‘Go back to your country’: Indian restaurant owner in Japan faces visa rejection after 18 years

An Indian businessman who spent nearly 18 years building a restaurant business in Japan is now facing the possibility of leaving the country after authorities rejected his business manager visa renewal under Japan’s stricter immigration policies.

Manish Kumar, who operates an Indian restaurant in Japan’s Saitama Prefecture, broke down while speaking at a protest gathering in Tokyo, saying the decision had shattered his family’s future in the country his children call home.

“Two weeks ago, immigration officials told me to go back to my own country,” Kumar said during the rally. “My children were born in Japan and can only speak Japanese. My wife and daughter are in tears.”

The emotional appeal has rapidly gained attention online as concerns grow over Japan’s tougher immigration and business visa reforms introduced in late 2025.

Support for Kumar has also grown beyond the Indian community in Japan. His friend and advocacy group submitted a petition carrying nearly 53,000 signatures to Japan’s Immigration Services Agency, demanding a rollback of the stricter business visa rules and urging authorities to reconsider cases involving long-term foreign business owners.

What is Japan’s new visa rules?

Japan’s Immigration Services Agency has tightened rules for the country’s business manager visa, a permit commonly used by foreign entrepreneurs running restaurants, shops, and small businesses.

The revised regulations were introduced to prevent misuse of the visa system, which authorities claim had increasingly been used as a pathway to long-term residency without genuine business activity.

But critics argue that the crackdown is now affecting legitimate small business owners who have spent years contributing to Japan’s local economy.

According to reports cited by Japan Times, monthly applications for the visa have reportedly collapsed from around 1,700 to just 70 after the new rules came into force in October 2025, a staggering 96 percent drop that has alarmed immigrant business communities across Japan.

One of the biggest changes involves the sharp increase in the minimum capital requirement. Earlier, entrepreneurs needed around 5 million yen to qualify for the visa. Under the revised system, applicants are now expected to show investments of nearly 30 million yen, an amount equivalent to roughly Rs 2 crore.

The government has also made hiring local employees effectively mandatory. Applicants must now employ at least one full-time Japanese worker, while stricter checks are being conducted on tax filings, office legitimacy, and long-term business viability.

In another major hurdle, authorities now expect applicants, or their staff, to demonstrate advanced Japanese language proficiency, typically at the JLPT N2 level.

Foreign entrepreneurs are additionally required to prove prior management experience or relevant business qualifications, making the process significantly harder for small independent operators.

Many business owners now fear the stricter rules could discourage entrepreneurs who have invested years into building stable businesses in Japan.