# Japan Business Manager Visa: Capital and Office Requirements > The 2025 reform raised Japan's Business Manager Visa capital to ¥30M. Full guide to office, staffing, and language rules for 2026. **URL:** https://migaku.com/blog/language-fun/japan-business-manager-visa-capital-and-office-requirements **Last Updated:** 2026-05-27 **Tags:** resources, deepdive --- Japan's Business Manager Visa now requires a minimum capital investment of ¥30 million (roughly USD 187,000), a six-fold jump from the previous ¥5 million threshold that stood for decades. The reform, which took effect on October 16, 2025, also introduced new rules on staffing, Japanese language ability, business plan vetting, and physical office space, reshaping what it takes for a foreign national to run a company in Japan. *Last updated: May 27, 2026* ## What changed in October 2025 The Ministry of Justice promulgated an amended ministerial ordinance under the Immigration Control Act on October 10, 2025, and the Immigration Services Agency (ISA) implemented the new Business Manager Visa rules from October 16, 2025. Applications received on or before October 15, 2025 were assessed under the previous ¥5 million standard. Everything filed after that date falls under the stricter regime. The reform was not a single change but a package. Before October 2025, an applicant could qualify by showing either (1) two or more full-time employees resident in Japan, or (2) ¥5 million in stated capital, or (3) an equivalent scale of business. The new framework replaces the either/or structure with a stack of cumulative requirements: capital, staffing, language ability, qualifications, and a vetted business plan must all be satisfied. According to ISA figures, approximately 41,615 foreign nationals held a Business Manager Visa in Japan as of December 2024, with roughly 21,740 from China. The reform was widely understood as a response to concerns that the previous ¥5 million threshold was too low to ensure genuine business activity. ## The ¥30 million capital requirement explained The headline change is the minimum capital. The sponsoring company must show capital or total investment of at least ¥30 million. A few practical points: - The funds must be genuinely invested in the business, traceable through bank records, and available to fund operations. Loans from related parties can raise questions during examination. - The source of funds must be documented. Personal savings, proceeds from a property sale, or a transfer from an overseas parent company are all acceptable in principle, but each requires supporting paperwork. - The ¥30 million figure applies at the entity level. For a Kabushiki Kaisha (KK) or Godo Kaisha (GK), this is the stated capital registered with the Legal Affairs Bureau. If you are weighing entity types, see [Starting a Company in Japan as a Foreigner](https://migaku.com/blog/language-fun/starting-a-company-in-japan-as-a-foreigner-gk-vs-kk). - Branch offices of foreign companies must show an equivalent scale of investment allocated to the Japan operation. At April 2026 exchange rates, ¥30 million equates to about USD 187,000. The figure is fixed in yen, so applicants funding from abroad bear exchange rate risk between deciding to apply and actually capitalizing the entity. ## Staffing requirement: at least one qualified resident employee The new rules require the company to employ at least one full-time worker who resides in Japan and holds one of the following statuses: - Japanese national - Special Permanent Resident - Permanent Resident - A status of residence based on personal relationship: Spouse or Child of Japanese National, Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident, or Long-Term Resident Foreign nationals on work visas (Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, Intra-Company Transferee, etc.) do not count toward this requirement. The employee must be genuinely employed full-time, not a nominal hire, and payroll records, social insurance enrollment, and tax withholding will be examined. ## Japanese language requirement Either the applicant or a full-time employee of the company must demonstrate Japanese language ability at JLPT N2 or CEFR B2 level or higher. Acceptable evidence typically includes: - A JLPT N2 or N1 certificate (日本語能力試験) - A J.TEST or BJT result at the equivalent band - A degree from a Japanese-medium university program If the applicant does not personally hold N2, the qualifying employee who does must be a full-time staff member of the sponsoring company, not an outside consultant or translator. ## Qualifications of the manager The applicant must also meet one of these: - At least three years of business management experience, or - A master's, doctoral, or professional degree in a related field (MBA, management, the relevant industry, etc.) Management