{"id":1311,"date":"2025-08-08T06:49:08","date_gmt":"2025-08-07T21:49:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.japan-workers.com\/?p=1311"},"modified":"2025-08-08T06:49:09","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T21:49:09","slug":"tightening-of-business-manager-visa-requirements-in-japan-summary-and-implications","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.japan-workers.com\/?p=1311","title":{"rendered":"Tightening of \u201cBusiness Manager\u201d Visa Requirements in Japan: Summary and Implications"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Current Requirements (as of 2025)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The \u201cBusiness Manager\u201d visa allows foreign nationals to manage or operate a business in Japan. Under the current system, applicants must satisfy either of the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Employ at least two full-time staff in Japan, or<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Invest at least \u00a55 million in the business.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, applicants must secure a physical office in Japan and submit a business plan that demonstrates continuity and stability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This relatively low threshold has made Japan an attractive destination for foreign entrepreneurs, especially those from Asian countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. The Upcoming Changes: From \u201cOR\u201d to \u201cAND\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>According to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.asahi.com\/articles\/AST833FLKT83UTIL001M.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" title=\"\">The Asahi Shimbun<\/a>, the Immigration Services Agency and Ministry of Justice are preparing to revise the criteria as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Applicants must both:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Employ at least one full-time employee, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Invest at least \u00a530 million in capital.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This marks a shift from a flexible \u201cor\u201d structure to a strict \u201cand\u201d requirement, with a sixfold increase in the capital threshold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Background to the Revision<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">(1) Preventing Misuse<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Authorities have found growing cases of \u201cvisa misuse,\u201d where applicants set up paper companies, rent virtual offices, or use the visa merely to reside in Japan, particularly for real estate or short-term rental operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">(2) International Benchmarking<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In South Korea, for instance, the capital requirement for similar business visas is equivalent to about \u00a530 million, making Japan\u2019s current \u00a55 million level appear too lenient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">(3) Policy Integration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The change also aims to clarify the role of the \u201cBusiness Manager\u201d visa as separate from startup visas tied to local government support. While the latter offers flexibility for early-stage entrepreneurs, the \u201cBusiness Manager\u201d visa will now be redefined for serious investors only.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Impacts and Considerations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">(1) Higher Financial Barriers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Small-scale entrepreneurs or individuals with limited funds may be excluded under the new system. A \u00a530 million capital requirement is likely out of reach for many intending to open small shops or services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">(2) Revised Employment Criteria<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>While the required number of employees is reduced to one, this comes with stricter checks on whether the employment is real and meaningful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">(3) Increased Urgency<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Foreigners planning to apply for this visa under the current rules are advised to submit applications before the revision takes effect, likely by the end of fiscal 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Broader Significance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This revision seeks to enhance the credibility and seriousness of Japan\u2019s immigration system, ensuring that business visas are granted only to those who demonstrate true commitment to enterprise in Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It also brings Japan more in line with international standards and helps distinguish genuine business activity from residency-motivated or exploitative behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Japan Immigration News<\/h2>\n\n\n<ul class=\"is-grid columns-2 has-dates has-authors wp-block-rss\"><li class='wp-block-rss__item'><div class='wp-block-rss__item-title'><a href='https:\/\/www.sbs.com.au\/news\/article\/australias-student-visa-crackdown-hits-record-highs\/xi9s1oek9'>Australia&#039;s student visa crackdown hits record highs \u2014 what it means for who gets in<\/a><\/div><time datetime=\"2026-05-03T09:00:00+09:00\" class=\"wp-block-rss__item-publish-date\">2026-05-03<\/time> <span class=\"wp-block-rss__item-author\">by SBS News<\/span><\/li><li class='wp-block-rss__item'><div class='wp-block-rss__item-title'><a href='https:\/\/japannews.yomiuri.co.jp\/editorial\/insights-world\/20260501-325231\/'>Find a Long-Term Fix for the Issue of Immigration<\/a><\/div><time datetime=\"2026-05-01T09:00:00+09:00\" class=\"wp-block-rss__item-publish-date\">2026-05-01<\/time> <span class=\"wp-block-rss__item-author\">by Japan News<\/span><\/li><li class='wp-block-rss__item'><div class='wp-block-rss__item-title'><a href='https:\/\/www.newstalkzb.co.nz\/on-air\/mike-hosking-breakfast\/audio\/marcus-beveridge-queen-city-law-managing-director-on-visa-rejection-rates-falling-to-a-post-covid-low\/'>Immigration NZ praised for running a &#039;tight ship&#039; as visa rejection rate falls<\/a><\/div><time datetime=\"2026-05-01T09:00:00+09:00\" class=\"wp-block-rss__item-publish-date\">2026-05-01<\/time> <span class=\"wp-block-rss__item-author\">by Newstalk ZB<\/span><\/li><li class='wp-block-rss__item'><div class='wp-block-rss__item-title'><a href='https:\/\/www.azernews.az\/region\/257838.html'>Tokyo\u2019s labour crunch fuels fastest immigration shift in decades<\/a><\/div><time datetime=\"2026-05-01T09:00:00+09:00\" class=\"wp-block-rss__item-publish-date\">2026-05-01<\/time> <span class=\"wp-block-rss__item-author\">by AZER NEWS<\/span><\/li><li class='wp-block-rss__item'><div class='wp-block-rss__item-title'><a href='https:\/\/unseen-japan.com\/japan-visa-ethnic-restaurants-closing\/'>Japan\u2019s New Visa Rules Are Forcing Tokyo\u2019s Immigrant-Run Restaurants to Close<\/a><\/div><time datetime=\"2026-04-30T09:00:00+09:00\" class=\"wp-block-rss__item-publish-date\">2026-04-30<\/time> <span class=\"wp-block-rss__item-author\">by Unseen Japan<\/span><\/li><\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>1. Current Requirements (as of 2025) The \u201cBusiness Manager\u201d visa allows foreign nationals to manage or operate a business in Japan. Under the current system, applicants must satisfy either of the following: Additionally, applicants must secure a physical office in Japan and submit a business plan that demonstrates continuity and stability. This relatively low threshold &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.japan-workers.com\/?p=1311\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Tightening of \u201cBusiness Manager\u201d Visa Requirements in Japan: Summary and Implications&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":552,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[55],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1311","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-manager","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.japan-workers.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1311","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.japan-workers.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.japan-workers.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.japan-workers.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.japan-workers.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1311"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.japan-workers.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1311\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1312,"href":"https:\/\/www.japan-workers.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1311\/revisions\/1312"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.japan-workers.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/552"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.japan-workers.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1311"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.japan-workers.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1311"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.japan-workers.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1311"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}