Starting a Business in Aichi: A Guide for Aichi Startup Visa

Introduction

Aichi Prefecture, widely recognized as the home of Toyota, stands as Japan’s industrial hub. Building on its strong industrial foundation, Aichi has actively cultivated support for startups, recently marked by the inauguration of “STATION Ai”—an open innovation center launched on October 1, 2024. Together, these elements position Aichi as an ideal, innovation-driven environment for launching new businesses.

The Startup Visa program streamlines foreign entrepreneurs’ immigration process by offering various supportive initiatives. This article introduces the Startup Visa program in Aichi Prefecture, launched in 2019, including the eligibility, application process, and other necessary information.

Overview

Startup Visa is a scheme that the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) offers to support startups in Japan by foreign entrepreneurs. This scheme provides an exceptional chance to start a business in Japanese cities with extensive support from local governments. The significant advantage of this program is that approved entrepreneurs can obtain residency status for up to one year. This startup visa system makes it much easier for foreign entrepreneurs to start new businesses in Japan.

Now, Startup Visa is available in the following regions:

Fukuoka City	Aichi Prefecture	Gifu Prefecture
Kobe City	Osaka City	Mie Prefecture
Hokkaido	Sendai City	Yokohama City
Ibaraki Prefecture	Niigata Prefecture	Oita Prefecture
Kyoto Prefecture	Hyogo Prefecture	Shibuya City
Hamamatsu City Kita-kyushu City	Kaga City	Toyama Prefecture

Aichi Prefecture, an approved municipality, offers the Startup Visa program and other support measures, such as entrepreneurial support from the Aichi Industry Promotion Organization and living support from the Aichi International Association. The details of the prefecture’s support measures are described in the following part.

Support Measures

The Aichi Industry Promotion Organization supports SMEs and startups through various initiatives, including the Sougyou (Business Start-up) Plaza Aichi, which provides free consulting, networking opportunities, and workstations with internet access. To attract more foreign entrepreneurs, it launched the Aichi Foreign Entrepreneur & Manager Support Center in 2022, offering free consultations on entrepreneurship and company registration in Japanese, English, Chinese, and Portuguese. This consultation desk provides a wide range of support necessary for entrepreneurs, such as obtaining residency status and procedures for establishing a company.

Moreover, the Aichi International Association provides living support with consultations and interpretation services in multiple languages, such as Portuguese, Spanish, English, Chinese, Vietnamese, and more, to assist daily life needs.

Additionally, while it used to be a requirement for Startup Visa holders to have a separate office to renew their residence status, they can now fulfill this requirement by using the following co-working spaces certified by Aichi Prefecture.

Trial Village
MY CAFE
Room 8
CASHIME
Servcorp Nagoya Nikko Shoken Building
Servcorp Nagoya Lucent Tower
Servcorp Enishio Meieki
STATION Ai

Eligibility

Any foreign individuals who wish to start new businesses in Aichi Prefecture are eligible for the Startup Visa program. However, new businesses must fall under the following sectors:

Businesses aiming for high growth in the IT sector (information and telecommunications industry)
Businesses aiming for high growth using innovative technologies and skills

Application Procedure

Application for Application for Confirmation of Business Startup Preparation ActivitiesTo secure a “Designated Activities” residency status under this program, applicants must first apply for a Certificate of Confirmation for Business Startup Preparation Activities from the Aichi Prefecture Government (hereinafter “APG”).The APG will review the applicant’s submitted business activity plan and related documentation to assess the likelihood of the applicant meeting the criteria for a “Business Manager” residency status within one year of arrival in Japan or changing to a “Designated Activities” status.Application Documents Required:
1. Application for Confirmation of Business Startup Preparation Activities
2. Plan for Business Startup Preparation Activities
3. Schedule for Business Startup Preparation Activities
4. Applicant’s resume
5. Written pledge
6. A document showing the applicant’s planned place of residence for one year after arriving in Japan or changing visa status (e.g., a copy of a lease agreement or application, etc.)
7. A document showing the applicant’s ability to pay the expenses during the stay for one year after landing in Japan or changing the status of residence (e.g., a copy of the savings book, a document showing the balance of the savings account, etc.）
8. If the applicant falls under any of the categories listed under Article 5-6, (1) (5) (a) through (d) of the Public Notice on Foreign Entrepreneurship Promotion Program, a document attesting to such fact. （e.g., certificate of enrollment, certificate of employment）
9. Copy of applicant’s passport
10. Other documents as required
Before the applicants formally submit them to the APG, they are required to send them to the email address for the pre-checking process.

