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

If you want to start a business in Japan but are not yet ready to meet the full Business Manager requirements, Tokyo’s Startup Visa program—officially the Foreign Entrepreneurship Activity Promotion Program—offers a structured path.

Under this program, Tokyo Metropolitan Government reviews your “startup preparation activity plan” before the immigration screening, and (if the plan is confirmed) you can apply to Immigration for Designated Activities (Notification No.44), typically 1 year, with renewals that can make the total preparation period up to 2 years.

What is the “Startup Visa” in Tokyo?

Tokyo’s Startup Visa is a two-step framework:

1. Tokyo review (plan confirmation)
   You submit a startup preparation plan to Tokyo (via Business Concierge Tokyo). Tokyo checks whether the plan meets the requirements under the national framework and Tokyo’s implementation rules.

2. Immigration review (status approval)
   If Tokyo issues a Confirmation Certificate, you apply to Immigration within the certificate validity period. Immigration makes the final decision on your residence status.

Tokyo’s own explanation is clear that confirmation is part of the process, while Immigration remains the decision-maker.

Who can use Tokyo’s Startup Visa?

Tokyo states the program is for foreign nationals who will newly start a business in Tokyo.

It also provides a process both for:

• New entry to Japan (COE route), and

• Changing status inside Japan (change-of-status route).

Target business fields in Tokyo

Tokyo identifies eligible businesses as those the Governor recognizes as appropriate for strengthening Tokyo’s international industrial competitiveness and forming a global economic hub, including:

1. Finance

2. Information/ICT-related business

3. Environment/Energy

4. Health/Medical/Welfare

5. Culture/Arts

6. Food/Agriculture/Forestry/Fisheries

7. Wholesale/Retail

8. Other industries recognized by the Governor

Why Tokyo is a strong choice right now

• Tokyo is globally recognized as a top startup ecosystem. Startup Genome reported Tokyo moved up significantly and ranked in the global top tier (Top 10 in their GSER context).

• Tokyo functions as Japan’s densest international business hub, with a large concentration of global firms, capital, and business infrastructure—an environment repeatedly highlighted in international-facing investment and ecosystem reporting (including JETRO’s ecosystem reporting).

For foreign founders, the practical point is: Tokyo tends to maximize access to partners, customers, talent, and support programs—which matters when you must show measurable, month-by-month preparation progress under a monitored startup visa framework.

Step-by-step process in Tokyo

Route A: New entry (COE) → enter Japan with Startup Visa

Step 1: Apply to Tokyo for plan confirmation
Submit your plan and documents to Business Concierge Tokyo (Akasaka counter, inside JETRO HQ). Tokyo indicates the review commonly takes about 1–2 months.

Step 2: Receive the Confirmation Certificate (if approved)
Tokyo issues the Confirmation Certificate. (Tokyo also notes it may not be issued depending on review results.)

Step 3: Apply for a COE
Apply for a COE at Tokyo Immigration or at the Tokyo One-Stop Business Establishment Center (TOSBEC) immigration booth (new entry route).

Step 4: COE issued (if approved) → obtain visa at Japanese embassy/consulate → enter Japan

Step 5: Landing permission as Designated Activities (1 year)
Tokyo describes the Startup Visa residence status as Designated Activities (Notification No.44), typically 1 year.

Step 6–7: Change to Business Manager
During the preparation period, you complete your setup and then apply to change to Business Manager at Tokyo Immigration.

Route B: Change status inside Japan → Startup Visa (Designated Activities)

Tokyo also publishes a step-by-step flow for changing from another status to Designated Activities (Startup preparation) after Tokyo plan confirmation.

What you do during the 1-year preparation period

Tokyo lists typical preparation activities such as: securing premises, company registration, hiring, and developing business relationships.

Monthly progress interviews (compliance feature)

Tokyo’s implementation rules state that progress interviews occur at least once per month (in-person or online), and at least one interview during the period must be in-person.

Tokyo also notes it may request documents showing progress (examples include contracts for office leasing, employment, client contracts, and bankbook/balance-related materials).

Renewal and maximum period (up to 2 years)

• The initial Designated Activities period is 1 year.

• Renewals are 6 months, and the total (including renewals) can be up to 2 years under Tokyo’s program rules.

Tokyo also explains that if you apply for an update/renewal confirmation, Tokyo reviews whether your plan has a reasonable outlook to meet Business Manager requirements within the post-renewal window.

Required documents (Tokyo plan-confirmation stage)

Tokyo publishes the required categories clearly. For the initial confirmation application, Tokyo’s implementation rules list items including:

• Startup preparation plan application forms (Tokyo’s specified forms)

• Resume/CV

• Passport copy

• Proof of residence for 1 year after landing / after status change

• Proof of living funds for 1 year

• Supporting documents for qualification route (experience/degree route under the national framework, if applicable)

• Other necessary documents (examples may include Japanese language certification, etc.)

Tokyo also lists the submission channel (Business Concierge Tokyo, Akasaka) and provides the contact email.

Submission: who can file?

Tokyo’s rules specify who may submit electronically, including:

• the applicant,

• certain recognized public-interest organization staff, and

• lawyers/gyoseishoshi who have filed the required notifications (with additional conditions if the applicant is outside Japan).

Key compliance points 

• Tokyo confirmation ≠ Immigration approval. Immigration remains the final decision-maker.

• This is a monitored preparation route. You should expect monthly progress checks and to show evidence of actual preparation activity.

• If preparation becomes impossible, return travel funds matter. Tokyo’s rules state you should secure return travel costs separately, and you may need to return if continuation becomes difficult or if Business Manager change is not approved.

How our office can help

Even with official support windows, outcomes depend on whether your plan is verifiable, feasible, and consistent across:
(1) Tokyo plan confirmation and (2) Immigration review.

Trust Administrative Scrivener Office can support you with:

• Structuring the startup plan for review (business model, operations, milestones, risk controls)

• Evidence design (what to document, how to show feasibility, avoiding gaps that trigger follow-ups)

• Immigration application strategy (Designated Activities → Business Manager transition planning)

• Compliance planning (how to prepare for monthly progress checks and later status change)

References (official and supporting sources)

• Tokyo Metropolitan Government / Invest Tokyo (official): Startup Visa (Foreign Entrepreneurship Activity Promotion Program), Business Concierge Tokyo

• Startup Genome (GSER commentary on Tokyo ecosystem ranking movement)

• JETRO (ecosystem reporting and context for Japan’s startup ecosystems)

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