experience is generally interpreted as time spent in a director, officer, or department-head role, supported by employment certificates, organizational charts, and tax records from the prior employer. ## Business plan and the third-party feasibility review The business plan must now be feasibility-reviewed by a qualified Japanese professional: a Certified SME Consultant (中小企業診断士), a Tax Accountant (税理士), or a Certified Public Accountant (公認会計士). A signed opinion from the professional confirming that the plan is viable must accompany the application. A workable plan typically includes: - Market analysis specific to Japan - Three-year revenue and cost projections - A funding plan showing how the ¥30 million is deployed - Hiring roadmap including the qualifying full-time employee - Office lease terms and operational logistics Expect to pay the reviewing professional a separate fee for this opinion. Rates vary, but engaging a 税理士 or 中小企業診断士 early is wise because they will often want to influence the plan before signing. ## Office requirements: no virtual addresses The ISA has made explicit that virtual offices, mail-forwarding addresses, and nominal co-working memberships are not acceptable. The sponsoring company must occupy physical business premises suitable for the activities described in the business plan. In practice this means: - A signed commercial lease in the company's name - Premises zoned for business use (residential addresses are scrutinized heavily and often rejected) - Adequate space for the stated staff headcount - Signage, utility contracts, and photographs are commonly requested A dedicated desk in a coworking facility may pass in narrow cases if the operator issues a proper commercial lease and the space is exclusively assigned, but standard hot-desk arrangements will not. ## Document checklist A typical Certificate of Eligibility (COE) application file includes: - COE application form (在留資格認定証明書交付申請書) - Passport copy and photo - Company registration certificate (登記事項証明書) - Articles of incorporation - Capital evidence: bank certificates, remittance records, capital contribution documentation totaling ¥30 million - Office lease agreement and interior/exterior photos - Business plan with three-year projections - Feasibility opinion signed by a 中小企業診断士, 税理士, or 公認会計士 - Evidence of the qualifying full-time employee (employment contract, residence card copy, social insurance enrollment) - Japanese language certificate (JLPT N2 or equivalent) for applicant or qualifying employee - Applicant's degree certificates or proof of three years of management experience - Most recent tax returns of the company (for renewals) or projected financial statements (for new entities) - Resume of the applicant ## Application steps 1. Incorporate the entity in Japan (KK or GK) and register at the Legal Affairs Bureau. You will need a Japanese resident representative or a willing service provider in the early stages. 2. Open a corporate bank account and capitalize it with at least ¥30 million. For personal banking logistics, see [Japan Post Bank Account for Foreigners](https://migaku.com/blog/language-fun/japan-post-bank-account-for-foreigners-how-to-open-one). 3. Sign the office lease and document the premises. 4. Hire the qualifying full-time employee and enroll them in social insurance. 5. Draft the business plan and commission the feasibility opinion from a qualified Japanese professional. 6. Submit the COE application to the regional Immigration Services Agency office. Processing typically takes one to three months. 7. Once the COE is issued (valid for three months), apply for the visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate abroad. 8. Enter Japan, complete residence registration at the municipal office within 14 days, and obtain your residence card. ## Fees and processing time | Item | Amount (as of 2026) | |---|---| | COE application | No government fee for the COE itself | | Visa issuance at consulate | Varies by nationality, typically modest | | Extension of period of stay, in person | ¥6,000 (from April 1, 2025) | | Extension of period of stay, online | ¥5,500 where available | | Capital requirement | ¥30 million minimum | | Feasibility opinion from qualified professional | Market rate, paid separately | | Judicial scrivener and incorporation costs | Market rate, paid separately | The ISA does not publish an FY2026 fee schedule for new in-Japan status changes beyond what is listed here. For the latest figures, consult the Immigration Services Agency directly. COE processing usually takes one to three months. Building the underlying entity, capitalizing it, and securing a lease commonly takes another two to four months before you can file. Plan on a six-to-nine-month total runway from decision to landing in Japan. ## Renewals and the transitional