Gōdō Gaisha

A gōdō gaisha (合同会社^?), or godo kaisha, abbreviated GK, is a type of business organization in Japan modeled after the American limited liability company (LLC). It is a type of mochibun kaisha (corporation having a simplified internal structure like that of a partnership) distinguished by offering limited liability for all investors.

Gōdō gaisha was newly introduced by the Companies Act, which became effective on May 1, 2006.

A GK is formed by articles of incorporation (定款, teikan^?) signed between its investors, called members (社員, shain^?). Each member may provide a capital contribution in the form of money or property. Credit and promises to perform services are not valid consideration for an ownership interest in a GK.

Following ratification of the agreement, the GK's articles of incorporation and corporate seal must be registered with the Legal Affairs Bureau (法務局, hōmukyoku^?). Once the bureau processes the registration, the company may open a bank account, seal contracts, and engage in other activities as a legal entity.

...
Wikipedia