In this article provides specific options and steps for choosing an office space when preparing for the Start-up Visa in Sapporo City or Hokkaido, aiming towards the Business Management Visa.
What Options are Available?
Let’s begin with the first step by exploring the available options.
Simultaneously, it’s essential to clarify the nature of your business. Determine factors such as the required space, the number of people working at that location, and other specific needs.
Furthermore, depending on the type of business, licenses may be required, and there might be detailed requirements for obtaining these licenses. Therefore, it’s advisable not to consider office selection in isolation. Collaborating with professionals like a judicial scrivener （SHIHOSHOSHI）for corporate registration and an administrative scrivener(GYOSEISHOSHI) for visa acquisition, who can navigate the legal requirements, can help reduce potential issues down the road. Hokkaido Help can offer introduction to these specialities. Contact us.
★ Renting a Conventional Office or Tenant Space
At the Entrepreneur Visa stage, before incorporating a company, this option can be quite challenging. While there are many properties available, however I have seen many rejection case on this.
Pros: Once secured, you can stay for an extended period, and it establishes trust for future corporate incorporation.
Cons: High initial costs (expect 5-10 times the monthly rent).
★ Renting a Shared Office
Pros: Relatively low monthly usage fees, office furniture is usually provided.
Cons: Depending on the nature of your corporate activities, it may not be recognized when applying for the Management and Administration Visa.
★ Renting a Single Room in a Property Allowing Business Use
Pros: Lower monthly rent.
Cons: Not located on the main street, so it may not be suitable for certain types of businesses.
★ Coworking Space Combined with a Shared Office at the Same Address
Pros: No need to change the registered address of the company.
Cons: Limited availability of suitable properties.
★ Virtual Office/Coworking Space Combined with Options 1-3
During the company incorporation process, you can utilize a virtual office or coworking space and then rent a regular office when applying for the Business Manager Visa. However, changing the registered address of the company is necessary, incurring additional costs.
Pros: Lower monthly usage fees with a virtual office.
Cons: Virtual, so not suitable for physical meetings or work. Changing the registered address involves a procedure fee (¥30,000 plus service charges) when transitioning to the Business Manager VISA.
★ Personally Owned Detached House
If you own a house instead of renting, it’s possible to use it during company incorporation and VISA application.
For condominium owners, it may be possible if the condominium’s rules allow for corporate use and owner willing you to do it.
It’s often asked whether it’s possible to use the address of a rented apartment for company registration.
In most cases, it’s nearly impossible. Rental agreements typically specify residential use and prohibit subletting. Attempting this could result in a breach of contract and, in the worst-case scenario, eviction from the property.