BUSINESS MANAGER
| Information on this page is based on the major amendments to the requirements and criteria for a Business Manager (BM) visa status that took effect on 16 October 2025. |
| IMPORTANT NOTE for Business Manager visa holders granted under the pre-amendment criteria: You must meet the amended criteria when applying for an Extension of Period of Stay by 16 October 2028 >> FOR BM VISA HOLDERS GRANTED UNDER THE PRE-AMENDMENT CRITERIA |
BUSINESS MANAGER (hereinafter referred to as “Business Manager” or “BM“) is a visa status to engage in business management and related activities during your stay in Japan. You must actually manage and execute the business in Japan as a business manager.
A Business Manager visa will not be granted based solely on investment activities. You must actually engage in managing a corporate entity and hiring staff for its operations.
If you want to learn more about setting up business in Japan and related information, check the following page >> SETTING UP BUSINESS IN JAPAN
- CEO or Representative Director who engages in the business management in Japan.
- CEO/Representative Director, COO, CFO, CTO or other directors who are involved in the execution, decision-making, or auditing of business activities in Japan.
- Factory managers, managers, branch office representatives, and other individuals who are engaged in managing the operations of a factory in Japan.
IF YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH VISA PROCEDURES IN JAPAN, JUMP TO INTRODUCTORY PAGES BELOW FIRST:
BASIC REQUIREMENTS
Immigration Office assesses your eligibility for the Business Manager (BM) visa status comprehensively, taking into account factors such as your previous career as a business manager or related experience/background, the stability and credibility of the business, the balance of projectd profits and losses, the number of employees, the type of business, and other relevant elements.
Below is a list of the basic requirements for the Business Manager visa.
Regardless of which visa status you apply for, you must first meet the basic ctiteria >> WHAT IS VISA STATUS?
Activities that involve managing a trading business or other types of businesses as a business manager, as well as operational management tasks such as quality control, employee supervision, and business performance management.
Note that the Business Manager visa will not be granted based solely on investment activities. You must actually be engaged in business management activities while in Japan.
You will not be recognized as engaging in actual management activities in the following cases:
- You outsource most of the business operations and are not personally involved in daily management activities.
- You are not aware of information that a business manager should handle, such as the company’s specific business operations or financial situation.
You must meet one of the following conditions:
- Holding a Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctoral degree in business management or in a field related to the business you intend to manage in Japan.
- Having 3 years or more of work experience as a business manager or in other management positions, including the period during which you held a Designated Activities visa for a Startup in order to apply for a Business Manager visa.
- For corporate entities, such as Kabushiki Kaisha (KK) and Godo Kaisha (GK): Paid-in capital of JPY 30 million or more is required. This amount cannot be combined with funds intended for running the business, such as employee salaries, office rent, or other operational expenses.
- For sole proprietorships (Kojin-jigyo): JPY 30 million or more must be allocated to operational expenses, including employee’s annual salaries and equipment.
At least one full-time employee (常勤職員) must be hired.
>> Implication of “Full-time employee (常勤職員)“
The employee must be either a Japanese national or a foreign national holding one of the following visa statuses: Permanent Resident, Spouse/Child of Japanese National, Spouse/Child of Permanent Resident, Long-term Resident.
Note that the employee may not be a work-type visa holder – meaning, you cannot meet this requirement by hiring a person with a work-type visa.
You or one of the company’s full-time employees must have sufficient Japanese language ability.
- A “full-time employee” for this requirement may be a work-type visa holder.
- To prove Japanese language ability, you or the emloyee must meet one of the following:
- Holding JLPT N2 or above
- Holding BJT score of 400 points or higher
- Having stayed in Japan for 20 years or more as a long-term foreign resident
- Having graduated from high school after completing compulsory education in Japan
A dedicated, independent office space for the business is required.
The office must be completely separated from any other business entities, facilities, or living spaces, used only for business purposes, and this must be stated in the rental contract.
To obtain a one-year (or longer) period of stay, the rental contract should be for at least one year and signed under the company name. If the company is not yet registered, you may sign the contract under your name first, but you must change it to the company name before applying for a COE or Change of Visa Status.