Email to: kinyu@pref.aichi.lg.jp

Enterprise Finance Division, Enterprise Department, Bureau of Economy and Industry, APG

Once the documents are confirmed, the applicants must submit their application through the Aichi Electronic Application and Notification System or hand it over to the APG office.

The application materials must be submitted by the following persons:
1. The applicant
2. An attorney or administrative scrivener who has notified the Director-General of Nagoya Regional Immigration Services Bureau via the bar association or administrative scrivener association to which they belong. If the applicant is located outside of Japan, this shall be a person that has been entrusted by the applicant (or employee, in the case of a corporation.)
*If the application documents are submitted by persons described in (2), documentation that shows the relationship with the applicant and the proof of their belonging is required.
Issuance of a “Certificate of Confirmation of Business Startup Preparation Activities”After the document screening process, the APG will issue a Certificate of Confirmation of Business Startup Preparation Activities upon the approval of the application.If the documents are incomplete, or if the application is considered to be inconsistent with the requirements, the application will be rejected, and the applicant will be notified by issuance of a “Notice of Results of Confirmation of Preparatory Activities for Entrepreneurship” that the applicant has not been approved.
Application for Residency Status “Designated Activities” at the Immigration BureauAfter receiving the Certificate of Confirmation for Startup Activities, the applicant must apply for a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) for “Designated Activities” at the Nagoya Regional Immigration Bureau within three months.
Immigration, Startup ActivitiesUpon acquiring the “Designated Activities” residency status, the successful applicants are allowed to stay in Japan and carry out various startup-related activities for up to one year (with a renewal required after six months).It is important to note that the approved applicants must submit a report regarding arrival in Japan or change of status of residence to the APG within 5 days of arrival in Japan or change of residence status before starting the preparation activities.Upon arriving in Japan, the APG will conduct monthly checks on the progress of the applicant’s startup activities and the development of their business plan.

Renewing the Residential Status

The Startup Visa is valid for six months and can be extended for another six months by applying for renewal. To renew the residential status, the applicant must submit the following documents:

Application for Confirmation of Renewal of the Business Startup Activities
Plan for Renewal of the Business Startup Activities
Schedule for Renewal of the Business Startup Activities
A document showing the applicant’s place of residence for 6 months after renewing the residency status (e.g., a copy of the lease agreement or application, etc.)
A document showing the applicant’s ability to pay the expenses during the stay for 6 months after renewing the residency status
Other necessary documents as required (e.g., copy of the savings book, a document showing the balance of the savings account, etc.)

The person who can submit the documents and the submission location are the same as in the initial application process.

Once the renewal application is approved, the successful applicant will receive a “Certificate of Confirmation of Renewal of Business Startup Preparation Activities.” Then, the applicant must apply for a COE (Certificate of Eligibility) for “Designated Activities” at the Nagoya Regional Immigration Bureau again.

Conclusion

The Aichi Startup Visa program facilitates foreign entrepreneurs to start new businesses in Japan’s industrial center. By taking advantage of this scheme, the entrepreneurs can acquire not only residence status but also various support from the government and other supporting organizations. Aichi Prefecture welcomes entrepreneurs from other countries to be part of its startup ecosystem with innovative ideas, aiming to strengthen the international competitiveness of the prefecture’s industries.

About EXPACT

EXPACT provides a variety of operational support to domestic and international startups.

EXPACT offers market entry strategy advisory for international businesses looking to establish a presence in Japan. Our services are as follows:

– Advice for visas and programs: Providing guidance on suitable visas and government programs for foreign entrepreneurs (e.g., Startup visa).

– Market research assistance: Evaluating the potential market size and demand for the product or service.

– Geographical evaluation based on the company’s target: Carrying out a location analysis to determine the most suitable region, prefecture, and city according to the startup’s specific needs.

– Support for applying for financial aid programs: Sourcing and supporting the application process for applicable government grants and subsidies.

– Assistance for forming partnerships: Serving as a liaison to help the startup establish connections with local partners, investors, and government institutions.

– Advice for a business plan: Offering a business plan review with insights from a Japanese perspective.

– Translation services: Providing translation services for in-person meetings, virtual discussions, and document preparation.

Additionally, the company also offers One-Stop support from Startup advisory to Finance, PR, Recruitment and EXIT.

Finance and Fundraising: Advisory on the financial health of startups and proposing an optimal fundraising plan by applying for government grants and facilitating investor introductions. Activities include drafting a pitch deck, and forming a business plan and/or cap table.
Promotion: Publishing press releases, building media relations, branding.
Startup Advisory: Business ideation, researching, conducting interviews, MVP analysis, investment access.
Human Resources: Personnel strategy, hiring support, institution building.
EXIT: IPO support, M&A support, exit system design.

For assistance or additional information, please contact us at info@expact.jp for inquiries.