Japan · Business / Startup

Japan Business Manager

Investment needed: ¥30M+ ≈ $189k

Business Manager (経営・管理)

Checked against official sources on 12 Oct 2026Change log

Key facts

Business Manager is a business / startup route for Japan. Applicants need an investment of ¥30M+ ≈ $189k. You can stay 5 yrs, renewable. Local work: limited. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.

Money needed: ¥30M+ ≈ $189k
Government fees: ¥10k ≈ $63 · +6 more
Processing: 1–3 months
First stay: 5 yrs

Cost, time and long term

To apply: 7 government fees listed below; investment ¥30M+ ≈ $189k; decision: 1–3 months. No lawyer or agent fee is included.

Government fees¥10k ≈ $63 · +6 more

JPY 10,000 (≈ $63)Extension of stay or change of status, online application filed from 1 October 2026: fee when the period granted is 3 months or less; a payment-processing charge of JPY 330 (≈ $2) (JPY 550 (≈ $3) from 3 years) is added.
JPY 15,000 (≈ $95)Extension of stay or change of status, online application filed from 1 October 2026: fee when the period granted is over 3 months up to 6 months; a payment-processing charge of JPY 330 (≈ $2) (JPY 550 (≈ $3) from 3 years) is added.
JPY 21,000 (≈ $130)Extension of stay or change of status, online application filed from 1 October 2026: fee when the period granted is over 6 months and under 1 year; a payment-processing charge of JPY 330 (≈ $2) (JPY 550 (≈ $3) from 3 years) is added.
JPY 27,000 (≈ $170)Extension of stay or change of status, online application filed from 1 October 2026: fee when the period granted is 1 year; a payment-processing charge of JPY 330 (≈ $2) (JPY 550 (≈ $3) from 3 years) is added.
JPY 42,000 (≈ $260)Extension of stay or change of status, online application filed from 1 October 2026: fee when the period granted is over 1 year and under 3 years; a payment-processing charge of JPY 330 (≈ $2) (JPY 550 (≈ $3) from 3 years) is added.
JPY 56,000 (≈ $350)Extension of stay or change of status, online application filed from 1 October 2026: fee when the period granted is 3 years or more and under 5 years; a payment-processing charge of JPY 330 (≈ $2) (JPY 550 (≈ $3) from 3 years) is added.
JPY 65,000 (≈ $410)Extension of stay or change of status, online application filed from 1 October 2026: fee when the period granted is 5 years or more; a payment-processing charge of JPY 330 (≈ $2) (JPY 550 (≈ $3) from 3 years) is added.

Invested and held¥30M+ ≈ $189k

JPY 30,000,000 (≈ $189,000)Total value of property used for the business, including paid-in capital and total contributions; not a personal bank-balance test.

RenewalRenewable

Renewable in Japan; the period of stay is 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, 6 months, 4 months or 3 months. Existing holders must meet the revised criteria at renewals from 16 October 2028.

Immigration Services Agency of Japan

Permanent residenceAfter 10 years of residence

Permanent residence normally needs 10 years in Japan, including 5 years on a work or residence status. Since 16 October 2025 a holder who does not meet the revised Business Manager criteria cannot obtain permanent residence. Under the guideline revised on 1 October 2026 the ministry also looks at whether you hold the longest period of stay allowed for your status (a 3-year period counts as the longest for applications filed up to 31 March 2027), and an absence from Japan of 6 months or more in one trip, or 2 years 6 months in total, in the last 10 years without good reason counts against the application.

Immigration Services Agency of Japan

CitizenshipAfter 10 years of residence

The Nationality Act (Article 5) sets a minimum of 5 consecutive years of lawful residence in Japan, plus conduct, livelihood and other conditions. The Ministry of Justice's naturalisation Q&A adds that integration into Japanese society is required, such as 10 years or more of residence and Japanese good enough for daily life (speaking, reading and writing). Meeting the conditions does not guarantee permission.

