Japan Startup Visa in 2026: The Short Version
The Japan Startup Visa now gives foreign founders up to 2 years to build a company in Japan, and since January 2025 it works nationwide, not just in a few designated cities. It became the main entry route after Japan raised the Business Manager visa capital requirement to 30 million yen in October 2025. This guide covers requirements, timelines, and costs, and our Japan founder visa page keeps the core facts in one place.
Here is the honest picture: the startup visa got easier, and the visa you graduate into got much harder. Planning for both at the same time is what separates founders who stay from founders who leave after 24 months.
What Changed in 2025 (And Why It Matters in 2026)
Two reforms reshaped the entire path for foreign founders:
- January 2025: the Startup Visa expanded. The residence period grew from 6 months to up to 2 years, and the program went from a handful of designated cities to a nationwide framework. You now apply through any approved municipality or a certified private support organization.
- October 16, 2025: the Business Manager visa got 6x harder. The minimum capital requirement jumped from 5 million yen (about $35,000) to 30 million yen (about $200,000). New applications also need at least one full-time employee, 3 years of management experience or a master's degree, and Japanese proficiency at roughly CEFR B2 / JLPT N2 level (held by you or your full-time employee).
The result: in 2026, almost every foreign founder without $200,000 of capital starts on the Startup Visa and uses those 2 years to build up to the Business Manager requirements. Time spent operating under the startup visa counts as management experience, which softens one of the new hurdles.
Japan Startup Visa Requirements in 2026
Exact requirements vary slightly by municipality, but every application includes the same core elements:
- A detailed business plan. This is the heart of the application. The municipality evaluates feasibility, innovation, and your concrete milestones for the first 6 to 12 months.
- Endorsement by an approved organization. You apply to a participating municipality (Tokyo, Fukuoka, Osaka, Nagoya, and many others) or a government-certified private support organization, which issues the confirmation you take to immigration.
- Proof of living funds. You need to show savings that cover living costs and initial setup. Most municipalities look for roughly 3 to 5 million yen in accessible funds, though thresholds vary.
- Progress reporting. During the visa period you report to the municipality on milestones: incorporation, office, hiring, fundraising.
There is no capital requirement at this stage. That is the whole point: the startup visa exists so you can incorporate, raise, and hire before you need 30 million yen on the balance sheet.
The Business Manager Visa After October 2025: Old vs New
This is the visa you convert to when the startup visa expires. Know the target before you land.
| Requirement | Before Oct 16, 2025 | From Oct 16, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum capital | 5 million yen (~$35k) | 30 million yen (~$200k) |
| Full-time employees | Not required (capital route) | At least 1 |
| Management experience | Not required | 3 years, or a master's degree |
| Japanese language | Not required | B2 / JLPT N2 (founder or employee) |
| Business plan | Standard | Certified by a professional expert |
Two important softeners:
- Transitional period. Founders who already held Business Manager status on October 16, 2025 renew under lighter scrutiny until October 2028, as long as they show progress toward the new standards.
- The startup visa bridge. Capital raised from investors counts toward the 30 million yen. A seed round of $200,000 or more, closed during your 2 startup-visa years, solves the hardest requirement outright.
That second point changes how you should think about the visa: in 2026, your fundraise is your immigration strategy. Founders who treat the seed round and the visa conversion as one project have a dramatically easier time than founders who treat them as separate problems.
Why Fukuoka Is Still the Favorite City for Foreign Founders
Fukuoka pioneered the startup visa back in 2015 as a National Strategic Special Zone, years before the national rollout. Even now that the program works everywhere, founders keep choosing Fukuoka for practical reasons:
- The most experienced startup visa office in Japan. Fukuoka City has processed foreign founder applications for a decade. The Fukuoka Global Startup Center offers free consultations in English, help with the business plan, and introductions to local banks and offices.
- Cost. Office space and living costs run far below Tokyo, which stretches your runway during the pre-revenue phase.
- A real ecosystem, smaller pond. Fukuoka brands itself as Japan's startup city, with municipal support programs, subsidized co-working, and an active local investor scene that is easier to access than Tokyo's.
Tokyo remains the right answer if your customers, investors, or industry are concentrated there. But if you are optimizing for a smooth application and a long runway, Fukuoka is the default recommendation for a reason.
