In the first half of August, we secured approval for a “Business Manager” status renewal. We have recently been receiving many inquiries regarding renewals for this visa category and how to meet the requirements established on October 16, 2015.

In this specific case, the client had brought a child to Japan under the “Dependent” status to attend elementary school. Consequently, it was crucial to secure a residence permit valid for at least one year; we prepared the application meticulously to ensure this outcome, and the one-year renewal was successfully granted.

The company had shifted its focus from its previous food sales business to concentrate capital on the sale of used cars and parts, resulting in a temporary drop in revenue. Immigration authorities scrutinize such cases closely—focusing on business continuity, stability, and whether actual business operations and management activities are truly taking place. Although we prepared the application with these points in mind, we were still asked to submit additional documentation. The screening process has become significantly stricter.

While the request for additional materials from Immigration added to the experience and expertise of Mirai-e Legal Office, I was—in a way—surprised by the sheer extent of the information they required.

Experiences like this pave the way for future approvals. Given the current strictness of Immigration—particularly in sectors like construction, industrial waste disposal, general freight transport, and agricultural land—I believe that without a firm that has handled a substantial number of such cases, it is highly likely that desired results will not be achieved. This case reinforced the need for us to continue gathering information and honing our expertise.