Costs
How Much Does It Really Cost to Buy a Business in Japan and Qualify for the Visa?
July 21, 2026
"How much do I actually need?" is the first question every prospective buyer asks — and the one most websites answer vaguely. Here is the concrete arithmetic, component by component.
The four components of your budget
1. Acquisition price
What Japanese small businesses actually sell for (asset-light, succession-driven deals on major platforms):
| Business type | Typical asking price |
|---|---|
| Small e-commerce / content business | ¥5–25M |
| Café, restaurant, guesthouse | ¥10–40M |
| Services firm (staffing, care, cleaning) | ¥20–60M |
| Wholesale / trading company | ¥30–80M |
| Small manufacturer with equipment | ¥30–100M+ |
Japan's succession crisis — hundreds of thousands of profitable companies with owners past 70 and no successor — keeps small-deal pricing rational, often 2–4× adjusted operating profit.
2. Capital reaching ¥30 million
The post-2025 rule requires ¥30M in capital or investment. If the target's paid-in capital is below that, you fund a capital increase at closing. Example: target has ¥10M capital → you inject ¥20M more. This money becomes company funds — deployable for operations, hiring, and growth — but it must be genuinely sourced and documented.
3. Working capital reserve
Immigration reviewers and common sense agree: arriving with a depleted account is how first renewals fail. Budget 3–6 months of operating costs. For a typical small business: ¥5–15M.
4. Professional fees
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Legal DD + share transfer contracts | ¥1–2.5M |
| Tax/accounting review | ¥0.5–1.5M |
| Immigration specialist (visa filing) | ¥0.3–0.8M |
| Platform/broker success fee | ~5% of price (min ¥0.5–2M) |
| Total professional budget | ¥3–6M |
Three worked examples
Case A — Lean: guesthouse in a regional city (~¥45M all-in)
- Purchase price: ¥18M (existing paid-in capital ¥5M)
- Capital increase: ¥25M → company capital ¥30M ✓
- Working capital: included in the increase (the injected capital funds operations)
- Professional fees: ¥3M
- Cash required: ≈ ¥46M (~$310K)
Case B — Balanced: staffed services company (~¥60M all-in)
- Purchase price: ¥35M (capital already ¥20M → increase ¥10M)
- Working capital reserve: ¥10M
- Professional fees: ¥4M
- Cash required: ≈ ¥59M (~$400K)
Case C — Substantial: manufacturer with 8 staff (~¥80M all-in)
- Purchase price: ¥45M (capital already ≥¥30M → no increase)
- Working capital: ¥12M (equipment renewal buffer)
- Professional fees: ¥5M (fuller DD scope)
- Cash required: ≈ ¥62–80M depending on equipment plans
Three budgeting mistakes to avoid
- Treating the ¥30M as a fee. It is not paid to the government; it is your company's capital. The real "cost" is illiquidity, not loss.
- Budgeting only the asking price. The purchase price is typically just 50–70% of the true all-in requirement.
- Cutting professional fees. A ¥1M saving on due diligence that misses an undisclosed liability, or a self-filed visa application refused on a technicality, costs multiples more.
Estimate your own number
Our Investment Calculator [blocked] lets you model all four components against your target business profile in under a minute. Then take the Eligibility Check [blocked] to see your full readiness picture — capital is only one of the five things reviewers now examine.
Figures are market-typical ranges for illustration, not quotes or advice. Exchange rate used: ¥148/USD.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum budget to buy a business in Japan and get the Business Manager visa?
Realistically around ¥40–50 million (approximately $270,000–$340,000 USD) all-in for the smallest viable cases: a modest acquisition price, capital reaching ¥30 million, several months of working capital, and professional fees. Well-capitalized cases typically budget ¥60–100 million.
Does the ¥30 million have to be spent, or just held as capital?
It must be genuine paid-in capital (or investment) of the company you will manage — not merely money in your personal account. It is not 'lost': it becomes the company's funds, usable for legitimate business operations. What immigration reviews is whether the capital is real, sourced legitimately, and deployed in a genuine business.
What professional fees should I budget for a Japanese business acquisition?
Typical small-deal budgets: due diligence and contract work by a lawyer/judicial scrivener ¥1–2.5M, tax and accounting review ¥0.5–1.5M, immigration specialist for the visa filing ¥0.3–0.8M, plus any M&A platform or broker success fees (commonly 5% of deal value with minimum fees around ¥0.5–2M).
Where do you stand?
Three minutes. Personalized capital requirement, gaps, and next actions.
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