New rules for Business Manager Visa renewals after the 2025 reform
The ministerial ordinance amendment promulgated on October 10, 2025, has made the requirements for obtaining a Business Manager Visa renewal far more stringent than before. Even if you worked hard to obtain a Business Manager Visa, everything can be lost if your renewal application is denied.
Going forward, there are two key points you must understand in order to obtain approval for a Business Manager Visa renewal.
Key Point 1: Meet the new requirements (or prove that you are likely to meet them) Key
Point 2: Satisfy the existing review criteria, which are now being applied more strictly
In this article, we will explain each of these two key points in detail.
※The official name of the Business Manager Visa is the “Business Manager” residence status, but in this article, we will use the more commonly known term “Business Manager Visa.”
- Business Manager Visa Renewal: Video Explaining the New Rules
- Key Point 1: Meet the New Requirements (or Prove That You Are Likely to Meet Them)
- Key Point 2: Satisfy the Existing Review Criteria, Which Are Now Applied More Strictly
- Conclusion
Business Manager Visa Renewal: Video Explaining the New Rules
Key Point 1: Meet the New Requirements (or Prove That You Are Likely to Meet Them)
Although a grace period has been established, in principle, obtaining approval for a Business Manager Visa renewal now requires meeting the new requirements introduced by this amendment.
Below, we explain the new requirements and the grace period in detail.
New Requirements: Check These 5 Items
Due to the ministerial ordinance amendment, the approval standards for the Business Manager Visa were significantly raised from October 16, 2025. This is an important change that applies not only to new applications but also to future renewal applications.
1. Employment of Full-Time Staff
The company managed by the applicant must employ at least one full-time staff member.
(Note) “Full-time staff” here is limited to Japanese nationals, special permanent residents, or foreign nationals holding residence statuses based on personal status, such as “Permanent Resident” or “Spouse or Child of Japanese National.”
2. Amount of Capital, etc.
As a measure of business scale, capital or equivalent investment of at least 30 million yen is required.
(Note) For corporations, this refers to the amount of stated capital or total investment. For sole proprietors, it refers to the total amount invested in the business, including office expenses, personnel expenses, and capital investment.
3. Japanese Language Ability
Either the applicant or a full-time staff member must have a sufficient level of Japanese language ability (such as JLPT N2 level or equivalent).
(Note) For the purpose of meeting this requirement, “full-time staff” may also include foreign nationals working under other work visa statuses.
4. Background (Education and Work Experience)
The applicant must have either at least three years of work experience in business management or administration, or a master’s degree or higher related to business management.
(Note) This “three years or more of work experience” includes the period spent preparing to start a business under a Startup Visa (Designated Activities).
5. Business Plan Review by a Qualified Professional
The business plan must be reviewed by a qualified management-related professional, such as a certified small and medium enterprise consultant, certified public accountant, or tax accountant, who confirms that the plan is feasible.
Extremely Important: Three-Year Transitional Measures and Proof of Likelihood
Many people may feel, “I already have this visa, so it is impossible to satisfy these standards immediately.” For that reason, an important transitional measure has been introduced.
Three-Year Grace Period (until October 16, 2028)
If a person who already holds the visa applies for renewal during this period, the application will be assessed comprehensively based on factors such as business performance and the “likelihood of meeting the new standards,” even if the new standards have not yet been satisfied.
Important: Without a Likelihood of Compliance, the Application May Be Denied
This part about the “likelihood of compliance” is extremely important. It does not mean that “you can stay as you are for three years.” Rather, it means that immigration authorities will examine whether you have already started taking concrete action and making specific plans to meet the new standards by the end of the three-year period. Without a clear plan, renewal will not be approved.
Measures You Should Take During the Grace Period
During these three years, you will be expected to prepare and implement plans such as a financial plan to increase capital, a hiring plan for personnel, and a plan to improve Japanese language ability.
After the Grace Period Ends (from October 17, 2028)
For renewals on or after this date, compliance with the new standards will, in principle, be mandatory. However, even if full compliance has not yet been achieved, approval may still be granted as an exception if business performance is very strong, tax obligations have been fulfilled, and there is a strong likelihood that the standards will be met by the time of the next renewal.
