The verdict in three sentences
The website of an executive search firm in Tokyo serves two audiences at once: the boards and HR heads who award mandates, and the approached executives who check your credibility before calling back. A Tokyo web production company typically charges 2 to 5 million JPY (about 13,300 to 33,300 USD) for this kind of site, while Kolonell's fixed grid shows 2,900 USD (Starter), 4,900 USD (Growth) and 8,900 USD (Premium, the multilingual tier). The real cost sits elsewhere: board-level Japanese copy, handling candidate data under the APPI and a possible link to your ATS, priced on quote.
Two audiences, one site: what it must prove
| Page | Main audience | What it proves | Japan-specific point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practice areas | Clients | Sector depth (industrials, healthcare, finance, technology) | Precise Japanese vocabulary, no needless loanwords |
| Partners and consultants | Clients and candidates | Seniority, background, working languages | Sober photos and bios, respectful tone |
| Search methodology | Clients | Steps, timelines, confidentiality | Role of preliminary consultations with the client |
| Open mandates | Candidates | Real activity, leadership roles | Anonymized mandates, never a client name without consent |
| Application | Candidates | Respect for personal data | Purpose of use and retention period displayed |
| Legal notice and license | Everyone | Compliance | Fee-charging employment placement license number issued by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare |
Never publish invented or unauthorized placements or client names. On the candidate side, collect the minimum: a CV, a contact method, clear consent. The APPI, overseen by the Personal Information Protection Commission, governs purpose of use, retention and transfers abroad: have counsel validate your policy. This is not legal advice.
Tokyo agencies or a fixed grid: the numbers
2026 ballpark from typical Tokyo web production company quotes and public rate pages, converted approximately at 150 JPY to 1 USD, excluding consumption tax.
| Option | Local range (JPY) | Approximate equivalent (USD) | Usual timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freelancer | 600,000 to 1,500,000 JPY | 4,000 to 10,000 USD | 6 to 10 weeks |
| Mid-size web production company | 2,000,000 to 5,000,000 JPY | 13,300 to 33,300 USD | 3 to 5 months |
| Premium branding agency | 6,000,000 to 15,000,000 JPY | 40,000 to 100,000 USD | 5 to 8 months |
| Kolonell Starter | Fixed price | 2,900 USD | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Kolonell Growth | Fixed price | 4,900 USD | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Kolonell Premium, multilingual tier | Fixed price, languages set in the quote | 8,900 USD | 4 to 6 weeks |
Every tier includes a project manager reachable in your time zone, native English or French copywriting, and 3 months of support. A Japanese and English site falls under Premium, with the Japanese version produced by a specialist translator as a third-party cost. See the international offer.
Hidden costs and the 3-year total
Three lines push budgets off track. First, Japanese localization: copy aimed at group presidents needs a formal register that machine translation does not deliver. Then candidate data: form, storage, automatic purge. Finally integrations with an ATS or CRM, always on quote.
| Cost line | Assumption | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese localization, 5,000 words | 60 to 120 JPY per source character, market assumption | About 2,000 to 4,000 USD |
| Partner portraits | 200,000 to 450,000 JPY, market assumption | About 1,300 to 3,000 USD |
| Legal review of the privacy policy | 150,000 to 400,000 JPY, market assumption | About 1,000 to 2,700 USD |
| ATS connection | On quote | Variable |
| Maintenance after the 3 included months | 30,000 to 80,000 JPY/month, market assumption | About 200 to 530 USD/month |
When a Tokyo agency is still preferable
A local agency makes sense if your partners expect in-person meetings in Japanese at every stage, if your procurement team requires a Japanese supplier issuing invoices compliant with the qualified invoice system, or if the site must sit on a Japanese ATS already integrated by a local provider. The same goes if the whole brand needs recreating with a communications agency.
Questions to ask any provider:
- Who writes the Japanese version, and what experience do they have with board-level register?
- Where are CVs stored, for how long, and how are they deleted?
- Can your consultants publish and withdraw mandates without a developer?
- Who owns the domain, the code and the accounts?
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: "Marunouchi Leadership Partners", a fictional firm with 8 consultants, wants a site in Japanese and English.
- Option A, Tokyo production company: 3,500,000 JPY (about 23,300 USD), copy included, plus 2,000 USD of photography, for 25,300 USD.
- Option B, Kolonell Premium: 8,900 USD, plus 3,000 USD of Japanese localization (market assumption) and 2,000 USD of photography (market assumption), for 13,900 USD.
Over the 33 months after included support, maintenance at 250 USD/month (market assumption) adds 8,250 USD to option B, against 330 USD/month, or 10,890 USD, for option A. Three-year total: 22,150 USD versus 36,190 USD.
FAQ
Is CV upload included?
A simple application form can be scoped in the quote. Connecting to an ATS or an existing candidate database is priced on quote, depending on volume, often a few hundred applications a year for an 8-consultant firm.
Do we really need a Japanese version?
If your clients are Japanese groups, yes: many executives read English but judge seriousness on the Japanese. Budget 2,000 to 4,000 USD of localization (market assumption) for 5,000 words.
How long does it take?
Kolonell delivers in 3 to 4 weeks, 4 to 6 for Premium, once content is ready. Local production companies often quote 3 to 5 months.
Can candidate data be hosted outside Japan?
The APPI regulates transfers of personal data to third parties located abroad, with information duties. Have counsel validate the chosen hosting before go-live.
Can we name our clients and placements?
Only with written consent. Most firms prefer to describe 4 to 6 sectors and anonymized mandates rather than names.
Let's scope your project. A Japanese and English site on the Premium tier, a lean candidate form, ATS connection priced separately, live in 4 to 6 weeks. See the international offer or request a free quote: detailed reply within 48 hours.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
