Doing Business in Japan
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Knowledge base on doing business in Japan. Topics: visas and immigration (including the Business Manager visa 経営・管理 and the October 2025 reform), company registration (株式会社/合同会社/個人事業主), taxes, legal issues and cases, documents and procedures (banking, offices, accounting, hiring), useful links and contacts, and other business-relevant topics (culture and mentality, networking, marketing, real estate, lending, insurance).
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Transition Period for the BM Visa Reform (Grace Period Until 16 October 2028)
BM visa holders issued before the reform can renew based on old-style actual business performance until 16 October 2028.
Holders of already-issued BM visas (and of startup visas that were processed under the old rules by the time the municipal certificate was obtained) are covered by a three-year grace period running until 16 October 2028. During this window, renewal is possible based on "the actual state of the business and progress toward the new criteria," even without full compliance with the new requirements; immigration may request an opinion from a certified professional (CPA/税理士/中小企業診断士). After 16 October 2028, full compliance with the new criteria is required, or the application will be refused. For new applications (not renewals), the new requirements have applied immediately and without exception since 16 October 2025. See: Transition Period in Practice: Startup-to-BM Conversion, PR Ban, and Post-Reform Statistics. Sources: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/resources/10_00237.html — official MOJ page on transitional rules for the BM visa and startup visas under the reform.