Insights & Guides
Practical knowledge on Japan market entry — from company setup and visas to trade logistics and branding.
Do You Need a Management Visa to Own a Japan Company You Run From Abroad? (2026)
No. A foreign national can own and hold a director title in a Japan KK or GK entirely from overseas, with no visa or status of residence at all, because Japan abolished the...
Does Changing Jobs Affect Your HSP Visa Points Score in Japan? (2026 Guide)
Yes. Your Highly Skilled Professional (高度専門職) status is tied to the specific employer and role you scored 70 or more points on, not to the label in the abstract, so a new job can lower your score...
HSP Visa or Management Visa: Which Should a Foreign Company Executive in Japan Apply For? (2026)
Neither is automatically the easier route. The Highly Skilled Professional visa (HSP, 高度専門職) has its own executive and management category, called 高度経営・管理活動, but it qualifies on a personal points...
Can Your Children Get Dependent Status Under Japan's HSP Visa?
Yes. Children accompanying a Highly Skilled Professional (高度専門職) visa holder qualify for Dependent status (家族滞在), which permits residence and enrollment in Japanese schools. The HSP program also...
How Does Japan's HSP Visa Work for Academic Researchers?
Japan's Highly Skilled Professional (高度専門職) visa has a dedicated track for researchers, category 1号イ (academic research activities, 高度学術研究活動), covering work at universities and research...
Why Do Japan HSP Visa Applications Get Rejected?
Most Japan Highly Skilled Professional (HSP, 高度専門職) visa rejections trace back to five recurring causes: points miscalculation (usually overclaimed experience years or a misread income-by-age...
What Office Counts for Japan's Management Visa in 2026?
The Management Visa (経営・管理) requires commercial premises actually used for the business: a leased office, a dedicated room, or a co-working desk with sustained, documented use and visible business...
Can You Renew a Japan Management Visa Under Old Rules Until 2028?
Yes, but only if you already held Management Visa (経営・管理) status before October 16, 2025. The Immigration Control Act (入管法) reform tightened the standard that day, and existing holders may renew...
Proving Japanese Ability for Japan's Management Visa (2026)
Acceptable proof is a JLPT N2 certificate or CEFR B2-equivalent documentation, held by either the visa applicant or the company's qualifying full-time employee, not a self-declared claim of...
Japan Management Visa (2026): Who Counts as a Qualifying Employee?
A qualifying employee for Japan's Management Visa (経営・管理) is a Japanese national, a Special Permanent Resident, a Permanent Resident, the spouse or child of a Japanese national, or a Long-Term...