Japan Startup Visa: Requirements After the October 2025 Reform and the Tokyo Process

Japan’s Startup Visa (the Program to Promote Startup Businesses by Foreign Nationals) allows a foreign national whose business plan has been confirmed by a local government or private operator certified by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry to stay in Japan for up to two years under the Designated Activities status of residence while preparing to start a business.

Since the reform of October 16, 2025, applicants must show that they are likely to meet both of the following within the preparation period: business assets totaling at least JPY 30 million and at least one full-time employee.

What Is the Startup Visa?

The Startup Visa gives foreign nationals who do not yet meet the requirements for the Business Manager status of residence a period in which to put those requirements in place. Its official name is the Program to Promote Startup Businesses by Foreign Nationals, and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) Startup Visa page (in Japanese) is the main point of reference.

Normally, a foreign national needs the Business Manager status of residence to run a company in Japan. That status requires the business office, capital, and other criteria to be met at the time of application. Renting an office, paying in capital, and hiring staff from overseas is rarely straightforward.

Under the Startup Visa, a certified organization (a Foreign Entrepreneurship Promotion Organization) reviews the business plan and then supervises and supports the applicant’s preparation. Applicants whose plans are confirmed receive the Designated Activities status of residence (Designated Activities Public Notice No. 44).

Legal Basis

Item	Details
Status of residence	Designated Activities (Designated Activities Public Notice No. 44)
Public notice establishing the program	Public Notice on the Program to Promote Startup Businesses by Foreign Nationals (METI Public Notice No. 256 of 2018)
Family	A dependent spouse or child of the entrepreneur falls under Designated Activities Public Notice No. 45

The activities permitted under Designated Activities Public Notice No. 44 are startup preparation, such as securing a business office, and paid activities incidental to that preparation. Once the business has started, the entrepreneur may continue to run it for the remainder of the period of stay (excluding businesses regulated as fuzoku eigyo, such as adult entertainment). The Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA) procedures are set out on the ISA “Foreign Entrepreneurs” page (in Japanese).

Not Available Everywhere

The Startup Visa can only be used through a program run by a certified organization. The 2025 unification with the National Strategic Special Zone program made the system available nationwide, not only in the Special Zones, but in practice you apply to the organization covering the area where you will start your business.

For example, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s program is for people who will set up a business office and start a business in Tokyo. Living in Tokyo is not enough if the business office will be outside Tokyo. The list of certified organizations and links to their programs are on the METI page above.

The Two 2025 Reforms

The Startup Visa was amended twice in 2025. In January it was unified with the National Strategic Special Zone program and extended to a maximum of two years, and on October 16 its requirements became stricter.

Unification With the Special Zone Program and the Two-Year Maximum

Public notice amendments that took effect on January 1, 2025, merged the National Strategic Special Zone “Foreign Entrepreneur Startup Activity Promotion Program” into METI’s program. The grace period for meeting the business office and business scale requirements was extended from a maximum of one year and six months to a maximum of two years, and the status of residence was unified as Designated Activities (Public Notice No. 44) (Cabinet Office and ISA notice on the nationwide rollout of the Special Zone program, in Japanese).

If you previously stayed under the Business Manager status through the Special Zone program, that period and your Startup Visa period combined may not exceed two years (Public Notice on the Program to Promote Startup Businesses by Foreign Nationals, Section 5-6, in Japanese).

The Requirement Review of October 16, 2025

The Startup Visa requirements were revised alongside the amendment of the Business Manager criteria. The main changes concern business scale, the applicant’s background, and living in Japan (METI, “Startup Visa” requirement review, in Japanese).

Item	Before the review	Current
Capital	Likely to reach JPY 5 million	Business assets likely to total at least JPY 30 million
Full-time staff	Hiring two or more could replace the capital requirement	At least one likely to be engaged (required together with capital)
Background	Any of: at least three years of related practical experience, at least one year managing a related business abroad, a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, etc.	At least one year of business management experience, or a master’s-level degree or higher
Living in Japan	No requirement	Must live in Japan during the preparation period

The deadline for these prospects is within one year of entry (or of the change of status) for the first application, and within six months of the extension for a renewal. The requirement to be likely to have a business office in Japan by the same deadline is unchanged.

The criteria applied when you later change to Business Manager also depend on timing. If your confirmation certificate was issued before the reform, the old criteria apply; if it was issued after, the new criteria apply (ISA, “Amendment of the permission criteria for Business Manager”, in Japanese).

How It Differs From the Business Manager Visa

The Startup Visa is a status for preparing a business, while the Business Manager visa is a status for running one. The Startup Visa allows time to meet the business office and business scale requirements.

