Japan Business Manager Visa

Application Process — Step by Step

1. 01

   Incorporate a company in Japan

   home country

   Establish a Kabushiki Kaisha (KK) or Godo Kaisha (GK) through a Japanese judicial scrivener (shihoshoshi). A KK requires paid-in capital of JPY 1 (legally); however, the Business Manager visa requires demonstrating JPY 5M (approx. USD 33,000) in capital OR employment of 2+ full-time Japanese residents as evidence of business viability. A physical office address in Japan is mandatory — virtual offices are rejected by Immigration.

   Typical duration: 4-8 weekssource ↗

2. 02

   Establish a physical office in Japan

   destination

   Lease a dedicated commercial office space. Immigration requires a genuine, exclusive-use office — a shared coworking desk is NOT accepted. Office lease agreement must be in the company's name, not personal name. Typical cost in Tokyo: JPY 50,000-200,000/month depending on area.

   Typical duration: 2-4 weekssource ↗

3. 03

   Prepare business plan and financial documentation

   home country

   Business plan must demonstrate viable operations in Japan, projected revenue/expenditure, and your management role. For new companies (less than 1 year operating), additional scrutiny applies. If company has been operating for 1+ year, audited financials showing stable business suffice.

   Typical duration: 2-4 weeks

4. 04

   Apply for Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) in Japan

   destination

   A proxy (lawyer, agent, or the company itself once registered) submits the CoE application to the Regional Immigration Services Bureau. Processing typically 1-3 months. For applicants already in Japan on a different status, an in-country change-of-status application is possible.

   Typical duration: 4-12 weekssource ↗

5. 05

   Apply for Business Manager visa at Japanese Embassy/Consulate

   home country

   With the CoE in hand, apply at the Japanese embassy/consulate in your country of residence. Consular processing is typically 5-10 business days.

   Typical duration: 1-2 weekssource ↗

6. 06

   Enter Japan and complete municipal registration

   destination

   Register address at municipal office within 14 days. Receive Residence Card. Open corporate and personal bank accounts.

   Typical duration: 1-2 weeks

Documents Required

Realistic Costs

~ Some figures below are industry estimates rather than officially verified: lawyer_fee_low, lawyer_fee_high, translations, relocation_misc, total_first_year_low, total_first_year_high, total_5_year_low, total_5_year_high.

Major costs: company incorporation (~JPY 150,000-300,000 for KK), office rent (~JPY 600,000-2.4M/yr Tokyo), paid-in capital JPY 5M must be tied up in company account. Immigration lawyer fees JPY 300,000-800,000. Annual office + accounting costs are the largest ongoing expense.

Realistic Timeline

• Consulate wait1–3 weeks
• Decision → arrival2 weeks
• Residence card issuance0 weeks
• Total to residence card16–32 weeks

Company formation + office setup + CoE (1-3 months) makes this the longest Japan visa process. Allow 4-8 months end-to-end. CoE rejection and resubmission can add 2-3 months.

Renewal

First renewal after

12 months

Subsequent cycle

36 months

Renewal fee

$80USDEURGBPCADAUDINRAEDTHBSGDBRLMXNZAR

Requirements

Initial Business Manager visa typically granted for 1 year for new companies. If business is established and operational, renewed for 3 or 5 years. Must demonstrate ongoing business activity: revenue, tax filings, employees. Dormant or low-activity companies face renewal rejection.

Path to Permanent Residency — Details

Years required

10

Max days absent / year

100

Processing time

8 months

Integration test

Not required

Application fee

$80USDEURGBPCADAUDINRAEDTHBSGDBRLMXNZAR

Path to Citizenship — Details

Years required

5

Processing time

12 months

Language test

Yes (B1)

Civic test

Not required

Oath

Not required

Dual citizenship

Not allowed

Application fee

$300USDEURGBPCADAUDINRAEDTHBSGDBRLMXNZAR

Tax Residency

Trigger

183 days/year of presence

Taxation scope

Worldwide income

Exit-tax country

Yes

Health Insurance

Mandatory

Yes

Public system access

After 0 months

Examples: National Health Insurance (NHI), Shakai Hoken (if self-employed paying salary)

Banking Setup

Open account before arrival

Not typically possible before arrival

Family Specifics

Spouse work rights

Spouse on Dependent visa may apply for a separate work permit, but unlike HSP dependents, this is not automatic. Spouse seeking to work typically needs a separate "Designated Activities" work endorsement.

Child school enrolment

Children on Dependent status. Public school enrollment free. International schools in Tokyo typically JPY 1.5M-3M/yr.

Parent inclusion

Not eligible

Sibling inclusion

Not eligible

Gotchas — Things to Watch For

• ⚠Virtual offices are explicitly rejected by Immigration — you need a real lease in the company name with exclusive use
• ⚠JPY 5M capital requirement (≈USD 33,000) must remain in the company account, not be spent until business operations justify it
• ⚠Initial 1-year status is probationary — if the company is not operational and generating activity, renewal will be denied
• ⚠Japan does NOT allow dual citizenship — naturalisation requires full renunciation
• ⚠Pension enrollment is mandatory; contributions may be partially recovered on departure (lump-sum withdrawal)
• ⚠Japan's corporate tax rate is approximately 23.2% national + 10% local business tax — total effective rate ~30-35%
• ⚠Business Manager does NOT give the same PR fast-track as HSP — plan for a 10-year PR path unless you can separately qualify for HSP

What This Visa Does NOT Allow

• ×Salaried employment outside your own company — the status is for managing your business
• ×Drawing down the required company capital rather than keeping it invested in the business
• ×Operating from a virtual office — a genuine leased office is required

Before You Arrive — Checklist

1. Engage a Japanese judicial scrivener or lawyer to begin company registration
2. Identify and sign a lease for a physical commercial office before CoE application
3. Transfer at least JPY 5M into the company bank account
4. Prepare a detailed Japanese-language business plan
5. Consider engaging an immigration lawyer experienced in Business Manager CoE applications — rejection rates for self-filed cases are significant

After You Arrive — Checklist

1. Register address at municipal office within 14 days
2. Enroll in National Health Insurance (NHI) or set up employer Shakai Hoken if paying yourself as employee
3. Enroll in Japan Pension System
4. Open personal bank account (Japan Post Bank easiest for new residents)
5. Register for Japanese business taxes with local tax office
6. File annual corporate tax returns with Tokyo metropolitan and national tax authorities

Common Rejection Reasons

• •Office address is a virtual office, residential address, or coworking hot-desk — Immigration rejects these
• •Paid-in capital below JPY 5M with no Japanese employees to compensate
• •Business plan deemed non-viable for Japanese market or lacks substance
• •Applicant's role described as "investor" rather than active "manager" — must demonstrate operational management duties
• •No track record of business management — Immigration expects relevant career history
• •Company bank account not yet funded at time of CoE application

Recent Legislative Changes

• 2023-04-01

  Japan's Startup Visa programme expanded in cooperation with specific municipalities (Tokyo, Fukuoka, Osaka). Allows entrepreneurs to enter Japan for up to 6 months without a full Business Manager CoE, to establish their company during that period. Separate from standard Business Manager visa.source ↗

Frequently Asked Questions