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Despite labour shortages and rapidly shrinking working-age populations, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan shared restrictive immigration policies and exclusionary practices toward immigrants until the early 2000s. While Taiwan maintained this trajectory, Japan took incremental steps to expand immigrant services at the grassroots level, and South Korea enacted sweeping immigration reforms.

(passport qualification index)

Japan has become one of the most popular destinations all over the world. That is not only for tourist but also business people / investors.  Business activities by foreign nationals have become very active recently. The Japanese Government launched ‘National Strategic Special Zone’ with areas such Tokyo and Fukuoka since 2015 in order to advance structural reform of the economic system. These areas now hold more advantages to for people wishing to develop a business in Japan.

As for Tourism, Japanese Government commenced ‘Long Stay Visa’ to enable foreigners to enjoy long term holiday and lifestyle in Japan.

We collaborate with immigration and other relevant specialists in Japan and provide extensive service to valued clients based on our wide-ranging network.

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Long Stay for sightseeing and recreation

 

Purpose

This visa enables you to stay in Japan for longer term for holiday purpose, possible to stay for up to 1year.

 

Key Requirements

  1. Applicant is a citizen of Visa exemption to Japan.

  2. Individual at the age of 18 years or older and has savings equivalent to more than 30 million Japanese yen owned by yourself and your spouse

  • Dependent children cannot be allowed to accompany.

  • If you and your spouse plan to travel and stay separately under this scheme, you and your spouse must own savings equivalent to more than 60 million Japanese yen.

  • You must be in Japan at the time of application.

 

Visa Validity

Initially 6months and can be renewal up to 1year

 

Advantage

  1. You will receive a Residence card, which acts as your primary ID in Japan.

  2. You are not allowed to work under this visa, however, you may enjoy shopping, sightseeing, experience Japanese culture and life style, build a network in Japan and consider your business or investment opportunities in the future.

 

Business Manager

 

Purpose

This visa is for people who are seeking for setting up business, operating or managing international trade or other areas of business within a public or private organization in Japan.

Key Requirements

  1. Applicant is well experienced and has relevant skills to manage business

  2. Applicant has realistic business plan

  3. Applicant has a physical office in Japan

  4. Applicant set up a company in Japan with at least JPY5mil capital

 

Visa Validity

 

1, 3, 5 years depends on stability of business and circumstance.
No restriction for renewal as long as applicant keeps operation for appropriate business

 

Advantage

 

Eligible to hire a housekeeper under certain conditions.

  • In order to set up your business and obtain this visa, we provide complete support,
    in cooperation with other specialists, for business registration, accounting and tax support,
    and social insurance and labor laws for the successful launch of your business.

  • If you wish to come to Japan first and then expedite your business activity in order to start your business at particular ‘National Strategic Special Zone’ there is another option called ‘Start-up Visa’ under the same Business Manager category.

 

Start-up visa (Business Manager category)

 

Purpose

 

This visa makes smooth pathway to facilitate start-up of your business and business activities.
If you intend to set up business at one of particular ‘National Strategic Special Zone’, there is fast-track pathway to start your business and residing in Japan.

 

Key Requirements

  1. Applicant intends to set up business at one of ‘National Strategic Special Zone’ like the following areas.

    • ・Tokyo metropolitan area

    • ・Kanagawa prefecture

    • ・Sendai-city (Miyagi prefecture)

    • ・Nigata-city (Nigata prefecture)

    • ・Aichi prefecture

    • ・Hiroshima prefecture

    • ・Imabari-city (Ehime prefecture)

    • ・Fukuoka-city (Fukuoka prefecture)

    • ・Kitakyushu-city (Fukuoka prefecture)

  2. Applicant is well experienced and has relevant skills to manage business

  3. Applicant has realistic business plan

 

Visa Validity : 6months

 

Advantage

 

The applicant does not have to register the company or invest yet at the time of application and apply for Business Manager visa in Japan as a next step.


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CITINAVI Magazine - summer 2019 : Articles on Japan

https://issuu.com/citinavikwon/docs/citinavi_magazine-summer_2019_2f8a4146ebf788

Asia Consolidates Its Passport Power

JAPAN - SINGAPORE - SOUTH KOREA ...................................................p.26

 

Japan Begins Experiment of Opening to Immigration .................................p.27

Euorpe’s Migration Lessons for Japan by Irina  Angelescu .........................p.28

 

Japanese Citizenship - Naturalization to Japan by Hyong-Jin KWON ........p.29

CITINAVI Magazine - autumn 2019 : Articles on Japan

Would you like to stay in Japan for a year?

by Yayoi Ashikaga

We work as a professional immigration consultant based in Tokyo, Japan, mainly providing support for Japanese HNW individuals who are interested in Oceania, U.S. and UK investor visas. In addition, we provide immigration consulting service for key Japanese visas that are in demand by foreign investors.

