Beware of the Pitfalls: Japan’s 4-Month Business Manager Visa (2025 Amendment)

For foreign entrepreneurs living overseas who want to start a business in Japan, the 4-month business manager visa, often referred to as the “startup visa,” allows you to prepare for your business without the risk of securing funds before obtaining the visa. This means you don’t need to deposit capital in a Japanese bank account or sign a business office lease contract beforehand.

However, following the legal amendments on October 16, 2025, the positioning of this visa has fundamentally shifted. It is no longer a “convenient preparation visa” that can be chosen lightly.

In light of these changes, this article provides an expert breakdown of the true implications and risks of the “4-month visa” under the new regime. We also outline the critical precautions you must understand if you still choose to pursue this challenging path.

The key points of this article are as follows:

✓The 4-month business manager visa (startup visa), introduced with the revision of the Immigration Control Act in April 2015, allows foreign entrepreneurs living overseas who are planning to establish a company in Japan to use it as a preparation period before the actual company establishment. ✓Due to the legal amendment on October 16, 2025, the targets to be cleared at the time of renewal after 4 months have been raised to extremely strict new standards: 30 million JPY in capital, the hiring of at least one full-time employee, and 3+ years of management experience. ✓While this visa offers the advantages of allowing you to open a bank account and sign office leases, clearing such high hurdles within the short span of just four months is a near-impossible task. ✓Any inconsistencies in your business plan or delays in preparation now make this a high-risk option that leads directly to visa renewal denial and, ultimately, deportation (return to your home country). ✓Under the new system, in many cases, it may prove more reliable and efficient to collaborate with a local partner in Japan from the outset and aim for a standard (full-term) Business Manager visa right from the start.

This article provides a detailed explanation of the 4-month business manager visa.

1. What is the 4-Month Business Manager Visa Japan?

The 4-month business manager visa (startup visa), introduced with the revision of the Immigration Control Act in April 2015, allows foreign entrepreneurs living overseas who are planning to establish a company in Japan to use it as a preparation period before the actual company establishment.

1-1. No Need for Fund Transfers Before Obtaining the 4-Month Business Manager Visa Japan

With the 4-month business manager visa, if you can properly prepare a business plan for Japan, you can avoid the risk of transferring large amounts of funds to a Japanese collaborator’s bank account or signing an office lease contract before obtaining the visa.

After obtaining the 4-month business manager visa and coming to Japan, you can then proceed with activities involving fund transfers, such as overseas remittances and securing an office. This is a key feature of this visa.

1-2. Differences from the One-Year Business Manager Visa Japan

The 4-month Business Manager visa allows foreign nationals living abroad to reside in Japan for four months specifically to undertake “preparatory activities” for establishing a company.

Under normal circumstances, a standard Business Manager visa (typically with a 1-year duration) requires the company to be already established and the office lease signed at the time of application. However, for those living overseas, clearing these requirements was nearly impossible without a local collaborator in Japan to handle the groundwork.

To address this, the 4-month visa was introduced in 2015. It enables entrepreneurs who lack local support to first enter Japan and personally manage the essential setup tasks, such as opening a bank account, securing an office, and completing corporate registration.

2. The Benefits and Hidden “Pitfalls” of Japan’s 4-Month Business Manager Visa

At first glance, the 4-month Business Manager visa appears to offer highly attractive benefits for entrepreneurs living abroad. However, following the October 2025 legal amendment, those benefits now come with a mandatory “race against time” to meet rigorous requirements within just four months.

The first step in avoiding these pitfalls is to accurately understand the five high hurdles that await you at the time of renewal—just four short months after your arrival in Japan.

2-1. 【Critical】 The 5 New Mandatory Requirements to be Met Within 4 Months

To continue your business in Japan after the 4-month preparation period, you must satisfy all five of the following requirements at the time of your renewal application.

Requirement 1: Scale of Business (Paid-in Capital of 30 million JPY or more AND at least one full-time employee)

As the foundation of your business, both of the following are mandatory: you must have at least 30 million JPY in paid-in capital or total investment, and you must hire one or more full-time employees. Furthermore, these full-time employees must be Japanese nationals or legal residents (such as Permanent Residents).

Requirement 2: Securing Independent Business Premises

A physical base of operations is required to conduct your business, and as a general rule, using your home as a combined office space is not permitted.

Requirement 3: Implementation of a Business Plan Verified by a Professional

It is required that you are actively executing the business plan submitted at the time of application—a plan that has been verified as “feasible” by professionals such as Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Management Consultants, Certified Public Accountants, or Tax Accountants.

