Food

Tighter Visa Rules Raise Fears for Curry Restaurants Across Japan

TOKYO, Apr 09 (News On Japan) - Japan tightened its "Business Manager" visa requirements in October 2025, prompting growing concern among foreign restaurant owners who fear the changes could force them out of business.

One of the revised rules raises the minimum capital requirement to 30 million yen, a significant increase that has left many small-scale operators struggling to comply. A man who runs a curry restaurant warned that “curry shops may disappear from our streets,” expressing concern that the new threshold is beyond the reach of many independent businesses.

The uncertainty surrounding visa renewals has also begun to affect families, with some owners already taking precautionary steps such as transferring their children to different schools in anticipation of a possible return to their home countries.

Others have moved more decisively. A woman operating a Hong Kong-style congee specialty shop chose to close her business upon learning of the new rules, opting not to wait for her visa renewal period.

After announcing the closure, she received an outpouring of messages from regular customers expressing regret, underscoring the emotional toll the changes are having on both business owners and their communities.

Source: FNN

Middle East Tensions Push Up Prices of Cooking Oil and Fish

Rising tensions in the Middle East are beginning to affect not only fuel and transportation costs, but also the prices of everyday foods ranging from cooking oil and fish to onions, with experts warning that the impact could continue for at least another year even if fighting comes to an end.

Japan's Business Manager Visa Applications Plunge 96%

Applications for Japan’s "Business Manager" residency status, which is granted to foreign entrepreneurs launching businesses in the country, have fallen by approximately 96% following the tightening of screening standards introduced in October last year.

Sacred Pilgrimage Site Asks Visitors Not to Wear Revealing Clothing

Koyasan, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Wakayama Prefecture that has seen a steady rise in visitors from both Japan and overseas in recent years, is urging worshippers to avoid wearing revealing clothing as the summer season approaches, as temple authorities seek to preserve the dignity and spiritual atmosphere of one of Japan’s most revered religious centers.

Japanese Passenger Aboard Cruise Ship as Andes Hantavirus Cases Confirmed

A cruise ship sailing in the Atlantic Ocean with a Japanese passenger on board has become the center of a widening international health response, as multiple countries confirm infections linked to a rare strain of hantavirus capable of limited human-to-human transmission.

Vacant Homes With 110 Heirs

The number of vacant homes across Japan has surpassed 9 million—roughly double the figure from 30 years ago—yet efforts to address the issue are being held back by increasingly complex inheritance cases that make resolution difficult.

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