What TAC does

TAC Corporation (TAC株式会社) is Japan's leading dedicated professional qualification exam preparation company, operating under the brand 資格の学校TAC. Founded in 1985 and headquartered in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, the company delivers structured exam preparation courses across more than 60 certification categories including certified public accountant (公認会計士), tax accountant (税理士), judicial scrivener (司法書士), administrative attorney (行政書士), public service (公務員), real estate transaction agent (宅建士), financial planner, CFA, and electrical/technical engineering licenses. Its primary customers are working professionals and university students pursuing career-advancing certifications, with secondary segments comprising corporate enterprise clients, universities, and prefectural governments. TAC is publicly listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TYO:4319) and operates approximately 22 physical school locations from Sapporo (Hokkaido) to Fukuoka (Kyushu).

TAC's product platform integrates four primary delivery formats: in-person classroom lectures at 22 owned schools, web correspondence via the proprietary TAC WEB SCHOOL portal (with iOS/Android apps enabling offline video download for 2 weeks), DVD correspondence courses, and video booth self-study facilities. Supporting platforms include the TAC Biz School web-based testing system for IT, CompTIA, and CFA exams, and integration with Schoo Swing for digital textbook delivery. Content is developed in-house by the wholly-owned subsidiary TAC Publishing (TAC出版), which also sells original textbooks, workbooks, practice examinations, and self-study packages branded 独学道場 directly to consumers via an online bookstore. A separate sub-brand, W Seminar (Wセミナー), focuses on online delivery of national civil service and diplomatic service exam preparation. TAC integrates Becker CPE content for USCPA preparation. Notable performance includes a 2025 CPA essay pass rate of 80.5% among TAC curriculum completers, cumulative CPA passers exceeding 10,000, and a 93.1% pass share of 2025 diplomatic service exam passers.

TAC's business model is primarily B2C, with the majority of revenue from tuition fees for multi-year, multi-subject course packages — for example, the 3-year tax accountant undergraduate course priced at ¥820,000 lump-sum (with up to 40% discount versus single-subject enrollment) — supported by various discount programs (TAC member 5% off, NEXT discount, U22 plan, education benefit scheme). Secondary revenue streams include one-time textbook sales via TAC Publishing (with 10% member discount on single items, 15% on sets), customized corporate training through the Corporate Business Division (法人事業部), government-commissioned public vocational training delivered on behalf of Tokyo, Saitama, Kanagawa, Chiba, and Yokohama prefectures (channeled through Hello Work offices), and CBT exam administration fees for Nissho Boki Levels 2 and 3 at authorized TAC testing centers. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via 22 physical school locations, the e受付 (e-reception) online enrollment platform (redesigned late 2025), phone, mail, and university cooperative bookstores, augmented by 200+ monthly free seminars, content marketing through the TACNEWS web magazine, and active social channels on X, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LINE.

Name

TAC

Legal name

TAC株式会社

Website

https://tac-school.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

TAC Corporation is Japan's leading professional qualification exam preparation company, operating 22 schools nationwide plus the TAC WEB SCHOOL online platform and publishing arm. It serves working professionals, university students, corporations, universities, and prefectural governments preparing for certifications in accounting, law, civil service, real estate, finance, and technical trades.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Exam Preparation Services

NAICS

Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Professional and Management Development Training (61143)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Professional Licensure & Certification Exam Prep (Bar/CPA/NCLEX/PMP, etc.) (EDAGADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Accounting & Finance Certification Prep (CPA, CMA, CFA, FRM) (EDANAIAD), Legal & Bar Exam Prep (Bar, MPRE, Paralegal) (EDANAIAC), Certification & Exam Prep eLearning Modules (EDAGAEAL), Assessment, Testing & Exam Prep Publishing (MPAJABAF)

Keywords

• Professional exam preparation
• Certification training services
• Accounting exam courses
• Civil service test prep
• Continuing professional education

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices23 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Professional Exam Preparation Course Fees: TAC generates the majority of revenue from tuition fees charged for professional qualification exam preparation courses across accounting (CPA, tax accountant, bookkeeper), legal (judicial scrivener, administrative attorney, patent attorney), public service exams, real estate, electrical/technical, finance, and international certifications. Fees vary by course length,科目 count, and delivery format (classroom vs. web). Multi-year and multi-subject packages offer discounts (up to 40% vs. single-subject enrollment).
2. Textbook and Reference Book Sales (TAC Publishing): TAC Publishing (TAC出版), a subsidiary, publishes and sells original exam preparation textbooks, workbooks, and practice question collections through the TAC Publishing Online Store (bookstore.tac-school.co.jp). Books are available individually (10% member discount) or as sets (15% discount). New members receive single-item 10% off and sets 15% off. '独学道場' (self-study dojo) packages combining books + web lectures are also sold.
3. Public Vocational Training (公共職業訓練) Services: TAC partners with prefectural governments (Tokyo, Saitama, Kanagawa, Chiba, Yokohama) to deliver publicly funded vocational training programs for job seekers, providing courses in office skills, accounting, IT, and healthcare administration. These are commissioned by public employment offices (ハローワーク).
4. CBT Exam Administration: TAC school locations serve as authorized testing centers for the Japanese Institute of Certified Public Accountants' CBT (Computer-Based Testing) format for the Nisshoboeki (日商簿記) bookkeeping certification exams (Levels 2 and 3). Revenue is generated from exam administration fees. Testing is available to both TAC students and the general public.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

TAC provides professional qualification exam preparation courses across accounting (CPA, tax accountant, bookkeeping), law (judicial scrivener, administrative attorney, patent attorney), civil service, real estate, finance, IT, and technical fields. Course delivery combines in-person classroom lectures at 22 nationwide school locations, web-based correspondence via TAC WEB SCHOOL, hybrid online live lectures, DVD courses, and self-study video booth facilities. Original textbooks are published through TAC Publishing, and corporate and university training programs extend the offering to organizational buyers.