Timeline and Costs: What to Expect
A realistic end-to-end path in 2026 looks like this:
| Stage | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Business plan + municipality screening | 1-3 months | Varies by city; Fukuoka and Tokyo are fastest |
| Certificate of Eligibility + visa issuance | 1-3 months | Standard immigration processing |
| Startup Visa period | Up to 24 months | Incorporate, hire, raise, report milestones |
| Change to Business Manager visa | 1-3 months | Requires the new October 2025 criteria |
Direct government fees are modest (a few thousand yen for the visa itself). The real costs are incorporation (a kabushiki kaisha runs roughly 250,000 to 300,000 yen with fees), office space, and a licensed immigration specialist if you use one (typically 100,000 to 300,000 yen). Budget for the 30 million yen capital target from day one, whether it comes from savings or a seed round.
Raising Money for Your Japan Startup: Where Round Funded Fits
Since investor capital counts toward the Business Manager threshold, the fundraise is the critical path. Round Funded gives you the system for it: a database of 10,000+ active investors filtered by stage, sector, and geography, including funds that back foreign founders building in Japan, plus AI-drafted outreach sent from your own Gmail.
Instead of guessing which Tokyo VC takes cold intros, you filter for active investors, get personalized emails drafted from your data room, and track who opened, replied, and booked a call.
Browse 10,000+ active investors on Round Funded →
You can also compare Japan against other founder visa routes on our visa index, including Estonia, France, and Singapore.
How to Get the Japan Startup Visa: Step by Step
- Start with the requirements on Round Funded's Japan visa guide and confirm the program fits your stage. If you need $200k of capital within 2 years, plan the fundraise now, not in month 20.
- Pick your municipality. Fukuoka for support and cost, Tokyo for market access. Contact their startup desk before you write anything.
- Write the business plan to their template. Concrete milestones beat vision. Municipalities want incorporation dates, hiring plans, and revenue targets.
- Submit and get the endorsement. The municipality issues the confirmation letter you take to immigration.
- Apply for the Certificate of Eligibility, then the visa at your local Japanese consulate.
- Land and execute against your milestones. Incorporate early. Every reporting cycle you clear builds the file for your Business Manager conversion.
- Raise your round during the visa period. Investor capital counts toward the 30 million yen requirement. Start outreach with the Round Funded investor database in your first 6 months, not your last.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the Japan Startup Visa valid in 2026?
Up to 2 years, following the January 2025 reform. Most municipalities grant an initial period of 6 or 12 months and extend it as you hit business plan milestones, up to the 24-month cap. Before 2025 the limit was 6 months to 1 year, so the current terms are the most generous the program has ever offered.
What is the minimum capital for the Business Manager visa now?
30 million yen, roughly $200,000, since October 16, 2025 (up from 5 million yen). You also need at least one full-time employee, 3 years of management experience or a master's degree, and B2-level Japanese held by you or an employee. Investor funding counts toward the capital, which is why founders raise during the startup visa period. See the full breakdown on /visa/japan.
Can I apply for the startup visa anywhere in Japan?
Yes. Since January 2025 the program works nationwide through approved municipalities and certified private support organizations. Tokyo, Fukuoka, Osaka, Nagoya, and dozens of smaller cities participate. Requirements and processing speed vary by city, so contact the startup desk of your target municipality before applying.
Why do founders choose Fukuoka specifically?
Fukuoka ran the startup visa as a special zone since 2015, so its office has processed more foreign founder applications than anywhere else in Japan. Add English-language support through the Fukuoka Global Startup Center, living costs well below Tokyo, and municipal programs built for startups, and it is the smoothest on-ramp for a first-time applicant.
Does the startup visa lead to permanent residency?
Indirectly. The standard PR track requires 10 years of residence, but founders often qualify faster through the Highly Skilled Professional points system, which can cut the wait to 1 to 3 years if you score on salary, education, and business criteria. Time on the startup visa counts as residence and as management experience for the Business Manager conversion.
Can I raise from foreign investors while on the Japan startup visa?
Yes, and you should. There is no restriction on the source of investment, and capital from foreign VCs or angels counts toward the 30 million yen Business Manager requirement like any other funding. Round Funded lets you filter 10,000+ active investors by stage and sector so your Japan raise does not depend on the local network you do not have yet.
What happens if my startup fails during the visa period?
The startup visa does not convert to anything automatically. If the business is not viable by the end of the period and you cannot meet Business Manager criteria, you switch to another status (for example, a work visa with a Japanese employer) or leave. This is why municipalities screen the business plan hard up front.
Final Word
Japan in 2026 is a two-door system: an easier front door (2-year nationwide startup visa) and a harder second door (30 million yen Business Manager visa). Founders who win treat the fundraise as part of the immigration plan and start investor outreach in their first months on the ground, not their last.
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