Civil Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Justice of Japan

Processing1–3 months

Standard processing: 1 to 3 months for a Certificate of Eligibility, 1 to 2 months for a change of status inside Japan and 2 weeks to 1 month for an extension.

Immigration Services Agency of Japan, Ministry of Justice

Where to applyAbroad or in-country

Apply for a Certificate of Eligibility through the sponsoring organisation in Japan and then the visa abroad, or change status inside Japan.

Immigration Services Agency of Japan

Why this route may not fit

Check this before you apply.

Work rights are limited

What you'll need

Who can apply3

The applicant holds a master's-equivalent or higher degree in management, administration or the business field.
Alternatively the applicant has at least 3 years of management or administration experience.
The manager or a full-time employee has Japanese ability equivalent to CEFR B2.

What you must show2

The property used for the business totals at least JPY 30 million (≈ $189,000), including paid-in capital and total contributions.
This is a business-property test, not a personal bank-balance test.

Steps3

A business office must exist in Japan.
The enterprise employs at least one full-time employee.
Foreign nationals resident under an Annex I (Table 1) status do not count as that employee.

After you arrive1

From 2025-10-16 a holder who does not meet the revised criteria cannot change status to Highly Skilled Professional 1(c) or obtain permanent residence.

When you become tax resident

How Japan decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.

Stay on this route

Up to 5 years at first, renewable

Tax residence

Resident individuals are domiciled in Japan or have continuous residence of 1 year or more.

Foreign-source income

Remittance basis

Non-permanent residents are taxed in Japan on Japan-source income and on foreign-source income paid in or remitted to Japan; foreign-source income paid and kept abroad is outside the Japanese tax base.

Special regime

Non-permanent resident foreign-source income treatment · Tax relief

All tax rules for Japan Tax records checked 11 Oct 2026

Official site

Full official text

Residence status for managing or administering a business in Japan. Approval criteria were revised on 2025-10-16. ^{1 2 3 4}

What you must show and pay

An investment of at least JPY 30,000,000 (≈ $189,000) · Total value of property used for the business, including paid-in capital and total contributions; not a personal bank-balance test. ¹
A fee of JPY 10,000 (≈ $63) · Extension of stay or change of status, online application filed from 1 October 2026: fee when the period granted is 3 months or less; a payment-processing charge of JPY 330 (≈ $2) (JPY 550 (≈ $3) from 3 years) is added. ⁵
A fee of JPY 15,000 (≈ $95) · Extension of stay or change of status, online application filed from 1 October 2026: fee when the period granted is over 3 months up to 6 months; a payment-processing charge of JPY 330 (≈ $2) (JPY 550 (≈ $3) from 3 years) is added. ⁵
A fee of JPY 21,000 (≈ $130) · Extension of stay or change of status, online application filed from 1 October 2026: fee when the period granted is over 6 months and under 1 year; a payment-processing charge of JPY 330 (≈ $2) (JPY 550 (≈ $3) from 3 years) is added. ⁵
A fee of JPY 27,000 (≈ $170) · Extension of stay or change of status, online application filed from 1 October 2026: fee when the period granted is 1 year; a payment-processing charge of JPY 330 (≈ $2) (JPY 550 (≈ $3) from 3 years) is added. ⁵
A fee of JPY 42,000 (≈ $260) · Extension of stay or change of status, online application filed from 1 October 2026: fee when the period granted is over 1 year and under 3 years; a payment-processing charge of JPY 330 (≈ $2) (JPY 550 (≈ $3) from 3 years) is added. ⁵
A fee of JPY 56,000 (≈ $350) · Extension of stay or change of status, online application filed from 1 October 2026: fee when the period granted is 3 years or more and under 5 years; a payment-processing charge of JPY 330 (≈ $2) (JPY 550 (≈ $3) from 3 years) is added. ⁵
A fee of JPY 65,000 (≈ $410) · Extension of stay or change of status, online application filed from 1 October 2026: fee when the period granted is 5 years or more; a payment-processing charge of JPY 330 (≈ $2) (JPY 550 (≈ $3) from 3 years) is added. ⁵

