Japan Visa Basics for New Property Owners
AkiyaHub TeamLiving in Japan After Buying Property: Visa Basics You Need to Know
🆕 Important Update (August 2025)
In late August 2025, the Japanese government announced stricter requirements for the Business Manager Visa.
These changes are expected to take effect in October 2025.
Key updates include:
💰 Capital requirement: raised from ¥5 million to ¥30 million (about US$200,000)
👥 Full-time staff: at least one Japanese employee must be hired
🎓 Experience/education: applicants must have 3+ years of management experience or a master’s degree (or higher) in a related field
📑 Business plan review: generally required from a certified professional (CPA or SME consultant)
👉 If you’re considering using property as part of a business plan (like a guesthouse, café, or rental management company), these new requirements set a much higher bar than before. For many entrepreneurs, the Startup Visa may now be the more realistic first step.
Why Visas Matter for Property Owners
So, you’ve bought a home in Japan, or you’re seriously thinking about it. Maybe it’s a seaside retreat, a ski chalet, or a traditional house in the countryside. The big question now is: Can I actually live here full-time?
Here’s the reality:
Owning property in Japan does not automatically give you the right to stay long-term.
Residency in Japan is based on your visa status, not on whether you own a home. The visa you’ll need depends entirely on what you plan to do here: live year-round, visit seasonally, or run a business.
✨ Common Scenarios for Property Buyers
Most foreign buyers fall into one of these categories:
🏠 Living Full-Time: relocating for work, retiring here, or settling down for the long haul.
🌸 Vacation / Seasonal Visits: spending part of the year in Japan, enjoying holidays or specific seasons.
💼 Rental Income: operating the property as a guesthouse, long-term rental, or short-term stay.
Each situation comes with different visa considerations and opportunities.
🛂 Visa Options for Property Owners in Japan (At a Glance)
Here are the main visas most relevant to property owners, with their Japanese names so you can find official information more easily:
🌴 Short-Term Stay (短期滞在 · tanki taizai)
Perfect for visits up to 90 days, whether for sightseeing, family time, or seasonal getaways.
Great if you plan to enjoy your home here only part of the year.
Just keep in mind: no working allowed, and you’ll need to leave Japan once your 90 days are up before coming back.
🏯 Long-Term Stay Without Work (文化活動 · bunka katsudō / 特定活動 · tokutei katsudō)
For those spending an extended period in Japan engaging in approved activities such as cultural pursuits, language study, or research.
This includes retirees who plan to focus on meaningful cultural or educational activities during their stay.
You’ll need to show you can support yourself financially, as paid work is not permitted under these visas.
💍 Spouse or Dependent Visa (日本人の配偶者等 · nihonjin no haiguusha-tō / 家族滞在 · kazoku taizai)
For spouses, children, or certain family members of Japanese citizens, permanent residents, or other eligible residents.
These visas let you live in Japan with fewer restrictions and often allow you to work freely.
If your family ties meet the criteria, this type of visa offers one of the smoothest paths to long-term living and working in Japan.
💼 Work Visa (就労ビザ · shūrō biza)
For those relocating to Japan with a job offer in hand.
Ideal if you plan to live in your property while working in Japan.
Your job must fit one of Japan’s official work visa categories, like teaching, engineering, or skilled professions.
🏢 Business Manager Visa (経営・管理 ・keiei kanri)
For entrepreneurs running or managing an active business in Japan.
As of October 2025, requirements have become significantly stricter:
Minimum ¥30 million in capital
At least one full-time Japanese employee
A certified professional review of your business plan
Either 3+ years management experience or a relevant master’s degree
Simply owning rental properties and collecting rent without actively running a licensed business will not qualify.
Because of these higher hurdles, many entrepreneurs may find the Startup Visa a more practical entry point, allowing them to test their business idea and build toward meeting Business Manager Visa standards.
🚀 Startup Visa (スタートアップビザ · sutāto appu biza)
A temporary visa designed for entrepreneurs launching new businesses in select regions of Japan.
Ideal for innovative ventures that contribute economically, socially, and culturally to their communities.
While owning property can support your business as an office or workshop, simply owning property isn’t enough to qualify.
You’ll need a detailed and viable business plan that clearly goes beyond just managing real estate.
Under the new 2025 Business Manager requirements, the Startup Visa is especially valuable as a “test drive” period for building your business to the required scale.
🌟 Highly Skilled Professional Visa (高度専門職 · kōdo senmonshoku)
Designed for top-tier professionals, executives, researchers, and high-income investors aiming to live and work in Japan.
