Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
Immigration Services Agency in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo
12:58 JST, May 13, 2026
Since the requirements for obtaining a business management visa were tightened last October, the number of applications has fallen by about 96%, according to a survey by the Immigration Services Agency.
Although this type of visa was created in 2015 as a residency status for foreign entrepreneurs starting businesses in Japan, the influx of foreigners who did not fit the program’s intended purpose had become a concern. It seems the revisions aimed at curbing this trend have had an effect.
According to the agency, while there were previously about 1,700 applications per month on average, the number has dropped to about 70 per month since the requirements were tightened last October.
“We have been able to dispel concerns to a certain extent that the visa was being misused for immigration purposes, and the system is now being operated in line with its original purpose,” economic security minister Kimi Onoda, who is also handling policies on foreign nationals, said at a press conference on Tuesday.
Under the new criteria, the minimum capital requirement has been raised to ¥30 million, six times the previous amount, and it is now mandatory to hire at least one full-time employee. Requirements regarding Japanese language ability, business experience and educational background have also been added.