Business Manager Visa Renewal: Complete Document Checklist and Practical Guide for the October 2025 New Standards and Transition Period

One-sentence summary: You already have your Business Manager Visa and now you need to renew it. From October 16, 2025, the new standards apply, but existing holders get a transition period through October 2028. This article explains what documents you need during the transition period, what extra requirements apply afterward, what Immigration actually reviews, and what you should start planning now.

First, Understand the Most Important Point: The Transition Period

On October 16, 2025, the Business Manager Visa underwent its biggest overhaul ever: capital jumped from ¥5 million to ¥30 million, JLPT N2 became a hard requirement, full-time employees became mandatory, and the business plan now requires evaluation by a designated expert.

However, if you already hold a Business Manager Visa, do not panic.

Immigration created a three-year transition period:

Timeline	Renewal Standard Applied
October 16, 2025 to October 2028	Old standards (¥5 million capital, no N2 requirement, etc.)
After October 2028	New standards (¥30 million capital, N2, full-time employees, etc. all apply)

What does this mean in practice?

For every renewal between now and October 2028, you do not need to meet the ¥30 million capital requirement, JLPT N2, or expert business-plan evaluation. The document checklist is basically the same as before.
After October 2028, regardless of when you first obtained the visa, every renewal must satisfy the full new standards. There are no exceptions.
If you receive a new period of stay (1 year or 3 years) during the transition period and that expiration date falls after October 2028, your next renewal will be reviewed under the new standards.

The transition period does not mean you can wait

Many people see “October 2028” and assume there is plenty of time. In practice:

Increasing capital to ¥30 million requires funding preparation, capital-increase procedures, and registration changes. Allow at least six months.
Passing JLPT N2 usually takes 1.5 to 2 years from zero, and more than six months even if you already have a base.
Hiring full-time employees, enrolling them in social insurance, and building a stable operation also takes time.
Expert evaluation of the business plan means finding a designated expert, revising the plan, and completing the review. Allow at least 2 to 3 months.

A sensible approach is to begin preparing in the second half of 2026. Planning suggestions appear at the end of this article.

The Category System (カテゴリー): Which Group Are You In?

Immigration classifies companies into four categories (カテゴリー1-4) based on size and tax status. Your category affects how many documents you need to submit.

Category 1

Who qualifies: Listed companies, mutual insurance companies, Japanese or foreign national/local public entities, independent administrative agencies, special corporations, and similar organizations.

→ Most Chinese entrepreneurs in Japan will not fall into this category. It has the lightest document burden.

Category 2

Who qualifies: Companies with total withholding tax on salary income of ¥10 million or more for the previous year.

→ In simple terms, your company withheld more than ¥10 million in payroll-related income tax last year. That generally means you have a fairly large payroll. Most small businesses do not qualify.

How to confirm: Check the 給与所得の源泉徴収票等の法定調書合計表 prepared by your tax accountant. It shows the total withholding tax amount.

Category 3

Who qualifies: Companies that have filed the 給与所得の源泉徴収票等の法定調書合計表, but whose total withholding tax is less than ¥10 million.

→ Most small businesses that are operating normally and filing taxes properly through a tax accountant fall into this category.

Category 4

Who qualifies: Everyone else.

→ This usually includes newly established companies that have not yet filed the annual legal-report summary, or sole-owner style companies without a tax accountant. This category requires the most supporting documents.

Most Chinese entrepreneurs in Japan will fall into Category 3 or 4. The checklist below focuses on those two groups.

Renewal During the Transition Period (through October 2028): Complete Document Checklist

This is the section most readers need right now. If you renew before October 2028, the old standards still apply, and the checklist is as follows.

Documents required for all categories

You must prepare the following regardless of category:

#	Document	Notes	Where to get it	Fee	Validity
1	Application for Extension of Period of Stay (`在留期間更新許可申請書`)	PDF download / Excel download	Download from the Immigration website and complete it yourself	Free	—
2	ID photo (1)	4cm × 3cm, taken within 3 months, white background, front-facing, no hat	Photo booth or photo studio	¥800-¥1,500	Within 3 months
3	Passport	Present the original at the counter	—	—	—
4	Residence card (`在留カード`)	Present the original at the counter	—	—	—

Additional documents for Category 1

Copy of the Shikiho listing or proof of listing/status: any document showing that the company falls under Category 1 is sufficient.

Additional documents for Category 2

Copy of the annual legal-report summary (法定調書合計表): it must show total withholding tax of more than ¥10 million.