In addition, the office must be fully set up and ready for business at the time of application. A minimum level of office equipment should be installed, such as a desk and chair, a laptop, and a shelf. Mail must be deliverable to the office under the company name, so the entrance signage/nameplate and mailbox must clearly display the company name.
You will need to submit the rental contract, along with the floor plan and photos, to prove that these requirements are met.
A specific, reasonable, and feasible business plan must be submitted.
In addition, the plan must be assesed by one of the following qualified professionals (holding Japanese qualifications) who specialize in business management:
- 中小企業診断士 (Certified Management Consultant”)
- 公認会計士 (Certified Public Accountant)
- 税理士 (Tax Accountant)
The business plan and financial forecast cover a period of 1 – 2 years and include specific information explaining:
- Why the comapny needs to be based both in Japan
- Details of business and industry
- How the business will generate profit
- Your prospects and outlook for the business
- Staffing and your job responsibilities
The business must be planned so that the company will reamin financially stable and will not operate at a dificit. You should also submit supporting documents that demonstrate the feasiblity of your plan, such as memorandum agreements with suppliers, buyers, or contractors, as well as receipts and invoces for the purchase of goods or office equipment.
If your company’s business requires any licenses or permits, they must be obtained before you apply for a Business Manager visa.
If the license cannot be issued in advance, you must at least have completed the application for the required license or permit.
If the license or permit cannot be applied for without an appropriate visa status, or if there are reasonable grounds that prevent you from obtaining it beforehand, you must submit a scanned copy of the license or permit when applying for an Extension of Period of Stay next time.
| Businesses that require a license or permit: Food and Beverage Industry (restaurant, cafe, bar etc.), Secondhand Dealer/Shop, Retail/Wholesale/Trade of Alcohol, Retail/Wholesale/Trade/Manufacturing/Leasing of Medical Equipment, Wholesale/Trade/Manufacturing of Cosmetics, Warehousing, Transport Industry, Taxicab business, Financial Instruments Business, Building/Construction Industry, Real Estate, Worker Dispatch Service, Hotel/Hostel Industry, Travel Industry (Travel Agency Business), Hospital, Nursing Institute, Car Rental/Leasing Business, and so on… |
[Mainly for applications for Extension of Period of Stay]
Both you and your company must have fulfilled all tax obligations and public dues.
For your visa renewal, you must submit company documents demonstrating the following:
- Payment of corporate taxes, including income tax, withholding tax, consumption tax, and resident tax
- Enrollment in Labor Insurance and the status of premium payments
- Enrollment in Social Insurance (health insurance and pension) and the status of premium payments
If you are a sole proprietourship that doesn’t
In the case of a sole proprietor who is not required to enroll in Social Insurance (i.e., whose business does not qualify as a mandatory coverage establishment), documents proving the enrollment of each employee in the National Health Insurance are not required. However, the sole proprietor must provide proof of their own enrollment in the National Health Insurance.
[Mainly for applications for Extension of Period of Stay]
It must be confirmed that you have been steadily and continuously engaging in business managment activities in Japan. A prolonged absence from Japan without reasonable grounds may result in the denial of your visa renewal.
If you leave Japan under a Re-entry Permit (including a Special Re-entry Permit) for a cumulative period exceeding half of your current period of stay, this will be taken into account as a negative factor in the examination of your application for Extension of Period of Stay, unless there are justifiable reasons.
POINTS TO NOTE
Possibility of HSP
If you satisfy the requirements above as well as you are applicable to Highly Skilled Professional (HSP), you might want to apply for HSP-c which you can receive a preferential immigration treatment and 5 years of period of stay etc.
>> HIGHLY SKILLED PROFESSIONAL (HSP)
Implication of “Full-Time Employee (常勤職員)”
A full-time employee (常勤職員) refers to an individual who is regularly engaged in assigned duties at the company and who meets all of the following conditions:
- Not hired as a part-time employee
- Works 5 or more days per week and 217 or more days per year
- Enrolled in Employment Insurance (雇用保険), with 30 or more working hours per week
- Employed in compliance with the Labor Standards Act (労働基準法)
- Not hired as a dispatched worker or an independent contractor
HOW to PROCESS
If you are currently residing outside Japan, or you are in Japan as a Temporary Visitor:
>> COE APPLICATION
If you are already living in Japan under a specific status and hold a Resident Card:
>> CHANGE of VISA STATUS
PERIOD of STAY
Each visa status has an expiration date, and you may stay in Japan under that status for the period specified on your Residence Card issued by Immigration Office.
