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

Narita City operates a Startup Visa under Japan’s Foreign Entrepreneurship Activity Promotion Program.
This system allows eligible foreign entrepreneurs to stay in Japan under the “Designated Activities” residence status while carrying out business start-up preparation activities in Narita City, before fully meeting the requirements for the Business Manager visa.

Under this framework, Narita City first reviews and confirms the applicant’s startup preparation plan. Only after receiving this confirmation does the applicant proceed with immigration procedures.

The program is designed for foreign founders whose proposed businesses are aligned with Narita City’s clearly defined target industries and who require a structured preparation period to establish and launch their business in Japan in compliance with immigration requirements.

What is the Narita City Startup Visa?

Narita City’s Startup Visa is part of the METI-based Foreign Entrepreneurship Activity Promotion Program, not the National Strategic Special Zone system.

Under this program:

• Narita City examines the feasibility, appropriateness, and policy alignment of the applicant’s startup preparation activity plan, based on the city’s clearly defined target business fields

• If the plan is approved, Narita City issues a confirmation certificate

• The applicant then applies to Immigration using that certificate

• Immigration makes the final decision on the residence status

The residence status granted is Designated Activities (Startup Preparation), which is intended strictly for active business start-up preparation in Narita City and not for passive residence or unrelated activities.

Why Narita City is an attractive base for foreign entrepreneurs

Narita City is not simply the location of Japan’s largest international airport.
It is a city whose entire industrial policy is built around global connectivity.

At the center of this ecosystem is Narita International Airport, one of Asia’s most important aviation and logistics hubs, linking Japan directly with major cities across the world. This gives Narita a unique advantage for businesses that depend on speed, cross-border movement, and international networks.

For foreign entrepreneurs, this means:

• Immediate access to global logistics and air cargo routes, ideal for manufacturing, precision equipment, aerospace, and high-value goods

• A strong foundation for logistics, distribution, and supply-chain–driven businesses, supported by expressways and regional transport corridors connecting the Tokyo metropolitan area

• Exceptional conditions for tourism and inbound-related businesses, with millions of international visitors passing through the area each year

• A growing medical and healthcare innovation cluster, supported by institutions such as the International University of Health and Welfare and its Narita Hospital

• A policy environment that actively encourages industry–academia collaboration and export-oriented growth

Unlike cities that take a broad or generic approach to startup support, Narita City clearly defines the industries it wants to foster—and aligns its Startup Visa system directly with those strategic priorities. This clarity benefits foreign founders: if your business matches Narita’s focus areas, the city’s support framework is designed to help you move efficiently from preparation to operation.

In short, Narita City is well suited for foreign entrepreneurs who want to build businesses that are:

• internationally oriented

• logistics- or aviation-linked

• export-focused

• or closely connected to tourism, healthcare, or advanced manufacturing

If your business model aligns with Narita’s target fields, the city offers a location where global access, infrastructure, and policy direction are tightly integrated—a combination that is rare even within Japan.

Who is this program for?

Narita City positions this scheme for foreign nationals who intend to start a new business in Narita City and who can prepare a plan suitable for review under the program’s framework.

Target business fields in Narita City

Narita City clearly defines the eligible business fields.
Only businesses that are expected to strengthen the city’s international industrial competitiveness and contribute to the formation of an international economic hub are eligible.

Specifically, the target business fields are those that fall under one or more of the following categories:

1. Distribution-related businesses utilizing the Narita City Public Wholesale Market.

2. Manufacturing or logistics businesses that leverage Narita’s strong transportation infrastructure, including Narita International Airport and the Higashi-Kanto Expressway.

3. Air cargo or air passenger–related businesses that utilize the transportation functions of Narita International Airport.

4. Wholesale or retail businesses that leverage Narita’s attractiveness as a commercial hub city.

5. Tourism, sports, and community development–related businesses that utilize local tourism resources such as Naritasan Shinshoji Temple.

