'It’s Cruel': Indian Man In Japan Fears Deportation After 30 Years, Tears Up In Viral Video

An emotional speech by an Indian-origin restaurant owner in Japan has gone viral online after he publicly spoke about the fear of being forced to leave the country following changes to Japan’s business visa rules. The man, identified as Manish Kumar, became visibly emotional while addressing a gathering organised to discuss the impact of the revised immigration policy on foreign business owners.The event took place on May 13, where Kumar shared his concerns over the stricter financial requirements introduced under the updated visa regulations. A video from the gathering showed him struggling to hold back tears as he spoke about building his entire life in Japan over the last three decades.His speech, when loosely translated from Japanese, says,

“I’ve been in Japan for 30 years. I’ve been supported by the city hall, the chamber of commerce, and my customers. 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 bought a house too. To tell me unilaterally to go back to India – how is that humane?”.The clip surfaced amid growing concern among immigrant entrepreneurs over the revised visa policy. Thousands of people have reportedly signed a petition urging authorities to reconsider the tougher rules, fearing that long-term residents and small business owners could be pushed out despite spending years building their lives in Japan."I've worked hard to get this far thanks to the support" from fellow chefs and customers, Kumar said, reported CNA.Kumar, who reportedly runs a curry restaurant in Saitama near Tokyo, further 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.”

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The immigration rule was revised in 2025, significantly increasing the required business capital for applicants. Under the updated system, immigrants must now show ¥30 million (around Rs 1.8 crore) in capital - a sixfold jump from the earlier ¥5 million (around Rs 30 lakh) requirement. Reports suggest the Japanese government tightened the norms over concerns about misuse of the visa system.While it remains unclear whether Kumar’s restaurant is still operational, reports indicate that several foreign-run businesses have already decided to shut down due to the steep increase in financial requirements.