When a family relocates to a new country, they carry hopes and dreams of a better life, where opportunities abound and hard work pays off. Achieving those dreams boosts confidence and self-worth. But imagine realizing those dreams only to be abruptly ordered to leave the country you have come to love. This is the reality for Manish Kumar, an Indian-origin restaurateur who has lived in Japan for 30 years.
Emotional Plea in Japanese Parliament
Kumar recently went viral after breaking down during an event at the Japanese parliament, sharing his story. Due to stricter immigration rules, Japanese authorities denied his business visa, forcing him to shut down the restaurant he had operated for 18 years in Saitama Prefecture. He said the Immigration Services Agency rejected his application under revised rules, leaving him worried about his family's future.
On May 13, Kumar delivered an emotional speech, fighting tears: "My children only speak Japanese... and we're told to go back to India." He added, "My children were born here and are now in high school; they can only speak Japanese and have only Japanese friends. I worked hard and even bought a house. To tell me unilaterally to go back to India - how is that humane?"
A Life Built Over Decades
Kumar emphasized that he had spent decades building a life in Japan with support from customers, the community, and local authorities. "I've worked hard to get this far thanks to the support from fellow chefs and customers," he said. "I've done nothing wrong. It's cruel to tell people to return to their home country just because the rules have suddenly changed."
Kumar had been renewing his visa instead of applying for permanent residency or Japanese citizenship, and reportedly failed to meet the revised requirements.
Japan's Revised Immigration Rules
Japan revised its business manager visa rules in late 2025, raising the minimum capital requirement from 5 million yen to 30 million yen (around $190,000). Authorities said the changes aimed to prevent misuse of the visa system for migration purposes, following investigations that uncovered shell companies operating under the program. According to a KPMG report, applicants or full-time employees must now demonstrate Japanese language proficiency, typically at the JLPT N2 level.
Public Response and Petition
A Change.org petition seeking a review of the revised visa rules has gathered nearly 60,000 signatures and was submitted to Japan's Immigration Services Agency this week. Data from the agency shows visa applications dropped by about 96% after the new rules took effect, from nearly 1,700 monthly to around 70.
However, Minister of State for Economic Security Kimi Onoda defended the stricter rules, stating that concerns about misuse for migration have been largely allayed.
Kumar's case highlights how sudden policy changes can disrupt the lives of long-term residents who have deeply embedded themselves in Japanese society, forming roots and contributing to the community.
