Subsidies and grants available for overseas expansion

Don’t Give Up Overseas Expansion with Subsidies and Subsidies
Subsidies and subsidies provided by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
Subsidies and subsidies provided by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
Subsidies and subsidies provided by local governments
Subsidies and grants provided by foundations
Subsidies and grants provided by other organizations

Don’t Give Up Overseas Expansion with Subsidies and Subsidies

Many Japanese companies are considering expanding overseas these days, but it requires a lot of money. Because overseas expansion entails greater risks than domestic expansion, careful planning is required, and higher costs are inevitable for human resource development, personnel increase, and information gathering.

Subsidies and grants are available to help eliminate such financial concerns.

Many of these systems provide not only financial support but also advice on business, advice on overseas expansion, and information, so they can be used as total support.

Subsidies and subsidies provided by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

The following grants and subsidies are provided by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (Small and Medium Enterprise Agency).

“Cool Japan Production Support Project”
Public offering period: May 7, 2019 to June 7, 2019

It supports the expansion of overseas demand by branding and marketing support, service improvement support, and promotion. In addition to subsidies, you can receive various supports.

The subsidy rate is up to 1/2 of the subsidized expenses.

(Commercial and industrial association area) “Small-Scale Enterprise Sustainability Subsidy Program”
Public offering period: May 22, 2019 to June 12, 2019

This project subsidizes part of the costs for developing sales channels for small-scale enterprises. Applications are made by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The subsidy rate is 2/3 in principle and the upper limit of the subsidy is 500,000 yen.

“Cost of joint and cooperative development of sales channels”
Public offering period: May 13, 2019 to June 14, 2019

Regional development agencies play a central role in assisting market development. The subsidy rate is basically 2/3 and the upper limit of the subsidy is up to 50 million yen.

“Subsidies to support development of domestic and overseas markets”
Public offering period: February 7, 2019 to March 7, 2019

Support is provided to revitalize local economies and promote small and medium-sized enterprises. We provide support to small and medium enterprises that manufacture and provide services that take advantage of the region’s advanced technologies.

The subsidy rate is 1/2 and the upper limit of the subsidy is up to 5 million yen. However, the upper limit of subsidy is up to 20 million yen for joint application by 4 companies or more.

Subsidies and subsidies provided by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare provides the following subsidies.

“Subsidies to support overseas expansion”
This is a grant to support human resource development costs for companies planning to expand overseas. We subsidize tuition, textbooks, and housing expenses for employees studying abroad.

The upper limit is up to 1 million yen per year for school expenses and up to 750,000 yen per year for housing and transportation expenses.

“Career Development Promotion Grants”
This is also the support of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare for the training cost to develop human resources for overseas expansion and to improve the ability of employees. In conducting training for human resources development for overseas related work, we will subsidize half of the actual training cost and 800 yen per 1 hour.

Subsidies and subsidies provided by local governments

Here are some examples of subsidies and subsidies provided by local governments. If you want to use the system of the local government, you need to investigate in detail at your own address, because whether or not you can use it is related to the location of your office.

Tokyo “Global Niche Top Grant Program”
Application period: Around the end of June 2019 (Schedule)

A grant project by the Tokyo Metropolitan Intellectual Property Center of the Tokyo Metropolitan Small Business Promotion Corporation. This system provides financial assistance and strategic support for the acquisition of intellectual property rights to SMEs developing around the world for three years.

Niigata Prefecture “Subsidy for foreign application support for local SMEs”
Public offering period: June

This system subsidizes necessary expenses such as patent applications to foreign countries so that Niigata Prefecture offices can demonstrate their superior technologies overseas.

2.25 million yen per 1 company (1 Group) for patent application and 900,000 yen per 1 company (1 Group) for design and trademark.

Niigata Prefecture “Subsidies for exhibitions at overseas fairs, etc.”
This is a grant to exhibit at overseas trade fairs.

Shizuoka Prefecture “SME Overseas Market Development Support Program”
This business supports expenses for overseas trade fairs, the establishment of websites in foreign languages, and the acquisition of overseas patents. Small and medium enterprises with headquarters in Shizuoka prefecture are eligible.

The amount of support is 1/2 of the total amount and the maximum is 500,000 yen.

Subsidies and grants provided by foundations

The following grants and subsidies are provided by foundations.

Yokohama Enterprise Management Support Foundation “Financial support for F/S research expenses”
We support 2/3 of the cost of F/S research, up to 500,000 yen. Overseas travel expenses, accommodation expenses, local transportation expenses, translation expenses for interpreters and materials, etc. are covered.

Ota City Industrial Promotion Association “Support for participation in overseas trade fairs”
We support 2/3 to 1/3 of the cost of exhibiting at overseas trade fairs for companies with offices in Ota Ward. We also provide support for joint exhibitions at the Ota-ku Joint Exhibition Booth.

Hyogo Overseas Business Center “SME Overseas Development Support Program”
We support FS costs to support the overseas expansion of small and medium enterprises.

Subsidies and grants provided by other organizations

The following grants and subsidies are provided by the other organizations listed above.

I C Net “Subsidies for projects utilizing technical cooperation and developing markets in emerging countries”

As an international joint development project to solve social issues, this grant is intended to support business plans for solving social issues in emerging markets such as South Asia and Africa. It is commonly known as “Fly Japan!”.

It is run by a company called ICnet, which solicits proposals from small and medium-sized companies. The subsidy rate is basically 2/3 and the upper limit is 30 million yen.

National Federation of Small Business Associations “Support Program for Responding to Issues Faced by Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Cooperatives”
Public offering period: April 1 to July 1, 2019
*1st Deadline April 1 – May 7 (postmarked)
*2nd Deadline May 8 – July 1 (postmarked)

This is a support project to promote overseas expansion mainly by small and medium-sized enterprise associations. Individual SMEs are not covered, but when it is difficult for a single company to do so, a small business alliance group can find new markets and revitalize the business.

The upper limit is 2,000 thousand yen for A type and 1,158.8 thousand yen for B type within 6/10 of the target expenses. Type A is the case where a cooperative or a member is expected to “Increase in sales by more than 10%” or “10% + cost reduction” within 3 years after the termination of business.

Exhibitions and exhibitions are limited to 5 million yen.

The details of the loan and grant system are as of the time of publication (June 2019). For the latest information on the system, please contact your organization.