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Business Manager Visa · 経営管理
Own your company in Japan.
The status for founders and executives genuinely operating or managing a business in Japan. We coordinate the business assets, staffing, office, Japanese-language capability, and professionally reviewed plan required under the October 2025 rules.
The October 2025 reform
¥5M→¥30M6×the business-asset threshold
The minimum qualifying business assets increased sixfold, and four new conditions now sit beside it. Meeting the financial threshold alone is not enough; the evidence must satisfy every applicable test.
/ 01
Four conditions, all required.
The reform added four independent tests. They apply simultaneously: you cannot trade one for another, and the capital threshold no longer substitutes for any of them.
01
Full-time staff, now mandatory
At least one full-time employee must be hired independently of the financial threshold. The employee must fall within the official eligible nationality or residence-status categories.
02
Operate in Japanese
The business must be capable of operating in Japanese. Either the applicant or an eligible full-time employee must document Japanese ability at B2 level or an accepted equivalent.
03
A professionally reviewed business plan
The plan must be reviewed by an eligible professional with business-management expertise, such as a Certified SME Consultant (中小企業診断士), CPA (公認会計士), or Licensed Tax Accountant (税理士). The review does not replace the need for a viable, evidence-based plan.
04
A real, commercial office
The business needs an appropriate office in Japan that is genuinely available for its operations. Virtual addresses and arrangements without a verifiable business space are insufficient; shared or mixed-use setups require careful evidence and case-specific review.
/ 02
What it takes, and what you gain.
The application must satisfy every current requirement and show a genuine, viable business. Long-term residence and naturalisation are separate processes with their own criteria.
Requirements
- At least ¥30,000,000 in qualifying business assets under the October 2025 rules
- At least one full-time employee who meets the official eligible-resident requirements
- An appropriate, verifiable business office in Japan
- B2-level Japanese-language capability held by the applicant or an eligible full-time staff member
- A business plan reviewed by an eligible professional with business-management expertise
Visa benefits
- Available periods of stay are 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, 6 months, 4 months, or 3 months; immigration decides the period granted
- The standard permanent-residence route generally requires 10 years of continuous residence, subject to the full PR criteria and any applicable exception
- Naturalisation is a separate process and does not require first becoming a permanent resident; its statutory conditions are assessed independently
- Dependent status may be available for a spouse and children; a dependent spouse needs separate work permission and is generally limited to 28 hours per week
Dependent visas are included in every Aplash Business Manager package. Your family relocates with you.
/ 03
Plan to entry, in about nine months.
A disciplined four-stage process. Timing depends on the business, evidence, immigration office, and overseas mission handling the visa stage.
1–2 wk
Business planning
Strategy, evidence-based business plan, professional review, and asset structuring under the current rules.
3–6 wk
Registration & capital
Company registration (KK or GK), capital injection, seal creation, and office setup.
4–7 mo
COE & review
Certificate of Eligibility filed and reviewed by the immigration bureau.
1–2 wk
Issuance & entry
Visa issued at your consulate, followed by your first entry to Japan.
Entire duration with Aplash: around 9 months.Processing time varies by case and responsible authority.
Renewal is earned, not assumed.Immigration reviews each of these at every renewal to confirm the business is genuinely active and compliant.
/ 04
Renewal is earned, not assumed.
Immigration reviews each of these at every renewal to confirm the business is genuinely active and compliant.
01
Full tax compliance
Proof of complete payment of corporate, consumption, withholding, and resident tax.
02
Social & employment insurance
Payment records for both social insurance (社会保険) and employment insurance (雇用保険).
03
Continued Japan residency
Extended absences may cause denial; genuine, ongoing business activity must be shown.
04
Activity Details Statement
A formal statement (活動内容説明書) documenting operations since the last issuance, every renewal.
3-Year renewal bonus: three consecutive years of profitable operation may qualify you for a 3-year renewal instead of the standard one.
/ 05
Already hold the visa? You have until 2028.
If you held a Business Manager Visa on October 16, 2025, a 3-year transitional period applies before full compliance is required.
Now
Grace period begins
October 16, 2025. Existing holders are fully covered under the previous rules. No immediate action required.
Until Oct 2028
Renewal under grace
Renewals may be approved even if the new requirements are not fully met, provided a concrete compliance plan is shown.
