Japan and Startup Visa

By the way, not too long ago, my friend and I attempted to secure a startup visa for Japan. Recently, a colleague inquired about the process, so a detailed post was written, primarily by my friend, as I have taken a step back for now. However, since he doesn’t have a blog, I am sharing it here.

When exploring options for moving to Japan, we found two primary visa types: 1) Business Visa and 2) Startup Visa. A Business Visa is suitable for those who have everything set up and simply wish to incorporate in Japan. Besides the necessary paperwork, there is a requirement to deposit 5 million yen (approximately 32k dollars). The Startup Visa, on the other hand, acts as a “prelude” to a Business Visa. It allows a 6–12 month period to find employees and partners before transitioning to a Business Visa, which also involves paying the 5 million yen or hiring local employees.

Startup visas are facilitated through specific organizations, similar to facilitators in the Netherlands. Examples include the Shibuya Startup Center, Fukuoka Startup Center, Yokohama, Kyoto, and others. Applicants need to fill out documents (business idea, business plan, etc.) — these requirements are standardized and available on their respective websites. We applied to the Shibuya Startup Center and found the process to be highly formal. They requested significant documentation and ultimately asked for proof of 5 million yen in our account.

Japan’s robust bureaucracy, while effective, can be daunting due to the extensive paperwork, much of which is in Japanese. This complexity, combined with high taxes and integration challenges, led us to reconsider our plans. We concluded that entering Japan through a student visa might be a simpler alternative. Nonetheless, the Japanese government has ambitious plans to transform Japan into a leading startup hub, aiming to significantly increase the number of startups in the coming years.

Here are some helpful links:

- The most comprehensive option is Shibuya: (https://shibuya-startup-support.jp/startup-visa)

- A site with various options and links to other resources: (https://scalingyourcompany.com/how-to-apply-for-a-startup-visa-in-japan/)

- A blog about IT in Japan and general insights into Japan: (https://japan-dev.com/blog)