【Introduction】The Sudden “30 Million Yen” News—What’s the Real Issue?
In July 2025, news began circulating on social media and some news outlets that the capital requirement for Japan’s Business Manager Visa may be raised from 5 million yen to 30 million yen. This triggered widespread attention and speculation.
At Ishinagi Office, we published a breaking news article covering the proposed change. That article has since been widely read and shared.
But this potential new requirement is not just about a number. Behind this shift lies the immigration authority’s true intent, shaped by years of experience administering the system.
In this article, we’ll explore the background of the proposed change, practical challenges on the ground, and what future applicants need to prepare for—from the perspective of an administrative scrivener.
Chapter 1｜“5 Million Yen Is No Longer Enough”? What Practitioners Are Seeing
Currently, the Business Manager Visa can be granted based on an investment of at least 5 million yen.
However, in recent years, we’ve heard growing concerns from applicants and legal professionals alike:
“Even after preparing everything properly, my application was denied.”
“I registered a company, but didn’t actually start any business.”
“People with zero business experience are getting approved.”
In practice—especially at Tokyo Immigration—the trend has shifted toward scrutinizing “paper companies” with no real activity, and applications that merely tick the boxes are now being more strictly examined.
Chapter 2｜The Rise of Superficial Companies and Broker-Facilitated Applications
On platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and overseas social media, a growing number of “visa broker services” advertise help with Business Manager Visa applications.
These often involve:
Registering a company at a shared office address
No clients, no revenue—just a shell company
Outsourcing minor work to justify a so-called “business plan”
Offering one-stop packages: accounting, incorporation, and visa support
This system effectively mass-produces applications with no real business activity, undermining the trust in the entire visa framework.
Chapter 3｜Why 30 Million Yen? Is There Any Legal Basis?
Interestingly, there is no law that explicitly states “5 million yen or more” as a capital requirement for this visa.
Instead, this benchmark was adopted through internal guidelines from the Ministry of Justice.
So why the sudden appearance of “30 million yen” as the new proposed figure?
This number likely reflects a message from the immigration authority:
To attract applicants with businesses of meaningful scale
To prioritize those who will generate jobs or economic value
To discourage low-investment, low-substance applications
But here’s the key point: Increasing the number doesn’t guarantee substance.
🧠 Commentary: Raising It to 30 Million Could Backfire
Some have raised an important concern:
“If 5 million yen often came from temporary ‘show money,’ then raising it to 30 million will only drive away honest entrepreneurs—and leave room for brokers who can just raise bigger fake capital.”
In practice, “show money” schemes—where applicants borrow funds short-term, deposit them as capital, then withdraw them after approval—have been rampant under the 5 million yen system.
And this tactic doesn’t magically disappear at 30 million yen.
In fact, the barrier may push out genuine entrepreneurs, while well-funded but hollow applications may continue to survive.
Chapter 4｜The Immigration Bureau’s Real Intent: Bridging the Gap Between Policy and Reality
What immigration officials truly fear is:
The erosion of trust in the visa system.
Applications with no real business being approved
Applicants doing nothing after arrival or engaging in unauthorized work
Growing public skepticism toward foreign entrepreneurs as a whole
To prevent this, the capital increase seems designed to tighten the entry point.
However, for any system to function, it must be able to assess what truly matters—not just check boxes.
In reality, immigration reviews have long relied on whether documents like:
Articles of incorporation
Proof of office rental
Bank statements showing capital
…were present and formally correct. As long as these “formal conditions” were met, many applications sailed through review almost mechanically.
But behind the scenes, many of these were shell companies created by brokers or had no business substance.
From now on, Japan’s immigration policy is shifting away from formalism toward substance. More than ever, the focus will be on actual business activity and sustainability.
Chapter 5｜What Will Be Evaluated: Substance Over Numbers
As administrative scriveners, we’re already seeing a change in how applications are reviewed.
Going forward, authorities will prioritize:
Real business activity (office, contracts, customer base)
Viability of the business plan (e.g., realistic profit timeline)
Applicant’s business experience and leadership ability
Consistency in documents, accounting records, and financial data
Even if the new 30 million yen requirement is implemented, merely showing the money won’t be enough. We are entering an era where only truly prepared applicants will be approved.
【Conclusion】A System Evolving to Support Genuine Entrepreneurs
The capital requirement increase is not just a number—it signals a shift toward:
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