Osaka Immigration and Business Manager Visas — Near-Zero Approval Rate Under the Old Standard and the Boilerplate Denial Problem

Based on cases handled by our office and information shared among authorized administrative scriveners, it has become clear that the Osaka Regional Immigration Services Bureau (Osaka Immigration) is applying extremely strict screening to new Business Manager visa applications, with virtually all applications filed under the old standard (¥5 million paid-in capital) being denied. This article explains the current realities of Business Manager visa screening at Osaka Immigration and what applicants need to know.

Why Osaka Ended Up with the Highest Number of Business Manager Visa Applications in Japan

October 15, 2025 marked an effective turning point: the date from which immigration authorities began applying a new, stricter set of screening standards and operational policies to Business Manager visa applications. In anticipation of this deadline, a wave of applicants rushed to file under the old standard, and this rush spread rapidly among administrative scriveners and immigration attorneys nationwide.

What emerged from this rush was a remarkable fact: the number of new Business Manager visa applications filed at Osaka Immigration surpassed even Tokyo — making Osaka the top filing location in all of Japan. Despite having a significantly smaller foreign population and fewer companies than Tokyo, why did Osaka receive more applications? The likely reasons include the surge of inbound business interest in the Osaka-Kansai region, and a mistaken belief in some quarters that "Osaka may be easier to get approved."

Applications Under the Old Standard (¥5M Capital) — Near-Zero Approval Rate at Osaka

This represents a complete break from the era when meeting the "¥5 million or more paid-in capital" threshold was sufficient for approval. Applicants who meet the same requirement as before are now being denied, causing significant confusion and financial harm.

Boilerplate Denial Reasons — "Stable and Continuous Business Operations Cannot Be Expected"

Adding to the severity of this situation is the use of a single standardized denial reason across virtually all denied applications. Nearly every denial notice issued by Osaka Immigration contains the following language:

This language is applied uniformly regardless of the applicant's business type, industry, scale, or professional background — whether the proposed business is in food service, trade, or IT. Every denial reads the same.

Denial reasons are, by nature, supposed to be specific to each individual case. If the conclusion is that stable and continuous operations "cannot be expected," then the notice should explain why, in this specific case and for this specific business, that conclusion applies. In practice, however, the same language is used across cases regardless of the business plan's content, financial projections, the applicant's background, or the documented source of capital — making it very difficult to conclude that genuine individualized review is being conducted.

Practical Impact on Applicants

This situation is having serious real-world consequences for applicants:

• The cost of company formation and capital preparation is lost
  Applicants who incurred company registration fees, office lease expenses, and the cost of assembling ¥5 million in paid-in capital (in some cases through loans) receive denials, resulting in real financial losses.
• Business launch in Japan is delayed or abandoned
  After a denial, applicants must consider re-filing — but re-applications face the same screening environment, and a viable path to approval is not easy to identify.
• Vague denial reasons make it impossible to plan a corrective re-application
  When the only reason given is "stable and continuous business operations cannot be expected," applicants and their representatives have no clear guidance on what needs to change. Planning a re-application becomes extremely difficult.
• Rising use of administrative disclosure requests and objections
  The opacity of the denial reasons has led to increasing numbers of applicants and their representatives filing information disclosure requests (disclosure of administrative documents) and demanding clarity on the evaluation criteria being applied.

Our Current Practice Approach for Osaka Immigration Applications

In light of this environment, our office has adopted the following approach for new Business Manager visa applications at Osaka Immigration:

• Even under the new standard, we do not recommend applications relying solely on the ¥30 million capital requirement
  We explain frankly to prospective clients that the current approval rate for applications filed solely on the new standard is critically low, and we work with them to carefully evaluate whether to proceed.
• We build a thorough evidentiary record of business substance and revenue probability
  Demonstrating "stable and continuous operations" with specific numbers and evidence is essential. This means preparing contracts, purchase orders, and quotations with named clients — documents that show the business actually exists and generates revenue.
• We evaluate the choice of filing location
  Given that Osaka Immigration's screening is currently particularly severe, we consider — within the bounds permitted by law — where the company's registered office or place of business should be located, and which immigration bureau would have jurisdiction.
• We support re-application strategy after denial
  For clients who have already received a denial, we assist with analyzing the denial, using administrative disclosure requests to learn more, and fundamentally restructuring the application package for re-filing.

Considering a Business Manager Visa? Consult Us First.

Business Manager visa screening at Osaka Immigration is currently in a uniquely difficult phase. The assumption that "having ¥30 million in capital is enough" no longer holds. Thoroughly documenting your business's substance, revenue basis, and long-term viability from multiple angles is now essential. Sakura Central Legal Office provides application strategy, document preparation, and submission services grounded in the current realities of Osaka Immigration's screening trends. We also support re-applications after denial. Free initial consultation. Please feel free to contact us.