Essential information for Business Manager and Startup Visas in Japan
*This article was originally published on the website of Posse Nippon, the publisher of Small Business Japan, prior to the launch of Small Business Japan (October 2024). Articles published before September 2024 have been edited and transferred to this site.*
We’ve asked an immigration lawyer – 1/3
If a non-Japanese person wants to start a business in Japan, what do they need to know first? Yasuo Tachikawa, an immigration lawyer familiar with visa applications, responded to our questions.
Summary
Overview of the Business Manager and Startup Visas
Start by considering what you can do with your particular type of visa
Mr. Tachikawa has plenty of experience working for Vietnamese, Burmese, and other Asian visa applicants. Sometimes he is asked for help beyond his profession, an indication that he is trusted by the immigrant community in Japan. “Many Japanese people stereotype or unconsciously distinguish between non-Japanese and themselves. “It’s something we as Japanese people need to be aware of,” he says.
*Mr. Tachikawa is a certified gyosei shoshi (行政書士), a legal specialist who deals not only with immigration matters but also a wide range of official documents. Given his professional experience in immigration applications, we refer to him here as an 'immigration lawyer'.
Overview of the Business Manager and Startup Visas
Q: When foreigners do business in Japan, what type of visa do they usually apply for?
Yasuo Tachikawa: Many foreign business owners are Permanent Residents or Spouse visa holders. Except for those cases, you will be required to obtain a Startup visa or a Business Manager visa, which might be challenging as it requires ¥5,000,000 as an initial investment (including capital).
Q: Please tell us about the Business Manager and Startup visas.
