The 4 Month Business Manager Visa Japan, Explained

What is the 4-month Business Manager visa in Japan?

The 4-Month Business Manager Visa is a short-term residence status that allows foreign entrepreneurs to enter Japan, obtain a residence card, open a bank account, and complete company incorporation before applying for a standard 1-Year Business Manager Visa. It is designed for applicants who cannot complete company registration from abroad.

Immigration specialists often recommend the Four-Month Business Manager visa, which is part of a visa reform act passed in 2015. This made it easier for foreign nationals in their home country to establish a company and obtain a Business Manager visa in Japan.

This visa type can’t be considered an alternative to the Startup visa or the Business Manager visa. Still, it allows you 120 days in Japan to get your business affairs in order. 

As you may recall, to be eligible for the visa, you must have papers documenting your company’s registration in Japan as a prerequisite. 

However, to complete company registration paperwork, you must open a Japanese bank account, which requires proof of Japanese residency (residence card)—only given to foreigners with a visa that exceeds the 90-day tourist visa.

What are the Four-Month Business Manager Visa requirements?

One of the most common sources of confusion around the Four-Month Business Manager Visa is which requirements must be met before applying and which can be completed after arriving in Japan. Unlike the standard Business Manager visa, not all requirements must be fulfilled upfront.

Below is a clear, two-phase breakdown.

Requirements before applying (from overseas)

To apply for a Four-Month Business Manager Visa, you must demonstrate a credible intention and ability to establish a business in Japan, even if the company is not yet fully registered.

You typically need:

• Detailed business plan (Business purpose, services/products, target market, revenue model, and projected finances)

• Draft Articles of Incorporation or incorporation plan

• Proof of relevant experience or background related to the proposed business

• Planned business location (A specific office is not required at this stage, but virtual offices and shared desks are generally not accepted.)

• Identification and personal documents

• Japanese translations of all required documents

⚠️ Not required at this stage:

• Japanese bank account

• Company registration completion

• Office lease contract

• Capital transfer

• Full-time employee hiring

Requirements after arrival in Japan (within the 4-month period)

Once you enter Japan on a Four-Month Business Manager Visa and receive your residence card, you are expected to complete the remaining steps needed to transition to a standard Business Manager visa.

These typically include:

• Registering a Japanese address

• Opening a Japanese bank account

• Depositing business capital of 30,000,000 yen

• Completing company registration

• Securing a physical office location

• Finalizing corporate seals and certificates

• Preparing and submitting the application for a 1-Year Business Manager Visa

The Four-Month Business Manager visa allows entrepreneurs to arrive in Japan, get a residence card, open a bank account, initiate paperwork to register a company, and apply for a 1-year Business Manager visa once the paperwork is in order.

In other words, you can start your company registration process right after arrival and the immigration procedures for the visa extension.

Who is eligible to apply for the 4-Month Business Manager visa?

You will still need to meet all the Business Manager visa requirements mentioned above but not as a prerequisite to applying for a Four-Month Business Manager visa. 

That is, instead of providing company registration in Japan, you will need to prove that you are in the process of incorporating a business. 

The advantage of being able to apply before establishing a company is that even if you do not have an address in Japan, you can come to Japan to obtain a 4-month management visa, set up your address, and continue the business registration process.

The following video describes the purpose and the problems that the 4-Month Business Visa solves, by Hitoshi Oishi, solicitor & immigration lawyer. 

Are there any specific language requirements for a 4-Month Business Manager role in Japan?

No language requirement exists for Japan's Four-Month Business Manager visa. However, having a basic understanding of Japanese can be beneficial for effective communication, especially in business settings.

While English is often used in international business contexts, knowing some Japanese phrases or having access to interpretation services can help you navigate day-to-day communications.

Consider the nature of your business activities and the context in which you’ll operate. The language requirement might be more relaxed if your business interactions primarily involve English-speaking counterparts.

However, if you’ll be dealing with Japanese business partners or officials, having a basic Japanese language proficiency can contribute to smoother communication and cultural understanding.

Remember that requirements and policies can change, so I recommend checking with the Japanese embassy or consulate in your country or consulting the official Japanese government sources for the most up-to-date information regarding language requirements for the Four-Month Business Manager Visa or any other visa category.

How to apply for the 4-Month Business Manager visa

1. Prepare a strong CV and documents proving education and relevant work experience. 

2. Prepare yourbusiness plan, including business purpose, capital investment, (projected) head office location, investor list, list of officers, brochures, website, and/or other material outlining your future business, etc. The real estate contract for your business location is unnecessary, but some immigration specialists advise that you include the real estate locations you are considering (virtual offices and shared offices are not allowed). All documents submitted should include a Japanese translation. 

3. Fill out the Certificate of Eligibility application. You can also hire a bilingual lawyer or English-speaking immigration specialist to help you with this.  

