PROGRAM · EQUIPMENT
Labor-Saving Investment Subsidy
中小企業省力化投資補助金“Shōryokuka Hojokin” — for businesses short on staff
Serving robots, self-checkouts, ticket machines and custom automation for businesses that can't hire enough people. Pick a product from an official catalog any time, or apply with your own plan.
Maximum
¥100M
General type, 101+ staff, with big wage increase
Subsidy rate
1/2
2/3 for small firms (general type)
Catalog type
Open
Rolling applications
General type
Rounds
Fixed application periods
What it is
The Labor-Saving Investment Subsidy pays back part of the cost of machines and systems that let you do the same work with fewer people. The goal is to raise productivity — and wages — at small businesses facing a staff shortage.
There are two ways to apply:
| Type | What you buy | How you apply |
|---|---|---|
| Catalogカタログ注文型 | Ready-made products listed in the official catalog — for example serving robots | Any time, together with a registered seller |
| General一般型 | Custom equipment and systems built for your workplace, combining hardware and software | In fixed rounds, with your own business plan |
Can foreign-owned businesses apply?
Yes. The rules look at your business, not your nationality:
- Your company is registered and operating in Japan as an SME (NPOs and social welfare corporations can apply to the general type)
- You are short of staff — the catalog type is for businesses “in a state of labor shortage”
- You plan to raise productivity and wages over the project period
The catalog type is the easiest way in
With the catalog type, a registered seller helps you with the application. If the seller can explain things in English, the language barrier becomes much smaller.
How much you can get
| Employees | Catalog type | General type |
|---|---|---|
| 5 or fewer | ¥5M (¥7.5M) | ¥7.5M (¥10M) |
| 6–20 | ¥7.5M (¥10M) | ¥15M (¥20M) |
| 21–50 | ¥10M (¥15M) | ¥30M (¥40M) |
| 51–100 | ¥10M (¥15M) | ¥50M (¥65M) |
| 101 or more | ¥10M (¥15M) | ¥80M (¥100M) |
| Rate | 1/2 | 1/2 (2/3 with minimum-wage special) Small firms: 2/3 |
Amounts in brackets apply when you meet the wage-increase special condition. Catalog limits shown are from March 19, 2026. A second catalog application has a cumulative cap and extra conditions.
What you can buy
Catalog type
- Products registered in the official catalog
- Bought through a registered seller
- Examples of categories: serving robots, cleaning robots, automated warehouses
General type
- Equipment and systems tailored to your workplace
- Hardware and software combined in one project
- Building a system around your own workflow
- Anything ordered or paid before the grant decision
- Catalog-type products bought from a seller that is not registered
Before you apply
Same day–1 month
gBizID Prime
GビズIDプライム
The government business login needed for the online application.
1–2 weeks
Find a product & seller
製品カタログ・販売事業者
Catalog type: search the official catalog and contact a registered seller.
3–6 weeks
Business plan
事業計画書
General type: a plan showing how the investment saves labor and raises wages.
How to apply (catalog type)
- 01
Search the product catalog 製品カタログ
Find a category and product that fits your work.
- 02
Contact a registered seller 販売事業者
Only registered sellers can support a catalog application.
- 03
Get gBizID Prime GビズIDプライム
Same day online with a My Number Card, or up to 1 month by post. See our gBizID guide.
- 04
Apply together with the seller 交付申請
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
- 05
Grant decision, then buy and install 交付決定
Do not order or pay before the decision.
- 06
Report, get paid, then follow-up reports 実績報告・効果報告
After payment you report the effect on productivity for several years.
When you can apply
| Type | Applications |
|---|---|
| Catalog type | Rolling — apply any time with a registered seller |
| General type | In fixed rounds. See the official general-type page for the current round |
Common mistakes
- Ordering before the decision. Costs before the grant decision are not covered.
- Ignoring the wage plan. If you miss the basic requirements, you may have to pay part of the subsidy back.
- Forgetting follow-up reports. Reporting continues for years after you are paid.
- “Free with the subsidy” offers. Schemes that refund your share break the rules.
FAQ
Can a foreign-owned restaurant use the Labor-Saving Subsidy for a serving robot?
Yes. Serving robots are a category in the official catalog. If your restaurant is an SME operating in Japan and short of staff, you can apply through a registered seller on the same terms as any other business.
Can I apply at any time?
The catalog type accepts applications on a rolling basis. The general type has fixed rounds — check the official site for the current one.
How is this different from the Digitalization & AI Subsidy?
The Digitalization & AI Subsidy is mainly for software. The Labor-Saving Subsidy is for machines and systems that reduce the work people have to do, such as robots and automated equipment.
Do I have to raise wages?
You plan to raise productivity and wages over the project period. Meeting the bigger wage-increase condition also raises your maximum amount.
Sources
- Official site — overview (中小企業省力化投資補助金)
- Catalog type (カタログ注文型) — limits from Mar 19, 2026
- General type (一般型) — limits, rates and rounds
This page is a plain-English summary, not legal advice. The official Japanese guidelines always take priority.
NEED HELP IN ENGLISH?
Talk to an English-speaking expert
Registered sellers and advisors who can explain the catalog and the general-type business plan in English.
See experts →PR · Paid listings
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
- Serving & cleaning robots
- Self-checkout & ticket machines
- Equipment financing