Japan has introduced stricter visa rules that raise capital requirements for the Business Manager visa, threatening the residency of foreign entrepreneurs [1].
These changes create a financial barrier for small business owners who may no longer meet the government's stability thresholds. This shift risks shuttering ethnic restaurants and immigrant-led enterprises that contribute to the local economy, and cultural diversity in urban centers.
The rules, which began affecting applicants in May 2024 [4], are intended to ensure that foreign-run businesses maintain sufficient financial stability [5]. The government said it needs to better control immigration to maintain a balance in the labor market [5].
For many, the impact is personal. A Nepalese restaurant owner in Tokyo said, "My dream is broken" [1]. In Saitama Prefecture, Indian restaurant owner Manish Kumar expressed similar distress. "What am I supposed to do?" Kumar said [4]. He said that he has lived in Japan for 30 years and is now being told he must leave [3].
The number of Business Manager visa holders in Japan reached 46,000 by mid-2025 [1]. This represents a 70 percent rise in holders since 2020 [1]. Some reports indicate that about half of these visa holders were Chinese nationals [1].
Entrepreneurs now face a crisis as they struggle to meet the new capital thresholds to retain their legal status [3]. Without the necessary funds to satisfy the updated requirements, business owners face the possibility of deportation regardless of their tenure in the country.
“"My dream is broken."”
The tightening of the Business Manager visa reflects a tension between Japan's economic need for foreign entrepreneurship and its restrictive immigration policies. By raising the financial bar, the government is prioritizing high-capital investment over long-term community integration, which may lead to a decline in the small-scale ethnic business sector.
