Normally, in order for a foreigner wishing to start a business to be granted “Business Manager” status, when applying to the Immigration Bureau, in addition to opening an office, the applicant must employ at least two full-time employees or have a total capitalization or investment of at least 5 million yen.
The local government, which has received approval for this system from the national government, will receive an application from a foreigner who wishes to start a business, examine the contents, and issue a certificate of confirmation pertaining to the startup plan. The foreign entrepreneur will then be able to stay in Japan for the purpose of preparing to start a business by taking the certificate to the Immigration Bureau for examination.
In Kyoto, a system operated by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (Kyoto Prefectural Government Project to Promote Startup Businesses by Foreign Nationals) and a system operated by the Cabinet Office (Program to Promote Startup Businesses by Foreign Nationals in the Kyoto Prefecture National Strategic Special Zone) are being implemented in parallel. If you are thinking of applying, please read the following information carefully and first apply for “pre-consultation” as described in “3.Application procedure”.
1.Who is eligible for the Project?
Foreign nationals wishing to start a business in Kyoto Prefecture
*In principle, those who are currently residing overseas. Foreign nationals who are staying in Japan with residence status of “Student” or “Designated Activities（Notification No. 44）”.
2.Eligible industires
A project that falls under one of the following fields for the purpose of strengthening the international competitiveness of Kyoto prefecture’s industries, expanding employment, circulating to the local economy, and developing as an international economic hub.
- (1) Manufacturing fields such as traditional industries and advanced industries
- (2) AI・IoT・Information and communication field
- (3) Environment ・Energy field
- (4) Life sciences ・wellness
- (5) Social business field
- (6) Culture ・Art ・Contents
- (7) Fields related to agriculture, forestry and fisheries, food culture of Kyoto
- (8) Tourism field (excluding tourist souvenir sales facilities and restaurants mainly used by tourists)
- (9) Other fields recognized by the Governor of Kyoto Prefecture
3.Application procedure
For those who apply for confirmation of business startup activities to Kyoto Prefecture, please follow the procedure below:
- (1)Pre-consultation
- (2)Support for creating Plan for Business Startup Activities
- (3)Application for confirmation of business startup activities
-
（Form 1 of 1）Application for Confirmation of Business Startup Activities
（Form 1 of 2）Plan for Business Startup Activities
（Form 1 of 3）Resume
（Form 1 of 4)）Letter of Commitment
- Documents that prove your address for the six months after landing in Japan, or changing your status of residence (e.g., copy of house rental agreement)
- Documents that prove you are in possession of accommodation fees for the six months after landing in Japan or changing the status of residence, and expenses for returning to your home country. (e.g., a copy of the applicant’s bankbook, etc.)
- Documents certifying any of the following (e.g., certificate of student status, certificate of employment, etc.)
- A photocopy of your passport (pages containing applicant’s photo and passport number). If you are already residing in Japan, add a copy of both sides of your residence card in addition to the copy of your passport as described above.
- Other documents deemed necessary by the Governor（Documents that clarify the funds of the business to be carried out in the Plan for Business Startup Activities (copy of the applicant’s passbook, etc.)）
- (4)Issuance of “Certificate of Confirmation of Business Startup Activities”
-
Application for accreditation of status of residence “Business Manager” to the Regional Immigration Bureau
- Those who have received a ” Certificate of Confirmation of Business Startup Activities ” will apply for the issuance of a certificate of status of residence at your regional Immigration Bureau of Japan. It must be done within 3 months of its expiry date.
- If you live overseas, please apply for certification through the Osaka Immigration Bureau or the Kyoto branch office.
- For details on any of these procedures, please directly contact the Regional Immigration Bureau, which handles the application procedure.
-
Labor Examination Department of the Osaka Immigration Bureau
Tel: 06-4703-2101
Kyoto branch office of the Osaka Immigration Bureau Tel: 075-752-5997
http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/soshiki/kikou/osaka.html
Please be sure to apply for Pre-consultation before applying. The Pre-consultation will provide an overview of how to prepare for a business.
First of all, please email KYO-startup@jetro.go.jp, the consultation and support desk (stated in No.9).
Please write your name, address, nationality, current occupation, and outline of the new business you plan to start in Kyoto Prefecture (up to about 200 words) in the main body. The title of the email should be “Pre-consultation”
If you also submit the business plan presentation or the draft that you filled out in the “Plan for Business Startup Activities ” (Form 1-2), you will be able to carry out the consultation smoothly. Please submit as much information as possible.
