Japan to tighten biz manager visa requirements

The minimum capital required to obtain the business manager visa will be raised to 30 million yen from the current five million yen.

The tighter rules will also require applicants to have at least three years of work experience as a business manager or hold a master's or above degree, hire at least one full-time employee and have certified accountants approve their business plans.

Applicants or their employees will be required to have a certain level of Japanese language skills.

Outsourcing businesses, including those involving "minpaku" private lodging services, will be ineligible for the visa.

The government will check applicants' tax and social security premium payment status at the time of visa renewal.

For the visa, applicants are currently required to have the capital of at least five million yen or hire two or more full-time employees.

But the requirements are deemed to be lax and have led to improper acquisitions of the visa.

Some visas have been revoked for running businesses without substances, according to the Immigration Services Agency.

The number of foreign residents with business manager status in Japan hit a record high of 41,615 as of the end of 2024, a survey by the agency showed.

By nationality, China topped the list, at 21,740, followed by Nepal, at 2,830, and South Korea, at 2,741.