Working during Student Visa

This is a bit of a strange question I guess. Im currently going to a language school and have a valid visa until June 2011. I am currently working together with an artist and another friend and we are making an iphone game. We would also like to do some apps afterwards. Is this legal while on a student visa? Is it considered a full-time job? I know you can work part-time with a work permit. The developers license is tied back to my home address in the USA if that helps.

If things were to work out and we wanted to start a company, is it very difficult? Do you a Japanese person to back you?

Thanks in advance!

it's not even considered work in japan unless you register your company in japan. you could work 80 hours a week if you wanted to.

if your payment comes from a japanese registered employer though you cannot do that.

Ok, so it probably wouldnt be an issue then? Thats good to know.

What about starting a company? Do you need a certain capital to do it or a Japanese person to back you? We are in the country and on student visas, not sure if that helps.

it may have changed recently but you can start a company with as little as 100yen, but there is absolutely no benefit in doing it in your case, in my opinion. it would only serve to complicate your taxes in both your native country and in japan (you are required to pay taxes here on a student visa if you work, so if you set up your japanese company, welcome the tax man!)

Work is generally defined as "getting paid" are you getting paid for this "work" you are doing? If you are just working together developing a game but not getting paid then pretty much you are ok. You can "volunteer" work and still be ok.

As for starting a company, that's a whole another bag of worms. You can start a company in Japan without the backing of a Japanese person, you just need to file the right documents, pay the right fees etc. Start up capital is only 1 yen. HOWEVER if you want to work full time, if you wanted to get business investor visas etc, then you'll need to invest over 5million yen to do that.

Yes it will be a pay app so we will hopefully make some money. That an issue?

Concerning the business, Im assuming if you start one with option A you won't get a work visa?

Owning a business and having a visa are two different things controlled by different regulating entities.

You can start a business by filing the right paperwork and having a place of business. If you want a visa to go along with that business then you need to apply for one with immigration. Immigration isn't going to grant people business investor visas unless you invest around 5million or more Japanese yen into that business. You can't sponsor yourself for a work visa.