How to Apply for a “Business Manager” Visa as a Non-Resident of Japan
The “Business Manager" visa is intended for individuals who operate or manage a business in Japan. This visa can also be applied for by individuals residing overseas. However, in practice, there are several challenges that non-residents face when applying for this visa.
In this article, we will explore the difficulties that overseas residents may encounter when applying for a Business Manager visa.
Let’s start by reviewing the basic requirements for the Business Manager visa:
- The business must have an investment of at least 5 million yen.
- A physical business office must be secured in Japan.
These two conditions are the minimum requirements. Even if both are met, the application may still be denied if the business preparations are insufficient or if the business plan lacks credibility.
Challenges Faced by Non-Residents Applying for a Business Manager Visa
The 5 million yen capital must be deposited in a Japanese bank account
Immigration authorities require that the capital of 5 million yen be deposited in a Japanese bank account. While it’s not strictly necessary for company registration—especially for a GK (Godō Kaisha)—to have the capital deposited in a bank account, immigration requires it for visa evaluation.
However, most overseas applicants do not have a Japanese bank account. In that case, they would need to deposit the funds into the account of a trusted family member or friend in Japan. Since this involves a large sum, it must be someone they trust deeply.
Securing an office is difficult if the business owner does not reside in Japan
After establishing a company, you must secure a business office under the company’s name. But will landlords rent office space to a company whose representative resides overseas? Most private landlords would be unwilling to do so.
In reality, you will need a partner in Japan to handle such arrangements, likely someone with a good relationship with a landlord.
Business plans often lack credibility
Sometimes, applicants who have never even visited Japan try to apply for a Business Manager visa. While exporting Japanese goods abroad may still be feasible, a business model that involves importing goods into Japan or selling services/products to Japanese customers is less convincing.
Immigration authorities will view this with skepticism. Applicants must be able to reasonably explain why Japanese customers would choose their product or service, and submitting agreements or contracts with potential Japanese clients may also be required.
Tips for Overseas Residents Applying for a Business Manager Visa
While “overseas residents” covers a broad range of people and business types, here are some general tips:
Having a local partner in Japan is essential
Regardless of your background, if you reside overseas, you will almost certainly need a local partner in Japan to support your application—except perhaps in rare cases where someone frequently travels to Japan and is applying for a 4-month Business Manager visa.
The Japanese partner can help with opening a bank account, securing an office, and communicating with Japanese clients.
As mentioned earlier, depositing capital into a Japanese bank account and negotiating with real estate agents or landlords for office space are tasks that non-residents cannot typically handle. Also, communication with business partners in Japan—whether suppliers or customers—is important. Emails, agreements, and contracts with such partners are valuable supporting documents for the business plan submitted with your visa application.
Consider registering the local partner as a co-manager
Your partner in Japan plays an extremely important role in the visa process. While it’s possible to list them merely as a supporter, there are advantages to registering them as a co-manager.
Having one of the representatives located in Japan greatly facilitates office negotiations with landlords and real estate agencies.
Additionally, when signing contracts with Japanese clients, it is often advantageous to use a representative based in Japan.
Also, only an employee of the company can act as a proxy for the visa application. If there is a co-manager, they can handle this process. If there are no employees, then the person responsible for securing the office must act as the proxy and submit a letter of authorization.
In any case, non-residents applying for a Business Manager visa in Japan will need support from a trustworthy family member or friend based in Japan.