Business Manager residency in Japan

What is actually being examined

The Business Manager status of residence is for a person who genuinely manages or administers a business in Japan. What the examination looks at is less the applicant’s means than the substance of the enterprise: whether there is a real place of business, whether the plan is capable of being carried out, whether the origin and intended use of funds are clear, and whether the applicant will personally undertake managerial work in Japan. In recent years the requirements and the way they are applied, including expectations as to the scale and substance of the business, have been reviewed and revised. Reasoning from an older experience or from someone else’s case is therefore unreliable; the criteria in force at the time of application are what count, and no one is in a position to promise an outcome.

What is generally prepared

• A company established in Japan, together with its certificate of registered matters
• Premises that are separate and genuinely used; a registered address alone is generally not sufficient
• A specific business plan covering the market, projected results and the funding
• Documentation of the source of funds, traceable back through how they were accumulated
• The applicant’s role in the business and the work they will actually perform in Japan
• Thereafter, the annual record: accounts, tax filings and compliance with social insurance

After the first permission

The initial period of stay is often short, and the status continues through renewal. At renewal the emphasis shifts to how the business is actually faring: revenue, filings, whether tax and social insurance obligations have been met, and whether the enterprise is genuinely operating. Maintaining the status and running the company are, in other words, one undertaking rather than two. A spouse and children are commonly able to reside as dependants, though the conditions should be confirmed on the facts. Where permanent residence may be sought in future, continuity of residence and the record of tax and social insurance are examined, so establishing those foundations from the first year is generally easier than repairing them later.

Other routes, and a realistic view

Residing as a company manager is not the right route for everyone. Depending on education, career and specialism, a work status based on engineering, humanities or international services, or the points-based highly skilled professional route, may fit better. Nor is a status of residence required simply in order to own property in Japan; the two questions are best considered separately. The gap that appears most often is a well-drafted plan unaccompanied by the practical readiness to operate. The immigration authorities examine facts, and facts accumulate over time. The application itself falls within the practice of qualified professionals such as an administrative scrivener or a lawyer; our part is the timetable and the coordination among those involved.

This note is general information and is not tax, legal, investment or immigration advice. Immigration requirements and administrative practice change over time and outcomes depend on individual circumstances, so any application should be confirmed with qualified professionals such as an administrative scrivener or a lawyer.