Business Manager visa (経営・管理) in Japan: the new requirements

The business manager visa Japan grants to company founders and managers is the status of residence Business Manager (経営・管理). Since October 16, 2025, new applicants need ¥30 million in capital (up from ¥5 million), at least 1 full-time employee, B2-level Japanese from the applicant or an employee, 3 years of management experience or a relevant graduate degree, and a business plan checked by a licensed expert. This is the position as of October 2026, from the Immigration Services Agency (出入国在留管理庁, ISA).

What changed on October 16, 2025?

The Ministry of Justice revised the landing standards ordinance (上陸基準省令) and the enforcement regulations for this status. Here is what applies now:

Source: ISA revision overview (改正概要), as of October 2026.

How does the ¥30 million capital rule work?

For a company, ISA counts the paid-in capital of a kabushiki kaisha, or the total contributions to a godo kaisha and similar companies. Capital reserves, capital surplus and retained earnings don’t count.

For a sole proprietor, ISA counts the total invested in the business: the office, one year of staff salaries, equipment and similar costs. You prove it with your latest financial statements and receipts.

If you manage several companies, one of them reaching ¥30 million is enough.

Who counts as a full-time employee?

You need at least 1 full-time employee who is a Japanese national, a special permanent resident, or a holder of a permanent-type status: permanent resident (永住者), spouse of a Japanese national, spouse of a permanent resident, or long-term resident (定住者).

Foreign staff on a work visa, such as Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, do not count for this rule.

ISA’s tests for “full-time” include working at least 5 days a week, 217 days a year and 30 hours a week, and being enrolled in employment insurance with 30 or more scheduled hours a week. Seconded, dispatched or contracted workers don’t count.

What Japanese level do you need?

You or one of your full-time employees needs B2 level on the Japanese Language Education Reference Framework (日本語教育の参照枠). Here the employee can be any nationality, including a work-visa holder.

A non-Japanese person shows B2 with one of these:

• JLPT N2 or higher
• BJT Business Japanese Proficiency Test score of 400 or more
• 20 years or more living in Japan as a mid- to long-term resident
• graduation from a Japanese university or similar higher education institution
• finishing compulsory education in Japan and graduating from a Japanese high school

What experience or degree is needed?

You need one of these:

• 3 years or more of experience managing or running a business. Time spent in Japan on the startup preparation status (特定活動) counts.
• a doctorate, master’s or professional degree in business management, or in a field the business needs. Foreign degrees count.

Who can check your business plan?

ISA requires an expert in business management to check your plan. As of the effective date, that means a Japanese-licensed SME management consultant (中小企業診断士), certified public accountant (公認会計士) or tax accountant (税理士). Foreign qualifications don’t count. Officers and employees of your own company can’t do it, but an outside accountant who advises your company can.

What are the office requirements?

You must show that an office exists, with documents such as the company registry and the lease. Using your home as the office is in principle not accepted. The office must be large enough for the scale of the business under the new rules.

ISA also says a business that mostly outsources its work, where your own management role isn’t clear, doesn’t fit this status.

What happens at renewal for existing holders?

For renewals on or after October 16, 2028, you need to meet the new standards. If the business is in good shape, corporate taxes are paid and you are likely to meet the standards by the next renewal, ISA says it will judge your case as a whole. ISA calls the claim that you must leave Japan if you don’t have ¥30 million by October 16, 2028 “not true”.

At every renewal, ISA checks your labor insurance, social insurance (health insurance and employees’ pension) and national and local taxes. You submit a free-format description of your business activities in your last period of stay.

Other points from ISA’s Q&A:

• Applications received before October 16, 2025 are judged on the old standards, but you must meet the new ones after the 3-year period.
• If you don’t meet the new standards, you can’t get permanent residency from Business Manager (or from business-based Highly Skilled Professional 1(c) or 2), and you can’t change from Highly Skilled Professional 1(c) to 2.
• Spending more than half your period of stay in total abroad on a re-entry permit (including the special re-entry permit) without good reason counts against renewal.

How long does it take, and what does it cost?

ISA grants periods of 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, 6 months, 4 months or 3 months.

The certificate of eligibility is free, and ISA’s standard period is 1 to 3 months. The published averages are much longer. Business Manager certificates issued in August 2026 took 226.7 days on average (241.9 days in July 2026). A change of status took 177.4 days in August 2026, and a renewal 44.4 days.

From October 1, 2026, the counter fee for a change of status or renewal depends on the period granted: ¥33,000 for 1 year, ¥64,000 for 3 years and ¥75,000 for 5 years. Your spouse and children can join you on the dependent visa.

More guides

Certificate of eligibility · Change of status · Visa renewal · Pension for foreigners · Resident tax