6. Growth-oriented manufacturing and medical-related fields that utilize industrial clusters formed through collaboration with
   International University of Health and Welfare or International University of Health and Welfare Narita Hospital, including:

   • R&D

   • Manufacturing

   • Health

   • Medical care

   • Nursing care

   • Healthcare-related businesses

7. Logistics-related businesses that utilize transportation and logistics infrastructure such as:

   • Narita International Airport as a hub

   • Ken-O Expressway (Metropolitan Inter-City Expressway)

   • Kita-Chiba Road

8. Precision equipment–related businesses that utilize Narita International Airport’s aviation network or its role as an international air cargo hub.

9. Aerospace-related businesses that utilize Narita International Airport’s aviation network or aircraft maintenance hub functions.

10. Health and medical–related businesses that utilize:

    • Narita International Airport, and/or

    • International University of Health and Welfare or its Narita Hospital

11. Agriculture-related businesses that utilize:

    • Narita International Airport

    • Narita City Public Wholesale Market

    • Major transportation infrastructure such as the Ken-O Expressway

12. Tourism-related businesses that utilize:

    • Narita International Airport’s aviation network, or

    • Regional tourism resources

13. IT (information and communications)–related businesses that improve operational efficiency or profitability of any of the fields listed in items 1 through 12.

Because Narita City applies this program only to the above-listed fields, applicants should carefully confirm that their proposed business clearly fits within one or more of these categories before applying.

Step-by-step process

Narita’s Startup Visa follows the standard municipal confirmation → immigration application flow:

1. Prepare and submit the required Narita City application forms and your plan

   • Use Narita City’s official page to obtain the latest templates and guidance.

2. Narita City reviews your submission

   • If approved, Narita issues the documents needed for the immigration step.

3. Apply to Immigration using Narita’s confirmation documents

   • Immigration conducts the residence-status review and makes the final decision.

4. After you obtain permission: required reporting to Narita City

   • Narita City states that if you obtain permission under this program, you must submit a copy of documents showing the permission within one month.

5. Prepare to transition to “Business Manager”

   • The program is for structured startup preparation; you should plan the preparation activities and evidence so that you can move to the appropriate long-term status when ready.

Required documents

Narita City clearly specifies the required documents for its Startup Visa program in the Narita City Guidelines for the Foreign Entrepreneurship Activity Promotion Program, effective from January 7, 2026.

Applicants must submit a Startup Preparation Activity Plan Confirmation Application together with the following documents to the Mayor of Narita City:

For initial application:

• A Startup Preparation Activity Plan and Business Activity Schedule
  (Designated Form No. 1-2)

• The applicant’s resume (CV)
  (Designated Form No. 1-3)

• A written pledge
  (Designated Form No. 1-4)

• Supplementary explanatory materials for the startup preparation activity plan
  (Designated Form No. 1-5)

• A copy of the applicant’s passport

• Documents proving the applicant’s place of residence for one year after entry into Japan or after change of residence status

• Documents proving the applicant’s living expenses for one year after entry into Japan or after change of residence status

• Documents proving that the applicant satisfies either item (i) or (ii) of Article 5-6-(1)-⑤ of the METI Notification

• Any other documents deemed necessary by the Mayor of Narita City

For renewal of the Startup Preparation Activity Plan confirmation:

• An updated Startup Preparation Activity Plan and Activity Schedule
  (Designated Form No. 2-2)

• A copy of the applicant’s passport

• Documents proving the applicant’s place of residence for six months after the renewal

• Documents proving the applicant’s living expenses for six months after the renewal

• Any other documents deemed necessary by the Mayor of Narita City

Applicants are required to use Narita City’s officially designated forms, and submission of documents not prepared in accordance with the official templates will not be accepted.

Key compliance points

• Local confirmation is not an immigration guarantee. Immigration remains the final decision-maker.

• Don’t miss the post-approval reporting duty. Narita requires submission within one month after permission is granted under the program.

• Target fields matter in Narita. Your business should fit Narita’s listed categories.

How our office can help 

Trust Administrative Scrivener Office can support you by:

• Structuring a plan that matches Narita’s target fields and review logic

• Designing evidence that is coherent for both city confirmation and immigration review

• Building a realistic transition strategy toward the appropriate long-term status

References 

• Narita City (official): “Foreign Entrepreneurship Activity Promotion Program (Narita Startup Visa)” (page updated Jan 7, 2026)

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