Depending on the progress of the business plan, it will take some time from the Pre-consultation to the issuance of a “Certificate of Confirmation of Business Startup Activities”. Please apply for the Pre-consultation with a sufficient period of time.
After the Pre-consultation, having been approved as an applicable project, and confirming its potential to launch the business within the six months, a concierge from the consultation and support desk (stated in No.9) will contact you to assist in generating an activity plan.
*Concierge service: Providing for foreign nationals who start a new business and assist in creating Plan for Business Startup Activities
Be sure to receive (1) Pre-consultation, (2) Support for creating Plan for Business Startup Activities before applying.
Please submit all the following documents to the the “consultation and support desk” in both Japanese and English. Submission must be booked prior to your visit and application documents are to be brought by the applicant himself/herself, or by a designated agent (*1).
イ Graduated from a university or received education equivalent to or higher than the university level. ロ Have at least three years of work experience related to the target field in which they aim to establish a business. ハ Have been engaged in the management or administration of a business related to the field in a foreign country for one year or more.
*1 a designated agent
●If an applicant is located in a foreign country, the person entrusted with the establishment of that office in Japan (in cases of a corporation, it is a staff member)
●An attorney or administrative scrivener who has notified the director of the regional immigration services bureau exercising jurisdiction over the area where the bar association or the administrative scrivener association to which the attorney or the administrative scrivener belongs is located.
●In either case, please also submit documentation that proves the relationship with the applicant, and that verifies this person is in such a position.
This is a certificate to be issued to those who have been confirmed through the Plan for Business Startup Activities. We will judge and review after hearing specialists’ opinions whether the business plan for entrepreneurship that the applicant applied with is appropriate in order to strengthen the international competitiveness of industries in Kyoto Prefecture and to form a base for international economic activities as well as whether or not the business plan is reliable.
As soon as the confirmation is made we will contact you, after that, please come to the consultation and support desk (stated in No.9) to collect the documents by yourself or a designated agent (same as 3. (3)). It cannot be posted by mail. Issuance is free of charge.
Successful applicants who receive a “Certificate of Confirmation of Business Startup Activities” will proceed to apply for the “Business Manager” status of residence at the Regional Immigration Bureau.
If an application is incomplete, or if it does not meet the requirements either entirely or partially, we will notify you by mail that the “Certificate of Confirmation of Business Startup Activities” was unable to be issued by issuing the “Notification of the Results of Business Startup Activities Confirmation” (Form 4)
4.Development of startup activities
Successful applicants who obtain a status of residence of “Business Manager” should submit the “Report of Landing” (Form 8-1) to the Kyoto Prefectural Government within 7 days after landing in Japan. If applicants are already residing in Japan, applicants should submit the “Report for Renewal of Status of Residence” (Form 8-2) to the Kyoto Prefectural Government within 7 days after the procedure for changing status of residence. Applicants should also carry out business startup activities during their period of stay. During the activity period, we will interview you at least once every 2 months to check the progress of the Plan for Business Startup Activities. At that time, you may be required to submit documents (*) that clarify the implementation status of the Plan for Business Startup Activities.
If you have any problems while proceeding with the startup activities, please contact the consultation and support desk (stated in No.9).
(*) Example of documents: Office rent and employment contracts, contracts with business partners, applicant’s passbook (cost of stay, business funding, and traveling expenses to return to your home country) etc.
-
（Form 8-1）
Report of Landing
（Form 8-2）
Report for Renewal of Status of Residence
5.Renewal of your period of stay
In order to continue to reside in Japan and manage a business after the six-month period of stay under this system, it is necessary to apply for renewal of the regular status of residence “Business Manager” at the regional immigration office with jurisdiction over the place of residence within your currently authorized period of stay.
- Relaxation of the Renewal Requirements of the status of residence “Business Manager”
- The period of use must be from the first renewal to the next renewal deadline (maximum 1 year)
- Use must be limited to coworking spaces and shared offices certified by Kyoto Prefecture, which are posted in the ” List of coworking space and shared office approved by Kyoto Prefecture ” below.
- During the period of use of coworking spaces or shared offices under this system, the applicant must undergo an interview conducted by Kyoto Prefecture or a specialist requested by Kyoto Prefecture at least once every two months, and report the status of their business activities, etc.
- While using a coworking space or shared office under the special exception, secure a private office that meets the requirements for the next renewal of the regular “Business Manager” status of residence.
- In the event that you are unable to renew your “Business Manager” status of residence, you must return to your home country. Due to this fact, you should secure your return travel expenses separately from the business funds and accommodation expenses.