Requirement 4: The Applicant’s Professional Background or Educational History

The applicant must provide formal evidence, such as Certificates of Employment or Degree Certificates, to prove that they possess either “at least three years of experience in business management or administration” or “a Master’s degree or higher in a relevant field.”

Requirement 5: A Specified Level of Japanese Language Proficiency

Either the applicant themselves or the full-time employee they hire must possess Japanese language proficiency equivalent to JLPT N2 level or higher.

2-2. What are the “Pitfalls” Hiding Behind Each Benefit?

Benefit of the 4-month Business Manager Visa: Ability to obtain a Certificate of Residence and register a Seal Certificate.

Once the 4-month visa is granted, a Residence Card (Zairyu Card) will be issued, allowing you to complete resident registration in Japan. This enables you to obtain a Seal Certificate (Inkan Shomesho), which is essential for establishing a company and signing various contracts.

The Pitfall

This benefit simultaneously marks the beginning of an obligation to complete all contracts within just four months. Under the new requirements, securing an “independent business office” is likely to be more difficult than before, as using a residence as an office is now generally prohibited. You must find a property that meets these strict criteria and finalize the lease agreement within a very limited timeframe.

2-3. No Need for Large-Scale Fund Transfers Prior to Arrival

Benefits of the 4-Month Business Manager Visa

For the one-year business manager visa, foreign entrepreneurs often lack a Japanese bank account when starting a business in Japan. Consequently, they need to transfer the required capital of at least 30 million yen to a Japanese collaborator’s bank account as part of the visa application and company registration process.

With the 4-month business manager visa, you can open your own bank account beforehand. This allows you to deposit the capital directly into your own account, simplifying the process and avoiding the risk of temporarily entrusting the capital to a collaborator.

The Pitfall

This does not mean the risk has disappeared; rather, the risk has simply been postponed and condensed into a high-pressure 4-month window. Within this strict time limit, and in an unfamiliar environment, you must simultaneously complete critical procedures: transferring 30 million JPY in capital, recruiting staff, securing an office, and finalizing company incorporation. If even one of these steps does not go according to plan, you face the extreme risk of a denied renewal—directly leading to the worst-case scenario: being forced to leave Japan.

Proof of the 30 million JPY capital is provided through the Articles of Incorporation and a business plan verified by a professional.

At the application stage for a 4-month visa, it is not yet necessary to actually transfer the 30 million JPY into a Japanese bank account. Instead, you demonstrate your funding prospects and business feasibility by stating “30 million JPY in capital” in your drafted Articles of Incorporation, and by submitting a business plan that has received a “feasibility verification” (official stamp of approval) from a professional, such as an SME Management Consultant.

In addition, you must prepare documents such as certificates of income to prove the source of funds for the foreign applicant.

2-4. No Need to Sign an Office Lease Before Visa Application

Securing office space is a crucial point when starting a business with a business manager visa. The standard business manager visa requires securing an independent office before applying for the visa. However, with the 4-month business manager visa, you can sign an office lease contract after obtaining the visa.

Proof of Office with Property Documents

When applying for the 4-month business manager visa, you do not need to have a signed office lease contract. Instead, you can submit documents related to potential office spaces (such as location, size, and budget) to demonstrate your plans.

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3. Process of Obtaining the 4-Month Business Manager Visa and Establishing a Company

The process of obtaining the 4-month business manager visa and establishing a company in Japan involves the following steps:

• Prepare the draft Articles of Incorporation and the business plan.
• Have the articles of incorporation notarized at a notary office.
• Create a business plan.
• Apply for the 4-month business manager visa.
• Complete the visa issuance process in your home country.
• After arriving in Japan, complete the company registration process.
• Within 4 months, apply to extend the business manager visa to one year.

Below is a detailed explanation of each step.

3-1. Drafting the Articles of Incorporation

The first step in establishing a company is drafting the articles of incorporation.

The articles should include essential information such as the company name, business purpose, capital, head office location, fiscal year, investors, and directors. For capital, if you do not plan to hire employees initially, a minimum investment of 30 million yen is required to obtain the business manager visa.

Setting Capital to 30 Million Yen or More in the Articles of Incorporation

At the time of applying for the 4-month business manager visa, it is not necessary to actually transfer 30 million yen to a Japanese bank account. However, the documents submitted with the visa application, such as the articles of incorporation, should state the capital as 30 million yen or more, and you should have the equivalent amount in Japanese yen ready.

