Buying property grants NO visa: the golden rule
This is the most dangerous confusion among foreign investors. Owning real estate in Japan confers no residence status. You may buy as many properties as you like as a non-resident: it gives you no visa, no residence, and no path to permanent residence (eijūken).
What can open the door to a visa is the economic ACTIVITY of a genuine company you run in Japan, not mere ownership. The relevant visa is the keiei kanri (keiei-kanri, "management and administration"), issued by the Immigration Services Agency (Shutsunyūkoku Zairyū Kanri-chō, ISA).
If your only goal is to buy without settling, no visa is needed: see buying a house in Japan without a visa. The link between purchase, financing and status is detailed in getting a mortgage in Japan as a foreigner.
The keiei kanri visa: running a genuine company
The keiei kanri visa is for those coming to set up and run a business in Japan, or to manage an existing one. It does not reward a passive investment: the authorities want substantial, lasting economic activity.
In practice, the ISA looks at, among other things:
- a real, dedicated physical office (jigyōsho) in Japan: a mere registered address usually does not suffice;
- a credible, viable business plan (jigyō keikakusho);
- sufficient capital and resources to run the activity;
- genuine substance: clients, contracts, accounts, and at least one full-time employee since the 2025 reform.
A real estate company can qualify, but only if it carries out a genuine activity (buy-and-sell, development, third-party management, licensed lodging operation), not merely collecting rent on one or two passively held properties (see below).
The 2025 reform: markedly higher capital
Historically, the benchmark capital threshold for keiei kanri was 5 million yen (≈ €33,000), or two full-time employees. That era is over: the ordinance published on 10 October 2025, in force since 16 October 2025, raised the minimum capital to 30 million yen (≈ €185,000) and made the conditions cumulative: at least one full-time employee (a Japanese national or a resident with unrestricted work rights), a business plan vetted by a certified professional (SME consultant 中小企業診断士 or certified public accountant 公認会計士), three years of management experience or a master's-level degree in management, and a high level of Japanese (JLPT N2 equivalent) from the applicant or a full-time employee.
Statuses granted before the reform benefit from a transition: their renewals are still assessed under the old rules until 15 October 2028. For a new application, take advice from an immigration professional (a specialised gyōsei shoshi): administrative practice is still settling, decision by decision.
| Element | Before 16/10/2025 | Since 16/10/2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Capital | ≈ ¥5M (≈ €33,000) or 2 employees | ¥30M minimum (≈ €185,000) |
| Full-time employee | alternative to capital | required (at least one, unrestricted work rights) |
| Physical office | required | required, tighter scrutiny |
| Business plan | required | vetted by a certified professional |
| Experience / degree | not required | 3 years of management or a master's |
| Japanese | not required | JLPT N2 (applicant or employee) |
Key message: the keiei kanri visa is no longer an entry ticket, it is a full business project. It never was, and even less so now, a shortcut to "buy rentals and get a visa".
GK or KK: which company structure?
To carry the activity, two company forms dominate in Japan:
合同company (GK): the simple company
The gōdō gaisha (GK), akin to an LLC, is faster and cheaper to set up, with flexible governance. It suits a small property-management or operating structure.
株式company (KK): the joint-stock company
The kabushiki gaisha (KK) is more formal, better regarded by banks and partners, but heavier and costlier to form and run.
The GK vs KK choice does not change the visa principle: in both cases you need a genuine activity, an office and compliant capital. The KK reassures third parties more; the GK is more economical to start. A professional will steer you by the size of the project.
Passive rental holding is not enough
Here is the common mistake to avoid at all costs: believing that buying one or two apartments and renting them through a company is enough to secure a keiei kanri. Passive rental holding generally does not meet the criteria: the authorities look for substantial economic activity, not a dormant investment.
What counts is the operational nature of the company:
- volume and diversity of activity (several transactions, third-party clients);
- a real office, active management, proper accounts;
- possibly employees, commercial contracts;
- a business plan demonstrating viability and durability.
In other words: the visa rewards an entrepreneur, not a rentier. If your plan is to buy and let without creating a business, the purchase is still possible without a visa, but do not count on real estate alone to settle. To build a coherent project (purchase, structure, operation), lean on our guide to buying property in Japan and see concrete cases in our completed projects.
Conclusion: keep purchase and visa clearly separate
Remember the red line: real estate opens no right to residence. The keiei kanri visa rewards a genuine, active company: physical office, solid business plan, capital of at least ¥30M, one full-time employee, and operational substance that mere rental holding does not reach. GK to start lean, KK to reassure partners.
Always check the current law with the Shutsunyūkoku Zairyū Kanri-chō (ISA) and the Hōmushō, and take advice from an immigration professional. To build a coherent real estate project, from property selection to operation, see our personalised buying support.
Frequently asked questions
Does buying property in Japan grant a visa?
No. Owning real estate confers no residence status in Japan, whatever the amount invested. A non-resident can buy freely, but that opens neither visa nor residence. Only the activity of a genuine company you run in Japan can open the door to the keiei kanri visa.
Can you get the keiei kanri visa with a real estate company?
Yes, but only if the company carries out a real, substantial activity (buy-and-sell, third-party management, licensed operation), with a physical office, a business plan and compliant capital. Merely holding one or two rental properties passively generally does not satisfy the ISA.
How much capital is needed for the business manager visa in 2025?
Since 16 October 2025 the minimum capital is 30 million yen (≈ €185,000), up from about ¥5M before. On top of that: at least one full-time employee, a business plan vetted by a certified professional, three years of management experience or a management degree, and a high level of Japanese (JLPT N2) from the applicant or an employee. Statuses granted before the reform renew under the old rules until 15 October 2028.
Should I set up a GK or a KK for this visa?
Both are possible. The 合同company (GK) is faster and cheaper to set up, ideal to start lean. The 株式company (KK) is more formal and better regarded by banks and partners, but heavier. In both cases, a real activity, an office and compliant capital remain required.
Can a simple rental investment be enough for the visa?
No, generally not. Passive rental holding is treated as an investment, not an entrepreneurial activity. The ISA seeks an operational company with economic substance. To settle durably you therefore need a real business project, not just rent collected.
Official sources
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