The profession of certified public tax accountant – zeirishi in Japanese – was legalized in Japan in 1942, when the Tax Practitioners Act was enacted. In 1951 this act was amended and transformed into the Zeirishi Act, which created the system of tax professionals who provide taxpayers with expert assistance.

Established by the Zeirishi Act in 1956, the Japan Federation of Certified Public Tax Accountants’ Associations (JFCPTAA) is a special corporation and consists of fifteen regional associations located throughout the country. The objectives of JFCPTAA are to provide guidance, notifications and supervision for CPTAs associations and their members, as well as to manage the registration of zeirishi, thereby contributing to the fulfillment of their obligation and improvement and development in their activities, which all adhere to the mission and duties of zeirishi. Currently JFCPTAA has more than 76,000 zeirishi registered and engaged in providing tax services across the nation.