Item	Startup Visa	Business Manager visa
Status of residence	Designated Activities (Public Notice No. 44)	Business Manager
Business office and scale	Likely to be met within one year (six months on renewal)	Must be met at the time of application
Applicant’s background	At least one year of management experience, or a master’s-level degree or higher	At least three years of management experience, or a master’s-level degree or higher
Japanese ability	No requirement in the public notice	Applicant or a full-time employee at CEFR B2 or above
Role of the certified organization	Confirmation and monthly interviews	None
Length of stay	Up to two years including renewals	Can continue through renewals
Family	Designated Activities (Public Notice No. 45)	Dependent

Which One to Choose

If you have a partner living in Japan (such as a co-founder), you can set up the company and sign the office lease first, then apply for the Business Manager visa from the start. If you have no such partner and want to come to Japan and prepare yourself, the Startup Visa is an option.

Another route is to apply for Business Manager before the company is registered (submitting the articles of incorporation or similar documents if registration is not complete) and to incorporate after entering Japan. However, the Business Manager period of stay may be short, such as four months, and opening a bank account, signing an office lease, and completing registration within that time is demanding. For businesses that need longer preparation, the Startup Visa’s maximum of two years offers more room.

Application Requirements

The certified organization checks that all seven requirements in the public notice are met. After it issues a confirmation certificate, the ISA examines the status of residence application separately.

Requirement	Details
Business field	Suitable for strengthening the international competitiveness of Japan’s industries (or the local government’s area, if the organization is a local government) and forming a base for international economic activity
Plan	The startup preparation activity plan is appropriate and reliable
Business scale	Likely to have both at least one full-time employee and business assets totaling at least JPY 30 million within one year
Business office	Likely to have a business office in Japan within one year
Background	At least one year of business management experience, or a doctoral, master’s, or professional degree in business management or the relevant field
Period	Two years or less combined with any stay as Business Manager under the Special Zone program
Residence	Lives in Japan during the preparation period

Only Japanese nationals, special permanent residents, and holders of Permanent Resident, Spouse or Child of Japanese National, Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident, or Long-Term Resident status count as full-time employees. Foreign nationals residing under the activity-based statuses in Appended Table I of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (such as Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services or Student) do not count.

The startup preparation activity plan must be accompanied by a timeline of startup activities, a résumé, and documents showing your housing and living expenses for the first year after entry (or after the change of status, if you are already in Japan). You also need documents proving your background (such as a company’s certificate of registered matters or a degree certificate).

What Tokyo Checks

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s Startup Visa Q&A also lists cases that are not eligible.

• Businesses in which the applicant’s own share is below 51% (for example, where a company has invested 50% or more)
• Applications aimed at setting up a subsidiary
• Taking over an acquaintance’s company or otherwise not starting a new business
• People joining as employees rather than taking part in management

As a rule, the bank balance certificate must be in the applicant’s own name. If there are co-investors, their balance certificates and a written statement of their intended investment are also required.

The Application Process in Tokyo

In Tokyo, the process runs from confirmation by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, to examination by the ISA, to entry into Japan. Tokyo’s confirmation certificate is valid for three months, and you must apply to the ISA within that period.

1. Apply to Tokyo for confirmation of your startup preparation activity plan: Prepare the application form, startup preparation activity plan, résumé, and other documents in Japanese or English, and send them by email to Business Development Center TOKYO
2. Receive Tokyo’s confirmation: Tokyo reviews the documents and may ask questions or hold an interview. After hearing the opinion of an expert in business management, it issues a confirmation certificate if the requirements are met
3. Apply to the ISA: Within the certificate’s three-month validity, apply for a Certificate of Eligibility (COE). You can file at the immigration booth inside the Tokyo One-Stop Business Establishment Center or at the Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau
4. Obtain a visa and enter Japan: Once you receive the COE, apply for a visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate abroad, then come to Japan and receive landing permission with Designated Activities status
5. Report to Tokyo and begin preparation: After obtaining your status, report to Tokyo with a copy of your residence card and begin your startup preparation activities

The fields Tokyo covers are finance, information, environment and energy, health, medical care and welfare, culture and art, food, agriculture, forestry and fisheries, wholesale and retail, and other industries approved by the Governor (Guidelines for Tokyo Metropolitan Government Program to Promote Startup Businesses by Foreign Nationals).

Tokyo’s confirmation is said to take about one to two months if the documents are complete (Tokyo Q&A, as of October 2026). If a certificate is not issued, the reasons are not disclosed.

The confirmation certificate is an important document in the ISA examination, but it does not guarantee that the status of residence will be granted. The ISA conducts its own examination.

Who Can Submit the Application

Besides the applicant, Tokyo accepts application documents from attorneys or gyoseishoshi (licensed specialists in Japanese government procedures, including visas) who have filed the required notification, among others. If the applicant is overseas, an attorney or gyoseishoshi may submit only if entrusted by the applicant with setting up the business office in Japan.