Additional documents for Category 3

#	Document	Notes	Where to get it	Fee	Validity
5	Copy of the annual legal-report summary (`法定調書合計表`)	The form your tax accountant files with the tax office every January; a copy is sufficient	Ask your tax accountant	—	—
6	Copy of the most recent financial statements	Include the balance sheet (`貸借対照表`) and profit and loss statement (`損益計算書`)	Obtain from your tax accountant	—	—
7	Certificate of registered matters	The `履歴事項全部証明書`, used to confirm company registration details	Legal Affairs Bureau counter or online application	¥600 at counter / ¥500 online	Within 3 months
8	Permit or license certificate	If your business requires a license (restaurant permit, construction permit, etc.), submit a copy. If no license is required, explain that in writing	Relevant authority	—	—
9	Statement of activities	Free format. Explain your business activities during the recent stay period, current performance, and future plans	Self-prepared	Free	—
10	Resident tax taxation certificate + tax payment certificate	Your personal resident tax assessment and payment status for the most recent year	Municipal office where you live	Around ¥300 each	Within 3 months

Additional documents for Category 4

In addition to the Category 3 documents above, Category 4 applicants should also prepare:

#	Document	Notes	Where to get it	Fee	Validity
11	Statement on compliance with public charges	Explains the payment status of taxes and social insurance	Self-prepared (templates are available)	Free	—
12	Proof of labor insurance enrollment and payment	Shows enrollment in workers’ accident compensation insurance and employment insurance, where employees exist	Labor Standards Inspection Office / Hello Work	Free	Within 3 months
13	Proof of social insurance enrollment and payment	Proof of enrollment and payment for employees’ pension and health insurance	Pension office	Free	Within 3 months
14	National tax payment certificate	Covers withholding income tax, corporate tax, and consumption tax	Competent tax office	¥400 each	Within 3 months
15	Local tax payment certificate	Corporate inhabitant tax and corporate enterprise tax	Prefectural tax office + municipal office	Around ¥300-¥400 each	Within 3 months

Japanese-language proof materials (new from October 2025; may also apply during the transition period)

Important: even during the transition period, Immigration may ask for documents relating to Japanese ability. During the transition period, however, the practical requirement is that the company has one full-time employee who can work in Japanese. The business owner’s own Japanese ability is not necessarily required during this period.

Proof may be provided through one of the following:

A copy of a full-time employee’s JLPT certificate
A copy of a full-time employee’s diploma from a Japanese university
Other materials showing a full-time employee’s Japanese communication ability
If the business owner personally has Japanese ability, that may also be submitted directly

Renewal After October 2028: Additional Documents Required Under the New Standards

For renewals from October 2028 onward, in addition to all of the above, you will need the following extra documents under the new standards:

#	Additional document under the new standards	Notes
A	Proof of ¥30 million capital	Certificate of registered matters showing the capital amount, plus bank statements or an explanation of the source of funds
B	JLPT N2 pass certificate (applicant personally)	Important: after the transition period, the required N2 is for the business owner personally. An employee’s Japanese ability is not a substitute
C	Proof of full-time employee hiring	Copy of employment contract, plus the employee’s residence card or resident record and social-insurance proof
D	Proof of management experience	Master’s/doctoral degree certificate, or proof of 3+ years of management experience such as prior employment certificates or company registry records
E	Business plan + designated expert evaluation report	The business plan must be reviewed by an expert designated by Immigration, and the evaluation report must be submitted. See our Business Plan Writing Guide

In practical terms, the biggest change is this: after the transition period, “someone in the company can speak Japanese” becomes “the business owner must personally hold JLPT N2.” At the same time, the capital threshold rises from ¥5 million to ¥30 million. Those are the two most significant changes.

For a full explanation of the new standards, see: Business Manager Visa Eligibility Requirements Explained

What Immigration Actually Reviews in a Renewal

Many people assume renewal means “submit documents and wait.” In reality, Immigration reviews these cases more carefully than many applicants expect. Understanding the review points helps you prepare more effectively.

1. Actual business performance (sales and profit)

Immigration reviews your financial statements to confirm that the company is genuinely operating. The main points are:

Whether sales are at a reasonable level
Whether you have stable clients and real business transactions
The profit trend: rising, stable, or declining

The key point: Immigration is not asking you to become highly profitable. It wants to see real business activity. If monthly sales are only a few tens of thousands of yen, or the company had no revenue all year, that will raise serious doubts.

This area has become increasingly strict in recent years:

Corporate tax: must be filed on time even if the company is in the red
Consumption tax: must be paid on time once the company becomes taxable
Withholding income tax: must be properly withheld from your own salary and employee wages
Resident tax: your personal resident tax must be paid on time
Social insurance: companies are required to enroll in employees’ pension and health insurance, and Immigration is checking this more strictly than before
Labor insurance: mandatory when you have employees

In short: the era of postponing or avoiding these obligations is over. Unpaid social insurance or taxes is one of the most common reasons for renewal refusal.

