In the second half of 2025, the most shocking news in the global immigration community was undoubtedly the sixfold increase in the cost of Japan’s business management visa. What was once a visa pathway requiring only 5 million yen to enter now demands a minimum of 30 million yen, marking a formal shift in policy from ‘easy to difficult’ and ushering in a new round of heightened entry barriers.
It’s not just Japan. In recent years, countries from the United States to Australia, and from Portugal to New Zealand, have simultaneously raised their immigration and visa thresholds. Golden visas have been suspended, fast-track programmes tightened, financial requirements increased, and reviews made stricter…
This has led many to realise that immigration is no longer a matter of ‘having options means having opportunities,’ but rather ‘the remaining options are becoming fewer and fewer.’
Japan Business Management Visa:
A leap from 5 million yen to 30 million yen
For those familiar with Asian immigration routes, Japan’s ‘business management visa’ used to be a highly cost-effective option:
all you had to do was register a company, rent a physical office, and invest a relatively small amount of start-up capital to have the opportunity to obtain a long-term visa and even arrange for your whole family to move to Japan and your children to attend school there.
Image source: Asahi Shimbun
However, Japan’s Ministry of Justice recently announced that it is considering raising the registered capital requirement from the original 5 million yen to 30 million yen. This not only means that the threshold has been raised sixfold, but also represents a fundamental shift in Japan’s business visa policy:
1. From quantity to quality: shifting from encouraging the establishment of a large number of companies to selecting high-quality, genuine applicants;
2. From leniency to strictness: Companies exploiting loopholes in the system, such as those engaged in ‘short-term rentals, property management, and zero operations,’ will be completely blocked;
3. From accessibility to scarcity: Approval rates will significantly decrease, and the programme will become more ‘elite-oriented.’
According to sources within the Japanese Ministry of Justice, the Immigration Bureau will complete the legislative process after consulting with experts, aiming for the new regulations to take effect by the end of 2025. Once implemented, the new regulations will significantly alter the current ‘low-threshold immigration’ landscape and directly impact Chinese applicants.
Image source: TBS
This policy is currently in the draft discussion phase, but according to reports from mainstream media outlets such as The Asahi Shimbun, it is expected to be gradually implemented by the second half of 2025.
If you still think that Japan’s business visa is a ‘low-threshold’ ticket that can be obtained with 30,000 to 50,000 US dollars, you may need to re-evaluate this path. In the future, this ticket may be more like a long-term pass that only ‘high-net-worth individuals’ can afford.
3,122 Chinese nationals naturalised in Japan?
Signals worth paying attention to behind the trend
Another set of related data is also worth noting. According to multiple media reports citing data from Japan’s Ministry of Justice, as of 2024, a total of 8,863 people have naturalised as Japanese citizens, with approximately 3,122 of them being Chinese nationals—the first time in history that the number of Chinese applicants has exceeded that of Korean applicants.
Although this data has not been officially confirmed with detailed breakdowns, the trend is clear: an increasing number of Chinese applicants are turning to Japan, not just to apply for visas or obtain residency status, but to naturalise as Japanese citizens.
Chart/Source: Japanese Ministry of Justice
The underlying reasons are not hard to understand:
1. Improved convenience of living: Japan offers a stable society, abundant medical and educational resources, and a moderate pace of life, making it attractive to many middle-class families;
2. Clear path for identity transition: Business visa—long-term residence—permanent residency—naturalisation, with a well-defined institutional framework;
3. Dual economic and cultural appeal: Japan is geographically close to China, shares similar cultural habits, and has an acceptable language barrier.
Image source: Japanese Ministry of Justice
If, in the past, ‘going to Japan’ was merely a short-term trial run for residency, it is now the starting point for long-term residency planning. On one hand, visa requirements are becoming stricter; on the other hand, more and more people are seeking to enter this system.
When supply decreases and demand increases, the result is often higher thresholds, longer application cycles, and rising opportunity costs.
Image source: Lianhe Zaobao
Not just Japan,
global immigration policies are tightening in tandem
This is by no means a ‘unilateral move by Japan.’ Over the past 18 months, immigration policies in many countries have shown a systematic trend toward tightening. The following are some representative changes:
1. United States: EB-5 thresholds raised, reviews tightened
The minimum investment amount for the EB-5 investment immigration programme has increased from $500,000 to $800,000 (Targeted Employment Area, TEA) and $1.05 million for non-TEA areas;
Review cycles have lengthened, with some applications taking over two years to process;
Visa reviews now focus on actual business operations and employment outcomes, rather than just the ‘money arriving.’
2. Canada: Express Entry Scores Continue to Rise
Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) have increased language and work experience requirements;
The average invitation score for Express Entry in 2024 has risen to 530+;
Certain immigration programs, such as the Quebec Investment Program, are currently suspended.
3. United Kingdom: Entrepreneur Pathway Closed, Funding Threshold Doubled
The Tier 1 (Investor) visa was officially closed in 2022;
The alternative Innovator Founder route requires higher standards of business innovation and investment proof.
4. Australia: Business immigration under review, with a clear trend toward ‘clearing the backlog’
Starting in 2025, the business immigration system will be restructured;
The quota for the Business Innovation and Investment Visa (BIIP) has been significantly reduced, with a shift toward skilled immigration;
Overseas approval times have significantly increased, with more rigorous compliance reviews.
5. Portugal and Spain’s Golden Visa programmes are collectively phasing out
Portugal abolished the real estate investment Golden Visa in 2023;
Spain plans to follow suit to prevent ‘capital reshuffling and overheated property prices’;
The previously low-threshold path to immigration through property purchase no longer exists.
Image: Spain, source: Bloomberg
6. New Zealand, Germany, Malta, and others have raised entry thresholds across the board
New Zealand has increased the minimum points required for technical immigration;
Germany has raised the annual salary requirement for the Blue Card visa;
Malta has added audit and due diligence procedures to its investment citizenship programme.
Turkey’s CBI programme remains valid but is quietly tightening. Current investment options include: property purchase with a minimum of US$400,000 (3-year lock-in period), bank deposits, or fund investments starting at US$500,000.
In summary: Global immigration policies are shifting from ‘encouraging capital’ to ‘prioritising human capital + compliance reviews,’ and from ‘open windows’ to ‘narrowing pathways.’
Final note: Immigration is something you can’t afford to wait on!
By now, you might be wondering, ‘Is it too late for me?’ The answer is: This is the final window of opportunity, especially for changes like the sudden increase from 5 million to 30 million for Japan’s business management visa. Once officially implemented, preparation and planning must be completed in advance.
If you already have a business plan, funds, and a commercial strategy, act now: organise your business plan, prepare the registered capital, and apply early. This is not only to catch the window before the price hike but also to lay the groundwork for future identity stability.
If you were already considering immigration or residency applications, we recommend:
Conduct in-depth research on the policies of your target country as soon as possible, prepare materials and funds in advance, find a reliable professional advisor, and pursue multiple channels simultaneously to avoid missing out on opportunities due to policy changes.
In summary: With global immigration thresholds collectively rising, now is the time to act. If you want to seize the momentum, pursue overseas living, career opportunities, and family future, now is the optimal time to take action!
May you take this step soon and embark on a new chapter.
Note: Reference materials are sourced from immigration bureaus in Japan, South Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Portugal, Spain, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Turkey, Malta, etc., as well as the Japanese Ministry of Justice, Asahi Shimbun, TBS, Lianhe Zaobao, Bloomberg, etc. This is a compilation of publicly available news reports. Reproduction must credit the source; please contact us for removal if necessary.