However, when you apply for the renewal of your “Business Manager” status after 6 months of business startup activities under this system, you can also apply for a coworking space or shared office to be used as your office approved by Kyoto Prefecture, with a special relaxation of the office requirements. However to do so, all of the following conditions must be met:
*At that time, the applicant may be requested to submit documents that clarify the status of the project. Example of documents: Office rent and employment contracts, contracts with business partners, applicant’s passbook (cost of stay, business funding, and traveling expenses to return to your home country) etc.
If you wish to apply for a renewal of your “Business Manager” status of residence based on this relaxed requirement, you will need to submit the confirmation notice issued by Kyoto Prefecture, in addition to the documents required for the regular “Business Manager” status of residence application. In addition to the document “confirmation notice” issued by Kyoto Prefecture to the Regional Immigration Bureau directly.
- Procedures
- (1) Issuance request form for the “confirmation notice for securing offices for startup businesses by foreign nationals in the National Strategic Special Zone” (Procedures Form２)
- (2) A copy of the lease contract, etc. that clearly states the period of use. If the period of use is not clearly indicated, “confirmation notice for securing offices for startup businesses by foreign nationals in the National Strategic Special Zone”(Agreement Form１)
- (3) A copy of the certificate of registered matters of the corporation established by the applicant
In order to issue this confirmation notice, please submit the following documents to the consultation and support desk (stated in No.9).
The applicants must submit the following documents to the consultation and support desk (stated in No.9) at least two weeks prior to the date of application for extension of ” Business Manager ” status to the Regional Immigration Bureau.
If there are no deficiencies in the submitted documents, Kyoto Prefecture will notify the regional immigration bureau approximately two weeks later.
*Please contact the consultation and support desk (stated in No.9) to obtain the forms (1) and (2). *If there is anything lacking in the contents, the “confirmation notice” will not be issued by Kyoto Prefecture to the Regional Immigration Bureau.
- List of coworking space and shared office approved by Kyoto Prefecture
6.Change of application content
Please immediately submit the following documents to the consultation and support desk (stated in No.9), if there is any change (when the applicant’s residence, contact information, etc.) in the content of the application after applying for the confirmation of business startup activities. The same applies to renewal applications.
-
（Form 2）
Notification of change
- Documents that can confirm the changed matters (e.g. copy of lease agreement)
7.Important remarks
If your application for obtaining or renewing of ” Business Manager ” status or “Business Manager” status is withdrawn, or if your ” Certificate of Confirmation of Business Startup Activities ” is cancelled based on the following reasons stated in No. 8, you must return to your home country. Please save the travel expenses (equivalent to a one-way ticket to your home country) separately from the business funds in case you need to return to your home country. Such costs may be checked through your passbook, etc. at the time of the monthly interview.
Please get in touch with the consultation and support desk (stated in No.9), for your destination and returning date at least one week before your departure.
*Liabilities that occur during the preparation or while staying in Japan, and profits and losses incurred when running applicant’s startup preparation activities are all attributed to the applicant. The applicant shall be liable to a third party for the damages arising as a result thereof.
8.Disqualification in the event of false statements
For anyone who has already received a Certificate of Confirmation of Business Startup Activities, and from the day of the issuance of the certificate to the expiration date, we may cancel the issuance of the Certificate of Confirmation of Business Startup Activities if any of the following occurs
- When it is found that an applicant has received a confirmation of the startup preparation activity with false statements or other fraudulent acts, or the submission of documents with misrepresentation.
- If the applicant is involved in any criminal activities, or is found to be a member of a crime organization, etc.
- If an applicant fails to respond to any reasonable explanations or required documents by the Kyoto Prefectural Government or authorities from the Government.
In a case of disqualification, the Notification of Cancellation of Confirmation of Business Startup Activities (Form 6) will be sent by mail.
9.The consultation and support desk
| Submitted to: | Kyoto International Startup Center |
|---|---|
| Address: | KYOTO KEIZAI CENTER 3rd floor（JETRO Kyoto), 78 Shijyo-dori Muromachi-higashiiru, kankobokocho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto 600-8565, Japan |
| Tel: | 075-341-1021（Weekdays 9 am－5 pm） |
| KYO-startup@jetro.go.jp | |
| https://www.facebook.com/startupcapitalkyoto/ | |
| https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-capital-kyoto/ |
10.Startup Visa Kyoto Q&A
11.Other links
- The National Strategic Special Zones https://www.chisou.go.jp/tiiki/kokusentoc/english/index.html
