Japan Startup Visa: Fukuoka, Tokyo & Other City Programs
Última actualización: 29 de mayo de 2026
Japan's Startup Visa lets foreign entrepreneurs stay in the country for up to two years to set up a business before having to meet the stricter Business Manager visa requirements. The program is run nationally by METI but actually administered city by city, and the differences between Fukuoka, Tokyo, Shibuya, and the other approved municipalities matter a great deal for what you can build and how fast you can build it.
Last updated: May 29, 2026
- What the Japan Startup Visa Actually Is
- Which Cities Currently Run a Startup Visa Program
- Fukuoka City: The Original Startup Visa
- Tokyo Metropolitan Government Program
- Shibuya Ward: A Separate Program Inside Tokyo
- Fukuoka vs Tokyo at a Glance
- Document Checklist
- Application Steps
- Fees and Processing Time
- Common Pitfalls
What the Japan Startup Visa Actually Is
The official scheme is called the "Program to Promote Startup Businesses by Foreign Nationals," administered by METI's Startup and New Business Promotion Office. It grants a "Designated Activities" status of residence to foreign founders who have had a business plan approved by a participating local government.
Two recent changes reshaped the program:
- January 1, 2025: METI rolled the Startup Visa out nationwide under the Foreign Entrepreneur Promotion Project, removing the old restriction that limited it to a handful of designated regions.
- April 1, 2025: The maximum validity of the visa was extended from six months to up to two years, giving founders much more runway before they must transition to a Business Manager visa.
- October 16, 2025: METI partially revised the eligibility criteria and applicant requirements under its updated public notice on the program.
The second major shift sits on the other end of the pipeline. On October 16, 2025, the Business Manager visa capital requirement jumped from ¥5 million to ¥30 million, a sixfold increase. Applicants must also have at least one full-time employee in Japan, and either three or more years of management experience or a relevant Master's degree, plus a business plan vetted by a certified expert. This is the threshold every Startup Visa holder eventually has to cross, so plan capitalization accordingly from day one.
Which Cities Currently Run a Startup Visa Program
As of April 2026, the Startup Visa is offered through the following approved organizations:
- Tokyo Metropolitan Government
- Shibuya Ward (separate program under Shibuya Welcome Support)
- Fukuoka City
- Yokohama City
- Osaka City
- Kyoto Prefecture
- Hyogo Prefecture
- Aichi Prefecture
- Gifu Prefecture
- Mie Prefecture
- Hokkaido Prefecture
- Sendai City
- Ibaraki Prefecture
- Niigata Prefecture
- Hamamatsu City
- Toyama Prefecture
- Kaga City
- Oita Prefecture
- Kumamoto City
- Okinawa Prefecture
The two best-known programs are Fukuoka and Tokyo, partly because they were the earliest movers and partly because their startup ecosystems are the most developed. Shibuya is worth a separate look because it operates its own English-language program distinct from the broader Tokyo Metropolitan one.
Fukuoka City: The Original Startup Visa
Fukuoka City was approved as Japan's first National Strategic Special Zone municipality to implement the Startup Visa. Under that special zone framework, an approved New Business Implementation Plan (NBIP) granted a six-month Business Manager visa without immediate prerequisites, and entrepreneurs had up to one year to establish their business before needing to meet the full Business Manager requirements for renewal.
The special zone scheme is now in transition. Special Zone Municipalities were permitted to continue issuing Certificates of Entrepreneurial Activities through the end of 2025, with Certificate of Eligibility applications accepted until the end of FY2025 (March 31, 2026). Going forward, Fukuoka operates under the unified national METI framework, which includes the up-to-two-years validity.
Fukuoka's program has a few features that founders consistently flag as making it the most pragmatic option in Japan:
- Coworking spaces are accepted. Since June 2020, Fukuoka City (alongside Sendai) has allowed the use of certified coworking spaces, rather than dedicated exclusive office space, for Business Manager visa renewal under the Startup Visa scheme. This is a meaningful cost saving in the early months.
- Free Startup Café support. The city provides free consultations on business plans, with lawyers and tax accountants available on Thursdays, plus business seminars and matching events.
- Sector focus. Fukuoka's plan reviewers are particularly receptive to fintech, software development, healthcare, medical technology, environmental solutions, and logistics.
Fukuoka also benefits from cheaper rent and lower overall cost of living than Tokyo. If your business model does not require Tokyo-based clients or investors, this can extend your runway by months.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Program
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) grants a one-year "Designated Activities" status of residence once it approves your business plan, with extensions possible in six-month increments up to a maximum of two years total.
Key procedural details:
- Confirmation Certificate validity: Tokyo's Startup Preparation Activity Plan Confirmation Certificate is valid for three months from the date of issue. You must file the Certificate of Eligibility for Status of Residence application with immigration within that window.
- Monthly progress checks: Tokyo Startup Visa holders undergo monthly progress checks during the one-year period, conducted by TMG officials either online or in person. This is more hands-on monitoring than most other municipalities require.
- Where to apply: Applications can be filed at the Tokyo One-Stop Business Establishment Center (TOSBEC) Immigration Booth on the 7th floor of JETRO Headquarters, or at the Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau.
- Return funds rule: Applicants must keep money equivalent to one-way airfare home separate from the funds earmarked for the business.
- Sector welcome list: TMG explicitly welcomes finance, IT, environment and energy, healthcare, arts, and food-tech.
Tokyo's advantage is obvious: access to capital, customers, and corporate partners. Its disadvantages are cost, the more intense monthly check-in regime, and the higher bar for what counts as a credible business plan in a saturated ecosystem.
