How Can Entrepreneurs from China and Taiwan Obtain a Business Manager Visa in Japan?

Bottom line first: Entrepreneurs from China, Taiwan, and elsewhere who set up a company in Japan and run its business aim for the "Business Manager" status of residence (Appended Table I-2 of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act). The landing criteria are set out in the Ministerial Ordinance prescribing the criteria under Art. 7(1)(ii) of that Act, and the amendment effective October 16, 2025 raised the capital or total investment to 30 million yen or more, and added requirements for employing at least one full-time employee, a certain Japanese-language ability of the applicant or a full-time employee, three or more years of management experience or a master's-level degree, expert review of the business plan, and securing an independent office. This article is general information organizing the overall picture and the role of an administrative scrivener who files on the applicant's behalf. Whether it is granted depends on the Immigration Services Agency's review.

What are the main requirements for the Business Manager status?

"Business Manager" is a status of residence for foreign nationals who run a business in Japan or engage in its management (Appended Table I-2 of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act). The landing criteria are in the Ministerial Ordinance under Art. 7(1)(ii), and the content changed significantly with the amendment effective October 16, 2025. The main criteria after the amendment are as follows.

Item	Criteria after the amendment (effective October 16, 2025)
Capital or total investment	30 million yen or more (500,000-yen level; previously 5 million yen or more)
Full-time employees	Employ at least one. Eligible: Japanese nationals, special permanent residents, and foreign nationals residing under Appended Table II statuses
Japanese ability	The applicant or a full-time employee at B2 or above on the "Reference Framework for Japanese Language Education" (proven by JLPT N2 or above, BJT 400 points or above, etc.)
Experience / education	Three or more years of experience in business management, or a doctoral, master's, or professional degree
Business plan	Reviewed by an expert such as a certified SME management consultant, certified public accountant, or tax accountant
Office	Secure an independent office. Combining it with your home is not permitted in principle

Those already residing under "Business Manager" have a transitional measure until three years from the effective date (October 16, 2028), during which renewals are expected to move toward compliance with the amended criteria in stages. The amendment is said to aim at preventing companies without substance and at ensuring real business operation. Our office supports, within the scope of an administrative scrivener's work, confirming requirements, organizing evidence, preparing the application, and filing it on the applicant's behalf. Whether it is granted depends on the Immigration Services Agency's review.

How much office and capital do you really need?

The amendment made capital and the office especially demanding.

Item	Content (summary)
Capital / total investment	For a company, the paid-in capital (for a general/limited/limited liability partnership company, the total investment); for a sole proprietor, the total invested in the business — 30 million yen or more
Office	An independent facility for running the business continuously. Combining it with your home is not permitted in principle, and a mere address-lending arrangement is unlikely to be accepted
Right to use	You must have the right to use the office under a lease, etc., and the zoning and building use must suit the business

The office is not only about "whether a property can be rented," but also requires checking that zoning and building use suit the business first. Because signing a lease before finding it cannot be used leads to re-searching, confirming this at the property-selection stage is safer. The search for and lease of the office property is handled by Yotsuba Real Estate (a licensed real estate broker), a separate entity, contracted separately as an independent business entity. Our office does not receive referral fees.

Which comes first, incorporation or the visa application?

For those setting up while residing abroad, the practical flow is generally "incorporate first, then apply for the status of residence." This is because the review assumes a company (legal entity) exists and that capital, office, and business plan are in place.

Stage	Content
① Plan and funds	Arrange capital of 30 million yen or more, prepare the business plan with expert review, and secure the office
② Incorporation	Draft and certify the articles, pay in the investment, and register the incorporation (registration by a judicial scrivener)
③ Visa application	File the certificate of eligibility application, etc. (when inviting from abroad) with the Immigration Services Agency; an administrative scrivener files on the applicant's behalf
④ Entry and start	Obtain the visa based on the certificate, enter Japan, and start the business

Incorporation registration is handled by a judicial scrivener; the notification of incorporation and tax matters by a tax accountant; the office property by a real estate broker; and social and labor insurance when hiring employees by a social insurance and labor consultant. Each is contracted separately as independent business entities, and our office does not receive referral fees.

Who handles incorporation, tax, and social insurance, and how are they split?

Obtaining "Business Manager" status inevitably involves professionals other than an administrative scrivener. The exclusive-work split is as follows.

• Confirming requirements, organizing evidence, preparing the application, and filing on the applicant's behalf → Yotsuba Administrative Scrivener Office (administrative scrivener authorized to file)
• Incorporation registration and registrations such as director changes → judicial scrivener
• Notification of incorporation, tax, bookkeeping, and tax advice → tax accountant
• Search for and lease of the office property → Yotsuba Real Estate (licensed real estate broker)
• Social and labor insurance procedures when hiring employees → social insurance and labor consultant

Have a question about your situation?