3. The real office situation

Immigration checks whether your company has a real operating location:

Is there independent office space? Virtual offices are generally not acceptable.
Is the office actually in use, rather than just an empty shell?
Does the registered address match the actual business address?

In recent years, Immigration has carried out unannounced on-site inspections (実態調査) from time to time. If the office is empty, there are no employees present, or there are no signs of business activity, renewal is very likely to be refused.

4. The business owner’s actual involvement

Immigration also looks at whether you, as the business owner, are actually managing the company:

Are you actually residing in Japan? Long absences can become a problem.
Are you engaged in concrete management activities such as meetings, signing contracts, and making decisions?
Or are you only a nominal representative while someone else is really running the business?

What if the company has consecutive losses?

A loss does not automatically mean refusal, but continuous losses, especially for two years or more, will draw Immigration’s attention.

A practical countermeasure is to submit a business improvement plan (事業改善計画書) covering:

A reasonable explanation of the losses, such as startup investment or pandemic-related impact
Specific improvement measures, such as new client development, cost reductions, or expansion into new business lines
A realistic 1-2 year profit and loss forecast
Recent data showing improvement, if you have it

What Immigration wants to see is that even if the company is currently losing money, you have a clear plan and concrete actions to improve. If you submit loss-making financial statements with no explanation at all, the risk of refusal rises sharply.

For more refusal scenarios, see: Common Reasons for Business Manager Visa Refusal and How to Respond

Renewal Timeline and Practical Advice

When should you start preparing?

You can submit a renewal application three months before your period of stay expires. A practical schedule is:

4 months before expiration: start gathering documents and coordinate with your tax accountant for financial statements
3 months before expiration: submit the application
1 month before expiration: if you still have not received a result, check the status with Immigration

Typical review period

Usually 2 weeks to 2 months
If the file is complete and the business is operating smoothly, approval may come within 2-4 weeks
If additional documents are requested, the process can easily extend by another month or more

How should you respond to an additional-document request? (`資料提出通知書`)

Receiving a request for additional documents from Immigration is normal. Do not panic.

Read the notice carefully and identify exactly what is being requested
Submit the requested materials within the deadline, usually 2 weeks to 1 month
If you cannot prepare everything in time, submit what you can first with an explanation letter and request more time
Common additional requests include supplementary explanation of business performance, proof of tax and social-insurance payment, and office photos

Common reasons for renewal refusal

Insufficient evidence of real business activity: extremely low sales, no customers, no actual business
Unpaid taxes or social insurance: especially failure to enroll in social insurance (employees’ pension)
Office reality does not match the application: virtual office or long-term vacancy
Long periods outside Japan: spending most of the year overseas
Incomplete or inconsistent documents: discrepancies between financial statements and other materials
Consecutive losses with no improvement plan: no clear prospect of business continuity

What if renewal is refused?

After receiving a refusal notice, you can go to Immigration and ask for the reason for non-approval (不許可理由)
Once you address that issue, you may reapply, but you must still be within your lawful period of stay
If your period of stay has already expired, you will become unlawfully present. That is why you must submit the renewal application before the expiration date

Transition-Period Planning: What You Should Start Doing Now

October 2028 may look far away, but each of the new requirements takes time. A practical roadmap looks like this:

During 2026: work toward JLPT N2

This is the most time-consuming item. The JLPT is offered in July and December each year.

If you are currently around N3 level, start preparing in 2026 and aim to pass N2 in July or December 2027
If you are starting from zero, begin Japanese study now; reaching N2 may take until 2028
Do not leave it to the last minute. If you fail in July 2028, the December sitting may be your last realistic chance before the deadline

2026-2027: plan your capital increase

Raising capital from ¥5 million to ¥30 million involves more than just finding the money:

Funding preparation: personal funds, bank financing, overseas remittance, and a clear explanation of the source of funds
Capital increase procedures: shareholder resolution → registration change at the Legal Affairs Bureau → confirmation of funds deposited in the bank
Expected timeline: the procedures themselves may take 1-2 months, but preparing the funds may take longer
A sensible target is to complete the capital increase by the second half of 2027

During 2027: hire a full-time employee

If you currently operate alone, the new standards require at least one full-time employee:

Recruit → sign the employment contract → enroll the employee in social insurance → establish a stable employment record
Ideally, have the employee in place by early 2028 so Immigration can see a stable track record of employment
The full-time employee must be a Japanese national or permanent resident

First half of 2028: complete the expert evaluation of your business plan

Under the new standards, the business plan must be evaluated by a designated expert. A practical approach is:

