Funding & Grants for Small Companies in Japan

The expenses associated with starting up or attempting to expand a company in any country can be quite substantial (and Investor visa holders will already have likely had to invest a steep amount in the initial capital minimum as well as processing fees, to boot).  However, there are actually quite a few resources available which offer funding to small companies in Japan.

Many of these grant programs are funded directly by various governing bodies within Japan, with an aim of boosting small companies offering products or services that are deemed to have a positive impact in society.  These types of programs, when awarded, may subsidize upwards of around two-thirds of expenses associated with furthering a small company’s proposed business plans. (There are also a variety of privately sponsored business contests by major corporations, which will not be addressed in this article.)

 

All applicants who meet the stated conditions are eligible to apply, with no clauses regarding the applicant’s nationality.  But despite the array of grants available within Japan, there have been very little precedent of Japanese business owners receiving any—the few existing cases can often be traced to foreign business owners with Japanese spouses who assisted with the applications.  Information regarding these funding opportunities is largely released only in Japanese, with applications of course being only accepted in Japanese as well. 

 

Below, please find one of the current funding projects that is accepting applications for small businesses primarily based in Japan which fall under either manufacturing, commerce, or service industries.  The deadline for this particular program was April 27^, 2018, but the page itself still provides a sample of the sorts of conditions for application and the amount of funding that is potentially available.

 

http://www.chusho.meti.go.jp/sme_english/index.html

 

We will be periodically spotlighting current grant applications from time to time as part of our mission to create a stronger support base for foreign entrepreneurs interested in Japan.  We hope that raising the awareness of these funding opportunities will be the first step in increasing foreigner entrepreneurs’ access to these resources.