Checked against the official page on 2026-10-20. Part of Oak’s directory of Japanese business grants.
Before you apply
- The money is not up front. You pay for the whole project yourself. The grant reimburses a share of it (often half to two-thirds) after a completion report has been checked, typically 6 to 18 months after applying.
- Do not spend before approval. Costs ordered, contracted or paid before the official grant decision (交付決定) are usually not eligible.
- Competitive and strict. Business plans are scored against other applicants and many are rejected. Eligibility rules on company size, ownership and tax compliance are applied to the letter.
- Obligations continue after payment. Reports for up to five years, inspections, and targets in your plan. Missing them can mean repaying part or all of the grant.
| Japanese name | 中小企業省力化投資補助金 カタログ注文型 |
|---|---|
| Level | National · Nationwide |
| Administered by | METI SME Agency / SMRJ |
| Type | Labour-saving equipment |
| Maximum amount | ≤5 staff 2M (3M); 6–20 5M (7.5M); 21+ 10M (15M) – brackets with wage raise |
| Subsidy rate | 1/2 |
| Who can apply | SMEs facing labour shortage, buying registered catalogue products through a registered vendor |
| Support organisation | No; a registered sales partner (販売事業者) co-applies |
| How to apply | Dedicated portal; GビズIDプライム |
| Rounds and deadlines | Rolling applications (随時受付); 9th call expected early–late Dec 2026 |
| Adoption rate | Most applications are approved (rolling; counts published by the secretariat, not verified) |
Can a foreign-owned company apply?
Japan-incorporated KK/GK (incl. foreign-owned) eligible if within SME capital/employee limits. Excluded as みなし大企業 if one large company owns >=1/2, large companies together own >=2/3, or large-company officers/staff hold >=1/2 of board seats; a foreign parent counts as a large company if BOTH its capital and headcount exceed SME limits. Branches of foreign companies (no Japanese HQ/本店) not eligible. Standard METI wording; confirm in this programme's 公募要領.
Points to note
Covers cleaning robots, ticket machines, AGVs, steam convection ovens, etc. Funded from the existing fund (about ¥180bn). FY2027 request merges it with Digital/AI into 省力化・デジタル化・AI投資補助金.
How Oak can help
Oak is a licensed gyoseishoshi (administrative scrivener) firm. We check eligibility before you spend time on an application, help set up the GビズID Prime account most programmes require, prepare and organise the supporting documents within the programme's rules, and handle the reporting that follows an award.