3-2. Notarizing the Articles of Incorporation at a Notary Office

After preparing the articles of incorporation, you need to have them notarized by a notary at a notary office in the prefecture where the company’s head office is planned to be located.

Sign Certificate Required if No Seal Registration

For foreign residents living overseas, who do not have access to Japan’s seal registration system, a notarized signature certificate (affidavit) can be used instead of a seal registration certificate to complete the notarization of the articles of incorporation.

Save 40,000 Yen with Electronic Articles of Incorporation

If it is difficult for the foreign entrepreneur to visit the notary office in person, a judicial scrivener or administrative scrivener can handle the preparation and notarization of the articles on their behalf. Additionally, many judicial or administrative scriveners can prepare electronic articles of incorporation, which can save you 40,000 yen in revenue stamp fees.

3-3. Creating a Business Plan

Next, create a business plan.

Regardless of whether the stay period is 4 months or one year, the business eligible for the business manager visa must be conducted appropriately and demonstrate stability and continuity.

Request a review from a professional, such as an SME Management Consultant, and obtain their verification.

You need to prepare a business plan explaining these aspects and submit it to the Immigration Bureau.

3-4. Applying for the 4-Month Business Manager Visa Japan

Once the articles of incorporation and the business plan are completed, apply for the 4-month business manager visa at the Immigration Bureau. This application requires the business plan, articles of incorporation, and documents proving the applicant’s background and financial capability.

If the visa is approved, a Certificate of Eligibility will be issued. Send this certificate to the applicant in their home country, who can then use it along with the required documents to obtain the visa at the Japanese consulate in their home country. This will allow them to enter Japan.

3-5. Completing the Company Establishment Procedures After Arrival

Before the renewal of the 4-month business manager visa, you must complete all procedures related to company establishment. The following steps are necessary for establishing a company:

• Register for a resident record and seal certificate in Japan.
• Open a personal bank account in Japan.
• Transfer the capital into the opened bank account.
• Secure an office or store (lease agreement, etc.).
• Create the company seal.
• Register the company establishment.
• File a notification under the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act.
• Submit a notification of business commencement.
• Prepare office or store facilities.
• Obtain necessary permits and licenses (if required).
• Start company operations (open a corporate bank account, join social insurance).

For the 4-month business manager visa, the timing of registering the resident record, seal registration, and visa application differs from the standard one-year business manager visa, but the other procedures are generally the same. The key difference is that these procedures are carried out after obtaining the visa, not before.

For detailed procedures, please refer to the following page.

3-6. Complete the renewal procedures for a 1-year Business Manager Visa by meeting the new criteria within four months

The 4-month period of stay is strictly a “preparation period.” In order to continue your business operations in Japan, you must meet all of the following extremely strict new requirements—which came into effect in October 2025—and file an application for a visa renewal within this timeframe.

• Business Scale: Complete the registration of company incorporation with 3,000 million JPY in capital, and hire at least one full-time employee.
• Business Office: Secure and contract an independent office under the corporate name.
• Business Plan: Demonstrate that the business is progressing according to the plan submitted at the time of the initial application.
• Licenses and Permits: If required for your business, prove that you have obtained or are currently applying for the necessary licenses and permits.

If even one of these conditions is not met, the visa renewal will not be granted.

The 4-month business manager visa is intended to support the initial stage of business preparation. Therefore, within the visa’s validity period, you must complete the company establishment procedures and apply to extend the visa to a one-year business manager visa.

The renewal application requires submitting documents such as the company registration certificate, lease agreement, reports on business activities so far, financial status reports, and future business plans, demonstrating the company’s performance and future plans.

Once renewed, you will obtain a one-year business manager visa in Japan, allowing you to take further steps toward long-term business development.

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4. The “True Pitfalls” of Japan’s 4-Month Visa [2025 New System Version]

Taking the above process into account, the “true pitfalls” of this visa start to become clear.

4-1. A Race Against Time: Clearing All New Requirements Within Four Months

The most critical point to note is the severe time constraint: all of these requirements must be cleared within a mere four months. Honestly, attempting to manage the international remittance of 30 million JPY, hiring qualified staff, contracting an independent office, and executing a professionally-verified business plan—all simultaneously, by yourself, in an unfamiliar country—is an extremely daunting task. A delay in even a single procedure carries the risk of the entire plan collapsing.

4-2. A Thorough Business Plan is Required

To obtain the 4-month business manager visa, you must prove to the Immigration Bureau examiner, in addition to the general requirements for a one-year business manager visa, that you meet the following criteria with your submitted documents:

• You have the intention to prepare for the establishment of a company, such as a corporation, in Japan.
• The establishment of such a company is highly probable.

