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 business in Kyoto Prefecture
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 the startup preparation activity plan to Kyoto Prefecture, please follow the procedure below:
- (1)Pre-consultation
- (2)Support for creating Startup Preparation Activity Plan
- (3)Application for confirmation of startup activity plan
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(Form 1 of 1)
Startup Preparation Activity Plan Confirmation Application
(Form 1 of 2)
Startup Preparation Activity Plan
(Form 1 of 3)
Resume
(Form 1 of 4)
Letter of Commitment
- Documents that prove your address for a year 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 one year 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 that prove that you are fulfilling either one of the criteria under Article 5, paragraph (6) (ⅰ) (v) イ, ロ, ハ, or ニ of the Notification on the Project to Promote Startup Businesses by Foreign Nationals (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Notification No. 256 of 2018) (*2).
- 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 Startup Preparation Activity Plan (copy of the applicant’s passbook, etc.)）
- (4)Issuance of “Certificate of Confirmation of Startup Preparation Activity Plan”
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Application for accreditation of status of residence “Designated Activities” to the Regional Immigration Bureau
- Those who have received a “Certificate of Confirmation of Startup Preparation Activity Plan” 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.
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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.11).
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 “Startup Preparation Activity Plan” (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 Startup Preparation Activity Plan”. 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 a year, a concierge from the consultation and support desk (stated in No.11) 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 a startup preparation activity plan
Be sure to receive (1) Pre-consultation, (2) Support for creating Startup Preparation Activity Plan 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).
*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.
*2 Notification on the Project to Promote Startup Businesses by Foreign Nationals (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Notification No. 256 of 2018）
Article 5, paragraph (6) (ⅰ) (v) イ, ロ, ハ, or ニ
イ Graduated from university or received education equivalent to or higher than the above.
ロ Completed the specialized course of a vocational school in Japan. (Regulations for granting titles of specialists and advanced specialists to persons who have completed a specialized course of a vocational school (1994 Ministry of Education Notification No. 84, herein after referred to as “Regulations”) Limited to those who can be referred to as specialists pursuant to Article 2 of the Regulations or those who can be referred to as advanced professionals pursuant to the provisions of Article 3 of the “Regulations”.)
ハ Have at least three years of work experience in relation to the field of the
business they will be working in.
ニ Have been engaged in the management or management of a business related to
the field in a foreign country for one year or more.
This is a certificate to be issued to those who have been confirmed through the Startup Preparation Activity Plan. We will judge and review after hearing specialists’ opinions whether the preparation activity 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.11) 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 Startup Preparation Activity Plan” will proceed to apply for the “Designated Activities” 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 Startup Preparation Activity Plan” was unable to be issued by issuing the “Notice of Results of Confirmation of Startup Preparation Activity Plan” (Form 5)
4.Development of startup preparation activities
Successful applicants who obtain a status of residence of “Designated Activities” should submit the “Report of Acquisition (Renewal) of Status of Residence of Designated Activities” (Form 9) to the Kyoto Prefectural Government within 7 days after landing in Japan (within 7 days after the procedure for changing status of residence is completed for those who already reside in Japan with a different status of residence), and carry out startup preparation activities during your period of stay. During the activity period, we will interview you at least once a month to check the progress of the startup activity plan. At that time, you may be required to submit documents (*) that clarify the implementation status of the startup activity plan.
If you have any problems while proceeding with the startup preparation activities, please contact the consultation and support desk (stated in No.11).
(*) 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.
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(Form 9)
Report of Acquisition (Renewal) of Status of Residence “Designated Activities”
5.Application procedure for renewal of status of residence “Designated Activities”
When applying for renewal of the status of residence of “Designated Activities” in the coming 6 months, you will need to obtain a “Startup Preparation Activity Plan Confirmation Certificate (for Renewal)” again.
Please proceed to apply for a confirmation of the startup preparation activity plan at the Kyoto Prefecture to receive a “Certificate of Confirmation of Startup Preparation Activity Plan”, and go to the Regional Immigration Bureau for your visa renewal.
The following documents are required to apply for the “Certificate of Confirmation of Startup Preparation Activity Plan (for Renewal)” to Kyoto Prefecture. All documents must be submitted by the principal or designated agent (4) (3)) to the consultation and support desk (stated in No.11) at least 2 months before the renewal date is expired.
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(Form 2 – 1)
Startup Preparation Activity Plan Confirmation Application (For Renewal)
(Form 2 – 2)
Startup Preparation Activity Plan (For Renewal)
- Documents clarifying an address to stay at after landing in Japan, or your residence for six months after your renewal. (a copy of the lease contract, etc.)
- Documents that clarify your accommodation fee after landing in Japan or that of for six months, and expenses for returning to your home country. (e.g., a copy of the applicant’s bankbook, etc.)
- Other documents required by the Governor.（Documents that clarify the business funds to be carried out in the Startup Preparation Activity Plan (for Renewal) (copy of the applicant’s passbook, etc.)）
6.After renewing the status of residence of “Designated Activities”
Within 7 days after the completion of renewing the status of residence of “Designated Activities”, please submit the ”Report for Acquisition (Renewal) of Status of Residence “Designated Activities”” (Form 9) to Kyoto Prefectural Government and continue to carry out startup preparation activities that fulfills the requirements for obtaining the status of residence of “Business Manager”. We will continue to hold interviews to confirm the progress of the startup activity plan at least once a month. At that time, you may be required to submit documents (*) that clarify the implementation status of the startup activity plan.
(*) Example of documents: Office rent and employee employment contracts, contracts with business partners, applicant’s passbook (cost of stay, business funding, and traveling expenses to return back to your home country) etc.
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(Form 9)
Report of Acquisition (Renewal) of Status of Residence “Designated Activities”
7.Change of residence status to “Business Manager”
After the expiration of the period of “Designated Activities”, if you want to stay longer in Japan and to continue to manage your business, please apply at your local Regional Immigration Bureau to change the status of residence to “Business Manager”.
8.Change of application content
Please immediately submit the following documents to the consultation and support desk (stated in No.11), if there is any change (when the applicant’s residence, contact information, etc.) in the content of the application after applying for confirmation of the startup preparation activity plan. The same applies to renewal applications.
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(Form 3)
Notification of change
- Documents that can confirm the changed matters (e.g. copy of lease agreement)
9.Important remarks
If your application for obtaining or renewing of “Designated Activities” status or “Business Manager” status is withdrawn, or if your “Certificate of Confirmation of Startup Preparation Activity Plan” or “Certificate of Confirmation of Startup Preparation Activity Plan (for Renewal)” is cancelled based on the following reasons stated in No. 11, 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.11), 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.
10.Disqualification in the event of false statements
For anyone who has already received a Certificate of Confirmation of Startup Preparation Activity Plan, 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 Startup Preparation Activity Plan or Certificate of Confirmation of Startup Preparation Activity Plan (for Renewal) 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 Startup Preparation Activity Plan Confirmation (Form 7) will be sent by mail.
11.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） |
| E-MAIL: | KYO-startup@jetro.go.jp |
| Facebook: | https://www.facebook.com/startupcapitalkyoto/ |
| LinkedIn: | https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-capital-kyoto/ |
12.Startup Visa Kyoto Q&A
13.Other links
- Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry/Notification on Business Startup Activities by Foreign Entrepreneurs Promotion Project https://www.meti.go.jp/english/policy/economy/startup_nbp/startup_visa.html
