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In today\u2019s article we\u2019ll discuss government grants in Japan and one of the key steps that can be taken to increase chances of approval.<\/span><\/p>\n Foreigner-owned companies that apply are considered on the same standard criteria for government grants, making them stand out as one of the more readily accessible types of funding opportunities for foreigners in Japan! (In comparison, other options such as venture capital are incredibly strict with foreigner-owned projects, and angel investors are rare in Japan)<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Japanese government has set aside designated amounts of grant funding to be used towards supporting companies and startups that are either creating physical products or offering services that bring innovative contributions to society.<\/span><\/p>\n Eligible businesses may apply, and through achieving a satisfactory assessment by meeting various conditions and requirements may become eligible to receive access to grants to use for funding.<\/span><\/p>\n The Department for Innovative Services alone been allotted a budget of 20 million yen<\/em> for the 2018 period, so the amount of resources available is quite significant.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Grant Application for Physical Products (In Japanese):<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n http:\/\/www.chusho.meti.go.jp\/keiei\/sapoin\/2018\/180228mono.htm<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Grant Application for Services (In Japanese)<\/strong>:<\/span><\/p>\n http:\/\/www.tokyo-kosha.or.jp\/support\/service\/kakushin.html<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Applying companies must be a registered business in Japan.\u00a0 Eligibility is determined by several factors including company employee number and amount of capital\u2014major corporations do not qualify for grants but the vast majority of small-to-mid sized businesses (including startups) are generally accepted.<\/span><\/p>\n It is worth noting that companies producing web-based apps are considered to fall in the \u201cServices\u201d category and thus also may qualify.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Applicants may elect to prepare a keiei kakushin keikaku<\/em> (\u201cManagement of Innovation Plan\u201d) document\u2014which formally describes the company\u2019s business plan in detail\u2014and submit this alongside their application.<\/span><\/p>\n Although not officially listed as a requirement for the application process, a completed \u201cManagement of Innovation Plan\u201d signals that the applying company regards its product or service very seriously, helping to increase the overall likelihood of approval.\u00a0 It could perhaps even be said that preparing this document as a companion to grant applications is considered an unspoken expectation.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n\n
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The Availability of Government Grants For Businesses In Japan<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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A Brief Overview Of Application Eligibility<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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A Vital Step In Increasing Grant Success Rates: The \u201cManagement of Innovation Plan\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n