To obtain the business manager visa, it is necessary to demonstrate that the business plan you intend to carry out in Japan is realistic, that the business can be stable and sustainable over the long term, and that you are highly likely to establish a company in Japan. A business model that consistently incurs losses and raises doubts about sustainability will make it difficult to obtain the business manager visa. Furthermore, if you cannot submit the company registration certificate when renewing the 4-month residence period, consistency with previously submitted documents will be required. If there is any inconsistency, the renewal may be denied.

Therefore, to support the stability and sustainability of the planned business, it is necessary to submit a feasible business plan not just for one year, but with a medium- to long-term outlook of three years.

4-3. Limited Number of Financial Institutions Allowing Account Opening with a 4-Month Business Manager Visa Japan

The newly established 4-month business manager visa is gaining attention as a visa specifically designed for the preparation period before company establishment. However, one of the challenges entrepreneurs face with this visa is the difficulty of opening a bank account at financial institutions.

Due to the short duration of the 4-month business manager visa and the lack of guaranteed subsequent renewal or long-term residency, some financial institutions do not handle account openings for holders of this visa. Japanese financial institutions generally require long-term residency status or stable income in Japan as conditions for opening an account.

To open a bank account, it is crucial to find financial institutions that offer services for foreign entrepreneurs. Some banks have consultation desks for foreign customers, and it may be possible for holders of the 4-month business manager visa to open accounts there. Additionally, receiving introductions from reliable business partners or experts in Japan can also help pave the way for opening a bank account.

4-4. Property Owners May Hesitate to Lease to 4-Month Business Manager Visa Holders

Securing office space is one of the significant challenges foreign entrepreneurs face when starting a business in Japan. When using the 4-month business manager visa for such business preparations, some property owners may hesitate to sign a lease due to the short duration of the visa.

The underlying issue is the perceived risk by property owners. The 4-month duration of the business manager visa may lead them to question the continuity of the business and the long-term residency of the entrepreneur. Property owners, particularly those entering into lease agreements, expect tenants to have stable income and to pay rent over a long period. The 4-month business manager visa might not provide enough assurance of such stability and reliability.

To overcome this issue, several measures can be taken. One approach is to enhance the specificity and reliability of the business plan, emphasizing the continuity and profitability of the business to the property owner. Setting up a trustworthy guarantor in Japan or using a rental guarantee company can also reduce the owner’s perceived risk and help build trust towards signing the lease.

If confident in the business plan and model, another strategy is to share the vision for visa renewal or change of residency status with the property owner during negotiations, proposing a long-term partnership. Additionally, working through real estate agents or experts who understand the needs of foreign entrepreneurs can help find property owners who are more accommodating to leasing to holders of the 4-month business manager visa.

4-5.Conclusion: Should You Truly Choose the “4-Month Visa”?

Due to the legal amendments, the 4-month visa is no longer a “low-risk preparation period.” Rather, it has transformed into an “extremely high-risk, short-term battle where failure means losing all invested time and capital.”

In many cases, considering the time, effort, and mental burden involved, it is likely a more reliable and efficient choice to first find a trustworthy professional in Japan (such as a Judicial Scrivener or Administrative Scrivener), complete thorough preparations for company incorporation and office leasing while still overseas, and apply for a standard 1-year Business Manager Visa from the very beginning.

5.Summary

✓The 4-month business manager visa (startup visa), introduced with the revision of the Immigration Control Act in April 2015, allows foreign entrepreneurs living overseas who are planning to establish a company in Japan to use it as a preparation period before the actual company establishment. ✓Due to the legal amendment on October 16, 2025, the targets to be cleared at the time of renewal after 4 months have been raised to extremely strict new standards: 30 million JPY in capital, the hiring of at least one full-time employee, and 3+ years of management experience. ✓While this visa offers the advantages of allowing you to open a bank account and sign office leases, clearing such high hurdles within the short span of just four months is a near-impossible task. ✓Any inconsistencies in your business plan or delays in preparation now make this a high-risk option that leads directly to visa renewal denial and, ultimately, deportation (return to your home country). ✓Under the new system, in many cases, it may prove more reliable and efficient to collaborate with a local partner in Japan from the outset and aim for a standard (full-term) Business Manager visa right from the start.

The decision to choose a 4-month visa must be made only after carefully considering your business plan, financial resources, and risk tolerance. To determine which option is best for you, please start by consulting with a professional.