Prepare or update the business plan at the beginning of 2028
Contact an Immigration-designated evaluator and book the review
Expert evaluation typically takes 1-3 months
For guidance on how to write the plan, see: Business Plan Writing Guide

Transition-period planning table

Time	Action	Notes
During 2026	Start preparing for JLPT N2	Exam sessions are held every July and December
2026-2027	Plan and complete the capital increase to ¥30 million	Funding preparation + registration change
During 2027	Hire a full-time employee	Enroll in social insurance and build stable operations
First half of 2028	Complete expert evaluation of the business plan	Contact a designated expert
Before October 2028	Make sure every new-standard requirement is in place	Do not wait until the last minute

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Can I still renew if the company is running at a loss?

Yes, but you need to prepare properly. A single-year loss is common during the startup stage, and Immigration understands that. The key is whether you can explain the reasons for the loss and present a convincing improvement plan. Two or more consecutive years of losses with no visible sign of recovery is much riskier. It is best to attach a business improvement plan in addition to the financial statements.

Q2: Can I leave Japan while the renewal is under review?

Yes. As long as your residence card is still valid, ordinary departure and re-entry are generally possible. That said:

It is advisable to carry the application receipt (受付票)
If Immigration asks you to appear for an explanation or interview, you need to be able to return to Japan quickly
If your period of stay expires before a result is issued, you can remain lawfully in Japan during the special period based on the receipt, but long trips abroad are not advisable

Q3: What happens if my period of stay expires before the renewal is approved?

If you submitted the renewal application before your period of stay expired, you enter the special period. For up to two months after the original expiration date, your status is treated as continuing to be valid. A stamp is placed on the back of the residence card. During this period, you can continue living and working normally, but it is generally better not to leave Japan.

Q4: I got a 1-year period of stay last time. Can I get 3 years this time?

Possibly. Immigration decides the length of stay based on a range of factors, mainly:

Whether the business is stable and continuing
Whether taxes and social insurance are fully compliant
Whether there have been any legal violations
Your actual living situation in Japan

In practice, if the business has been operating stably for 2-3 years and there are no negative issues, you may have a chance of receiving 3 years or even 5 years.

Q5: What if my employee resigned before renewal?

If you are still within the transition period, meaning before October 2028, a full-time employee is not yet a hard requirement, so the impact is usually limited. After October 2028, however, a full-time employee becomes mandatory under the new standards, so renewal without one would not satisfy the requirements.

Practical response: recruit a replacement as soon as possible. If the employee resigned after you already submitted the renewal, you can file an explanation and recruitment plan with Immigration.

Q6: Do I need to hire an administrative scrivener?

It is not legally required, but it is strongly recommended. The reasons are simple:

An administrative scrivener understands Immigration’s document expectations and review habits, which helps avoid missing or improperly formatted materials
Category 4 applications involve a large volume of paperwork and are easy to mishandle if prepared alone
If the business situation is weak, such as ongoing losses, an administrative scrivener can help prepare more persuasive explanatory materials
Fees are often around ¥100,000-¥200,000; whether that is worthwhile depends on your situation

Q7: During the transition period, can Immigration ask for new-standard documents in advance?

In principle, no. Renewals during the transition period should be reviewed under the old standards. That said, Immigration always has the authority to request additional documents, and in practice they may informally ask about your preparations for the new standards. Legally, however, you do not need to satisfy the new standards before October 2028.

Q8: I run multiple companies. Do I need documents for all of them?

In principle, you need to submit business materials for the main company in which you act as the actual business owner or representative director. If you have multiple companies, it is wise to explain them all clearly, but the core materials should focus on the company tied to your visa status.

Q9: The year-end accounts are not finished yet. Can I still file first?

Yes. You can submit the materials you already have and provide the final financial statements later. It is best to attach an explanation letter at the time of filing, stating that the accounts are still being finalized and when the financial statements are expected to be completed. Immigration will usually allow time for supplementation.

Q10: If renewal is refused, how soon can I apply again?

There is no legal waiting period, so in theory you can reapply immediately. In practice, however, the new application must directly address the reason for refusal. Otherwise, the chance of a second refusal is high. Also remember: if your lawful period of stay has expired and you do not hold any other valid status, you cannot remain in Japan.

Use Our Interactive Document Checklist Tool

If this feels like too many documents to keep straight, try the interactive version:

→ Interactive Document Checklist — enter your situation and automatically generate the list of documents you need

This article is based on public materials from the Immigration Services Agency of Japan and the new standards that took effect in October 2025. Immigration policy can change at any time, so always confirm the latest official guidance before filing.