usually recommend the smallest plan that solves the problem.

Can you replace a full-time Japanese assistant?

For most foreign SMEs and small gaishikei back-offices: yes, at a fraction of the cost. A full-time Japanese assistant in Japan runs $2,300+/month with benefits and management overhead. Our Standard retainer covers most of that workload at roughly an eighth of the cost.

Do retainer hours roll over?

Starter and Standard plans roll unused hours forward by one month. Beyond that, hours expire to keep the relationship financially predictable for both sides.

Can I try you before committing to a retainer?

Yes. Start with a free 30-minute consultation, or hire us for a single project at our hourly rate (from $35/hour). Most clients who trial this way move to a retainer within a month.

Talk to us before you choose a plan.

We almost always recommend the smallest plan that solves the problem. A 20-minute consult usually saves you a month of paid hours.

Request a free consultation Services