The verdict in three sentences
A wealthy family weighing an investor programme judges your firm on how current and precise your programme pages are long before the first call: a site that still describes a closed stream loses credibility in ten seconds. A redesign in Tokyo costs, as a 2026 ballpark, $13,000 to well over $100,000 with a local agency, while Kolonell's fixed grid runs from $2,900 (Starter) to $8,900 (Premium, the multilingual tier). The real risk is the migration rather than the budget: lost URLs, regulated content published without review and personal data handled carelessly under the APPI.
Signs your current site is costing you mandates
Clients in this segment, often executives based in Tokyo, Singapore or the Gulf, compare three or four firms before paying for a consultation. They look for eligibility, timelines, total cost and risks. These are the warning signs we see most often.
| Signal on the current site | What the prospect concludes | Expected fix |
|---|---|---|
| EB-5 page with no mention of the 2022 reform | The firm does not follow changes | Dated page, update signed off by a partner |
| Closed European programme still shown as open | Risk of poor advice | "Closed" or "changed" status with a verification date |
| Machine-translated English version | Local firm with no international practice | Native copywriting, reviewed by a lawyer |
| No named partners, no bar admission shown | Doubts about qualifications | Profile pages with bar admission and working languages |
| Form asking for net worth at first contact | Privacy concerns | Minimal form, clear APPI policy |
| Slow mobile site from abroad | Dated image | CDN hosting, lightweight pages |
One point of method: every statement about a programme (investment threshold, processing time, residence conditions) should carry a date. Programmes change often. Canada and Australia have closed or revised some investor streams, several European countries have scrapped their golden visas, and the US EB-5 programme was reformed by the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022. A page that shows "last verified: October 2026" reassures more than a long undated text. This is not legal advice: these examples illustrate the need to date content, not the current state of the law.
Budget: what a redesign costs in Tokyo in 2026
Local amounts are 2026 ballpark figures based on typical Tokyo agency quotes, converted approximately at ¥150 to $1.
| Option | Local budget (JPY) | Approximate equivalent (USD) | Usual timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freelancer or small studio | ¥0.8M to ¥2M | $5,300 to $13,300 | 6 to 10 weeks |
| Mid-sized web agency | ¥2M to ¥6M | $13,300 to $40,000 | 2 to 4 months |
| Premium agency with English-speaking team | ¥8M to ¥20M | $53,000 to $133,000 | 4 to 6 months |
| Kolonell Starter | fixed price | $2,900 | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Kolonell Growth | fixed price | $4,900 | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Kolonell Premium (multilingual tier) | fixed price | $8,900 | 4 to 6 weeks |
All three tiers include a project manager reachable in your time zone, native English or French copywriting, and 3 months of support. For a firm that needs Japanese and English, Premium is the right starting point, with languages set in the quote. Secure client areas, document upload portals or integration with case management software are priced on quote, as is maintenance after the 3 included months. Tier details are on the international offer page.
Timeline and risks: where redesigns go wrong
Once content is ready, Kolonell delivers in 3 to 4 weeks (4 to 6 for Premium). In practice, legal sign-off on the copy sets the pace.
| Phase | Indicative duration | Main risk | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory of URLs and pages that drive enquiries | 3 to 5 days | Missing a well-ranked programme page | Full export from Search Console and analytics |
| 301 redirect map | 2 to 3 days | Loss of organic traffic | Old URL to new URL sheet, tested before launch |
| Rewriting programme pages | 1 to 3 weeks on the firm's side | Outdated statement published | Partner review and sign-off, verification date |
| Migrating content and articles | 1 week | Duplicates, orphan pages | Page-by-page checklist |
| Compliance review before launch | 3 to 5 days | Non-compliant lawyer advertising, implied promise of approval | Written sign-off from the firm |
| DNS switch | a few hours | Downtime | Switch outside Japan and Gulf office hours |
Two points need particular care. First, no page should imply that a visa or citizenship is assured: lawyer advertising rules forbid it in most jurisdictions, and your prospects know it. Second, the data you collect (nationality, source of funds, family composition) falls under the APPI, overseen by the Personal Information Protection Commission. The site form should collect only what is necessary, and sensitive documents should go through a secure channel, priced on quote.
Questions to ask, and when a local agency is the better choice
Before signing, ask any provider:
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- Who writes the English version, and does a lawyer review it?
- How is the redirect map tested, and who monitors Search Console after launch?
- Where is form data hosted, and how do you meet APPI requirements?
- What is excluded from the price (photography, Japanese translation, client area)?
To be candid: if your clients are mostly Japanese, you want weekly in-person meetings and Japanese copy of a very high editorial standard, a Tokyo agency is often the better choice. A remote studio makes sense when the audience is international and the budget must stay under control. Kolonell, for instance, built the website of TR Signing Group, a signing services company in New Jersey, for a demanding professional audience.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Haruka Sato runs "Sato International Partners", five lawyers in Minato. Her local agency quote for a Japanese and English redesign is ¥4.5M, roughly $30,000. She chooses Premium at $8,900 and adds an external legal review of the Japanese version estimated at $1,500 (market assumption). Total: $10,400, a saving of about $19,600. If one extra mandate a year brings $15,000 in fees (assumption), the redesign pays for itself in under a year.
FAQ
How much does an investor visa law firm website redesign cost in Tokyo?
With a local agency, expect ¥2M to ¥6M (about $13,300 to $40,000) for a mid-sized firm site. Kolonell's fixed grid runs from $2,900 to $8,900.
How long does a redesign take?
Kolonell delivers in 3 to 4 weeks once content is ready, 4 to 6 weeks for Premium. Legal review of programme pages often adds 1 to 3 weeks on the firm's side.
Will we lose our search rankings?
The risk is real if 301s are done badly. A full URL inventory and Search Console monitoring for at least 30 days after launch sharply reduce losses.
Do we need a secure client area?
For exchanging source-of-funds documents, it is advisable. This module is priced on quote, on top of the chosen tier.
Can we publish success rates?
Better not: every case is different and lawyer advertising rules strictly limit such claims. This is not legal advice; check with your bar.
Let's scope your project. A Japanese and English redesign on the $8,900 Premium tier, delivered in 4 to 6 weeks once your content is approved. 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.