Ideal if you have a strong career track record, significant income, or substantial investments.
Uses a points-based system that rewards skills, experience, and qualifications, and can fast-track your path to permanent residency.
🕵️♂️ Myths vs. Facts: Visas & Property in Japan
Understanding visas and property ownership in Japan can be tricky. Let’s clear up some common misconceptions so you know what’s true (and what might trip you up) when it comes to living and doing business here.
❌ Myth 1: Buying a house in Japan gets you a visa.
✅ Fact: Property ownership does not grant you residency rights. You still need to apply for a visa that matches your plans.
❌ Myth 2: You can just keep extending a tourist visa and live here year-round.
✅ Fact: Most short-term stays are capped at 90 days, and back-to-back entries can raise red flags with immigration.
❌ Myth 3: There’s a special “retirement visa” for Japan.
✅ Fact: Japan has no dedicated retirement visa. Many retirees use cultural or long-term stay visas, but these require proof of funds and typically forbid working.
❌ Myth 4: Running a small Airbnb from your home is an easy way to get a Business Manager visa.
✅ Fact: Simply earning rental income, even through short-term rentals like Airbnb, does not qualify you for a Business Manager visa. Japan requires a real, active business with proper permits and management. Trying to use rental income alone to get a business visa is unlikely to succeed and may cause legal issues
🎯Matching Your Visa to Your Goals
🏠 Living Full-Time in Japan
If you’re planning to make Japan your home, whether by retiring, working, or joining family, several visa options could fit your situation. The Spouse or Dependent Visa is ideal if you have close family ties in Japan. A Work Visa fits if you have a job offer here. The Highly Skilled Professional Visa suits top professionals aiming for a fast-track to permanent residency. For entrepreneurs, the Business Manager Visa allows you to run a business legally and live here long-term.
Each visa has specific requirements, so it’s important to choose one that matches your lifestyle and plans.
🌸 Visiting Seasonally
If you intend to spend only part of the year at your Japanese property for holidays or seasonal stays, the Short-Term Stay Visa is usually the easiest option. This visa lets you visit for up to 90 days per trip for tourism, family visits, or similar reasons. While you can usually re-enter Japan multiple times, frequent back-to-back visits may draw attention from immigration officers.
Keep in mind that this visa does not allow paid work, and you must leave Japan once the stay period ends.
💼 Running a Business
If you want to generate income while living in Japan, it’s important to understand that simply owning and renting out property as passive income will not qualify you for a visa.
Visas like the Business Manager and Startup are designed for entrepreneurs with real, viable business ideas that have undergone proper planning and vetting. With the new 2025 rules, the Business Manager Visa requires significant capital, staff, and experience, making the Startup Visa or other work/residency visas more accessible starting points for many property owners.
If your business includes rental activities, it must be part of an active, well-managed operation, such as a hospitality service with staff, tourism-related ventures, or cultural experience programs. Beyond property, you can qualify with any legitimate business that meets visa requirements and contributes economically, socially, or culturally to Japan.
Running rentals can be part of your business operations or personal life while living under other visas, like the Highly Skilled Professional or Work Visa, but property rental by itself is not a visa path.
🧭 How to Start Your Visa Search
🌐 Begin with the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (出入国在留管理庁 · shutsunyūkoku zairyū kanrichō), part of the Ministry of Justice (法務省 · hōmushō). Their website has up-to-date visa categories, requirements, and application guidelines.
⚖️ An immigration lawyer can offer detailed legal advice, but they often work alongside administrative scriveners, specialists in visa paperwork and filings. Administrative scriveners are especially helpful for preparing applications.
📍 If you’re thinking about starting a business in Japan, check which regions provide startup visa programs or business support. Since availability varies widely, exploring municipal or prefectural websites can help you choose where to buy property.
🏢 Local chambers of commerce and business support centers (listed on city or prefecture websites) offer region-specific visa and economic incentive info.
🤝 Our team is also here to answer many of your visa-related questions and can refer you to trusted legal professionals when you need expert assistance.
🔍 Find Your Visa Path with Our Visa Wizard
Not sure which visa fits your situation best? Our Visa Wizard asks a few quick questions and suggests the visas that match your goals, property plans, and family or work situation. It’s a fast, easy way to explore your options before starting applications.
➡️ Try the Visa Wizard
🔗 Where to Go Next in the Series
📊 Deep dive into the Business Manager and Startup visas, perfect for anyone running a business from their property.
🌟 Complete guide to the Highly Skilled Professional visa, for those who qualify based on career, income, or investments.