The period of stay is determined by the Immigration Office based on the applicant’s circumstances and is usually 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, or 3 months.
If you wish to extend your period of stay, you may apply for an Extension of Period of Stay before the expiry date.
>> EXTENSION OF PERIOD OF STAY (VISA RENEWAL)
If you plan to travel outside Japan temporarily while holding your visa status:
>> RE-ENTRY PERMIT
BASIC REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
The immigration office evaluates your eligibility for a visa status based on your situation, career and the documents you submit. You must prepare documents that certify the information in your application is true and accurate.
The Immigration Office may request additional documents at any time if they have questions or need to verify the information on a case-by-case basis.
Specific documents may vary depending on the circumstances of each applicant and the host organization or company. However, the basic required documents for this visa status are as follows:
In Case of COE APPLICATION and CHANGE of VISA STATUS
- Application form
- Photo (requirements)
- [In case of application for Change of Visa Status] Residence Card and Passport
- 給与所得の源泉徴収票等の法定調書合計表 (Statutory Report for Salary Payment and Withholding Tax)
- CV (to confirm your educational background and work experience
- Documents to clarify your position and activities in Japan:
- [If your position is that of a director or executive of the company] Documents that clarify your position and annual remuneration, such as the Articles of Incorporation, munites of shareholders’ meetings, and directors’ resolution.
- [If you are employed as a manager of a division or department within the company] Employment contract or employment agreement.
- Business Plan assessed and confirmed by a qualified professional such as 中小企業診断士 (Certified Management Consultant”), 公認会計士 (Certified Public Accountant), and 税理士 (Tax Accountant)
- Documents to clarify your business:
- 登記事項証明書 (Certificate of Company Register)
- 法人設立届出書 (Notification of Establishment of a Corporation submitted to Tax Office)
- Company Overview
- [For companies that have completed tax filing for the latest fiscal year] Financial Statements for the most recent fiscal year
- 申請にあたっての説明書 (A Letter of Explanation to confirm Japanese language ability and the status of required business licenses or permits), together with the supporting documents:
- [To clarify the Japanese language ability of the applicant or a full-time employee] Documents demonstrating Japanese language ability, such as certificates of examination results, academic transcripts, degree certificates, or diplomas
- [To confirm the employment of a full-time employee] 住民票 (Certificate of Residence), payroll records, or other documents proving full-time employment.
- [To clarify the status of required business licenses or permits] A business license certificate, or documents proving that the application for the required license or permit has been submitted if it has not yet been issued
- Documents to verify the existence of a physical office space, such as:
- 不動産登記事項証明書 (Certificate of Real Estate Registry), if the company owns the property
- Rental (lease) Agreement
- Floor plan and office layout
- Photos of the office space, mailbox, and signage
- Documents to verify the scale of business, such as:
- [To prove employment of one or more full-time employee] payroll records and his/her 住民票 (Certificate of Residence)
- Balance Sheet
- 登記事項証明書 (Certificate of Company Registry)
- Other supporting documents if any
- Documents to clarify your academic background and work experience:
- CV (Resume)
- [To verify academic background] Degree’s certificate
- [To verify work experience] Employment Certificate, Conformation Letter demonstrating the period you have engaged in business management or related work
- ［If the company is unable to provide the 給与所得の源泉徴収票等の法定調書合計表 (Statutory Report for Salary Payment and Withholding Tax)］
- 給与支払事務所設置届出書 (Notification of the Establishment of a Salary Payment Office submitted to Tax Office)
- 源泉所得税納付書 (Payment slips for Withholding Income Tax) for the past 3 months, or 源泉所得税の納期の特例の承認に関する申請書 (Application of the Special Provision for the Payment Deadline of Withholding Income Tax submitted to the Tax Office)
- [If the company is not required to submit Item 14 above because it is exempt from tax withholding]
- 外国法人の源泉徴収に対する免除証明書 (Certificate of Exemption from Tax Withholding for a Foreign Corporation), or documents clarifying the reason why the company iis not required to withhold tax
