PROGRAM · NEW BUSINESS
New Business & Monozukuri Subsidy
新事業進出・ものづくり商業サービス補助金Since 2026 — successor to the “Monozukuri Hojokin” and the New Business Expansion Subsidy
Big-ticket support for a new product, a new market or exports: machinery, systems and even buildings. Up to ¥90M — in exchange for a 3–5 year growth and pay-raise plan.
Maximum
¥90M
New business / Global, 101+ staff, wage special
Subsidy rate
1/2
2/3 for small firms and the Global track
Applications
Rounds
Deadlines are strictly enforced
Who can apply
SMEs
With a 3–5 year growth plan
What it is
From 2026, the well-known Monozukuri Subsidy and the New Business Expansion Subsidy were combined into one program run by SMRJ. It funds three kinds of growth projects, each with its own track.
It is competitive and plan-based. You submit a business plan for the next 3–5 years, and you commit to growth and wage targets. Missing some of those targets can mean paying the subsidy back.
Not the old programs
The official site notes that this is a different subsidy from the old 中小企業新事業進出補助金 and ものづくり・商業・サービス生産性向上促進補助金. Guides written for those programs may not apply.
Can foreign-owned businesses apply?
Yes, if your company is an SME operating in Japan. Every applicant must commit to a 3–5 year plan that meets all of these:
- Added value grows by 4.0%+ per year on average
- Total pay per employee grows by 3.5%+ per year on average
- Your lowest wage stays ¥30+ above the regional minimum wage, every year
- A general employer action plan (childcare support) is published on the government site 両立支援のひろば
- If a bank finances the project, the bank has checked your plan
Repayment risk
If you miss the pay-growth or lowest-wage targets, you may have to return part or all of the subsidy. Plan numbers you can really reach.
The three tracks
| Track | For | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Innovative products & services革新的新製品・サービス枠 | Developing a genuinely new product or service with your own skills. Just installing machines is not enough. | 1/2 (2/3) Small firms: 2/3 |
| New business新事業進出枠 | A product new to your company, sold to a market new to your company. It does not have to be new to the world. | 1/2 (2/3) |
| Globalグローバル枠 | Strengthening production in Japan to export to countries you have not sold to before — on your own initiative. | 2/3 |
Rates in brackets apply with the regional minimum-wage special condition: a share of your staff paid close to the regional minimum wage for a set period. The exact test is in each round’s guidelines.
How much you can get
| Employees | Innovative track | New business & Global |
|---|---|---|
| 1–5 | ¥7.5M (¥8.5M) | ¥25M (¥30M) |
| 6–20 | ¥10M (¥12.5M) | ¥25M (¥30M) |
| 21–50 | ¥15M (¥25M) | ¥40M (¥50M) |
| 51–100 | ¥25M (¥35M) | ¥55M (¥70M) |
| 101 or more | ¥25M (¥35M) | ¥70M (¥90M) |
| Minimum | ¥1M | ¥7.5M |
Amounts in brackets apply with the wage-increase special condition: pay per employee +6.0%/year and lowest wage ¥50+ above the regional minimum. Missing these also triggers repayment.
What you can spend it on
Covered
- Machinery and systems — required for the Innovative track
- Buildings — New business and Global tracks only
- Technology, IP, outsourcing, experts, cloud services, materials
- Advertising and sales promotion
- Overseas travel, interpreting and translation — Global track only
Not covered
- Improving how you make an existing product (Innovative track)
- Products already common among similar businesses
- Making again a product you made before (New business track)
- Overseas projects led by your customer, not you (Global track)
Each expense category has its own cap. See the official guidelines (公募要領).
Before you apply
Same day–1 month
gBizID Prime
GビズIDプライム
Applications are online only.
1–2 weeks
Action plan
一般事業主行動計画
Write and publish your childcare-support action plan on the government site.
4–8 weeks
Business plan
事業計画書
A 3–5 year plan with growth and wage targets. Many firms work with a certified advisor.
How to apply, step by step
- 01
Choose your track 補助対象事業枠
Innovative products, New business or Global. The rules differ a lot.
- 02
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.
- 03
Publish your action plan 両立支援のひろば
Required for every applicant.
- 04
Write the business plan 事業計画
Show the new product or market, the investment, and the 3–5 year numbers.
- 05
Submit online before the deadline 電子申請
Each round closes at a fixed time, strictly enforced. Submit days early.
- 06
If selected: grant, build, report 採択・交付・実績報告
Only spend after the grant decision. After payment you report on your targets for 3–5 years.
Deadlines
The program runs in numbered rounds (公募回). Each round has an application period and a deadline that is strictly enforced — even a minute late is rejected.
Check the current round
See the official site for the current round and its guidelines.
Common mistakes
- Choosing the wrong track. “Innovative” means a new product, not new machines for an old one.
- Over-promising wage growth. Missing pay targets can mean paying money back.
- Following old Monozukuri guides. The merged program has new rules and tracks.
- Spending before the grant decision. Those costs are not covered.
FAQ
Can a foreign-owned company apply for the New Business & Monozukuri Subsidy?
Yes. If your company is an SME operating in Japan and can commit to the growth, wage and lowest-wage targets for 3–5 years, you can apply on the same terms as Japanese-owned companies.
Is this the same as the Monozukuri Subsidy?
It replaced it. From 2026 the Monozukuri Subsidy and the New Business Expansion Subsidy were merged into the New Business & Monozukuri Subsidy (新事業進出・ものづくり商業サービス補助金), with new tracks and rules.
Can I use it to buy or build a building?
Only on the New business and Global tracks. On the Innovative track, buildings are not covered and machinery or systems are required.
What happens if I miss the targets?
If you miss the pay-growth or lowest-wage targets, you may have to return part or all of the subsidy. The added-value target is a planning requirement.
Sources
- Official site — New Business & Monozukuri Subsidy (新事業進出・ものづくり商業サービス補助金)
- Overview: tracks, limits, rates and requirements (補助金概要)
- Schedule (公募スケジュール)
This page is a plain-English summary, not legal advice. The official Japanese guidelines always take priority.
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