Japan Business Manager Visa
Japan JPN
The Japan Business Manager Visa allows foreign nationals to establish and operate a business in Japan, provided they meet minimum investment or staffing thresholds. Applicants must secure a physical office address and demonstrate a credible, viable business plan. The visa is renewable in one- to five-year increments based on business performance and contributes toward permanent residency eligibility after five years.
Program Details
- Category
- Entrepreneur
- Processing Time
- 2 months
- Application Fee
- $40
- Minimum Income
- —
- Minimum Investment
- $33,000
- Family Included
- Spouse and dependent children may obtain a Dependent Visa alongside the primary holder.
- Path to PR
- Yes — 5 years
- Path to Citizenship
- Yes — 10 years
- Physical Presence
- Must reside in Japan and actively manage the business; extended absences may jeopardize renewal.
- Dual Citizenship
- Not allowed
- Tax Impact
- Visa holders are subject to Japanese income and corporate tax; worldwide income is taxable after five years of residency.
- Renewal Cost
- $40
No fixed personal income requirement, but the business must demonstrate financial viability. Capitalization of at least ¥5,000,000 (~$33,000) or employment of two or more full-time staff is required.
Application Timeline
Apply
2mo processing
Visa Granted
Initial permit
Permanent Residency
After 5 years
Citizenship
After 10 years
Key Requirements
- ✓Establish a Japanese company or invest ¥5,000,000+ in capital, OR employ two or more full-time Japanese resident staff
- ✓Secure a physical office space in Japan (not a virtual office in most cases)
- ✓Submit a detailed business plan demonstrating profitability and social contribution
- ✓No criminal record or past immigration violations
- ✓Business activities must fall within permitted categories under immigration law
Am I eligible for Japan Business Manager Visa?
Quick self-check based on the published criteria. Not legal advice. No data leaves your browser.
Minimum investment / capital
Programme requires $33,000.
Fill in the fields above to see a verdict.
This is a heuristic, not a determination. Final eligibility depends on full documentation and immigration-officer discretion.
Application Process — Step by Step
- 01
Incorporate a company in Japan
home countryEstablish a Kabushiki Kaisha (KK) or Godo Kaisha (GK) through a Japanese judicial scrivener (shihoshoshi). A KK requires paid-in capital of JPY 1 (legally); however, the Business Manager visa requires demonstrating JPY 5M (approx. USD 33,000) in capital OR employment of 2+ full-time Japanese residents as evidence of business viability. A physical office address in Japan is mandatory — virtual offices are rejected by Immigration.
Typical duration: 4-8 weekssource ↗
- 02
Establish a physical office in Japan
destinationLease a dedicated commercial office space. Immigration requires a genuine, exclusive-use office — a shared coworking desk is NOT accepted. Office lease agreement must be in the company's name, not personal name. Typical cost in Tokyo: JPY 50,000-200,000/month depending on area.
Typical duration: 2-4 weekssource ↗
- 03
Prepare business plan and financial documentation
home countryBusiness plan must demonstrate viable operations in Japan, projected revenue/expenditure, and your management role. For new companies (less than 1 year operating), additional scrutiny applies. If company has been operating for 1+ year, audited financials showing stable business suffice.
Typical duration: 2-4 weeks
- 04
Apply for Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) in Japan
destinationA proxy (lawyer, agent, or the company itself once registered) submits the CoE application to the Regional Immigration Services Bureau. Processing typically 1-3 months. For applicants already in Japan on a different status, an in-country change-of-status application is possible.
Typical duration: 4-12 weekssource ↗
- 05
Apply for Business Manager visa at Japanese Embassy/Consulate
home countryWith the CoE in hand, apply at the Japanese embassy/consulate in your country of residence. Consular processing is typically 5-10 business days.
Typical duration: 1-2 weekssource ↗
- 06
Enter Japan and complete municipal registration
destinationRegister address at municipal office within 14 days. Receive Residence Card. Open corporate and personal bank accounts.
Typical duration: 1-2 weeks
Documents Required
| Document | Issued By | Apostille | Translate to | Validity (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Company registration certificate (touki jihon) | Japan Legal Affairs Bureau | No | — | 90 |
| Articles of incorporation (teikan) | Notary / Legal Affairs Bureau | No | — | — |
| Office lease agreement (in company name) | Landlord | No | — | — |
| Business plan (Japanese or English) | Self | No | ja | — |
| Proof of paid-in capital of JPY 5M+ (bank statement in company name) | Japanese bank | No | — | 30 |
| Evidence of 2 full-time Japanese employees (if capital below JPY 5M) | Employer / payroll records | No | — | 30 |
| CV / resume of applicant (management experience) | Self | No | ja | — |
| Valid passport | Home country | No | — | 365 |
Realistic Costs
Some figures below are industry estimates rather than officially verified: lawyer_fee_low, lawyer_fee_high, translations, relocation_misc, total_first_year_low, total_first_year_high, total_5_year_low, total_5_year_high.
