Hokkaido Startup Visa (Japan) — Complete 2025-2026 Guide for Foreign Entrepreneurs

If you want to start a business in Japan but you are not yet ready to satisfy the full Business Manager requirements, Hokkaido’s Startup Visa program provides a structured pathway.

Under Japan’s national framework for Foreign Entrepreneur Activities (Foreign Business Startup Activity Promotion Program), eligible foreign entrepreneurs can receive a Designated Activities status to conduct startup preparation activities for up to two years under the management/support framework of an approved implementing body. 

Hokkaido provides its own program page and a Japanese guide (“Handbook”), which explain how applicants should proceed, what documents are required, and how the confirmation process works. 

This article explains the system in detail—overview, Hokkaido’s conditions, required documents, application steps, timelines, renewals, and key compliance points—so you can understand what is required before you apply.

What is the “Startup Visa” in Hokkaido?

Like other Startup Visa programs in Japan, Hokkaido’s process is broadly a two-step structure:

Step 1: Confirmation by the local program (Hokkaido side)

You prepare a Startup Preparation Activity Plan and related materials. If the plan is assessed as appropriate under the national notice and the program requirements, you receive a Confirmation Certificate (起業準備活動計画確認証明書). 

Step 2: Immigration review (Japan Immigration Services Agency)

With the confirmation certificate and other required materials, you apply to immigration for a Designated Activities status for startup preparation. Hokkaido notes that immigration procedures are separate and should be confirmed with the immigration authority. 

Important: as with other cities/prefectures, a confirmation certificate supports your immigration application but does not guarantee immigration approval. 

Who can use this program?

Hokkaido’s program targets foreign nationals who:

• plan to conduct startup preparation activities in Hokkaido, and

• aim to transition to Business Manager after the preparation period (within the scope of the program).

In addition, the national framework explains that eligible entrepreneurs may be granted a preparation status for up to two years when operating under an approved implementing body’s management/support system.

Target business fields in Hokkaido (and how to approach them correctly)

Hokkaido lists specific focus areas for this program, including (as presented on its page):

• food/agriculture and related industries

• tourism and inbound-related business

• life sciences/healthcare and related sectors

• environment/energy and related sectors

• other areas considered appropriate by the program framework

How to think about these fields (important):
Applicants should first clarify what they intend to do—their product/service, customers, operations, and timeline—and then confirm whether that planned business fits within Hokkaido’s listed fields (or can reasonably be explained within the program’s scope). The program is not designed as “choose a category first”; it evaluates whether your proposed business activity is suitable and feasible within the permitted preparation period. 

Why Hokkaido is attractive for foreign entrepreneurs

Hokkaido is increasingly positioned as a high-potential region for international founders because it combines strong primary industries, tourism, and expanding innovation programs.

Examples that frequently matter for startup planning:

• Space industry momentum (Taiki Town / Spaceport Hokkaido): Hokkaido is often discussed as Japan’s leading candidate region for commercial spaceport development, which can create demand for specialized B2B services, engineering supply chains, logistics, and related innovation. 

• Food and agriculture scale: Hokkaido is widely recognized for its large-scale agricultural and food production base, making it attractive for food tech, export-oriented businesses, and supply-chain or processing innovation. 

• Startup support branding and programs: The presence of “STARTUP HOKKAIDO” ecosystem activity and related support portals helps entrepreneurs identify local partners and resources. 

For immigration purposes, these are not “marketing points.” They become useful when they translate into credible market logic in your plan: customer demand, realistic partnerships, concrete operations, and a feasible timeline.

Step-by-step process in Hokkaido

Hokkaido’s page indicates that applicants generally proceed through an entry step before submitting documents, then move into the confirmation process. 

Step 1: Submit a “pre-entry” (事前エントリー)

Hokkaido instructs applicants to complete a pre-entry step first. 

Step 2: Submit the application package (online submission noted)

After pre-entry, you submit the required documents (Hokkaido indicates online application procedures). 

Step 3: Review and (if required) additional confirmation steps

Hokkaido’s published materials describe the review process and the issuance of a confirmation certificate when requirements are met. 

Step 4: Receive the Confirmation Certificate (if approved)

If your plan is confirmed, you receive the confirmation certificate that can be used for the immigration stage. 

Step 5: Apply to Immigration for Designated Activities (Startup Preparation)

Using the confirmation certificate and other required immigration materials, you apply for the Designated Activities status through immigration.

Required documents (Hokkaido confirmation stage)

Hokkaido’s page/handbook indicates several required components, including (as listed in the published summary):

• Application form(s)

• Startup Preparation Activity Plan

• Activity schedule / timetable (Hokkaido references a Word format)

• Profit plan (Hokkaido references an Excel format)

• Materials showing the business field and feasibility

• Other documents required under the program 

Because immigration review is separate, you should also anticipate the need for careful alignment between the Hokkaido plan package and the immigration submission logic (activities, timeline, feasibility, and evidence consistency). 

Timeline (how long does it take?)

Hokkaido’s published materials indicate an estimated processing timeframe on the order of several months (with a figure presented as approximately 2 to 4 months in the summary). 

In practice, timing depends heavily on document completeness, the maturity of the business plan, and whether additional supporting materials are requested.

Renewal (up to 2 years total) and changes

The national framework allows startup preparation activities for up to two years under the relevant management/support scheme. 

Hokkaido’s materials indicate that the program is designed around the preparation period leading to Business Manager, and applicants should plan for renewals/updates within the permitted scope and according to program instructions. 

Key compliance points (what many applicants misunderstand)

Based on the national framework and Hokkaido’s program explanation:

1. A confirmation certificate supports—but does not guarantee—immigration approval. 

2. Your plan must be feasible within the preparation window. It must show concrete preparation activity and credible milestones (not “ideas only”). 

3. Business Manager reform linkage matters. Japan’s regulatory environment around Business Manager has been actively updated (including related updates to the national notice framework for foreign entrepreneur activities). You should design your pathway with future requirements in mind, not only the first step. 

How our office can help (Business plan + COE/Immigration support)

Hokkaido’s Startup Visa is not just “forms + attachments.” It is a framework that evaluates whether your plan has a credible likelihood of reaching Business Manager status and whether your preparation activities can be supported with consistent documentation.

Trust Administrative Scrivener Office supports foreign entrepreneurs with:

• Business plan structuring (service definition, customers, pricing, cost structure, operations, timeline, risk management)

• Document strategy for the Hokkaido confirmation stage (evidence organization, feasibility logic, preventing omissions, strengthening explanations)

• Immigration application support including COE support and a long-term strategy from Designated Activities → Business Manager

• Practical preparation guidance for later steps (office setup documentation, renewal/transition planning, compliance-focused narrative)

If you are considering Hokkaido, we can help you decide the most appropriate route:

• apply directly for Business Manager, or

• use the Hokkaido Startup Visa as a structured preparation pathway.

References (official pages used in this article)

• Japan Immigration Services Agency: Foreign Entrepreneur Activities (Foreign Business Startup Activity Promotion Program) 

• Hokkaido Government: Startup Visa program page / guidance (incl. “Handbook” reference and required formats) 

• Background on national notice updates (legal news coverage referencing the October 2025 notice amendment) 

• Spaceport Hokkaido / Taiki Town ecosystem background (for regional attractiveness context) 

• STARTUP HOKKAIDO ecosystem portal reference 

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