In 2018, I joined IMC in order to learn more about global circumstances. 

Having attended several conferences, it is interesting to know the issues and challenges of migration policies in each country, and how the investment migration industry is impacting on development.  

On the other hand, we feel that foreign HNW individuals generally have little knowledge of Japanese visas. For example, what kind of options are there for foreign investors?  What kind of investment opportunities are there in Japan? 

Unfortunately, there is no ‘Citizenship by Investment’ or ‘Residence by Investment’ program in Japan, though, I believe many foreign investors may be interested in relocating to Japan if they know more about key Japanese visa options and investment opportunities.

 

Japan is a very popular destination now, and finally, Osaka became number 3, and Tokyo became number 7 in The Economist's List of Most Liveable Cities in 2018.

Nevertheless, the Japanese passport became ‘Most Powerful Passport’ in the world according to Henley & Partners' Passport Index 2019.Realistically, Japan needs foreign investors to grow a vibrant economic business environment, and it may be possible for foreign investors to relocate, obtain permanent residency and citizenship. We introduce some Japanese visa options for foreign investors.

 

Since Japan is a homogenous country, Japanese people have experienced success in achieving high economic growth without migration. It is therefore very challenging to consider policy making ‘economic benefits by utilizing immigration control’ compared to other countries.

 

Under such circumstances, it has been in the relaxation of tourist visa requirements in recent years that the Japanese government has been most successful in immigration control. 

By increasing the number of visa waiver countries for tourism purposes, the number of tourists increased significantly. Foreign tourist numbers reached a total of 31.19 million and foreign tourists spent a record-high ¥4.51 trillion ($41.5 billion) in Japan in 2018.

According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, Japan recorded the highest growth in tourist arrivals in the world


Apparently, this effect is the result of visa exemption, and the Japanese government and other regions with particularly small population and economic size have come to seriously consider “Inbound tourism”. The rate of repeaters from neighboring countries is remarkable, and many people started business or investing after that. 

Overall, it is important to visit the country first when considering investing. 

The Japanese government launched a new “long-term tourist visa” in 2015 to create further tourism economic growth, but it is not well known overseas. For long-term tourism purposes (work prohibited), you can stay for up to one year, and the financial requirement is high compared to other country’s tourist visa, though, they target HNW individuals such as investors. Also, only citizens of visa exemption countries are permitted to apply for this visa. Physically, you need visit Japan first and then apply in Japan.

Key Requirements

  1. Applicant is a citizen of a visa exemption country.

  2. Individual at the age of 18 years or older and has savings equivalent to more than 30 million Japanese yen owned by yourself and your spouse

  3. Dependent children cannot be allowed to accompany.

  4. If you and your spouse plan to travel and stay separately under this scheme, you and your spouse must own savings equivalent to more than 60 million Japanese yen.

  5. You must be in Japan at the time of application.

 

Visa Validity

Initially 6months and can be renewal up to 1 year

 

Advantage

  1. You will receive a Residence card, which acts as your primary ID in Japan.

  2. You are not allowed to work under this visa; however, you may enjoy shopping, sightseeing, experience Japanese culture and lifestyle, build a network in Japan and consider your business or investment opportunities in the future.

 

Although Japan is culturally unique and attracts many foreigners, it also has a unique business culture that differs from the West in many ways.  Also, the language may be the most challenging point. However, it is also well known that world-famous tourist destinations are now recognized by foreigners, such as Niseko ski resort in Hokkaido and Hakuba ski resort in Nagano. Those were developed by Australians who came to Japan for sightseeing at first.

 

In addition, people may think that the cost of living is not affordable in Japan, however, if you go to regional or rural areas, it is unbelievably low. In fact, people in these areas desire to develop economic growth by attracting foreign tourists. 

If you visit many places as a tourist, foreign investors will be able to see many business opportunities and possibilities for the “Tourism investment” on the spot. In addition, the EU-Japan Partnership Agreement (EPA) entered into force as of 1 February 2019and is expecting further investment opportunities in the future.

 

In fact, there is a great shortage of accommodation facilities that can provide multiple language and other appropriate services to foreign tourists, and also Japan has many cases of selling business due to the lack of successors.  

Therefore, it is practical to utilize this tourist visa by visiting many places, meeting new people and building network during your stay.


Finally, the Rugby World Cup will be held in Japan from September 20 for two months and this will be the first Rugby World Cup held in Asia. Obviously, the Japanese government is expected to receive a significant number of visitors and enhance investing promotion for foreign countries. Especially, we have 2020 Tokyo Olympic games next year so that hope both events would be a great occasion to get to know about Japan

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South Asia region : ++91 7718403560 / +48 693756874

Japan desk : +337 8255 0702 / China desk : +33 634 10 54 47

/ Vietnam desk : +84 121 4335357 / India : +91 93223 99000 

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