Investing in Japan
How to Set Up Business in Japan
Laws & Regulations on Setting Up Business in Japan
Section 2. Visas and Status of Residence
2.4 Types of working statuses
2.4.1 Principal working statuses related to investment in Japan
Below are shown the principal statuses of residence related to investment in Japan and the activities authorized in Japan for each status (excerpted from the website of the Japanese Ministry of Justice
).
| Investor/Business Manager | (1) A person who invests in, commences and operates a business in Japan, (2) a person who operates a business in Japan on behalf of the foreign nationals or foreign corporations that invested in and commenced that business (the chief executive officer or representative director responsible for that business), or (3) a person engaged in the management of a business in Japan on behalf of the foreign nationals or foreign corporations that invested in and commenced that business (e.g. a director or department manager employed in the management of that business under the chief executive officer or representative director). |
| Legal/Accounting Services | Activities to engage in the legal or accounting business. An applicant must be a foreign attorney, a foreign certified public accountant or those with some other legal qualifications. |
| Engineer | Activities to engage in services that require technology and/or knowledge pertinent to physical science, engineering, or other natural science fields, on the basis of a contract with a public or private organization in Japan. |
| Specialist in Humanities/International Services | Activities to engage in services that require knowledge pertinent to jurisprudence, economics, sociology or other human science fields, or to engage in services that require specific ways of thought or sensitivity based on experience with foreign culture, on the basis of a contract with a public or private organization in Japan. |
| Intra-company Transferee | Activities on the part of personnel who are transferred to business offices in Japan for a limited period of time from business offices that are established in foreign countries by public or private organizations which have head offices, branch offices or other business offices in Japan and who engage at the business offices in the activities described under "Engineer" or "Specialist in Humanities/International Services." |
| Skilled Labor | Activities to engage in services that require industrial techniques or skills belonging to special fields, on the basis of a contract with a public or private organization in Japan. |
2.4.2 Documentation needed when applying for a Certificate of Eligibility
The following documentation is generally needed when applying for a Certificate of Eligibility for all working statuses:
- Application for Certificate of Eligibility
- One full-face photograph (4 cm in height x 3 cm in width)
- Return-mail envelope (with 430 yen postage affixed)
- Document certifying academic qualifications (may not be necessary in some cases)
- Curriculum vitae (may not be necessary in some cases)
- Certified copy of the company register of a Japanese company
- Company brochure of a Japanese company
- Financial statements or business plan of a Japanese company
In addition to the above, submission of a copy of an employment agreement, certificate of employment, foreign company's business brochure, business license, and similar documents will be required depending on the type of status of residence.
2.4.3 Documentation needed when applying for a working visa
The following documentation is generally needed when applying for a working visa at a Japanese diplomatic mission abroad after a Certificate of Eligibility has been issued:
- Application for visa
- Passport
- Certificate of Eligibility
- Full-face photograph (1-2 photos, 4.5 cm in height x 4.5 cm in width)
2.4.4 Relation between type of operation in Japan and status of residence
A foreign company can establish a business presence in Japan in one of four ways, as described in 1.1 "Types of operation in Japan". Typically, however, companies do so by establishing a representative office, branch, or subsidiary company. The relationship between each of these types of operation and the status of residence of their representatives is determined by the conditions and criteria for each status, but the following is generally likely to be applicable:
Representative of representative office/branch: "Intra-company Transferee"
Representative of subsidiary company: "Investor/Business Manager"
The status of residence of foreigners (except persons falling under the category of "Investor/Business Manager") employed by a representative office, branch or subsidiary company will be "Intra-company Transferee" or other statuses matching each employee's academic/work record and the nature of his/her work in Japan ("Specialist in Humanities/International Services," "Engineer," etc.).
