If I join a company as a manager later on, do I also have to contribute capital?

This article is a translation of the Japanese original. Where the two differ, the Japanese version prevails. Read the Japanese original（日本語版を読む）

What is this enquiry about?

An enquiry about whether you also have to contribute capital when you join, at a later stage, a company that Japanese friends set up first.

Is contributing capital an essential requirement?

Your own contribution is not essential. It is, however, a precondition that the capital of the company is at least 30 million yen (3,000万円).

For 在留資格「経営・管理」, 2 broad patterns can be considered.

1. Pattern A (owner-manager)
   You contribute at least 30 million yen (3,000万円) yourself and run the business.
2. Pattern B (administrator or officer)
   You do not contribute (or contribute only a small amount) and engage in the management or administration of the business.

In this enquiry, if the Japanese partners have already set the company up by putting in capital of at least 30 million yen (3,000万円), then the application itself is possible even if you do not put in any further money afterwards.

On the other hand, the scale planned here, namely capital of less than 30 million yen (3,000万円), does not meet the requirements for 経営・管理. You first need to review how the capital is structured, so that the total contributed by the 3 partners comes to at least 30 million yen (3,000万円).

If I do not contribute capital, what is examined?

3 points are examined in detail: your practical experience of business management, whether your remuneration is at a reasonable level, and how clearly your role is defined.

If you apply for 「経営・管理」 without contributing capital, the question of whether you are genuinely needed as a member of the management is examined in detail.

• Practical experience of business management　As a rule, you need at least 3 years of experience in the management or administration of a business (including any period spent majoring in management or a related subject at graduate school), or a certain doctoral, master's or professional degree.
• Whether the remuneration is at a reasonable level　Because your position is close to that of a salaried manager who has not contributed capital, it is essential that you receive remuneration no less than that which a Japanese national would receive for comparable work. It depends on the scale of the business, but the usual guide is from 300,000 yen (30万円) to 1 million yen (100万円) a month.
• Clarifying your role　The division of roles between the other 3 Japanese partners and you has to be made clear. You must explain in the business plan how the decision-making work you handle contributes to the continuity of the company's business, and in practice this is a fairly high hurdle.

Where there are several managers, there is also a risk of being suspected of having too many managers. Preparing a written explanation setting out how the business will expand overseas, or gain in expertise, through your joining it is the key to permission.

What should I prepare before applying?

Registration as an officer, preparation of the business plan and proof of the capital: get these 3 things in place before you apply.

1. Registration as an officer
   You can be registered as an officer (a director, for example) even while you are outside Japan. The registration needs to be completed before you apply.
2. Preparing the business plan
   Set out in writing, in a form that will satisfy the examiner, what roles the 3 Japanese partners have and what expertise you bring to the management of the company.
3. Proof of the capital
   Make sure you can prove, with copies of bank passbooks and the papers from the time of incorporation, that the total contributed by the 3 partners is at least 30 million yen (3,000万円).

The enquiry on which this article is based dates from 2026. Please check the website of the Immigration Services Agency of Japan and other sources for the latest information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Articles

• Can I obtain the 在留資格「経営・管理」 (Business Manager) in an industry I have no experience in?
• If I run 2 companies, does each need capital of 30 million yen (3,000万円)?
• My 3rd application for the 「経営・管理」 (Business Manager) visa is dragging on. What can I do?
• What are the requirements for the 経営・管理 visa? Capital amended to 30 million yen (3,000万円)

This article provides general information. Immigration rules change, and outcomes depend on individual circumstances. Please check the Immigration Services Agency website or consult a qualified specialist.
This page is a translation of the Japanese original. Where the two differ, the Japanese version prevails.