The Business Manager status is for people who start, invest in and run a business in Japan, and for those who manage one on behalf of others, such as a foreign executive appointed to head a Japanese subsidiary. It requires a real business with its own office; a home office is no longer accepted as a rule.
The criteria were tightened sharply from 16 October 2025, after concern that the old 5 million yen threshold made the status an easy route into Japan. A new application now needs all of the following: capital or investment of at least 30 million yen; at least one full-time employee who is a Japanese national, permanent resident, spouse of a Japanese national or permanent resident, or long-term resident; Japanese language ability, at around JLPT N2 level, held by either the applicant or that employee; at least three years of management experience or a relevant postgraduate degree; and a business plan checked in advance by a licensed professional such as a certified public accountant, tax accountant or certified management consultant. Existing holders renewing before 16 October 2028 are assessed flexibly while they come into line.
The capital and staffing tests apply to the business, not to the manager's own money. A properly capitalised subsidiary of a foreign group with local staff will usually meet them; the pressure falls on founders and very small entities.
What it means for a foreign employer
- Pick the right status for a country manager. A foreign executive sent to run the Japanese entity may qualify for the intra-company transferee status, the Business Manager status or, often, the Highly Skilled Professional business management category. Each has different documents and conditions.
- A new entity needs real substance. A start-up subsidiary with no local staff and a serviced desk may not support a Business Manager application under the 2025 rules.
- Hire locally early. The full-time employee requirement means at least one local hire must be in place, which affects the order of setting up.
- Founders and investors face a higher bar. Senior people who want to set up their own business in Japan now need far more capital than before.
Sources
- Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, Appended Table I(2) (Business Manager); Ministry of Justice ordinance on landing permission criteria, as amended with effect from 16 October 2025.
- Immigration Services Agency, guidance on the revised Business Manager criteria and transitional measures.