On August 26, the Immigration Services Agency of Japan announced a draft policy to tighten the eligibility requirements for the Business Manager Visa. This is not yet finalized—a public comment process is being held in September, and the official regulation is expected to be confirmed in mid-October.
Current main requirements for the Business Manager Visa:
- Maintaining a business office in Japan
- Running a substantive and continuous business
- Having at least 5 million JPY in capital, or hiring at least two full-time employees
Proposed changes (still under discussion)
Under the current proposal, applicants would still be required to maintain a business office in Japan and operate a concrete and continuous business.
In addition, some of the existing requirements are expected to be revised or supplemented as follows:
- Minimum capital: 30 million JPY
- At least one full-time employee (limited to Japanese or a foreign national with unrestricted work status)
- Applicant must have 3+ years of managerial experience, or hold a master’s degree or higher in business management or a relevant field
- Business plan must be evaluated by a qualified professional, such as a certified public accountant or a registered management consultant
- Potential impact of the revision
- The capital requirement will increase to 30 million JPY or more, six times the current 5 million JPY threshold.
- Stricter requirements will apply to applicants regarding work experience and educational background.
- The mandatory professional evaluation of business plans will increase both preparation time and costs.
Other notes
- There were discussions about making exceptions for holders of Startup Visa, J-Find, or J-Skip statuses, but according to the current draft, no exceptions will be allowed.
If you are currently considering applying for a Business Manager Visa and wish to do so before the stricter requirements take effect, it is advisable to begin the application process without delay.
If you are interested in obtaining residency status in Japan, including the Business Manager Visa, please feel free to contact us.
