Fueiho Permits for Bars in Japan: Hostess Service and Late Hours

Opening a bar, lounge, club or similar venue in Japan may require a permit or notification under the Amusement Business Act (風営法, fueiho; formally the Act on Control and Improvement of Amusement Business, etc.), in addition to the restaurant business permit issued by the public health center. The deciding factors are whether staff provide hostess-style service to customers and whether the venue mainly serves alcohol after midnight. Because there are also rules on location and interior layout, these points must be checked before you sign a lease.

Which venues need a procedure under the Amusement Business Act

Whether a procedure is required depends on how the business actually operates, not on its name or the label attached to its format. The main categories relevant to bars and restaurants are as follows.

In every category, a venue that serves food or drink also needs a separate restaurant business permit from the public health center. That procedure is covered in Restaurant business permits in Japan.

What counts as hostess-style service

Under the Act, hostess-style service (接待, settai) means “entertaining customers in a manner that creates a convivial atmosphere” (Article 2(3)). The National Police Agency’s interpretation and administration standards give as typical examples staying beside a small number of particular customers for an extended period, keeping them company in conversation, and serving them food and drink.

By contrast, pouring a drink or mixing a whisky and water and then leaving straight away, or simply taking orders and bringing food and drink, is generally not regarded as hostess-style service. The judgment rests on how the business actually operates, so the venue’s name or format label does not decide the question.

Practices that may count as hostess-style service

• Staff sit next to or opposite particular customers and keep them company in conversation for an extended period
• Staff sing or play games with customers as entertainment companions
• The pricing structure or style of service assumes that staff will join customers at their tables

If your operation may fall into any of these, you must either obtain the permit or change the way the business operates. Providing hostess-style service without a permit is an unlicensed operation and subject to criminal penalties. A 2025 amendment toughened the penalties for unlicensed operation and similar offenses: individuals now face up to five years’ imprisonment or a fine of up to JPY 10 million, and corporations a fine of up to JPY 300 million. New compliance obligations and prohibited practices were also added for restaurants that provide hostess-style service.

Main criteria for the amusement business permit

Personal criteria

The applicant (for a company, its officers) and the manager of the premises must not fall under any of the grounds for disqualification set out in the Act. People who have received certain criminal sentences and members of organized crime groups, among others, cannot obtain the permit. Once the permit is granted, a manager must be appointed for each set of premises.

Location criteria

Where premises may be located is restricted by prefectural ordinance. In principle, the business cannot operate in residential zoning districts, and the premises must be a certain distance from protected facilities such as schools, hospitals, libraries and child welfare facilities. Because the required distances are set by ordinance for each area and type of facility, check them individually against the property’s address. Use restrictions under the Building Standards Act also apply separately, so confirm the building’s permitted use at the same time.

Structural and equipment criteria

Standards for the structure and equipment of the premises are set out in the Act’s enforcement regulations. The main standards for venues that provide hostess-style service are as follows.

• Each guest room must have a floor area of at least 16.5 m² (at least 9.5 m² for Japanese-style rooms), unless there is only one guest room
• The inside of guest rooms must not be easily visible from outside, and no fixtures that obstruct the view may be placed inside guest rooms
• Lighting inside the premises must exceed 5 lux
• No photographs, decorations or similar items that may harm public morals may be installed
• Noise and vibration must not exceed the levels set by ordinance

The permit application must include drawings such as a floor plan of the premises. If the drawings do not match the actual interior, the permit will not be granted, so check the standards before fit-out work begins.

Late-night liquor-serving restaurant notification

A restaurant that does not provide hostess-style service but mainly serves alcohol late at night (from midnight to 6 a.m.) must notify the Public Safety Commission, through the police station with jurisdiction over the premises, at least 10 days before it starts operating (Article 33). Venues that ordinarily serve meals regarded as staple food, such as ramen shops or set-meal restaurants, are generally outside the scope of this notification. Although it is only a notification, the following standards apply.

• The business cannot operate in areas where ordinances prohibit late-night operation (such as dense residential areas)
• Each guest room must have a floor area of at least 9.5 m² (unless there is only one guest room)
• No fixtures 1 meter or higher that obstruct the view may be placed in guest rooms
• Lighting inside the premises must exceed 20 lux

A late-night liquor-serving restaurant may not provide hostess-style service. If a venue operating on a notification alone starts providing it, it is running an amusement business without a permit.

Restrictions on opening hours

Premises holding an amusement business permit generally may not operate between midnight and 6 a.m. In certain areas designated by ordinance, permitted hours may be extended. If you want to operate late at night, consider filing a late-night liquor-serving restaurant notification and operating without hostess-style service. If you want to change the format of the business depending on the time of day, consult the police station with jurisdiction in advance.

Points for foreign owners and staff

Being a foreign national is not in itself a bar to obtaining the permit, but the owner’s status of residence (在留資格) must match the activity. If you set up a company and run it yourself, the Business Manager visa (経営・管理ビザ) or a similar status may be appropriate.

Staff also require attention. Even international students and holders of Dependent status who have permission to engage in activities outside their status cannot work at premises operating an amusement business. This applies even to jobs with no customer contact, such as dishwashing. You can check the status of residence of people you plan to hire in Hiring foreign employees and work visas.

What to check before signing a lease

If you lease premises in a location where the permit cannot be obtained, you will be paying rent without being able to open. Checking in the following order helps avoid costly rework.

1. Decide the format of the business (whether you will provide hostess-style service and serve alcohol late at night) and identify the procedures required
2. Check the property’s zoning district and whether it falls within an area where ordinances restrict the business
3. Find out whether there are protected facilities nearby and how far away they are
4. At the interior planning stage, confirm that the structural standards, such as guest-room floor area, lighting and visibility, can be met
5. Before signing the lease, confirm that the building owner will allow the premises to be used for that business

Serving opened alcohol on the premises does not require a liquor sales license, but selling unopened bottles or similar items for takeaway does. See also Types of liquor sales license and their requirements.

Timeline and preparation

The amusement business permit involves a review period, and each prefecture sets its own standard processing time. Preparing drawings and documents such as residence certificates also takes time. Work backwards from the opening date and plan in this order: property due diligence, lease, fit-out, then application. The late-night liquor-serving restaurant business requires only a notification, but it must be filed at least 10 days before operations begin. Check the required documents and forms in the guidance published by the prefectural police.

How TIMOA can help

When opening a bar or lounge, the required procedures change depending on whether you provide hostess-style service and how you operate late at night, and premises that do not meet the location and structural standards cannot be used for the business. It is important to settle the procedural questions before you sign the lease and begin fit-out.

Working with partner administrative scriveners (行政書士), TIMOA helps you determine the procedures that fit your format, carries out preliminary checks on properties, prepares drawings and applications, and handles the public health center permit. For details, see Permits & Financial Licenses.