Japan · Temporary Residence
Japan Residence for Founders and Managers
Once a company is operating, founders usually hold the Business Manager status, granted for periods from three months to five years. Founders who score enough points can hold Highly Skilled Professional status instead, with a five-year stay and family benefits.
- Startup route
- Startup Visa (Designated Activities)
- Minimum capital
- About JPY 30 million to qualify as Business Manager
- Permanent residence
- 1 or 3 years via HSP points; 10 years otherwise
- Citizenship
- 5 years by law; 10 in principle since April 2026
Business Manager: periods of stay and renewal
Business Manager status is granted for 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, 6 months, 4 months or 3 months, and each renewal is a fresh review of the business. The Immigration Services Agency checks labor insurance, social insurance, national and local tax payments and any business licenses the company needs, and long absences from Japan without good reason can count against the holder. Holders who obtained the status before 16 October 2025 benefit from transitional handling until 16 October 2028. Renewal fees changed on 1 October 2026 and now rise with the length of the period granted, while applications received by 30 September 2026 keep the old JPY 6,000 counter fee even if approved later.
- Periods of stay
- 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, 6 months, 4 months or 3 months
- 1-year renewal fee
- JPY 33,000 at a counter, JPY 27,000 online
- 5-year renewal fee
- JPY 75,000 at a counter, JPY 65,000 online
- Old fee
- JPY 6,000 at a counter, if received by 30 September 2026
- Renewal checks
- Taxes, social and labor insurance, licenses, time abroad
- Transition
- Pre-change holders: new tests alone cannot block renewal to 2028
Requirements
- Keep the company enrolled in labor and social insurance and pay national and local taxes on time.
- Hold any business licenses or permits the company's activities require.
- Avoid long absences from Japan without a reasonable explanation.
- From 16 October 2028, meet the amended capital, staffing, language and experience criteria at renewal.
- Pay the period-based renewal fee; online fees are paid by convenience store or bank transfer only.
How to apply
- Gather tax payment certificates, insurance records and financial statements for the company.
- File the renewal at a regional immigration bureau or through the online system before the current period ends.
- Pay the fee that matches the period granted and collect the updated residence card.
Highly Skilled Professional (i)(c): advanced business management
Japan's points-based system recognizes foreign professionals scoring 70 points or more for academic background, career, annual income and other items as Highly Skilled Professionals. One of its three activity types covers advanced business management, so experienced founders and executives can use it in place of Business Manager. Holders of HSP (i) receive a five-year period of stay, may combine activities that span several statuses, get priority processing, and can bring parents or domestic workers if household income and other conditions are met. Spouses can work under certain statuses without the usual education or experience tests. Holders can later move to HSP (ii), which has no time limit, or apply early for permanent residence.
- Points threshold
- 70 points or more
- Period of stay
- 5 years for HSP (i); unlimited for HSP (ii)
- Priority processing
- About 10 days pre-entry, 5 days for residence filings
- Parents
- Child under 7 or pregnancy; household income JPY 8 million+
- Spouse
- May work without usual education or experience tests
- Leads to
- Permanent residence after 3 years, or 1 year at 80+ points
Requirements
- Score at least 70 points on the business management points table.
- Engage in advanced business management activities, such as officer-level decision-making for a company in Japan.
- Supply evidence for each points item claimed, including degrees, career history and annual income.
- Keep 70 points or more at each renewal, as a lower score blocks extension.
How to apply
- Calculate the score using the Immigration Services Agency's points table for business management.
- Apply for HSP (i) status from abroad or by change of status, attaching the points evidence.
- Use priority processing and family benefits once the status is granted.
Residence fees after the 1 October 2026 revision
From 1 October 2026, Japan replaced its flat fees for changing or extending a status of residence with a scale tied to the period granted. At a counter, a stay of up to three months costs JPY 10,000, a one-year grant JPY 33,000, a grant of three to under five years JPY 64,000 and a grant of five years or more JPY 75,000. Online filings are cheaper, at JPY 27,000 for one year and JPY 65,000 for five years or more, but must be paid by convenience store or bank payment with a separate processing charge.
For a founder moving from the startup visa to Business Manager, the fee therefore depends on the period the agency grants, and a longer period costs more upfront while reducing how often the fee is paid. Applications received by 30 September 2026 are charged under the old structure even if approved later, which was JPY 6,000 at a counter. A reduced fee of JPY 10,000 applies only to narrow humanitarian categories, such as applicants in financial hardship comparable to public assistance recipients, and cannot be claimed online.
Questions and answers
How long can a Business Manager visa holder stay in Japan?
Each grant is for 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, 6 months, 4 months or 3 months, and there is no limit on the number of renewals while the business continues to qualify. The period granted reflects the agency's view of the business, so newer or smaller companies often receive shorter periods at first.
Can a founder hold Highly Skilled Professional status instead of Business Manager?
Yes, if the founder scores at least 70 points and the work counts as advanced business management, such as making important decisions as a company officer. HSP (i) brings a five-year stay and family benefits, and holders must still score 70 points at each renewal for the status to be extended.
Can parents join a Highly Skilled Professional founder in Japan?
Under conditions. Parents can come to help raise a child under 7 or to support a pregnant HSP or spouse, provided household income is at least JPY 8 million, the parent lives with the HSP, and only one side of the family's parents is brought.
Do the October 2026 fee changes affect pending applications?
No. Applications received on or before 30 September 2026 are charged under the previous fee structure even if the permission is granted on or after 1 October 2026. New applications from 1 October 2026 pay the period-based fees, which are lower when filed through the online system.
Official sources
- 在留資格「経営・管理」www.moj.go.jp
- 令和８年１０月１日付け在留許可手数料の額の改定等についてwww.moj.go.jp
- 2026年10月1日から外国人の在留手続に関する手数料が改定されますwww.moj.go.jp
- どのような優遇措置が受けられる？www.moj.go.jp
- 在留資格「経営・管理」に係る上陸基準省令等の改正についてwww.moj.go.jp
Reviewed October 2026. Immigration rules change often. Confirm the current requirements with the official authority or a licensed adviser before applying.
Your path in Japan.
Startup visa
Designated Activities for up to 2 years under a METI-certified organization
02Temporary residence
Business Manager: JPY 30 million, one full-time hire, Japanese ability
03Permanent residence
1 or 3 years with HSP points; generally 10 years of residence otherwise
04Citizenship
Nationality Act sets 5 years; ministry requires 10 in principle since 2026