Tell us about your residency, permit or administrative procedure enquiry.

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Yotsuba Administrative Scrivener Office and Yotsuba Real Estate are separate entities. Each field is contracted separately with the respective qualified professional as independent business entities, and our office does not receive referral fees. An administrative scrivener cannot handle registration; tax advice is by a tax accountant and registration by a judicial scrivener. For the relationship with the designation application when considering "Business Manager" in a specific field such as group homes, see how foreign nationals can start a group home business (Business Manager status).

What can an administrative scrivener who files on your behalf do, and how far?

An application to the Immigration Services Agency is in principle made by the person appearing in person, but an administrative scrivener who has completed prescribed training and filed a notification (an authorized filing administrative scrivener) may submit the documents on the applicant's behalf. This reduces the burden of appearing at the immigration counter.

What can be done	What cannot be done
Confirm requirements, organize evidence, prepare the application and reasons, and file on the applicant's behalf	Guarantee or assert the outcome; the review is by the Immigration Services Agency
Support preparing the business plan (validity of figures presupposes expert review)	Incorporation registration (judicial scrivener's work), tax advice/filing (tax accountant's work)
Serve as a contact explaining documents in Chinese (traditional/simplified) and English	Assert the legal evaluation of an individual case; the final decision is by a qualified professional and immigration

Filing on the applicant's behalf is merely a procedural agency and does not guarantee that the status will be granted. You must meet the amended criteria one by one, including capital, office, Japanese ability, and expert review of the business plan. See the engagement flow, the fee schedule, and the overview of our permit and application services.

FAQ

Q. Is 30 million yen in capital really required?
A. The amendment effective October 16, 2025 raised the lower limit of capital or total investment from 5 million yen or more to 30 million yen or more. Those already residing under "Business Manager" have a transitional measure until three years from the effective date (October 16, 2028), but new applicants are reviewed under the amended criteria. Confirm individual treatment with the Immigration Services Agency.

Q. Can I obtain it without speaking Japanese?
A. After the amendment, the applicant or a full-time employee is required to have Japanese ability at B2 or above on the "Reference Framework for Japanese Language Education" (such as JLPT N2 or above). If the applicant does not meet it, securing a full-time employee who meets that level is one method. The proof method and specific level require confirmation against the latest criteria.

Q. Can I apply for the status before setting up the company?
A. In practice, it is common to incorporate and then apply once capital, office, and business plan are in place, because the company's existence and the substance of the business are premises of the review. Incorporation registration is by a judicial scrivener and filing on the applicant's behalf by an administrative scrivener, each contracted separately as independent business entities.

Q. Will it definitely be approved if I ask an administrative scrivener?
A. No. What an authorized filing administrative scrivener can do is confirming requirements, organizing materials, preparing documents, and filing on the applicant's behalf; the Immigration Services Agency reviews and decides the outcome. We cannot guarantee or assert approval. This article is general information and does not guarantee any individual outcome.

Sources (primary information)

• e-Gov Law Search, "Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act," Appended Table I-2 "Business Manager" (accessed 2026-09-15)
• Ministerial Ordinance prescribing the criteria under Art. 7(1)(ii) of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, "Business Manager" section (criteria after the amendment effective October 16, 2025) (accessed 2026-09-15)
• Immigration Services Agency, "On the amendment of the landing-criteria Ministerial Ordinance, etc. concerning the 'Business Manager' status" (capital of 30 million yen or more, at least one full-time employee, Japanese ability at B2 or above, three or more years of management experience or a degree, expert review of the business plan, securing an office, transitional measure until October 16, 2028) (accessed 2026-09-15)
• Immigration Services Agency, "Business Manager" list of documents to submit (accessed 2026-09-15)

This article is general information and does not guarantee any individual outcome, required documents, or review period. Details of the amended criteria (methods of proving Japanese ability, the scope of expert review of the business plan, application of the transitional measure, etc.) differ by individual situation, so confirm them against the Immigration Services Agency's latest materials. Incorporation registration is by a judicial scrivener; notification of incorporation and tax by a tax accountant; the office search and lease by Yotsuba Real Estate (a licensed real estate broker); and social and labor insurance for employees by a social insurance and labor consultant, each contracted separately as independent business entities. Our office does not receive referral fees. Yotsuba Administrative Scrivener Office and Yotsuba Real Estate are separate entities. Individual judgments are made by a qualified professional after consultation. Written by Joji Uramatsu (administrative scrivener and licensed real estate transaction specialist).