A business/management visa is a visa for foreign nationals residing in Japan for the purpose of operating a business.
To obtain a business management visa, you must meet various requirements and conditions, one of which is One of the requirements is that you must have a place of business in Japan One of the requirements is that you must have a place of business in Japan to operate your business.
Some people may want to rent an office for their business because they need to invest 5 million yen to obtain a business visa, and it is difficult for foreigners who have not yet started business activities in Japan to rent an office for their business in the first place. This is the reason why some people may want to rent an office to cover their business expenses.
In conclusion, it is possible to obtain a business/administrative visa even from a rental office.
However, not just any rental office will do.
This page describes how to obtain a business management visa at a rental office.
What is a Rental Office?
What is a rental office?This term refers to rental offices equipped with desks and information equipment necessary for business operations.
Since the hurdles to signing a lease contract are lower than those for general business properties, there is no need to set up business facilities on one’s own, and in many cases no security deposit is required, the initial cost can be reduced. In addition, there is no need to set up business facilities on your own, and in many cases, no deposit is required.
Business Establishments” in Business Management Visa
Unlike the case of Japanese nationals conducting business activities, the business establishment to be prepared to obtain a business management visa must generally meet the following requirements and conditions.
- It must be clear that the lease agreement for the property is for business purposes (e. g., the contractor is in the name of a corporation conducting a business, the purpose of use is “for business,” “office,” etc.).
- Must have independent space
- Must be equipped with the necessary facilities and space for the business
When obtaining a business/administrative visa from a rental office, items (2) and (3) are particularly problematic.
In order for a rental office to be recognized as a “place of business” for a business management visa
In order for a rental office to be recognized as a “place of business” for a business management visa,In principle, the following two points must be met
1 Separate space (private room)
In order to qualify as a separate space, the place must objectively exist as a single room. In other words, it must be clearly separated as a private room by a wall or door.
Rental offices that are simply partitioned into separate rooms, or that are not partitioned at the top of the walls and are connected to neighboring rooms, cannot be considered independent spaces and are not recognized as business offices.
2 The facilities and space necessary for the business must be provided.
In order to be able to say that it is a business establishment,It must be equipped with facilities essential to the operation of the business.
Since it is usually impossible to operate a business without at least a desk, computer, telephone, copier, mailbox, and a sign indicating the name of the company, an office rental without such facilities is not considered a business office. Other facilities required by the nature of the business, if any, must also be provided.
In order to be considered a business office, the room must also have the necessary space to operate the business.
If the nature of your business is such that you can do it only with a computer, there is no problem with a rental office large enough to accommodate a desk, a computer, and a copy machine. However, if your business involves inventory, a rental office large enough to accommodate the inventory is not acceptable, If your business involves inventory, the rental office must be large enough to accommodate that inventory.
Free desk plans, virtual offices, etc. are not allowed.
A situation in which many people share one room, as in the case of a free desk plan, is not considered an “independent space” and is therefore not recognized as a business office.
In addition, a virtual office, which has a room address but no work space, is not considered an “independent space” and is not recognized as a place of business.
Conclusion
If you prepare a business office in a rental office without being aware of legal requirements,This is a cause for denial of a business/administration visa.
Foreigners who are thinking of setting up a business office for rent are advised to consult with an experienced professional.