In case of EXTENTION of PERIOD of STAY
- Application form
- Photo (requirements)
- Residence Card and Passport
- 給与所得の源泉徴収票等の法定調書合計表 (Statutory Report for Salary Payment and Withholding Tax)
- Financial Statements for the most recent fiscal year
- [In case of a corporate entity] 登記事項証明書 (Certificate of Company Registry)
- Document explaining your management activity during the current period of stay in detail
- 申請にあたっての説明書 (A Letter of Explanation to confirm Japanese language ability and the status of required business licenses or permits), together with the supporting documents:
- [To clarify the Japanese language ability of the applicant or a full-time employee] Documents demonstrating Japanese language ability, such as certificates of examination results, academic transcripts, degree certificates, or diplomas
- [To confirm the employment of a full-time employee] 住民票 (Certificate of Residence), payroll records, or other documents proving full-time employment
- [To clarify the status of required business licenses or permits] A business license certificate, or documents proving that the application for the required license or permit has been submitted if it has not yet been issued
- Document explaining your business management activities during the current period of stay
- Documents proving that the company has fulfilled its tax obligations and public dues, such as:
- Enrollment in 労働保険 (Labor Insurance) and proof of payment of premiums
- Enrollment in 社会保険 (Social Insurance: Health Insurance and Pension) and proof of payment of premiums
- Tax Payment Certificate for national taxes, including Withholding Income Tax, 復興特別所得税 (Special Income Tax for Reconstruction), Corporate Tax, and Consumption Tax
- Tax Payment Certificate for Corporate Resident Tax and Corporate Business Tax
- Tax/Income Certificate and Tax Payment Certificate for the most recent year’s Resident Tax (直近の住民税の課税・所得証明書および納税証明書)
- [If the company is not required to submit Item 14 above because it is exempt from tax withholding]
- 外国法人の源泉徴収に対する免除証明書 (Certificate of Exemption from Tax Withholding for a Foreign Corporation), or documents clarifying the reason why the company iis not required to withhold tax
- IF YOU HAVE CHANGED YOUR CONTRACTING ENTITY (VISA SPONSOR) DURING CURRENT PERIOD OF STAY: in principle, you are required to submit almost the same documents as those listed on the previous section, “In case of COE APPLICATION and CHANGE of VISA STATUS”
NOTE / REMARK
- All documents written in a foreign language must be accompanied by a Japanese translation.
- The Immigration Office may request additional documents during the screening process.
- Some documents may be exempt if your visa sponsor falls under specific categories, as follows:
- Listed corporations, government-related organizations, Independent administrative institutions, and other organizations specified in this category
- The total amount of annual withholding tax on the Statutory Records of Salary Payments and Withholding Tax (給与所得の源泉徴収票等の法定調書合計表) is 10 million JPY or more
- Your visa sponsor can submit a copy of the latest Statutory Records of Salary Payments and Withholding Tax (給与所得の源泉徴収票等の法定調書合計表)
- Any certificate issued by the Japanese authorities (e.g. Tax/Income Certificate, Certificate of Residence, Certificate of Company Registry) must have been issued within 3 months prior to the application date.
FOR BM VISA HOLDERS GRANTED UNDER THE PRE-AMENDMENT CRITERIA
Transitional measures until 16 Oct 2028
For Business Manager visa holders granted under the pre-amendment criteria, transitional measures are available when applying for an Extension of Period of Stay.
For 3 years from the effective date of the amendment (16 October 2025), your application for an Extension of Period of Stay will be examined based on whether there are reasonable prospects that you will be able to meet the amended criteria, even if you do not yet fully satisfy them.
However, you must meet the amended criteria when applying for an Extension of Period of Stay on or after 16 October 2028.
This rule also applies to HSP-c (高度専門職１号ハ) holders who were granted their visa status under the pre-amendment criteria.
To Apply for Permanent Resident status
Note that these transitional measures do not apply to applications for Permanent Resident status. To apply for Permanent Resident status on and after 16 October 2025, you must meet the amended criteria and requirements as a BM visa holder, regardless of the transitional measures.