How to Apply for a 4-Month Business Manager Visa in Japan

There is a 4-month version of the “Business Manager” visa.

Normally, a “Business Manager” visa is issued for one year or longer. However, to obtain a visa valid for more than one year, you must establish a company in Japan and deposit capital of 5 million yen into a Japanese bank account.

If you have someone who can assist you in Japan, it might be manageable. But for a foreign national who doesn’t live in Japan, establishing a company can be very difficult. That’s why the 4-month “Business Manager” visa was introduced—to allow applicants to enter Japan without establishing a company beforehand and then set up the company after arrival.

This visa was likely introduced to ease the requirements and make it relatively easier to obtain a “Business Manager” visa. However, in practice, when you actually apply, it can sometimes feel like the 1-year visa is easier.

The requirements for both the 4-month and 1-year visas are essentially the same. There are two major conditions:

1. The business must involve an investment of at least 5 million yen
2. An office or place of business must be secured

The only relaxed requirement is the first one. Even if the 5 million yen hasn’t yet been invested, as long as you can prove you have the capital, it’s acceptable even if the company has not yet been established in Japan. However, aside from that, the examination process is the same as for the 1-year visa, making the process even harder due to the absence of a company.

For example, take the second requirement: “securing a place of business.” Is it easy to secure a business location without a company? Without a company, it’s very difficult to enter into a rental agreement for real estate. Moreover, if the prospective company representative is not in Japan, signing a lease with a typical real estate agency is nearly impossible. That means you must rely on someone in Japan—someone who can either lease you the property themselves or has strong ties with a landlord willing to cooperate.

In this way, the 4-month visa can sometimes require more complex documentation than the 1-year visa. Still, since there is considerable demand, I’d like to explain how to prepare the application documents.

Documents to Prove Capital

Since “a business with at least 5 million yen in capital” is a requirement for the “Business Manager” visa, related documentation is extremely important. Please prepare the following:

1. Documents proving that over 5 million yen actually exists
2. Documents showing how the 5 million yen was formed

For item 1, a copy of a bankbook or a bank balance certificate will suffice.

For item 2, you’ll need documents explaining how the funds were accumulated.

For example, if you saved the money yourself over time, you’ll need income certificates covering several years—such as 2 to 5 years’ worth of income tax filings, depending on your earnings. If the money came from selling real estate, the contract documents for the sale would be necessary.

If your parents or relatives provided the funds, you’ll need documents proving your relationship and their income certificates.

These requirements are the same for both the 4-month and 1-year visas.

Documents to Prove Business Location

For some people, this may be the most difficult document to prepare.

First, let’s clarify what “business location” means. It’s often confused with an “office,” but it’s not limited to that. While an office is included, a business location can be other types of places as well.

A business location refers to the physical place where your business activities take place. For example, in the case of a restaurant, it would be the restaurant premises. For an automobile-related business, it would be the car storage area. In that case, both the office and the car storage space together constitute the business location.

The problem is what kind of documents to prepare. For a 1-year visa, since the company is already established, the company can sign a lease for the necessary property. However, in the case of the 4-month visa, where no company exists yet, you must obtain a signed letter of agreement or statement from the property owner saying something like: “If Mr./Ms. XXX establishes a company in Japan, I will lease XXX property to that company.”

This is very difficult for someone who is not in Japan to arrange. Therefore, someone in Japan must help prepare these documents.

Business Plan

The business plan is required for both the 4-month and 1-year visas.

Please see the link below for more details:

There is some additional information.

In a previous article, I mentioned the “basis of estimates,” and it seems immigration is now reviewing this even more strictly. Especially if the applicant has no experience in the type of business they plan to start in Japan, or no prior experience doing business in Japan, the documents are scrutinized more carefully.

For example, if you claim “annual sales of 60 million yen,” you must explain it from the following angles:

1. The basis for calculating the 60 million yen annual revenue
2. Evidence supporting your projections

For item 1, you might say you plan to sell five machines per month at 1 million yen each—totaling 5 million yen per month. That’s straightforward.

Next is item 2: why do you believe you can sell five machines per month? This often requires supporting documents. The most common evidence is a sales contract with a client.

For example, if five companies have signed contracts stating, “We will buy one machine for 1 million yen per month from your company,” then copies of those contracts can serve as supporting evidence.

If you don’t have these, or if the business is aimed at general consumers, it becomes harder to prepare such documents. You’ll need to come up with other supporting explanations.

In the case of a restaurant, for example, it’s still possible to obtain a visa by using industry benchmarks and estimating customer turnover.

Personally, I hope to see more businesses that actively export Japan’s excellent products overseas.