Procedural details and forms are available on the Tokyo Metropolitan Government “Startup Visa” page.

Changing Status While Already in Japan

If you are already in Japan under another status of residence, you can apply to change to Designated Activities once a certified organization confirms your plan. The process is the same as from overseas, except that the ISA application becomes an application for change of status of residence.

Points to note when changing status in Tokyo:

• Submit your certificate of residence and a copy of both sides of your residence card as proof of housing
• If changing from Student status, apply to Tokyo while still enrolled, at least three months before your expected graduation
• File the change application at the Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau. The immigration booth at the Tokyo One-Stop Business Establishment Center does not accept change applications
• Once you change to Designated Activities, your main activities are limited to startup preparation and management, making it difficult to continue your studies

If your current period of stay expires while the change application is pending, you may remain in Japan under your current status until a decision is made (at the latest, until two months after the expiry date) (Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, Article 20, paragraph 6; this does not apply if your period of stay is 30 days or less). Even so, it is important to apply well before your period of stay ends.

During the Startup Visa period, work beyond what is incidental to startup preparation (such as part-time jobs) is generally not permitted. Tokyo states that confirmation becomes difficult if the funds for living and preparation have not been secured in advance.

Monitoring and Renewal During Your Stay

While you are on the Startup Visa, the certified organization checks your progress at least once a month. In Tokyo, at least one of these interviews (in person or online) must be held in person.

At interviews, you may be asked for documents such as office and employment contracts, contracts with business partners, and bank passbooks. The organization reports the results to METI and the regional immigration services bureau.

The first period of stay is one year or six months, after which you apply for an extension of the period of stay every six months. Before each renewal, you need a confirmation certificate (for renewal) from the certified organization.

The renewal review looks at whether you are likely to meet the Business Manager requirements within six months of the extension. Tokyo recommends completing startup preparation within the initial period of stay rather than relying on renewals. The ISA likewise advises applying with enough time so that the total stay does not exceed two years.

Moving to the Business Manager Visa

During the Startup Visa period, you meet the Business Manager criteria and apply for a change of status. If your confirmation certificate was issued on or after October 16, 2025, the amended criteria apply.

The main amended criteria are:

• Full-time staff: Employ at least one full-time employee who is Japanese, a permanent resident, or similar
• Capital: JPY 30 million or more
• Japanese ability: The applicant or a full-time employee at CEFR B2 or above (JLPT N2 or above, etc.)
• Background: At least three years of business management experience, or a doctoral, master’s, or professional degree in business management or the relevant field
• Business plan: Reviewed by an SME management consultant, certified public accountant, or certified tax accountant
• Business office: An office suited to the scale of the business (using your home as the office is generally not accepted)

The three years of experience include the period of startup preparation activities under the Startup Visa. If you entered with one year of management experience, check early whether adding your preparation period will bring you to three years.

The reform and its transitional measures are explained in detail in our article on the Business Manager reform.

If You Cannot Move Within the Period

If continuing preparation becomes difficult, or the change to Business Manager is not granted, you will in principle need to return home. Tokyo asks applicants to set aside the cost of the return trip separately from their business funds.

If you used the Startup Visa immediately after graduating from a Japanese university or similar institution, you may be able to continue startup activities under a different Designated Activities status if you meet the requirements (Startup activities by international students who graduated from Japanese universities, in Japanese). If you meet the requirements for a work-based status of residence, changing to that status is another option.

Timeframes and Fees

The overall timeframe depends on three stages: confirmation by the certified organization, the ISA examination, and preparation in Japan. The preparation period can last up to two years, but Tokyo recommends completing preparation within the initial period of stay.

The ISA publishes the time it takes to process applications for each status of residence and procedure as processing times for residence examinations (in Japanese). Fees for changing or extending a status of residence are listed on the ISA fee page (in Japanese).

The cost of setting up a company varies with the type of company and the amount of capital. For specific tax and accounting questions, please consult a certified tax accountant or another qualified professional.

How We Can Help

AEGIS International Administrative Firm supports you from Startup Visa preparation through to the move to the Business Manager visa.

• Fit assessment: We review your background, funds, and business to determine whether the Startup Visa or the Business Manager visa suits you
• Startup preparation activity plan support: We help prepare the plan, timeline, and funding plan submitted to the certified organization, in line with the points it reviews
• ISA applications: We prepare applications for a Certificate of Eligibility, change of status, and extension of stay, and submit them on your behalf as a registered filer (possible only while you or your agent is in Japan)
• Changes from within Japan: We advise on timing and steps for changing from Student or a work-based status
• Move to Business Manager: We identify gaps against the amended criteria and prepare you through to the change application

Even if your business plan is not yet final, please feel free to contact us.

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This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice on individual cases.