grace period Existing Business Manager Visa holders are not immediately forced out by the reform. Renewals filed between October 16, 2025 and October 16, 2028 may be examined under flexible, comprehensive standards that take the company's existing operations into account. Full compliance with the new ¥30 million, staffing, language, and business plan rules will be required for renewals filed after October 16, 2028. According to guidance issued in March 2026, renewal eligibility is no longer tied to the old Category 1/Category 2 company classification. What matters now is whether the sponsoring entity meets the new substantive thresholds. The new rules also apply to renewals for Highly Skilled Professional (i)(c) and HSP (ii) visa holders whose qualifying activity is business management. For background on the points system, see [Japan Highly Skilled Professional Visa Points](https://migaku.com/blog/language-fun/japan-highly-skilled-professional-visa-how-the-points-system-works). A Tokyo Shoko Research survey conducted from March 31 to April 7, 2026 of nearly 300 foreign-owned companies found about 5% considering closure and 45% expecting operational impacts under the new rules, so existing holders should not assume the grace period is risk-free. ## Alternatives and adjacent routes If ¥30 million is not realistic upfront, consider these paths: - Startup Visa (Designated Activities): extended in January 2025 to a maximum of two years and expanded nationwide. Tokyo Metropolitan Government issues a one-year Designated Activities status after business plan approval, allowing you to set up the company and meet Business Manager requirements before transitioning. Applications go through certified Foreign Entrepreneurship Promotion Organizations and are reviewed by the ISA. - Highly Skilled Professional Visa: if you accumulate 70+ points based on academic background, salary, age, and Japanese ability, you can qualify under the HSP route, which has its own management sub-category. - Investment route to permanent residency: large-scale investors, typically with ¥100 million or more invested, may qualify for permanent residency after just three years instead of the standard ten. ## Common pitfalls - Using a virtual office or registering at a residential address. Both routinely cause rejections. - Treating the ¥30 million as a deposit to be withdrawn after approval. The funds must remain working capital. - Hiring a foreign national on a work visa to satisfy the resident-employee rule. They do not qualify. - Submitting a business plan written in English without a Japanese translation or without the required professional opinion. - Underestimating ongoing compliance: corporate tax filings, social insurance enrollment, and residency reporting all feed into renewal assessments. - Trying to also work as an employee elsewhere. Business Manager Visa holders are restricted to managing their own business and cannot be employed by another company. ## FAQs Can I count loans toward the ¥30 million? In principle, capital should reflect genuine investment. Loans from unrelated banks can sometimes count as part of total investment scale, but loans from family members or shareholders are often discounted. Discuss with your 税理士 before structuring. Does the JLPT N2 holder have to be the applicant? No. The language requirement can be met by a full-time employee of the company. That employee can be the same person who satisfies the resident-status staffing requirement. What if I already have a Business Manager Visa with ¥5 million in capital? You can continue operating, and renewals between October 16, 2025 and October 16, 2028 will be examined under flexible standards. After October 16, 2028, full compliance is expected. Can I use a coworking space as my office? Generally no, unless the space is dedicated, leased exclusively to your company, and the operator issues a proper commercial lease. Hot-desk arrangements will not pass. How long does a typical application take from start to finish? Incorporation and capitalization: two to four months. COE processing: one to three months. Consulate visa issuance: one to two weeks. Total: six to nine months is realistic. Where can I check the most current official rules? The Immigration Services Agency Business Manager page and the METI Startup Visa page are the authoritative sources. Rules and fees are subject to change, so verify before filing. Running a company in Japan means dealing with tax filings, lease negotiations, hiring conversations, and immigration paperwork largely in Japanese, and the new N2 requirement makes that explicit. If you are serious about meeting the language bar or simply communicating well with your team and clients, [try Migaku](https://migaku.com/signup) to learn Japanese from the shows, news, and books you already want to consume.