Lead
In a tiny Tokyo restaurant filled with the smell of Nepalese dumplings, Budhathoki Samjhana surveys the business she built from scratch but may now have to give up as Japan tightens its visa rules. The 38-year-old Nepalese national, who spent a decade away from her young daughter to create a new life for them in Tokyo, now faces expulsion because she may not be able to meet the new specifications.
"I always wanted to become a bridge between Japan and Nepal … but my dream is broken," she told AFP from the capital's Okubo district, where her restaurant sits alongside Vietnamese cafes, Indian curry houses, and Korean barbecue joints.
Coverage Comparison
Reports from Dawn, the South China Morning Post, and The Hindu — World all highlight the human impact of Japan's tightened visa rules, with particular emphasis on Budhathoki's story. The outlets agree that the new rules for business manager visas were introduced by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in late 2025, amid growing opposition to immigration. The stricter rules come as some residents complain of overtourism and soaring land prices, in part due to foreign investment, prompting a push by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for tighter regulations on foreign nationals.
Key Claims
Japan's new rules for business manager visas raise the capital requirement from 5 million yen ($30,000) to 30 million yen ($185,000), a change that Budhathoki calls "the biggest problem." The government has also announced a sharp increase in visa fees for some tourists for the first time in nearly 50 years, hiking the cost for single and multiple-entry permits fivefold. According to The Hindu — World, Japan is also tripling its departure tax to 3,000 yen ($18) for all travelers, including Japanese citizens, from July 1, 2026, with extra funds to tackle issues caused by increasing foreign tourists.
The Justice Ministry announced a 'zero illegal foreign residents' plan in May last year to address public concern, as reported by Dawn and The Hindu — World. The business manager visa had become an easy route for would-be immigrants without real business plans, according to Kazuki Yuda, an administrative affairs advisor. The visa's popularity surged, with around 46,000 holders by mid-2025, up 70% from 2020, and about half were Chinese nationals, according to government data.
Budhathoki is not alone. Indian restaurant owner Manish Kumar, who has lived in Japan for three decades, has already been told his business manager visa won't be renewed, despite the grace period. More than 67,800 people have signed a petition calling for the suspension of the new visa rules.
The stricter rules come against a backdrop of rising anti-immigrant sentiment. The Sanseito party, which describes immigration as a 'silent invasion', saw a sharp rise in last year's upper house election, as reported by Dawn and The Hindu — World. Prime Minister Takaichi has pledged stricter screening for foreign nationals.
Perspectives
Budhathoki Samjhana (Nepalese restaurant owner): Her dream of building a bridge between Japan and Nepal is broken; she fears she cannot meet the new capital requirement and may be forced to leave.
Japanese Government (Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi): The push for tighter regulations on foreign nationals is prompted by concerns over overtourism and soaring land prices, with a pledge of stricter screening for foreign nationals.
Kazuki Yuda (administrative affairs advisor): The business manager visa had become an easy route for would-be immigrants without real business plans, suggesting the new rules address a genuine problem.