Oct 17, 2028
Full compliance
From this date, every new requirement must be satisfied at renewal without exception. Early preparation is strongly advised.
Why Aplash
The reform breaks applications. That's our advantage.
Four new conditions now sink most do-it-yourself filings. Each one is a problem we're built to engineer around; here's exactly how.
Where most fail
The plan now requires review by an eligible professional, and weak assumptions or missing evidence can undermine the application.
What we do
We coordinate the plan and professional review.
We build the evidence-backed plan with you and coordinate review by an eligible professional before the immigration filing.
Where most fail
You can't park ¥30,000,000 in capital yet, but you're ready to start building now.
What we do
Start on a Startup Visa, convert when ready.
Municipality-sponsored, no capital barrier during the startup phase, then a clean transition to the Manager Visa.
Where most fail
The business must operate in Japanese, and you don't speak it.
What we do
A bilingual full-time hire satisfies the rule.
We place the qualifying staff and structure operations so the Japanese-language condition is met on day one.
Where most fail
Incorporation, office, tax, and the visa are four firms pointing fingers when something slips.
What we do
One firm. One engagement. Nothing stalls.
KK or GK formation, capital, registered office, and the COE filing run as a single project from Hong Kong and Osaka.
/ 06
One fee. Both filings.
Choose your company structure. The figures below are starting service fees; government charges, office, staffing, and third-party professional costs are confirmed in the written scope.
LLC (合同会社 / GK)
US$5,000 starting service fee
A simple, flexible structure for startups and small businesses. Government and third-party charges are quoted separately.
Get a quoteJoint-stock company (株式会社 / KK)
US$6,300 starting service fee
A formal structure often selected for larger businesses or long-term growth. Government and third-party charges are quoted separately.
Get a quoteOptionalAdd-ons
Flexible as needed
Office address (local, or Osaka / Tokyo / Fukuoka), a priority fast-track package with business-plan consultation, and family visa applications.
Get a quotePricing shown in USD for reference; HK$ and CNY rates also available. Notarization fees are excluded. Government fees and taxes are pass-through at cost.
FAQ
Business Manager Visa FAQ.
The October 2025 reform, validity and renewal, family, and how we support the application.
Who is eligible for the Business Manager Visa?
Foreign nationals who will genuinely operate or manage a business in Japan. Core requirements under the October 2025 rules include at least ¥30M in qualifying business assets, an eligible full-time employee, an appropriate office, qualifying Japanese-language capability, and a business plan reviewed by an eligible professional, plus the other activity and applicant criteria.
What changed in the October 2025 revision?
The October 16, 2025 reform raised the qualifying business-asset threshold to ¥30M and added or strengthened requirements for an eligible full-time employee, B2-level Japanese capability held by the applicant or eligible staff, professional review of the business plan, and an appropriate business office. Transitional treatment for existing holders runs through October 16, 2028, but renewal decisions remain case-specific.
How long is the visa valid and can it be renewed?
The visa is granted for 4 months, 1, 3, or 5 years. Renewal requires proof of full tax payment, social and employment insurance contributions, an Activity Details Statement, and maintained office continuity. Three consecutive years of profitable operation may qualify you for a 3-year renewal.
Can I bring my family with this visa?
Eligible spouses and children may apply for dependent status. A dependent spouse needs separate permission to work and is generally limited to 28 hours per week. Children may attend local schools.
How can Aplash support my application?
Support can include business planning, company registration (GK or KK), office arrangements, notarisation, document preparation, translation, visa filing coordination, and immigration follow-up. Immigration alone decides the application.
Can't meet ¥30M yet?
Start with a Startup Visa.
Municipality-sponsored, with no capital barrier during the startup phase, then transition to the Business Manager Visa once you're ready to operate.
Enquire about the Startup VisaHigh-scoring founder or executive?
Compare HSP(i)(c).
If your Japan role is advanced business management and your profile reaches 70+ points, the founder-focused HSP(i)(c) route may fit better than Business Manager status.
Explore HSP(i)(c) for founders契約前に範囲を明示
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資格業務は適切な専門家が担当
Aplashは戦略と進行を統括し、資格が必要な申請は日本の該当有資格者が行います。
From the journal.
Field notes on visas, residence status, and relocating to Japan, written by the team that handles the applications.
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From the professionally reviewed business plan to your first day of operations, we coordinate the company and visa work as one engagement.