Below are the major changes in BM visa requirements.
as of 11 October 2025
30 million JPY
2. Academic background or Experience
Experience of 3 years or longer in business management
or
Master's degree or higher degree in business management or in the business area
at least 1 full-time employee
+ Japanese, or
+ Permanent Resident visa holder, or
+ Spouse/Child of a Japanese visa holder, or
+ Spouse/Child of a Permanent Resident visa holder, or
+ Long-term visa holder
* note that "full-time employee" here does NOT include working visa holders such as Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International
Services
4. Japanese language proficiency
Your or your full-time employee have JLPT N2 or higher, or equivalent
+ JLPT N2, or
+ 400 points or higher in BJT Business Japanese Language test, or
+ have stayed for 20 years or longer in Japan with valid visa, or
+ have graduated from a higher education institution in Japan, or
+ have graduated from Junior high school and High school in Japan
* note that "full-time employee" here includes working visa holders such as Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services
5. Business Plan
Confirmation of the business plan submitted for Certificate of Eligibility application or for visa change application confirmed by a professional in business management is required.
The immigration uses this letter to evaluate whether the plan is concrete, reasonable, and feasible.
You need to actually engage in business/company management.
Hiring someone or outsourcing business activities and having them to manage business/company is not accepted.
Some might have got BM visa with their head offices at home, but basically no more.
If you don't meet all the new requirements for BM visa, you cannot apply for PR.
If you currently have HSP (i)(c) visa, you cannot change it into HSP (ii) (c) if you don't meet all the new requirements for BM visa
Your visa extension will be denied if you have stayed outside Japan for long time without justifiable reasons.
The immigration will confirm your situations below with official documents.
Your application is likely to be denied if you fail to fulfill obligations without justifiable reasons.
(1) Labor insurance, Roudou hoken (employment insurance and labor accident insurance)
(2) Social insurance, Shakai hoken (employee pension and employee health insurance)
(3) Various taxes (national and local)
Special treatment for BM visa holders
Even if BM visa holders do not meet new requirements when they apply for visa extension before 16 Oct 2028, the immigration will make its decision considering your business situations and
potential for compliance with the revised standards.
Special treatment for BM visa applications under review
The immigration makes its decision based on the ules before revision.