4. Send in the Certificate of Eligibility for your Four-Month Business Manager visa to an immigration office, which will evaluate your application and confirm whether you have fulfilled the requirements. (Processing time: 1 to 3 months)

5. Submit your Certificate of Eligibility along with a visa application to the immigration bureau, essentially exchanging it for your Four-Month Business Manager status of residence (visa status). This step can be by proxy and does not require you to apply in person. (Processing time: 1 to 2 weeks)

What are common reasons for refusal of a 4-Month Business Manager visa?

1. Business plan. If you own a business, for example, you have an existing company overseas and your aim is to bring your business to Japan, such business plans are often accepted. But if this is your first time starting a business in Japan, a viability assessment with a specific description and explanation to show the future business prospects and predictable profit is needed. Then, it will be up to the Japanese immigration bureau to judge whether the business plan is promising.

2. No co-owner or co-director. Professional experts recommend having a co-owner or co-director in Japan. Even with this four-month business manager visa, you must open a bank account, transfer the capital, get a seal impression certificate required in Japanese society, and find and sign a lease agreement for your office.

3. For the lease agreement, both for your office and residential, owners generally require a business manager visa holder, a guarantor or a cosigner in Japan. If the visa is for four-month, owners might turn down rent for a year lease space.

4. Since all the application documents and requirements are the same between the four-month business manager visa and the business manager visa, professional experts recommend applying for a one-year business manager visa from the initial application.

Who should (and should not) apply for the 4 Month Business Manager Visa

The Four-Month Business Manager Visa is a strategic, transitional visa, not a shortcut or replacement for other business-related visas. It is most effective in specific situations and unnecessary—or even counterproductive—in others.

Who should apply for the 4-Month Business Manager Visa

This visa is generally well suited for:

• Entrepreneurs applying from overseas Especially those who cannot complete company registration or open a Japanese bank account without first obtaining a residence card.

• Founders without a Japanese co-founder or director If no partner in Japan can handle banking, office leasing, or capital transfer on your behalf, the four-month visa provides legal presence to do so yourself.

• Applicants who meet the business viability standard but lack infrastructure If your business plan is solid but administrative steps (address, bank account, office) are the main obstacle, this visa is an effective solution.

• Entrepreneurs testing feasibility before full commitment The four-month period allows you to confirm whether immigration, banking, and registration processes are realistically achievable before committing to long-term costs.

Who should avoid the 4-Month Business Manager Visa

In many cases, applying for this visa is unnecessary or inefficient if:

• You already meet all requirements for a 1-Year Business Manager Visa If your company is registered, capital is deposited, and an office is secured, applying directly for the standard visa is usually recommended.

• You qualify for a local Startup Visa Some municipalities offer startup visas with longer preparation periods and additional support, making the four-month visa redundant.

• You need to bring dependents immediately The Four-Month Business Manager Visa generally does not support dependent visas, making it unsuitable for applicants relocating with family.

• Your business plan is not yet concrete or viable Immigration uses this visa to assess seriousness. Weak or speculative plans are a common reason for refusal or failure to extend.

Frequently asked questions

What qualifications are needed for a 4 Month Business Manager visa in Japan?

The Four-Month Business Manager Visa is a temporary visa that allows many foreign nationals to engage in company establishment activities and obtain a visa in Japan for up to four months.

However, there are still issues, such as possible difficulty with opening a bank account with a 4-month business manager visa.

A common recommendation for those looking to start a business in Japan is to appoint a co-owner of your company (a Japanese national or someone with a valid visa for the type of business you wish to operate) and have the co-owner arrange to transfer capital, rent an office, and obtain a business license, if necessary.

How is the Four-Month Business Manager visa different from the Business Manager visa?

The purpose of the newly revised Four-Month Business Manager visa is to make it easier for foreign nationals living abroad to complete a company establishment procedure in Japan.

A residence card requires three months of stay. Without a certificate of residence and seal impression certificate, it’s difficult to open a bank account.

Once you receive the Four-Month Business Manager visa and arrive in Japan, you can start the corporate registration process, which includes obtaining a residence card so you can open a bank account. You will then renew your visa period and change to a normal Business Manager visa.

Can I bring my family on the Four-Month Business Manager Visa?

The Four Month Business Manager Visa is generally for individual applicants and does not typically allow dependents to accompany you. If your family members wish to travel with you, they may need to apply for separate visas based on their purpose of visit.

Can I obtain a Business Manager visa status if I buy real estate?

If you purchase more than five million yen in property and open a business office to run a real estate investment business, and you may be eligible for a Business Manager visa.

However, the purchase is not always enough; you must also explain how you plan to develop your business and create profit in the Japanese market.

For this purpose, business plans with additional documents, such as a financial report or balance sheet, must be created.

In closing

The advantage of a four-month visa is that you can apply for everything at the preparation stage.

When applying for a regular business manager visa, establishing a company and securing an office is very costly.

On the other hand, applying for a four-month visa, which is applied only by submitting the articles of incorporation and your business plan, can reduce the initial cost and is also a test of how the Immigration Bureau will judge whether the current business plan is appropriate.

So if you are a foreign national and do not have a Japanese partner who can take care of business administration, you may consider applying for a Four-Month Business Manager visa.