Business Management Visa Testimonials: OTEC Co.

Mr. Ogawa (right in the photo), who operates a plastic processing business in Saitama Prefecture, requested Touch Immigration Law Firm to assist with changing the visa status of Ms. Chen (center in the photo), a Chinese national who had been an employee since the company’s founding.

We asked in detail about why the originally planned visa was changed to a Business Manager Visa, and why Ms. Chen was able to obtain a Business Manager Visa with a 40% investment ratio.

（Interview: July 2021）

OTEC Co., Ltd.

Company Name: OTEC Co., Ltd.

Representative Director: Mr. Takayuki Ogawa

Applicant: Ms. Hyakubai Chen, Chinese national

Application Details: Change from Dependent Visa to Business Manager Visa, upon appointment as an officer

Application Date: May 20, 2021

Approval Date: June 25, 2021

Interview

Changing a Part-Time Employee Since the Company’s Founding from a Dependent Visa to a Business Manager Visa

Please tell us about your company’s business.

We are a plastic product assembly and processing company founded in Heisei 17. Currently, we mainly handle safety materials and assemble and process helmets in general, from disaster prevention helmets to construction helmets.

What was the scale of the company when it was founded?

It started with me, my parents, and Ms. Chen. There were also one or two other people, so we started with about five or six members. At the time of founding, unlike our current location in Omiya, we opened in Toda City.

We steadily continued doing similar work there, and now we have about 20 employees.

Has Ms. Chen been with the company since the beginning?

Strictly speaking, she joined the year after the company was founded. She first came to work as a part-time employee.

This is our 15th fiscal year, so she has been working with us for nearly 14 years. She is the only person who has continued working since the founding period, so in that sense, she is a key member. She has been extremely helpful.

What type of visa did Ms. Chen have at the time?

She had a Dependent Visa. Her husband was a cook and had a visa.

What led you to consider changing from a Dependent Visa?

At the time of founding, I myself did not know enough about the details, such as the types of foreign national visas and restrictions on working hours.

She worked as an ordinary part-time employee, but as the number of employees increased, I learned that a Dependent Visa has restrictions on working hours. Of course, she was working within the permitted working hours.

Ms. Chen is an indispensable person for our company. Working only within the permitted hours created difficulties for both sides. Ms. Chen wanted to work more, and I wanted her to lend us more of her strength. Because our wishes matched, we began considering a visa change.

Other Administrative Scriveners Declined the Case…

Did you know who to consult about visa-related issues?

No. However, we had relationships with tax accountants and labor and social security attorneys, so we had casually consulted them. But they did not seem to have specialized knowledge in this area.

In addition, as I researched further, I learned that there were specialists in foreign national visas. I then decided to consult a specialist and searched online.

How did the visa specialists you found online respond?

The response was not good. When I explained Ms. Chen’s background by consultation email, the replies were mostly “it cannot be done” or “it will be difficult.” For me, aside from whether it could or could not be done, I wanted ideas about how it could be done. But since it was by email, it was difficult to get that far.

Then I came across Mr. Yuda. He was young, and this is just my impression, but I thought he might have a flexible way of thinking. Things then moved forward smoothly, and we were able to meet and consult in person.

More specifically, what did you find good about him?

First, he was young. I had the impression that he probably had a flexible mindset. Next, we were from the same hometown area (laughs). It was not directly related to the work, but we got along well.

The biggest point was his response when we consulted in person. At first, we consulted by phone, but when we met and spoke in person, the discussion became even more concrete. As an overall impression, I felt that both his speed and response were trustworthy, so I decided to request his services on the spot.

Instead of the originally planned Work Visa, he proposed a new Business Manager Visa. What did you think at that time?

As for Ms. Chen becoming an officer, as I mentioned earlier, she had been with us since the founding period, so there was no issue at all for the company in accepting her as an officer. However, I had not yet discussed it with her, so I was concerned. Still, if obtaining a Business Manager Visa would achieve the goals of both sides, I accepted that this was the only way to proceed.

Also, regarding the Business Manager Visa, he told us in advance that it might not be approved, and he clearly explained the fees in that case as well. In that sense, I felt reassured. Most of all, what strongly left an impression on me was that he supported us by saying, “Based on past practice, this may be difficult, but let’s give it a try!”

The Business Manager Visa also involves the issue of investment ratio, such as 50:50.

When it comes to the investment ratio, it relates to matters such as the company’s representative authority, including how much management authority should be transferred. In addition, there was also the question of how much responsibility Ms. Chen should bear. In that sense, we explored a way to accept Ms. Chen as an officer while keeping her responsibility limited.

Generally, a 50% investment ratio is considered the standard, but in the end, being able to obtain approval with 40% was, I believe, the best possible result. This also began with Mr. Yuda’s proposal, so I am truly grateful.

Evaluation of Touch Immigration Law Firm

Please share your evaluation of Mr. Yuda.

He gets a perfect score of 100 (laughs). Whether by email or phone, he explained concretely what we should do next and what points we should pay attention to. His instructions were clear, and I also felt that he was someone easy to consult.

Please tell us about your future business development.

Ms. Chen can speak Chinese, and if we establish a manufacturing base in China in the future, she will certainly be someone we can rely on. In that sense, I feel that a bright future has opened up for us.

This case was difficult even according to the judgment of other administrative scriveners, but I believe we were able to obtain the Business Manager Visa precisely because Mr. Yuda thought of a possible way forward and said, “Based on past practice, this may be difficult, but let’s give it a try!” We will likely continue to ask for support with visa renewals and other matters, and we hope to continue receiving your assistance. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much for taking time out of your busy schedule.

Interview date: October 2020
All numerical information and other details stated in the article are as of the interview date.

Customer Testimonials

Article Supervisor

Touch Immigration Law Firm Representative Administrative Scrivener Kazuki Yuda

August 2018	Established “Yuda Administrative Scrivener Office,” specializing in visa applications and naturalization applications
April 2022	Incorporated the private office as “Touch Immigration Law Firm”
Areas of Expertise	Foreign nationals’ statuses of residence and naturalization applications Specializes in foreign national visa-related matters and handles more than 1,000 consultations annually
Seminar Experience	Numerous seminars, including the International Administrative Scrivener Training Course, Toda City International Exchange Foundation, Saitama Japanese Language Network, Administrative Scrivener TOP 10% Club, and work visa training seminars for administrative scriveners
Operated Websites	Touch Immigration Law Firm International Marriage & Spouse Visa Support Center Naturalization Application Support Center Work Visa Support Center Permanent Resident Visa Support Center Business Manager Visa Support Center U.S. Visa Support Center Visa Support Center