Osaka Startup Visa: Apply Through OIH and Build Your Business

Information current as of March 2026 based on Osaka Business Development Agency's official Startup Visa page, Osaka City's Foreign Entrepreneurship Promotion Project page, O-BIC, and METI's Startup Visa overview.

Since October 2025, Japan's Business Manager visa requires ¥30 million in capital, a full-time employee, and JLPT N2-level Japanese. For most first-time foreign entrepreneurs, that bar is impossibly high on day one. The Startup Visa exists precisely for this situation — and Osaka runs one of Japan's most established programs. If you want to build a business in Osaka, this is likely your entry point. (For full details on the Business Manager visa reform, see our Business Manager Visa 2025 guide.)

What is Osaka's Startup Visa?

Osaka City is a designated municipality under METI's Foreign Entrepreneurship Promotion Project (外国人起業活動促進事業 / gaikokujin kigyō katsudō sokushin jigyō). The program grants a "Designated Activities" (特定活動 / tokutei katsudō) residence status for up to 2 years — extended from 1 year in January 2025 — so you can prepare your business before transitioning to a full Business Manager visa.

During this period, time counts toward the 3-year management experience requirement for the Business Manager visa. This is not just a waiting period — it is an active stepping stone.

Who handles Osaka's program

The Startup Visa Support Desk sits inside the Osaka Business Development Agency (公益財団法人大阪産業局), commonly known as Sansokan. In August 2023, the desk moved to Osaka Innovation Hub (OIH) at Grand Front Osaka Tower-C, 7F. OIH is operated by Sansokan, so the program page is now at innovation-osaka.jp/startupvisa (the sansokan.jp/startupvisa page also remains active). They handle everything: plan creation support, application intake, monthly progress interviews, and specialist referrals.

Do not confuse them with IBPC Osaka or O-BIC — those organizations serve different functions (explained below).

Application process step by step

1. Initial contact: Submit the online inquiry form. The desk replies within 2–3 business days.
2. Plan creation support: The desk helps you draft your Business Startup Preparation Plan (事業開始準備計画 / jigyō kaishi junbi keikaku). This is hands-on — they don't just hand you a form.
3. Document submission: Submit all required documents (see below) to Osaka City through the desk.
4. Screening and interview: Osaka City and business experts review your plan. A face-to-face interview follows — conducted in Japanese. If you don't speak Japanese, you must bring an interpreter.
5. Confirmation certificate issued: If approved, Osaka City issues a Confirmation of Business Activities (確認証明書 / kakunin shōmeisho). Screening time varies — contact the desk for current estimates.
6. Immigration application: Take the certificate to the Immigration Services Agency and apply for "Designated Activities" status. The certificate is valid for 3 months — don't delay. The official OIH page states obtaining a startup visa takes at least 5 months after eligibility is confirmed, though actual processing times vary by period.

Required documents

All documents must be in Japanese. Non-Japanese documents require a Japanese translation attached.

For renewal applications, you also need proof of residence and living expenses for the next 6 months.

After approval: mandatory monthly interviews

This is not optional. Once you hold the Designated Activities status, you must attend monthly interviews at the Startup Visa Support Desk. These sessions review your startup progress, provide guidance, and connect you with specialists like tax accountants (税理士 / zeirishi) and small business advisors.

If the desk determines you are not conducting business activities, or you skip interviews, your confirmation can be revoked — which means losing your residence status.

Support organizations in Osaka

Osaka has several free resources for foreign entrepreneurs. They serve different purposes:

Key facts at a glance

Useful Japanese phrases

スタートアップビザについて相談したいです。(Sutātoappu biza ni tsuite sōdan shitai desu.) — I'd like to consult about the Startup Visa.

事業計画書の作成を手伝ってもらえますか？(Jigyō keikakusho no sakusei o tetsudatte moraemasu ka?) — Can you help me create a business plan?

確認証明書の発行状況を教えてください。(Kakunin shōmeisho no hakkō jōkyō o oshiete kudasai.) — Please tell me the status of my confirmation certificate.

通訳を連れて行ってもいいですか？(Tsūyaku o tsurete itte mo ii desu ka?) — May I bring an interpreter?

Start your business in Osaka with local help

Osaka's startup visa program gives you time and structure — but navigating Japanese bureaucracy, finding office space, opening a bank account, and handling monthly interviews is still challenging when you're doing it alone in a second language.

LO-PAL connects you with local Japanese residents in Osaka who can help with exactly these situations — from translating documents to accompanying you to the Startup Visa Support Desk. Post your question for free, and get real answers from people who know the system from the inside. If you're building a business in Osaka, you don't have to figure it out alone.