If you want to build a company in Japan, the path usually runs in two steps: get in on a Startup Visa, then move to a Business Manager visa once the company is real.
The Startup Visa
The Startup Visa gives you a window (commonly six months to a year) to get set up without first meeting the full capital and staffing requirements of the Business Manager visa. It is run through participating local governments. Tokyo wards such as Shibuya offer English-language support to walk you through it, including help with housing, banking, and a registered address.
Use this stage to incorporate, open a business bank account, sign an office lease, and build the foundation the next visa asks for.
The Business Manager visa
This is the longer-term visa for running a business in Japan. The rules were tightened on 16 October 2025 and now have to be met all at once: total assets of 30 million yen or more for the business (capital and investment together), at least one full-time employee living in Japan besides the managers, an office, Japanese ability somewhere in the business, and a relevant master’s level degree or three years of management experience. The Immigration Services Agency and Invest Tokyo pages linked below carry the exact wording; check them before you plan around a number, because the thresholds have moved before and will move again.
Where to get help
JETRO runs free support centers for founders and investors, and ward programs like Shibuya Startup Support exist specifically to help non-Japanese founders land. Start with them rather than going it alone, the process is very paperwork-heavy.
Always confirm current requirements on the official sources listed on this page. Rules and amounts change, and this guide is an orientation, not legal advice.