Nearly 1,000 Business Manager Visa Holders Leave Japan Amid Tighter Rules

The number of foreign residents holding business manager visas who left Japan without obtaining reentry permits nearly quadrupled in the first half of 2026 from a year earlier, according to government data reported by Kyodo News.

Japan has tightened requirements for business manager visas, including a higher minimum capital threshold, amid scrutiny of applicants who establish businesses primarily to obtain residence status. [Photo: Japan Rail Pass]

The Immigration Services Agency recorded 953 such departures between January and June, compared with 246 during the same period in 2025.

The increase comes after Japan tightened its business manager visa requirements in October 2025.

Among the changes, the minimum capital requirement was raised from ¥5 million to ¥30 million, equivalent to approximately $190,000 at the exchange rate cited in the report.

Under Japan's immigration system, foreign residents who leave the country without the required reentry arrangements generally lose their existing residence status.

The visa category allows foreign nationals to establish, operate or manage businesses in Japan. The number of business manager visa holders had risen to 46,781 at the end of 2025, approximately 1.7 times the level recorded at the end of 2020.

The program has faced scrutiny following reports that some applicants established companies with little or no genuine business activity, primarily to obtain residence status.

Under the revised requirements, applicants must also employ at least one full-time staff member, alongside meeting the applicable capital and other eligibility conditions.

Monthly departure figures reportedly remained in double digits through November 2025 before rising to triple digits in December.

The number reached 226 in June 2026, according to reporting by Mainichi Japan.

The increase in departures does not necessarily establish why each individual left the country. Some may have decided to close their businesses or move elsewhere, while others may have been affected by the more demanding requirements.

Japan's policy changes reflect an effort to ensure that business manager visas are used by applicants operating genuine businesses rather than as a route to residence without substantial commercial activity.