Administrative Scrivener's Urgent Warning to Officials: The 'Easy Era' of the Business Manager Visa is Completely Over Following Major Reforms

Five Illusions Municipal Officials Must Abandon Now

Official data from the Immigration and Immigration BureauIt is obvious if you read the

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Below,The "fatal mistake" that municipal officials continue to embrace.The following is a list of five (5) based on the official data of the Immigration Bureau. If there is anyone in charge who reads this and thinks "we are OK," please change that immediately.

1. telling the applicant that "capital of 5 million yen is sufficient".

→ Complete error. After the revision, a capital or total investment amount of 30 million yen or more is required (Ministerial Ordinance No. 2(b)). It clearly states "the total amount necessary to operate a business," and a mere account balance will not pass. There are still many local governments that explain to applicants who have prepared only 5 million yen that a start-up visa is acceptable. As a result, the application is rejected, the applicant cannot reapply, and the applicant leaves Japan.

2. recognizes that "full-time staff can be foreign employees".

→ Big mistake. Only "Japanese nationals, special permanent residents, permanent residents, spouses, etc. of Japanese nationals, spouses, etc. of permanent residents, and permanent residents" are full-time employees (Ministerial Ordinance No. 2 (a)). Foreign nationals in the "highly skilled personnel" and "specified skills" categories are exempt. Too many people in charge lightly say, "Hiring Japanese nationals can be done later. This alone is a disallowance.

3. thinks that "Japanese language ability is not particularly questioned".

→ The amendment clearly requires that "either the applicant or a full-time staff member must have Japanese language proficiency equivalent to B2 (e.g., JLPT N2 or higher)" (Ministerial Ordinance No. 3). There are still some local government officials who explain that they can run a business even if they do not speak Japanese, but the Immigration Bureau will relentlessly deny their application.

4. believing that "it is sufficient for the municipality to confirm the business plan.

→ Complete misunderstanding. After the revision, the business plan must be "confirmed" by a small business consultant, certified public accountant, or licensed tax accountant (Appendix 3, Item 1-a of the Enforcement Regulations). The confirmation by the local government is not even a "reference. Those in charge who tell applicants that "it is OK because it was OK'd by our review" should stop immediately.

5. overconfident that "if you submit a recommendation for a start-up visa, the immigration office will be flexible

→ It is clearly stated in the official documents of the Immigration Bureau: "If the actual activity as a manager is not sufficiently recognized, such as outsourcing business, the status of residence "Management/Administration" is not applicable" "In principle, it is not allowed to combine a home with a business office" "When renewing the period of stay, the payment status of labor insurance, social insurance, and taxes are strictly checked". If a recommended municipality continues to submit lenient cases, it will be shared within the Immigration Bureau that "this municipality is of low quality.

Finally -- To Municipal Officials

With a single word, such as "Don't worry" or "We'll recommend you," the applicant loses tens of millions of yen and one to two years of his or her time.Trust in local government falls to the ground.

This is the reality.

Immigration is already serious. The new standards, effective October 16, 2025, are designed to "welcome only genuine managers to Japan..

Please be responsible. Please have the courage to guide people to "consult with a specialized administrative scrivener" if you are unsure about something. That is professionalism as a municipal official.