Product overview

TAC operates as a unified certification exam preparation platform offering a multi-format learning ecosystem. Its core products include in-person classroom lectures at 22 physical campuses, the TAC WEB SCHOOL web correspondence platform with downloadable video lectures, DVD-based correspondence courses, and video booth self-study facilities. The product portfolio is supported by the TAC Biz School web testing system, the TAC Publishing bookstore and self-study brand '独学道場' (Self-Study Dojo), the 簿記チャンピオン大会 annual competition, and specialized services for high school students, university campuses, and public vocational training programs. The platform covers over 50 certification categories spanning accounting (certified public accountant, tax accountant, bookkeeping), law (judicial scrivener, administrative solicitor, patent attorney), real estate and construction (real estate appraiser, real estate agent, architect), finance (FP, securities analyst, CFA), civil service, IT (information processing, CompTIA), and vocational/trades (electrical, refrigeration, fire protection equipment).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wセミナー (W Seminar): Online-focused professional qualification exam preparation courses including national civil service (国家総合職) and diplomatic examination (外務専門職) preparation.
• 独学道場 (Dokugaku Dojo)

Quantifiable outcome

• CPA exam pass rate: 80.5% among TAC main curriculum completers scoring D or above in 2nd mock exam (2025)
• +9 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• School法人立志舎 (立志舎 Group)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTAC and School法人立志舎 co-host (共催) the Boki Champion Tournament (簿記チャンピオン大会), an annual national bookkeeping competition for students. 立志舎 is a major accounting-focused educational group that runs accounting high schools and commercial education programs, making it a key strategic co-development partner for this student-focused competition.
• Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (文部科学省)minorOthersThe Ministry of Education (文部科学省) is listed as a supporter/backer (後援) of the Boki Champion Tournament, providing institutional endorsement to the competition organized by TAC and 共催立志舎. This endorsement lends credibility and visibility to the event among schools and educational institutions.
• Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (日本商工会議所)minorOthers日本商工会議所 (JCCI), the Japan's largest business organization administering the Nisshoboeki (日商簿記) bookkeeping qualification exams, is listed as a supporter (後援) of the Boki Champion Tournament. This creates a direct link between TAC's competition and the official exam issuing body.
• Japanese Institute of Certified Public Accountants (日本公認会計士協会)minorOthersThe Japanese Institute of Certified Public Accountants (日本公認会計士協会) is listed as a supporter (後援) of the Boki Champion Tournament. As the official professional body for CPAs in Japan, this endorsement validates the competition's relevance to the accounting profession and enhances its credibility among accounting students and educators.
• Japan Federation of Certified Public Accountants' Associations (日本税理士会連合会)minorOthersThe Japan Federation of Certified Public Accountants' Associations (日本税理士会連合会), the national organization of tax accountant associations, is listed as a supporter (後援) of the Boki Champion Tournament, adding professional endorsement from the tax accounting community.
• Corporate Clients (法人客户)coreOthersTAC offers dedicated corporate training services (法人の方へ) through its Corporate Business Division (法人事业部), providing customized professional qualification exam preparation programs and original textbooks for corporate employee upskilling. This is a distinct B2B revenue stream separate from individual consumer course sales.
• Waseda Manegement Publishing (早稲田経営出版)minorOthersTAC Publishing's footer mentions Waseda Management Publishing (早稲田経営出版) alongside TAC Publishing as affiliated publishers providing business and management books through the TAC Publishing Online Store. This suggests a publishing partnership or subsidiary relationship within the TAC group for business content.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Net School (ネットスクール): Online correspondence provider of bookkeeping and accounting certification prep in Japan; competes with TAC's web-based and Docugaku Dojo self-study offerings.
• Ohara (大原): Long-standing Japanese exam prep and vocational education group offering tax accountant, CPA, bookkeeping, civil service, and real estate courses. Directly competes with TAC across most of the same certification categories.
• LEC Tokyo Legal Mind (LEC): One of TAC's principal direct competitors in Japan, offering professional qualification exam preparation across legal (judicial scrivener, administrative scrivener), accounting (CPA, tax accountant), and other certifications through classroom and online formats.
• CreAR (クレアール): Online-focused Japanese exam prep provider emphasizing affordable, repeatable video lecture packages for accounting, tax, and other professional certifications—competing with TAC on price-sensitive students.

Emerging players

• Schoo: Japanese online video learning platform with business and professional skill content; already integrated with TAC's TAC WEB SCHOOL platform (Schoo Swing digital textbook), and adjacent to TAC's online corporate training efforts.
• Udemy Business: Global marketplace of on-demand professional and certification courses; competes with TAC on price and flexibility for self-directed learners, though lacks Japan-specific exam alignment.

Regional players

• Manabiki (まなびきっず): Japanese education provider focused on younger learners' certification programs. Shares TAC's certification theme but targets a different age segment and is more regional in scope.

Broad incumbents

• Wiley Efficient Learning: International provider of CPA, CFA, and securities exam prep. Competitor in the same professional certification space as TAC, particularly relevant for international finance certifications TAC offers.
• Becker Professional Education: Global CPA and professional certification prep provider that already partners with TAC for USCPA/Becker CPE content. Comparable in category but operates at much larger international scale.
• Kaplan: Large global test preparation and professional certification company with overlapping credentials (CPA, CFA, financial licensing). A broad incumbent rather than a niche Japanese specialist.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TACschool
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCfgCk8GS0fgO5XftV7nOr1A
• Facebookfacebook.com/TACschool

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TAC