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Japan eyes startup visa program

asia.nikkei.com

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Re: Japan eyes startup visa program

#21

Post by agibsonccc »

gozur88 wrote: post #18
agibsonccc wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Silicon valley -> Tokyo expat here. It took me Just like anything, there's right and wrong ways to do it. If you do it the traditional way with a japanese speaking landlord who mistrust foreigners, yes it can be hard. That is a significant portion of the market. One thing I will say, there are real estate companies that actually cater to foreigners. This has been my landlord for a year and I just renewed: http://toky…

I've read getting a place to stay has become easier, but I still hear people complain about getting a bank account without help from an employer.

Yes the bank account is hard. I still use my foreign account.

I setup my company and then got my bank account. I still don't use it.

I'm assuming anyone in this thread looking seriously at japan will be hiring the right operations person to help you. Otherwise, you can't get much done without speaking the language (day to day is fine,

but for example the immigration office expects you to know some japanese if not just bringing someone with you to help you)

Re: Japan eyes startup visa program

#23

Post by jacquesm »

Same story as always: you take the risk, invest your time and break up your life. If it works you are welcome to stay. If it doesn't work you get cut loose and you likely will take years to recover whereas the other side hasn't risked a thing.

These kind of propositions only make sense if you have nothing to lose.

Re: Japan eyes startup visa program

#24

Post by lovemenot »

matt4077 wrote: post #20
sytelus wrote: post #16

This is quite something because traditionally Japanese culture has been fairly close to foreigners and probably for a good reason. Japanese people are likely the most courteous and honest people in the world. You can leave your luggage in the middle of the road and come back to find it still there. These folks have little experience with foreigners and often even western culture would be too harsh and rowdy for them.…

That's quite a roundabout way of saying "foreigners are criminals"... Seriously, I'm extremely deferential to the local customs when I'm abroad. But I felt being pushed into a subway car during rush hour to be quite "harsh and rowdy". Not to mentioned the drunk guys who spit in my faced an laughed.

Your experience of being spat at in Japan was utterly unrepresentative. In twenty years I never seen, nor can even imagine seeing, such a scenario. Just maybe in Roppongi on a Saturday night.

As for the subway trains. It's certainly not rowdy. Uncomfortable, sure, but it's as ordered as possible under the logisical constraints present.

Re: Japan eyes startup visa program

#25

Post by arvinder »

agibsonccc wrote: post #15
arvinder wrote: post #9

>Based on the New Business Implementation Plan, Fukuoka City officials will conduct a review on the progress of startup businesses founded by entrepreneurs who utilized this system and received approval for his/her Business Manager residential status. There will be three review sessions during the six-month period, of which at least one session will be held either at the entrepreneur’s place of business or residence.…

It can be yes. The govt agencies have their downsides. We worked with jetro (skymind): https://www.jetro.go.jp/usa/topics/companies-chosen-global-i... While it has not been too bad, the paperwork and initial startup was a bit of a hassle. I would be careful around this route.

Wow, that is very cool. Congrats on getting through it.

Re: Japan eyes startup visa program

#26

Post by nihonde »

arvinder wrote: post #9

>Based on the New Business Implementation Plan, Fukuoka City officials will conduct a review on the progress of startup businesses founded by entrepreneurs who utilized this system and received approval for his/her Business Manager residential status. There will be three review sessions during the six-month period, of which at least one session will be held either at the entrepreneur’s place of business or residence.…

Try opening a business bank account in Japan. Or any bank account for that matter. Be prepared to start every handwritten form over if you make even the slightest error, and I hope you’ve been practicing your kanji. No credit cards or foreign transfers until you’ve got a few years in your business. Capital requirements. It’s a whole different ballgame, for better or worse.

Re: Japan eyes startup visa program

#27

Post by brogrammernot »

matt4077 wrote: post #20
sytelus wrote: post #16

This is quite something because traditionally Japanese culture has been fairly close to foreigners and probably for a good reason. Japanese people are likely the most courteous and honest people in the world. You can leave your luggage in the middle of the road and come back to find it still there. These folks have little experience with foreigners and often even western culture would be too harsh and rowdy for them.…

That's quite a roundabout way of saying "foreigners are criminals"... Seriously, I'm extremely deferential to the local customs when I'm abroad. But I felt being pushed into a subway car during rush hour to be quite "harsh and rowdy". Not to mentioned the drunk guys who spit in my faced an laughed.

I spent two and half weeks in Japan recently, didn’t have a single issue.

Not trying to be confrontational but did you do any research before you went to Japan? Online it says to avoid public transit during rush hour. When I checked into my hotel the front desk even went out of their way to tell me which trains to avoid during rush hour because of how crazy it is.

3.7M people pass through Shinjuku Station daily. It’s going to be a bit crazy.

@OP, the narrative you’re painting is also quite exaggerated. Westerners are going to have to learn and respect the traditions/culture of Japan but with how incredibly hard the people work there it’s a great place to start a company.

Re: Japan eyes startup visa program

#28

Post by romanovtexas »

agibsonccc wrote: post #13
badminton1 wrote: post #4

Good luck finding a place to rent.

Silicon valley -> Tokyo expat here. It took me Just like anything, there's right and wrong ways to do it. If you do it the traditional way with a japanese speaking landlord who mistrust foreigners, yes it can be hard. That is a significant portion of the market. One thing I will say, there are real estate companies that actually cater to foreigners. This has been my landlord for a year and I just renewed: http://toky…

>This process is hard but not as nightmarish as people who don't live in the country reading articles make it sound.

Agree wholeheartedly. Been living in Fukuoka myself for the past two years, and I cannot help but notice that the foreign population here has been steadily growing. Although the city is marketing themselves to be the new Startup hub in Japan, I still think it has to be as global as say, Tokyo, to catch up. English is also not so commonly spoken here as Tokyo.

Re: Japan eyes startup visa program

#30

Post by ekianjo »

pkaye wrote: post #3

Is a 1 year visa long enough to do anything serious?

But what's the point anyway to be in Japan? If your startup targets the Japanese market you are better off working with local Japanese in the first place and share the risk with them. If you don't target Japan, there is close to no good incentive to being based there for business (apart if you just like living there).
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