Requirements

The applicant holds a master's-equivalent or higher degree in management, administration or the business field. ¹
Alternatively the applicant has at least 3 years of management or administration experience. ¹
The manager or a full-time employee has Japanese ability equivalent to CEFR B2. ¹
The property used for the business totals at least JPY 30 million (≈ $189,000), including paid-in capital and total contributions. ¹
This is a business-property test, not a personal bank-balance test. ¹
A business office must exist in Japan. ¹
The enterprise employs at least one full-time employee. ¹
Foreign nationals resident under an Annex I (Table 1) status do not count as that employee. ¹
From 2025-10-16 a holder who does not meet the revised criteria cannot change status to Highly Skilled Professional 1(c) or obtain permanent residence. ¹

Stay

Period of stay is 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, 6 months, 4 months or 3 months. Existing holders must meet the revised criteria at renewal applications from 2028-10-16.
First stay: 3 to 60 months, decided case by case.
Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.

Nationality

No nationality restriction in the status criteria.

Work

Management or administration of the approved business only.

Family

Spouse and children can apply for Dependent status. Your spouse or partner needs their own work permit to work in Japan: permission for activities outside their status, limited to 28 hours a week.

Checked 2026-10-12

Official sources

Business Manager status and revised criteria overview (effective 16 October 2025) · Immigration Services Agency of Japan · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2025-10-16
Status of residence Business Manager (経営・管理) · Immigration Services Agency of Japan · checked 2026-10-10
Status of residence "Dependent" (家族滞在) · Immigration Services Agency of Japan · checked 2026-10-12
Permission to engage in activities other than those permitted for "Dependent" status holders · Immigration Services Agency of Japan · checked 2026-10-12
Fees for extension of stay, change of status and permanent residence applied for online from 1 October 2026 · Immigration Services Agency of Japan · checked 2026-10-11
Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (revised 24 February 2026) · Immigration Services Agency of Japan · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2026-02-24
Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (revised 1 October 2026) · Immigration Services Agency of Japan · checked 2026-10-12 · published 2026-10-01
Naturalization: conditions and procedure (Q&A) · Civil Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Justice of Japan · checked 2026-10-12
Certificate of Eligibility application: standard processing period · Immigration Services Agency of Japan, Ministry of Justice · checked 2026-10-11
Application for change of status of residence: standard processing period · Immigration Services Agency of Japan, Ministry of Justice · checked 2026-10-11
Application for extension of period of stay: standard processing period · Immigration Services Agency of Japan, Ministry of Justice · checked 2026-10-11

Business Manager and its alternatives

Route	Money needed	Stay	Work
Business Manager	Needs an investment of ¥30M+ ≈ $189k	5 yr, renewable	Limited
Startup visa	Needs an investment of ¥30M+ ≈ $189k	2 yr	Limited
SMART Visa S · 2 years Thailand	Needs savings of ฿600k+ ≈ $18k	2 yr, renewable	Limited
Golden · Entrepreneur United Arab Emirates	–	10 yr, renewable	–
EntrePass Singapore	Needs an investment of SGD 100k+ ≈ $78k	1 yr, renewable	Limited

Questions people ask

How much money do I need for the Business Manager?

An investment of at least JPY 30,000,000 (≈ $189,000). Total value of property used for the business, including paid-in capital and total contributions; not a personal bank-balance test. A fee of JPY 10,000 (≈ $63). Extension of stay or change of status, online application filed from 1 October 2026: fee when the period granted is 3 months or less; a payment-processing charge of JPY 330 (≈ $2) (JPY 550 (≈ $3) from 3 years) is added. A fee of JPY 15,000 (≈ $95). Extension of stay or change of status, online application filed from 1 October 2026: fee when the period granted is over 3 months up to 6 months; a payment-processing charge of JPY 330 (≈ $2) (JPY 550 (≈ $3) from 3 years) is added. A fee of JPY 21,000 (≈ $130). Extension of stay or change of status, online application filed from 1 October 2026: fee when the period granted is over 6 months and under 1 year; a payment-processing charge of JPY 330 (≈ $2) (JPY 550 (≈ $3) from 3 years) is added.

