‘Go back to India’: Japan visa crackdown leaves Indian restaurateur shattered

The recent move by the government to remove a person who had resided in the country for 30 years from its visa renewal list has raised concerns among other small foreign business owners in Japan.

Amid Japan's strict immigration regulations, an Indian restaurant owner, who has lived in the country for 30 years, faces potential deportation after authorities rejected the renewal of his business manager visa.

'Go back to your own country...':

Manish Kumar, who ran an Indian curry restaurant in Japan's Saitama Prefecture for 18 years, recently took part in a public protest rally in Tokyo and broke down in tears while speaking about the tragedy that had befallen him. He feared for his family's future following the decision by Japan's Immigration Services Agency (ISA).

“Two weeks ago, ISA told me to go back to my own country. My children were born and raised in Japan. They only understand Japanese, and their only friends are Japanese. But we are being told to go back to India. What am I supposed to do?” he said.

Crackdown on foreign entrepreneurs in Japan

The recent move by the government to remove a person who had resided in the country for 30 years and operated a business for 18 years from its visa renewal list has raised concerns among other foreign nationals who have set up small businesses in the country.

Kumar's case comes against the backdrop of major changes to the country's Business Manager Visa system introduced in October 2025.

The rejection stems from stricter requirements for the Business Manager Visa, which now demands a minimum capital investment of 30 million yen, up from 5 million yen, mandatory hiring of at least one local staff member, and higher Japanese-language proficiency. The updated policy also includes stricter audits of business locations and tax records.

Addressing the protest rally, Kumar did not mention the exact reason for his visa denial, but the stricter visa regulations have reportedly affected a majority of small foreign business owners, as applications for the visa category have dropped by nearly 96 per cent since the new rules came into effect, with monthly applications reportedly falling from around 1,700 to just 70.