[Fukuoka] FY2026 SME Overseas Expansion Support Subsidy (Foreign IP Application Support)

This subsidy reimburses up to one-half of expenses incurred by SMEs based in Fukuoka Prefecture when filing patent, utility model, design or trademark applications with foreign patent offices. It is administered by the Fukuoka SME Support Center's Intellectual Property Support Division as an "indirect subsidy" under the FY2026-amended Implementation Guidelines of METI's SME Overseas Expansion Support Subsidy (Foreign IP Application Support Program). Eligible applicants are SMEs (corporations, sole proprietors, business cooperatives, chambers of commerce, NPOs) defined under Article 2 of the SME Support Act with an office in Fukuoka. Six conditions apply: (1) hold a basic Japanese patent office application; (2) plan a foreign filing under Paris Convention, PCT, Hague Agreement or Madrid Protocol; (3) the foreign applicant name matches the domestic applicant; (4) cooperation of a Japanese patent attorney (or self-handle equivalent paperwork); (5) participate in the 5-year post-completion follow-up survey; (6) complete examination requests and office-action responses. Deemed-large enterprises (1/2+ owned by a single large enterprise, etc.) and entities with average taxable income above JPY 1.5 billion over the past 3 years are excluded, as are organized-crime affiliates. Covered expenses include foreign patent office fees, in-country and overseas agent fees (in principle one domestic + one local agent, with notarization, power-of-attorney, remittance fees admissible), and translation fees for foreign-filing documents (with WORD-rate breakdown). Excluded: Japanese stamp duties, prior-art search costs, VAT/consumption tax, post-filing office actions, registration fees, PCT international-phase fees, and any expense incurred before the official adoption decision. Subsidy rate: up to 1/2 of eligible expenses. Ceilings: JPY 3 million per company per fiscal year; per case JPY 1.5 million (patents), JPY 600,000 each (utility model, design, trademark), JPY 300,000 (defensive trademark). Schedule: applications May 11 - June 12, 17:00; adoption notice mid-July; foreign filing target deadline Jan 29 (Reiwa 9); completion report due Feb 12; payment by end of March. Key tips: complete the domestic basic filing first; obtain quotes that account for FX fluctuations; attach a prior-art search (J-PlatPat, TMview); coordinate the filing plan with your patent attorney; INPIT and other national-funded subsidies cannot be combined for the same filing.