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 | 中小企業新事業進出補助金 |
|---|---|
| Level | National · Nationwide |
| Administered by | METI SME Agency / SMRJ |
| Type | Capex / new business |
| Maximum amount | Up to 70M (90M with wage special) – FY2025 rules |
| Subsidy rate | 1/2 |
| Who can apply | SMEs (successor to 事業再構築補助金) |
| Support organisation | No 認定支援機関 requirement (unlike 再構築) |
| How to apply | Dedicated e-system + GビズIDプライム |
| Rounds and deadlines | Rounds 1–4 (2025–2026). 4th round results 2026-09-30; no further calls – replaced by NAT-006–008 |
| Adoption rate | R1 37.2%; R2 35.4%; R3 34.9% (1,212→423, announced 2026-07-01); R4 33.9% (1,499→508, of which 224 got US-tariff priority) |
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
Kept for history and for post-award reporting work (事業化状況報告 for 5 yrs).
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.