Foreign business owners are scrambling to raise capital to stay in Japan

2 days ago

Japan increased the capital requirement for the business manager visa from ¥5 million to ¥30 million, causing panic among foreign small business owners.
New visa rules also require full-time Japanese staff, Japanese language proficiency, and managerial experience or a master's degree.
Only 4% of current visa holders meet the new capital threshold; applications dropped 96% after the changes.
Indian-style curry restaurants, a successful immigrant-run sector, are particularly affected and may struggle to raise funds.
An online petition against the changes gathered over 67,000 signatures, highlighting public concern.
The government cites fraudulent shell companies as a reason, but long-term legitimate businesses face collateral damage.
Politician Sakura Uchikoshi criticizes the policy as xenophobic and politically motivated, harming valuable contributors.
Japan's crackdown is part of a 'zero illegal foreigners' goal, despite promoting foreign workers for labor shortages.
The policy is seen as a political strategy to gain votes, influenced by the rise of the xenophobic Sanseito party.
Critics argue this scapegoats foreigners, distracts from governance failures, and will hurt Japan's economy long-term.

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