Requirements of Business Manager visa has been changed！

What is business manager visa?

The Business Manager visa is a visa for running a company or working as a manager (director, etc.). While it is possible to engage in management activities at a company already established by someone else, there are many cases where applicants start their own company and run it in Japan.

In such cases, it has been important to prepare capital, create a business plan, secure a business location, etc. when applying for the visa.

As of October 16, 2025, the requirements for this Business Manager visa regarding capital, business plans, employment, etc. have changed. Let’s take a look at the details next!

What changes were made?

Major changes (Requirements before and after the amendment)

As you can see, many items have been changed. Let’s take a look at each item below.

Capital amount

Previously, capital was set at 5 million yen or more, but there were concerns that this was too low and that the Business Manager visa was a breeding ground for abuse, so the capital requirement was changed sixfold to 30 million yen or more.

This 30 million yen refers to the amount of capital if the business entity is a stock company, and to the total investment amount if it is a membership company (general partnership, limited partnership, or limited liability company).

In addition, for sole proprietors, the total amount invested as necessary expenses for running the business (securing a business location, one year’s salaries for staff, capital investment expenses, etc.) must be 30 million yen.

Employment of a full-time employee

Prior to the change, if the capital was 5 million yen or more, the employment of staff was not required. Having said that, since the Business Manager visa does not allow for on-site work such as customer service, businesses where on-site work is essential (such as restaurants) in effect required the employment of staff.

In contrast, the current revision requires the employment of one full-time staff member regardless of the nature of the business. The full-time staff member must be Japanese national, special permanent resident, permanent resident, spouse or child of a Japanese national, spouse or child of a permanent resident, or long-term resident.

Also, explaining “We hired someone because we needed them, but there is no work for a full-time staff member to do” may not be approved. Therefore, in the future, it will be necessary to convincingly state in your business plan that you can secure the necessary workload for both the applicant (manager) and full-time staff.

Japanese Language Proficiency

Before the change, Japanese language proficiency was not required for managers or employees. It was just that in cases where the business requires Japanese language proficiency (such as interpreting), Japanese language proficiency was necessary to demonstrate the ability to carry out the business.

In contrast, after the change, regardless of the nature of the business, either the applicant or a full-time employee must have a considerable level of Japanese language proficiency. Unlike the full-time employee mentioned above, “a full-time employee” here does not necessarily have to be permanent residents, etc.; they can also hold a work visa (status of residence listed in Appendix 1 of the Act). However, since the employee must be full-time, employing a fluent international student who is fluent in Japanese as a part-time worker would not meet this requirement.

Furthermore, a considerable level of Japanese language proficiency refers to Japanese language proficiency equivalent to or above B2 in the “Reference Frame for Japanese Language Education.” Specifically, the applicant must meet one of the following criteria (except Japanese nationals or special permanent residents):

・ JLPT N2 or higher

・ BJT Business Japanese Proficiency Test score of 400 or higher

・ Resident in Japan for 20 years or more as a mid- to long-term resident

・ Graduated from a Japanese university or other institution of higher education

・ Completed compulsory education in Japan and graduated from high school

Educational Background and Work History

Before the change, there were no educational background or work history requirements. Having said that, since a business plan must demonstrate that the business is feasible and profitable, demonstrating past experience was important.

In contrast, after the revision, the following requirements have been added:

1. The applicant has a doctorate, master’s, or professional degree (a foreign degree is acceptable) in a field related to business management or the skills or knowledge necessary for the business for which the Business Manager visa is applied.

or

2. Three or more years of experience in business management or administration (including the period of pre-entrepreneurial activities under the “Designated Activities” status of residence).

If you meet the above requirement (1), proof is relatively easy with a degree or other document. However, if you meet requirement (2), you need to be careful. Even if you have three or more years of experience, whether you can prove it or not is another matter. In principle, cooperation from your previous employer is required to prove the duration and content of your work experience. Therefore, if the company no longer exists or cooperation is difficult to obtain, it may be difficult to prove your experience, even if you have more than three years of experience.

Business plan

A business plan shows the applicant’s intended business, whether the business is feasible and profitable, whether it needs to be conducted in Japan, and whether specific figures are available. Therefore, it is extremely important that the content is consistent and persuasive. However, the final decision was up to the examiner, and there was no requirement for a business professional to prepare or check the plan in advance.

These changes require that business plans be evaluated by an expert to ensure they are specific, reasonable, and feasible.

・Currently, the following professionals are considered to be such experts:

・Small and Medium Enterprise Management Consultants

・Certified Public Accountants

・Tax Accountants

Transitional measures

We’ve looked at the changes so far. Many foreigners may be feeling anxious about these major changes. Please check below to see which transitional measures apply to your situation.

Summary

The Business Manager visa requires the establishment of a company with capital before applying for the visa (except for sole proprietorships), and there are many other steps required in order to start business immediately upon visa approval, such as securing a business location and obtaining necessary licenses and permits. This makes it a relatively difficult visa to obtain.

These revisions have tightened the requirements, making it more difficult to obtain, and future applications will also require different considerations.

In addition, based on this amendment, application cases will be accumulated from now on, and once practical experience has been accumulated, it is expected that many other points to be aware of will emerge.

If you are considering a Business Manager Visa or are worried about renewing it, we recommend that you consult with an expert.

We are Yanagi group, which have offices in Osaka (Abeno and Tennoji), and our affiliated offices in Tokyo (Shibuya and Ebisu) are also available for an on-site consultation. We have handled many applications for permanent residence permits, naturalization permits, work visas, college student visas, management visas, etc., as well as visa renewal procedures related to the status of residence with the Immigration Bureau (Immigration Bureau) as a one-stop service. Our experienced administrative scriveners are also available to help you with any problems you may have.

We also have staff members who can speak each of the native languages and can assist you in obtaining a visa.

※If you wish to be consulted in Nepali or Bengali, please inform us in advance via our website or social media, and the translator will contact you ahead of time.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about your status of residence or visa, even if they are trivial.

Toll free number: 0120-138-552 

For English speaker: 080-9346-2991

For Chinese speaker: 090-8456-6196

Reference:

Regarding the Amendments to the Ordinance on Landing Criteria for the “Business Manager” Status of Residence

https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/resources/10_00237.html