How long can I stay on the Business Manager?

Period of stay is 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, 6 months, 4 months or 3 months.

How long does the Business Manager take to process?

Standard processing: 1 to 3 months for a Certificate of Eligibility, 1 to 2 months for a change of status inside Japan and 2 weeks to 1 month for an extension.

Can I work on the Business Manager?

Limited. Management or administration of the approved business only.

Can I bring my family on the Business Manager?

Spouse and children can apply for Dependent status.

Does the Business Manager lead to permanent residence in Japan?

Time on the Business Manager counts toward permanent residence in Japan, which the rules allow after 10 years of residence. Time on the Business Manager counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 10 years of residence.

Is there a tax break for Business Manager holders in Japan?

Non-permanent resident foreign-source income treatment: Non-permanent residents are taxed in Japan on Japan-source income and on foreign-source income paid in or remitted to Japan; foreign-source income paid and kept abroad is outside the Japanese tax base. It's separate from the visa and has its own conditions.

Tax

Special regime

Non-permanent resident foreign-source income treatment

Tax relief

Foreign-source income: Remittance basis

Details

Who: Resident: domicile or continuous residence in Japan for one year or more

Taxed on

Income tax on all Japan-source income plus foreign-source income that is paid in Japan or remitted to Japan from abroad, at the progressive national rates of 5% to 45%.

Who it applies to

Resident: domicile or continuous residence in Japan for one year or more.
Non-Japanese nationality.
Domicile or residence in Japan for an aggregate of five years or less within the preceding ten years.

Exclusions

Japan-source income, including pay for work performed in Japan, is taxed in full.
Residents who are not non-permanent residents are taxed on worldwide income.

Tax residence

Resident = domicile, or continuous residence of one year or more. Non-permanent resident = non-Japanese national resident for an aggregate of five years or less in the preceding ten years. Based on facts, not visa type.

Visas

No visa grants this treatment; it follows tax residence and nationality.

Other taxes

Consumption tax: standard rate 10% (7.8% national plus 2.2% local) and reduced rate 8% (6.24% national plus 1.76% local). Local inhabitant tax and social insurance are separate.

Checked against official sources on 10 Oct 2026Change log

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≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.

Ask the AI about this route AI

An AI assistant answers from the published records on this page and cites them. It can't assess your personal eligibility. Don't include personal details.

How this was checked

Checked on 2026-10-12 against 11 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.

Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.

Business Manager status and revised criteria overview (effective 16 October 2025) · Immigration Services Agency of Japan · checked 2026-10-10
Status of residence Business Manager (経営・管理) · Immigration Services Agency of Japan · checked 2026-10-10
Status of residence "Dependent" (家族滞在) · Immigration Services Agency of Japan · checked 2026-10-12
Permission to engage in activities other than those permitted for "Dependent" status holders · Immigration Services Agency of Japan · checked 2026-10-12
Fees for extension of stay, change of status and permanent residence applied for online from 1 October 2026 · Immigration Services Agency of Japan · checked 2026-10-11
Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (revised 24 February 2026) · Immigration Services Agency of Japan · checked 2026-10-11
Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (revised 1 October 2026) · Immigration Services Agency of Japan · checked 2026-10-12
Naturalization: conditions and procedure (Q&A) · Civil Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Justice of Japan · checked 2026-10-12
Certificate of Eligibility application: standard processing period · Immigration Services Agency of Japan, Ministry of Justice · checked 2026-10-11
Application for change of status of residence: standard processing period · Immigration Services Agency of Japan, Ministry of Justice · checked 2026-10-11
Application for extension of period of stay: standard processing period · Immigration Services Agency of Japan, Ministry of Justice · checked 2026-10-11

Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.