China News Service, March 18. According to the Japanese "Chinese Herald" report, in 2018, the Japanese government implemented an "entrepreneurship visa" in which foreign students can stay for one year after graduation from university to prepare to start a business in some areas. The system is currently in 10 prefectures. City implementation.
In recent days, Shibuya Ward, Tokyo has also formally accepted foreigners’ “entrepreneurship visa” applications. It is reported that this is the first case in an autonomous region in Tokyo.
According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward has begun accepting applications for “entrepreneurship visas” from foreigners. As long as the provided “business plan” is approved by Shibuya City, applicants can obtain a one-year period of stay "Entrepreneurship Visa".
According to the report, if the local government in Japan wants to accept applications for "entrepreneurship visa", it must formulate a corresponding entrepreneurial support plan in advance, and then obtain the approval of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
Shibuya District has been approved by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce in February 2020 to implement this policy.
Under this measure, foreigners who plan to start a business within one year can obtain a residence permit longer than the 6-month period for "specified activities" recognized by the National Strategic Special Zone, and the visa duration is up to 1 year.
In the past, when foreign students in Japan graduated from universities, they could renew their status of residence to "management and management" or other types of employment visas to continue their economic activities in Japan.
However, foreigners need to hold a “business management” visa to start a business in Japan. However, due to the prerequisites for this visa, such as the need to secure office space, capital of 5 million yen or more, and the threshold for regular employment of employees, it is difficult for foreign students to enter Meet the requirements immediately after graduation.
If none of the above visas can be applied successfully, then the residence qualification will expire and you will have to return home.
The Japanese government launched the "entrepreneurship visa" policy for foreign students in order to invigorate the local business environment and competition. The person in charge of the Japanese Ministry of Justice said that traditional Japanese businesses have been finalized and new external vitality is needed to promote economic development.
Therefore, starting in 2018, the government has allowed foreign students in some areas of the country to obtain a special visa for entrepreneurship for a maximum of one year after graduation.
Foreigners who have obtained this visa can use this period of time to prepare and improve various conditions for starting a business.
Local governments designated by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry can review business plans proposed by foreigners, issue certificates, provide management and support, and foreign entrepreneurs can apply for a residence visa for up to one year.
Some analysts say that the number of foreigners living in Tokyo is the first in Japan, and it is hoped that other local governments in Tokyo will actively join the "enterprise visa" system to create a good business environment for foreigners in Japan.
Statistics show that as of March 2021, 10 prefectural counties and cities are implementing this policy.
Including: Ibaraki Prefecture, Fukuoka City, Mie Prefecture, Aichi Prefecture, Hokkaido, Gifu Prefecture, Kobe City, Oita Prefecture, Osaka City and Kyoto Prefecture.
In addition, the Japanese government has also decided on November 20, 2020 to grant students who graduate from schools included in the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology "International Student Employment Promotion Program" and then start entrepreneurial activities in Japan, a maximum of 2 years of entrepreneurial preparation visa.
After graduation, foreigners who used the "Foreign Entrepreneurship Promotion Program" of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, but failed to start a business and changed to "specified activities", can obtain a visa for up to 2 years in total with the period of stay before the change.
(Wu Yan)