Key Point 2: Satisfy the Existing Review Criteria, Which Are Now Applied More Strictly
Next, we will explain the items that had already been part of the review process but will now be examined even more strictly and clearly after this amendment. These are important points directly related to the actual substance of the business.
Stricter Review: The Reality of Your Activities as a Business Owner Will Be Examined
Business Content and Actual Activities
Immigration authorities will examine whether actual business operations are being carried out properly, rather than the company being merely a paper company.
In particular, the revised guidelines now clearly state that “if the applicant’s activities as a manager are not sufficiently recognized, such as where operations are outsourced, permission will not be granted.” While the actual substance of the business was already subject to review before, the amendment greatly increases the risk that cases such as fully outsourcing the operation of a vacation rental business to a third-party operator will be judged as “not engaging in management activities,” and the review will become even stricter.
Office
Another review point is whether a proper office has been secured for conducting the business. Since management activities must now match the business scale required after the amendment, using a home as both residence and office, which had been allowed in some cases, will in principle no longer be accepted. In addition, because the new requirements make employment of full-time staff mandatory, the size of the office must also be taken into consideration. Single-person rental offices, which many foreign business owners have used until now, are now highly likely to be rejected as a business office because they do not provide working space for employed staff.
Financial Statements
One key benchmark is that the company should not be insolvent in its most recent financial statements. Insolvency means that liabilities exceed assets. A net loss for the most recent fiscal year is often tolerated, but if the company is insolvent, you will need to submit a business plan or similar documentation that reasonably explains the continuity of the business and persuades the immigration officer.
Fulfillment of Public Obligations (Taxes and Social Insurance)
It is absolutely essential not only that the business owner personally pays taxes, but also that the company properly pays all taxes and social insurance premiums. At the time of renewal, immigration authorities will strictly check payment status for labor insurance, social insurance, national taxes (such as corporate tax and consumption tax), and local taxes (such as corporate inhabitant tax). If there are unpaid amounts, renewal becomes extremely difficult.
Fulfillment of Public Obligations (Notifications Required Under Immigration Law)
Another point that is surprisingly easy to overlook is compliance with notification obligations under immigration law. Authorities also carefully check whether required notifications to the Immigration Services Agency have been properly filed, such as notifications of residential address, changes of address, and notifications related to the affiliated organization (company). Be careful not to forget any of these filings.
Departure from Japan During the Period of Stay
The approach to departures from Japan during the period of stay has also changed significantly.
Previously, if (1) the company was being managed soundly and (2) tax obligations were being fulfilled, a business owner’s long-term departure from Japan was not often treated as a direct reason for denial. However, this amendment has now clearly stated that “if the person has been outside Japan for a long period without a justifiable reason, renewal will not be granted on the grounds that there is no actual activity.” As a result, even if the business is performing well, renewal will become extremely difficult if the business owner is not actually staying in Japan and carrying out management activities.
Required Documents for an Extension of Period of Stay Application (Example: Category 3)
The following documents are required to prove that these conditions have been met.
1. Basic Documents
- Application for Extension of Period of Stay, 1 copy
- One photograph
- Passport and residence card (to be presented at the time of application)
2. Documents on Basic Company Information and Financial Results
- Total statutory report form for salary income withholding tax for employees for the previous year (copy)
- Copy of the most recent fiscal year’s financial statements
- Copy of the company registration certificate, if applicable
3. Documents on the New Requirements and Actual Activities
- Materials proving acquisition of licenses and permits required for the business (such as copies of permits)
- Materials showing that there is at least one full-time staff member
- Materials proving Japanese language ability
- A written explanation specifically describing the business management or administrative activities carried out during the most recent period of stay
4. Documents Related to Taxes and Public Charges
- Certificate of residence tax assessment and payment (for the applicant personally)
- Materials showing fulfillment of public charges by the affiliated organization (such as payment status of labor and social insurance, and tax payment certificates for various national and local taxes)
Conclusion
Renewal of a Business Manager Visa is a process in which immigration authorities comprehensively assess whether the business was operated properly during the period of stay. Especially after the 2025 reform, the number of required documents has increased, and the actual substance of the business itself is now reviewed in greater detail.
Maintaining sound business operations on a daily basis and properly fulfilling obligations such as tax payments are the most reliable ways to ensure a smooth renewal. If you have any concerns at all about document preparation or your individual situation, we strongly encourage you to consult a professional.
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