Business Manager Visa Without ¥30 Million: What Actually Works

The short answer

There is no legitimate way to get a new Business Manager visa with less than ¥30 million in capital. The requirement is in the ministerial ordinance, and the Immigration Services Agency has been explicit that for a corporation the test is paid-in capital (資本金), not cash in the bank, not loans from the founder, and not the salary or office costs added on top. If a provider tells you otherwise, the offer is either a different visa or a structure that will fail at renewal.

What the rule actually says

For a corporation, the test is the amount of paid-in capital (株式会社) or total contributions (合同会社). Capital reserve, retained earnings and shareholder loans do not count. For a sole proprietor, the test is the total amount invested in the business — office, staff salaries for a year, equipment — not a capital figure. This distinction is widely misreported: sole proprietors are not required to hold ¥30 million of capital, but they must show ¥30 million of invested business assets.

The capital test is only one of five. The others are: at least one qualifying full-time employee; Japanese ability at B2 level held by the applicant or a full-time employee; three years of management experience or a relevant master’s degree; and a business plan confirmed by a 中小企業診断士, 公認会計士 or 税理士. The requirements are cumulative.

Route 1: the startup visa (特定活動 44号)

A startup visa allows a foreign founder to enter Japan to prepare a business in a municipality that runs an approved foreign-entrepreneur promotion programme. It is a preparation status, typically 6–12 months, and it can be extended in some cities. It does not require ¥30 million at entry because you are not yet operating the business.

The catch is conversion. To change from the startup visa to 経営・管理, you must satisfy the criteria in force at the time of the change. If your confirmation certificate was issued after the October 2025 amendment, the new criteria apply — including the ¥30 million capital requirement. The startup visa gives you time to raise capital, find a partner, or restructure; it does not grandfather you into the old ¥5 million rule.

Route 2: 未来創造人材 (特定活動 51号)

The 51号 status is a startup-preparation route for founders who do not fit the municipal 44号 programmes. It has its own eligibility conditions and a limited preparation period. The same conversion logic applies: if the application for 51号 is made after the amendment, the change to 経営・管理 is assessed under the new criteria. It is a bridge, not an exemption.

Route 3: employment status (技術・人文知識・国際業務)

A foreign founder can be employed by the Japanese company in a role that matches their degree or experience — engineering, marketing, international sales, translation, or similar. This is a work visa, not a management visa. It fits a technical co-founder who is hired for a specialist role, not the person who controls and runs the company. Immigration looks at the actual activity, not the job title; if your real work is management, the correct status is 経営・管理.

The advantage is that the salary and role requirements are different. The disadvantage is that the status is tied to the employer and the role, and it does not give you the management visa’s scope. It is not a backdoor to running your own company.

Route 4: Highly Skilled Professional (高度専門職)

The HSP route uses a points system across income, education, experience, age and Japanese ability. It offers faster permanent residence and a broader scope of activities. But the HSP 1号ハ category for business management is premised on 経営・管理 activity, and since the amendment it also requires the revised 経営・管理 criteria. A high point score does not waive the capital test for a management-based HSP.

What not to do

Do not use nominee capital — money lent for the application and returned afterwards. Do not create a “full-time employee” who is a relative on paper but not actually working. Do not present a business plan that the company cannot fund. The Immigration Services Agency now checks tax payments, social insurance, labour insurance and permits at renewal, and a structure that exists only for the application is visible in the first audit. The consequence is not just refusal; it can affect future applications and the company’s immigration filings.

If you already hold the visa

Existing holders get a transition period to 16 October 2028. A renewal before that date is assessed with the business condition and prospects in mind, and failing the new criteria alone is not an automatic refusal. But the grace period is not a waiting room: a management-expert evaluation may be requested during it, and from 16 October 2028 the new criteria are the baseline. Permanent residence is stricter — it is not granted from a management route unless the revised criteria are met, regardless of how long you have held the visa.