Japan's regulatory updates for foreign founders, owners, and executives

The record

What changed, and when

Newest first. Only changes we can state with a date and a primary source appear here — each opens a plain-language explainer.

1. Oct052026 Registry

   Nationality added to the real-property registration record 不動産登記規則の一部を改正する省令 — 2026年3月31日公布・10月5日施行

   Effective

   5 October 2026

   Who it affects

   Natural persons who become the registered owner through a preservation, transfer, or correction registration — Japanese and non-Japanese alike.

   What changed

   Nationality information is added to the registry search-information record (検索用情報) when ownership of real property is newly registered. It is not printed on the registry certificate; it is recorded in a separate internal management file. No general restriction on foreign ownership is created.

   Primary source

   法務省 民二第872号 — 不動産登記規則の一部を改正する省令

   So whatDisclosure and record-keeping change — not your right to buy. Read the explainer →
2. Oct012026 Residency

   Revised Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence 永住許可に関するガイドライン（令和8年10月1日改定）

   Effective

   1 October 2026 — the income requirement hardens immediately.

   Who it affects

   Foreign nationals applying for, or planning to apply for, permanent residence (永住許可).

   What changed

   Explicit benchmarks are set for the first time — household income above the average Japanese household of the same size; estimated future public-pension entitlement; B1-equivalent Japanese ability with defined exemptions; compliance and payment duties; and a residence history of, in principle, 10 or more continuous years.

   Primary source

   出入国在留管理庁 — 永住許可に関するガイドライン（令和8年10月1日改定）

   So whatThese rules govern permanent residence only — they do not change the Business Manager visa or the incorporation route. Read the explainer →
3. Oct012026 Fees

   Residence-permission fees rise 在留許可に係る手数料の改定

   Effective

   1 October 2026 for applications filed on or after that date.

   Who it affects

   Anyone filing for permission to change or extend a status of residence, or for permanent residence.

   What changed

   The permanent-residence fee rose from 10,000 yen to 200,000 yen. Change-or-extension fees now scale with the period granted — from 33,000 yen for one year to 75,000 yen for five years or longer.

   Primary source

   出入国在留管理庁 — 2026年 更新情報一覧

   So whatBudget it as a line item, and note the cut-off: the amount depends on the filing date, not the decision date. Read the explainer →
4. Oct162025 Visa

   Business Manager visa: minimum paid-in capital rose sixfold 経営・管理ビザ 要件の引上げ

   Effective

   16 October 2025 — a transition period for existing holders runs to 16 October 2028.

   Who it affects

   Foreign founders who intend to reside in Japan while running a business.

   What changed

   The minimum paid-in capital rose from 5 million yen to 30 million yen. Requirements were added for at least one full-time employee in addition to the applicant, three years of management or executive experience (or a relevant advanced degree), Japanese-language ability at CEFR B2 (JLPT N2 or BJT 400 acceptable, met by the applicant or a full-time employee), and certification of the business plan. This is a residency threshold — not an incorporation threshold.

   Primary source

   出入国在留管理庁

   So whatA Japanese company can still be incorporated with as little as 1 yen, and the representative director need not reside in Japan. Read the visa guide →

This tracker records changes, not advice on your situation. Requirements and any sequencing detail should be verified against the primary source before you file. Nothing here is a substitute for advice on a specific matter, and the firm does not file personal immigration applications.