Startup Visa - Fukuoka City

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The Startup Visa in Fukuoka City is a program designed to incentivize foreign entrepreneurs to establish their businesses in Fukuoka, Japan, within the National Strategic Special Zone.
What are the main aims and objectives?

The main aims and objectives of the Startup Visa in Fukuoka City are to attract international entrepreneurs and to support the growth of innovative businesses within the city. By offering a simplified visa process and a supportive environment, Fukuoka aims to encourage foreign entrepreneurs to establish their businesses within the National Strategic Special Zone. Additionally, the program aims to help these entrepreneurs eventually fulfil the standard Business Manager Visa requirements. The Startup Visa also contributes to the city's economic growth by fostering a diverse business ecosystem and promoting the establishment of various industries. 

How does the program work?

Foreigners who found a business in the Fukuoka zone are eligible. 

To apply, foreign entrepreneurs enter the country on a short-term visitor’s visa and make their way to the city’s ‘Startup Café’. There, with support from staff, they prepare and submit a New Business Implementation Plan (“NBIP”) to the city government.  The city reviews the plan using two main criteria: 

  • Business viability, and the ability of the founder(s) to meet the Business Manager visa requirements within six months.  

  • If the city approves, the application is submitted to the Immigration Bureau, which evaluates the candidate(s) based on the city’s confirmation.   

Through the Startup Café, the city continues to provide individualized support to help foreign entrepreneurs with meeting the requirements. 

After approval, foreign entrepreneurs are granted six-months to develop their business and fulfill the prerequisites to receive a long-term Business Manager visa: having 5 million yen ($45,240) in capital, opening a physical business office, hiring two or more permanent employees, etc. 

To ensure that Startup Visa recipients remain on track, city officials hold three review sessions during the six-month period.  One of these sessions is required to be held at the entrepreneur’s place of business or residence.  During each review session, the city may request documents (bank account records, lease for office or co-working space, employment contracts, etc.)  If the city determines that progress is not satisfactory, it can revoke the Startup Visa. 

Holders of the Startup Visa in Fukuoka City receive various benefits that make it an attractive destination for entrepreneurs. Some of the key benefits include: 

  1. Relaxed requirements: The Startup Visa allows entrepreneurs to bypass some of the stringent requirements of the traditional Japanese Business Manager Visa, making it easier for them to establish their businesses in Fukuoka City. 

  1. Financial assistance: The Fukuoka City government offers various forms of financial support, such as subsidies and low-interest loans, to eligible startups, helping them reduce their initial expenses and secure funds for business growth. 

  1. Tax reductions: Startups in Fukuoka City can benefit from tax incentives, including reduced corporate tax rates and property tax exemptions, which can significantly decrease their financial burden. 

  1. Business support services: Fukuoka City provides access to various business support services, including incubation facilities, mentoring, and networking events, to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses and connect with potential partners and investors. 

  1. Preferential treatment: Startups in Fukuoka City may receive preferential treatment in public procurement processes, making it easier for them to secure contracts and generate revenue. 

What is the overall cost?
The City of Fukuoka does not publish the exact cost of running the Start-up Visa Program. However, there are no major costs associated with visa schemes outside of the administrative costs of processing applications, conducting background checks and maintaining the program’s infrastructure. Indeed, it is highly likely that any costs that do exist will be outweighed by the economic benefits associated with the program. Furthermore, applicants must pay a fee of Applicants must pay a fee of approximately $35 for their application. This fee might help offset some of the administrative costs associated with processing and evaluating applications. 
How was it implemented?

The Startup Visa program in Fukuoka City was implemented by Soichiro Takashima the Mayor of Fukuoka City in collaboration with the national government of Japan. In 2014, Fukuoka City was designated as a National Strategic Special Zone for Global Startups and Job Creation. This designation allowed the city to implement unique and innovative policies to encourage economic growth. One of these policies was the development of the Startup Visa program. 

The program was carefully designed with various stakeholders' input, including local entrepreneurs, business support organizations, and government agencies. They studied successful startup visa programs in other countries and tailored the Fukuoka City program to suit Japan's unique context. 

The Fukuoka Startup Visa program launched in 2016 and has been continually improved based on feedback and evaluation of its effectiveness in promoting entrepreneurship and attracting foreign talent to the city. 

What impact has been measured?
There is not currently a running total of how many applications have been made or approved under the startup visa. However, in 2022, Fukuoka was reported to rank second in Japan for number of startup visa applications with a total of 79. This was behind Tokyo (202) and ahead of Aichi (37). Besides this there is no information about the impact the program has had on the wider ecosystem in Fukuoka.  
What lessons can be learned?

Reaction to the Startup Visa has been largely positive. For foreign entrepreneurs, the visa makes it possible for them to relocate to Fukuoka with time to go the pre-work of registering their company, opening a corporate bank account, leasing office or co-working space.  The support elements linked to the visa, provided through the city's Startup Café, are highly valuable for those who do not know the language.  

Nonetheless, the visa could go further in reducing barriers for foreign entrepreneurs.  Many suggest that six months is not enough to meet the conditions required to receive a standard Business Manager visa.  With the checks and controls already in place, another six months is likely to increase the number of business successes.  

Secondly, the visa does not address a critical element of business success: highly-skilled talent.  Only founders are eligible to receive the visa, not their foreign-based staff.  This is important to address, foreign entrepreneurs say, because the bureaucracy involved with hiring from abroad is time consuming and the talent pool in Fukuoka is limited. 

Foreign entrepreneurs who have utilized the Startup Visa to started a business in Fukuoka include: Tom Brooke, the British founder of Qurate, a tech startup that offers an end-to-end marketing platform for social content; Mark Gaensicke, the German founder of Renzo, which develops applications, its main product, called Japanese, is a study app; and brothers Juan G. and A. J. Cruz-Ayoroa from Puerto Rico who founded ComQuest Ventures, a drone design business. 

CURATED BY

Peter Komives

Vice President
Global Entrepreneurship Network
United States