Transition Paths Into the Startup Visa: From Student Status and via the 4-Month BM Visa

The "student to business" path usually runs through the startup visa (six months to a year) rather than jumping directly to a BM visa; a direct jump reportedly takes "over half a year." One successful case from discussion: rejected for a startup visa in Shibuya (high competition) but approved in Sapporo (fewer applicants there) — the application was made in person while on a tourist visa. The "4-month business manager visa" has been mentioned, both before and after the BM reform, as a separate and simpler short-term way to obtain status for business preparation: it does not require an already-open office, only a business plan, and can be obtained even while on a tourist visa (one case via Acroseed). It gives time to enter the country and start incorporating/searching for an office faster than a student visa would (banks typically only open accounts for students after roughly six months of residence). Applying from abroad is technically harder — it requires a guarantor (employer or educational institution) and a solid justification. In practice this visa can be obtained and entry achieved faster than via a student visa, and banks will open accounts immediately for holders of the 4-month BM visa. See: Startup Visa Programs (City and Prefecture): How They Work; Startup Visa Eligibility, Capital, and Business Plan Requirements. Sources: https://mailmate.jp/blog/4-month-business-manager-visa-japan — article describing the 4-month business manager visa as a short-term path to business preparation.