While preventing the abuse of rules is needed, excluding foreign managers who have worked diligently will not lead to an inclusive society.

Since October 2025, the government has implemented stricter conditions for foreign entrepreneurs seeking to obtain the “business manager” residence status.

But that has led to such major negative effects as the closing of ethnic restaurants or forcing owners to consider going out of business.

The Immigration Services Agency must make more flexible decisions by considering such factors as the number of years an owner has lived in Japan, the business format as well as whether they have family here.

Based on criticism that the business manager status was being abused by foreigners seeking to migrate to Japan, the minimum capital requirement was raised from 5 million yen ($31,300) to 30 million yen.

The residence status began in 2015 with the aim of broadly accepting foreigners who might want to join the........

© The Asahi Shimbun