I am planning to go to Japan next year and spend 2 years learning the language on a student visa and then if things go well I would like to switch to a work visa. I would like to work for myself and start a small business. I have a business idea, a plan, and enough money to start. I just want to know how hard it is to start a business as a foreigner in Japan? What obstacles am I likely to face, and what do I need to know? It would be a small shop selling various things.
https://www.reddit.com/r/japan/comments/10khn7e/how_hard_is_it_to_start_a_small_business_as_a/
2 comments
Your first challenge is making that switch onto a business visa.
The requirements for this aren’t insignificant:
The Business must fulfill certain requirements:
– Company paid up capital must be at least JPY5,000,000.
– Company must have an office space in Japan.
– Business plan must be approved by the relevant authorities.
– Applicant must have enough salary/income to live independently in Japan.
– Hire at least one full time employee who is either a Japanese national, a Permanent Resident, a Spouse or Child of a Japanese National, a Spouse or Child of a Permanent Resident, or a foreign national with a Long-Term visa.
Might be best to do studying first in Japan and towards end of that re-evaluate the possibilities because by then you will know most of the difficulties of living and doing business in the country