Major costs: company incorporation (~JPY 150,000-300,000 for KK), office rent (~JPY 600,000-2.4M/yr Tokyo), paid-in capital JPY 5M must be tied up in company account. Immigration lawyer fees JPY 300,000-800,000. Annual office + accounting costs are the largest ongoing expense.
Realistic Timeline
- Consulate wait1–3 weeks
- Decision → arrival2 weeks
- Residence card issuance0 weeks
- Total to residence card16–32 weeks
Company formation + office setup + CoE (1-3 months) makes this the longest Japan visa process. Allow 4-8 months end-to-end. CoE rejection and resubmission can add 2-3 months.
Renewal
- First renewal after
- 12 months
- Subsequent cycle
- 36 months
- Renewal fee
- $80
- Requirements
- Initial Business Manager visa typically granted for 1 year for new companies. If business is established and operational, renewed for 3 or 5 years. Must demonstrate ongoing business activity: revenue, tax filings, employees. Dormant or low-activity companies face renewal rejection.
Path to Permanent Residency — Details
- Years required
- 10
- Max days absent / year
- 100
- Integration test
- Not required
- Application fee
- $80
Path to Citizenship — Details
- Years required
- 5
- Language test
- Yes (B1)
- Civic test
- Not required
- Oath
- Not required
- Dual citizenship
- Not allowed
- Application fee
- $300
Tax Residency
- Trigger
- 183 days/year of presence
- Taxation scope
- Worldwide income
- Exit-tax country
- Yes
Special regimes
- Non-Permanent Resident StatusForeign-source income not remitted to Japan is exempt from Japan tax (first 5 years of residency)
Foreign nationals with less than 5 years cumulative Japan residence in the past 10 years.
Duration: 5 years
source ↗
Health Insurance
- Mandatory
- Yes
- Public system access
- After 0 months
Examples: National Health Insurance (NHI), Shakai Hoken (if self-employed paying salary)
Family Specifics
- Spouse work rights
- Spouse on Dependent visa may apply for a separate work permit, but unlike HSP dependents, this is not automatic. Spouse seeking to work typically needs a separate "Designated Activities" work endorsement.
- Child school enrolment
- Children on Dependent status. Public school enrollment free. International schools in Tokyo typically JPY 1.5M-3M/yr.
- Parent inclusion
- Not eligible
- Sibling inclusion
- Not eligible
Gotchas — Things to Watch For
- ⚠Virtual offices are explicitly rejected by Immigration — you need a real lease in the company name with exclusive use
- ⚠JPY 5M capital requirement (≈USD 33,000) must remain in the company account, not be spent until business operations justify it
- ⚠Initial 1-year status is probationary — if the company is not operational and generating activity, renewal will be denied
- ⚠Japan does NOT allow dual citizenship — naturalisation requires full renunciation
- ⚠Pension enrollment is mandatory; contributions may be partially recovered on departure (lump-sum withdrawal)
- ⚠Japan's corporate tax rate is approximately 23.2% national + 10% local business tax — total effective rate ~30-35%
- ⚠Business Manager does NOT give the same PR fast-track as HSP — plan for a 10-year PR path unless you can separately qualify for HSP
Common Rejection Reasons
- •Office address is a virtual office, residential address, or coworking hot-desk — Immigration rejects these
- •Paid-in capital below JPY 5M with no Japanese employees to compensate
- •Business plan deemed non-viable for Japanese market or lacks substance
- •Applicant's role described as "investor" rather than active "manager" — must demonstrate operational management duties
- •No track record of business management — Immigration expects relevant career history
- •Company bank account not yet funded at time of CoE application
Recent Legislative Changes
2023-04-01
Japan's Startup Visa programme expanded in cooperation with specific municipalities (Tokyo, Fukuoka, Osaka). Allows entrepreneurs to enter Japan for up to 6 months without a full Business Manager CoE, to establish their company during that period. Separate from standard Business Manager visa.source ↗
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a coworking space as my office?+
No. Immigration requires a fixed, exclusive-use commercial office space leased in the company name. Coworking spaces, virtual offices, and shared addresses are consistently rejected. Even a very small dedicated office (one room) is acceptable; shared-desk arrangements are not.
What if my company has no revenue yet — will I be approved?+
New companies without revenue history receive greater scrutiny. You must demonstrate viable business prospects through a detailed business plan, evidence of market research, and proof of capital. Some applicants obtain initial 1-year approval even pre-revenue, but renewal after 12 months requires demonstrable business activity.
Can I manage a company from outside Japan while on this visa?+
No. The Business Manager visa requires you to be physically present in Japan as the active manager of the Japanese entity. This is not a passive investment visa — you must reside in Japan and conduct management activities here.
Good Fit For
Applying from a specific country? Your home-country tax rules, banking access, and dual-citizenship options affect every programme differently. Browse nationality guides → for tax obligations, renunciation rules, and second-passport routes.