Japan tightened the requirements for the Business Manager visa (経営・管理, keiei kanri) on 16 October 2025. The change matters less for relocating executives to Japan, which is now uncommon, than for who is available to hire in Japan and how a small Japan business is built.
What changed
| Requirement | Before 16 October 2025 | From 16 October 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Capital | ¥5 million, or two full-time employees in its place | ¥30 million, and at least one full-time employee as well |
| Who counts as a full-time employee | Relevant only to the two-employee alternative | Japanese nationals, special permanent residents, permanent residents, spouses of Japanese nationals or permanent residents, and long-term residents. Staff on ordinary work visas, and dispatched, seconded or contracted staff, do not count. |
| Japanese language | No requirement | The applicant or the full-time employee must have business-level Japanese (CEFR B2), shown for example by JLPT N2 or a BJT score of 400. |
| Experience | No explicit requirement | Three years of business management experience, or a relevant doctorate, master's or professional degree |
| Business plan | Submitted with the application | Confirmed by a certified SME consultant, CPA or tax accountant |
| Office | Lease checked | Premises suited to the business; a home is generally not accepted |
People already holding the visa can renew under an individual assessment until 16 October 2028, provided the business is sound and likely to meet the new rules. Renewals after that date must meet the new rules in full. At each renewal, immigration also checks that the business has paid its taxes, social insurance and labour insurance.
Relocating a leader to run Japan
We rarely see a vendor relocate an executive to run its Japan business now. Where it happens, it is mostly at the largest vendors, on an assignment from head office. Software companies today are leaner and seldom have an executive to spare. The more common move is to relocate someone to Singapore as APAC vice president, who then hires a Japan leader locally.
If a vendor does relocate someone to run or manage the Japan business on a Business Manager visa, the new rules apply to the business as well as to the person. The Immigration Services Agency confirms that the capital requirement applies even when the applicant is a hired manager rather than the owner. A new Japan entity therefore needs ¥30 million in capital, a full-time employee who meets the residency test, and business-level Japanese through the applicant or that employee, before the relocated leader can run it. For most vendors entering Japan, hiring the first leader locally is simpler.
The independent pool
Some of the most useful people for a market entry are foreign nationals who run their own company in Japan and work as consultants or interim leaders. Many hold a Business Manager visa. When they renew after October 2028, their company must meet the new tests: ¥30 million, a full-time employee and an office that is not their home. For a one-person consultancy, that is a substantial change.
Our view is that some of these people will close their companies and look for employment, and others may leave Japan. Over the next two years, vendors may find fewer foreign independent consultants available for interim and first-hire roles on a contract or through an employer of record. Japanese nationals and permanent residents who work as sole proprietors are not affected, because they do not need the visa.
Engineers and specialists
Engineers brought to Japan for project work, as the global integrators still do, generally come on other visa statuses. Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services (技術・人文知識・国際業務) covers specialist work under a contract with a Japanese organisation. Intra-company Transferee (企業内転勤) covers staff transferred from an overseas office of the same company to do that work. The 2025 change did not alter these statuses. One knock-on effect is that holders of these statuses do not count as the full-time employee a Business Manager visa holder's business needs.
What this means if you are building a business in Japan
- Hiring the first Japan leader locally removes any dependence on a visa for the person running the business.
- A vendor that still plans to relocate a leader should budget the capital and the first local hire before the move, and allow for the time it takes.
- Before you engage an interim leader or a contractor, ask whether they hold a Business Manager visa and when it is due for renewal.
- Engineers on project assignments can come on other statuses, which the change did not affect.
Reviewed October 2026. This page is general guidance, not immigration or legal advice. Confirm your situation with the Immigration Services Agency or a qualified adviser.
Further reading
- Hiring for Japan market entry covers the first hires and how they work with partners.
- Employer of record in Japan explains what an EOR does to the candidate pool, and when to move to an entity.
Frequently asked questions
What changed in Japan's Business Manager visa in 2025?
From 16 October 2025, the business needs ¥30 million in capital and at least one full-time employee who is Japanese or a permanent resident, or holds a similar status. The applicant or that employee needs business-level Japanese, the applicant needs three years of management experience or a relevant degree, and a qualified professional must confirm the business plan.
Does the capital requirement apply to a hired manager, not just an owner?
Yes. The Immigration Services Agency states that a person applying as a manager must also meet the capital requirement.
Do existing Business Manager visa holders have to meet the new rules?
Renewals filed until 16 October 2028 can be approved on an individual assessment of the business. Renewals after that date must meet the new rules in full.
Which visa do foreign engineers use in Japan?
Most use Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, or Intra-company Transferee when they move from an overseas office of the same company. The 2025 change did not alter either status.