Shibuya Ward: A Separate Program Inside Tokyo
Shibuya operates its own Startup Visa program under Shibuya Welcome Support (SWS). It is conducted in English, which removes a significant friction point, and it targets sectors that strengthen the international competitiveness of Shibuya's industries (broadly, tech, media, creative, and IT services).
If you are building a venture-backed tech company and your team is more comfortable operating in English, Shibuya is worth considering over the broader TMG program. The catchment area is smaller, so make sure your office address and business activities will actually sit within Shibuya Ward.
Fukuoka vs Tokyo at a Glance
Feature | Fukuoka City | Tokyo Metropolitan Gov't | Shibuya Ward |
|---|---|---|---|
Maximum validity (current) | Up to 2 years (national framework) | Up to 2 years (1 year + 6-month extensions) | Up to 2 years |
Coworking space accepted for Business Manager renewal | Yes | Standard rules apply | Standard rules apply |
Application language support | Japanese with English support at Startup Café | Japanese, English support at TOSBEC | English |
Progress monitoring | Lighter touch | Monthly check-ins | Per SWS guidelines |
Cost of living | Lower | Higher | Higher |
Sector focus | Fintech, software, healthcare, medtech, environment, logistics | Finance, IT, environment/energy, healthcare, arts, food-tech | International-facing tech, media, creative |
Document Checklist
Requirements vary slightly by municipality, but every applicant should expect to prepare:
- Passport with sufficient validity
- Completed application forms from the relevant municipality
- Detailed business plan (in Japanese, or English with a Japanese version depending on the city)
- Financial statements showing sufficient funds to cover business setup and personal living expenses
- Proof of separate funds for a return ticket home
- CV and evidence of relevant experience or qualifications
- Lease agreement or coworking membership for your business address (where applicable)
- Once the municipal Confirmation Certificate is issued, the Certificate of Eligibility application filed with immigration
For founders weighing entity structures before submitting a plan, the choice between a Godo Kaisha and a Kabushiki Kaisha will affect both your plan documentation and your later Business Manager transition. See Starting a Company in Japan as Foreigner for a breakdown.
Application Steps
The process is broadly the same across municipalities:
- Contact the target municipality and submit a preliminary inquiry or pre-screening of your business plan.
- Formal plan submission to the city or prefecture. This is where most applications fail, so it pays to use the free consultation services where available (Fukuoka's Startup Café being the strongest example).
- Receive the Confirmation Certificate (in Tokyo: the Startup Preparation Activity Plan Confirmation Certificate; in Fukuoka: the Certificate of Entrepreneurial Activities). Validity is three months from issuance.
- Apply for the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) with the Immigration Services Agency within that three-month window.
- Apply for the visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate abroad using the COE, or change your status of residence in-country if you are already in Japan on another visa.
- Enter Japan and begin the preparation period. Comply with municipal reporting requirements throughout.
Fees and Processing Time
There is no standard nationwide government fee specifically for the Startup Visa certificate itself, but there are several costs to budget for:
- Immigration fees for the Certificate of Eligibility and visa issuance (check the Immigration Services Agency for current amounts).
- Private agent or administrative scrivener fees if you use one. These typically range from several hundred thousand yen to over ¥1 million depending on complexity.
- Municipal application fees for the local plan certification step. These were not consistently published in official English sources during research, so check directly with Fukuoka City or the Tokyo Metropolitan Government for current schedules.
Processing time for the Certificate of Eligibility through immigration is typically one to three months, with visa issuance at the embassy or consulate usually within a few weeks. The total timeline from initial plan submission to arrival in Japan is typically a minimum of five to six months. Plan accordingly.
Common Pitfalls
- Underestimating the Business Manager transition. With ¥30 million in capital and at least one full-time employee now required, founders who treat the Startup Visa as a casual on-ramp end up scrambling. Build your capitalization plan backwards from that threshold.
- Letting the Confirmation Certificate expire. Three months from issuance is the window to file the COE application. Missing it means starting over.
- Mixing business and return-trip funds. Tokyo and other municipalities expect to see separated funds.
- Picking a city based on prestige rather than fit. If your customers and partners are in Osaka or Fukuoka, applying in Tokyo just adds cost and bureaucracy.
- Submitting a thin business plan. Reviewers are looking for credible revenue paths, not aspirational decks. Use the free city consultation services where they exist.
FAQs
Is the Startup Visa the same in every city now?
The legal framework under METI is unified nationally since January 2025, but each approved municipality runs its own plan review process and may have its own emphases, fees, and support services.
Can I switch cities mid-program?
The Startup Visa is tied to the municipality that approved your plan. Relocating your business to a different city means re-engaging with the new municipality and likely a new application.
What happens after two years if I cannot meet the Business Manager threshold?
You would need to qualify for a different status of residence or leave Japan. Some founders pivot to the Highly Skilled Professional route if their points add up. See Highly Skilled Professional Visa points system for the criteria.
Can my spouse and children join me?
Dependent visas are generally available for Startup Visa holders, subject to immigration approval and proof of sufficient funds.
Is there a faster route for short-term founders?
If you only need to be in Japan part of the year, the Japan Digital Nomad Visa alternative may be a better fit than a full startup visa application.
Do I need to speak Japanese?
Formally no, but practically yes for most cities. Shibuya runs in English, and Tokyo and Fukuoka offer English support, but contracts, taxes, hiring, and immigration filings will involve Japanese. Building working fluency before or alongside your move materially affects your odds of clearing the Business Manager threshold.
If you're relocating to Japan to build a company, working knowledge of Japanese will shape every meeting, contract, and hire. Migaku helps you learn Japanese from the shows, podcasts, and articles you already consume, which is a sensible way to build the language while you're building the business. Try Migaku.