Want to move to Japan by starting a business? We explain the requirements for the Business Manager Visa (Investor Visa), including capital and office space.

Japan does not have a "Golden Visa" where you can just buy citizenship. However, the Business Manager Visa (often called the Investor Visa) is the closest thing. Here are the Japan investment visa requirements.

The Core Requirements

To qualify, you must start a company in Japan (Kabushiki Kaisha or Godo Kaisha) and meet these conditions:

1. Capital Requirement

• Amount: You must invest at least 5,000,000 JPY (approx. $35,000 USD) into the business.
• Proof: You need to show where this money came from.

2. Office Space

• Physical Office: You must have a dedicated physical office space in Japan.
• No Virtual Offices: A virtual office or a shared desk at a coworking space is usually NOT accepted. You need a distinct room with a door and a sign.
• Home Office: Very difficult to get approved unless it has a separate entrance.

3. Business Plan

• Viability: You must submit a detailed business plan showing that your company will be profitable and stable.
• Employees: You do NOT need to hire Japanese staff if you meet the 5 million JPY capital requirement. However, hiring staff strengthens your application.

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The Process

1. Incorporate: Find an office, transfer capital, and register the company.
2. Apply for COE: Submit documents to Immigration.
3. Visa Approval: Once the COE is issued, get your visa at the embassy.

Renewal

The first visa is usually for 1 year. To renew it, your business must be generating revenue and paying taxes. If you are in the red for two years in a row, renewal becomes difficult.