FY2026 Age-Friendly Subsidy (Safety & Health for Older Workers)

The Age-Friendly Subsidy is a national program funded by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) under the FY2026 Implementation Guidelines (Notification No. Kihatsu-0312-4, dated 12 March 2026). It supports small and medium-sized employers that take action to reduce occupational accidents among workers aged 60 and over, including risk assessment, workplace improvements, heat-stroke countermeasures, fall- and back-pain prevention activities, and "collab health" initiatives. The fund is administered by the Japan Industrial Safety and Health Consultants Association (JISHA), operating the Age-Friendly Subsidy Office. Eligible applicants are SMEs that (1) have been in operation for at least one year, (2) regularly employ one or more older workers (age 60+, excluding directors and dispatched workers) covered by workers' accident compensation insurance, (3) are enrolled in labour insurance, (4) have not received an administrative disposition for an MHLW-jurisdiction law violation in the past year (unless remedied), (5) have not been subject to subsidy revocation within the past 5 years, and (6) do not breach the anti-organized-crime pledge. SME size thresholds follow standard sector rules (manufacturing/etc.: capital ≤ 300M JPY or workers ≤ 300; wholesale: ≤ 100M / ≤ 100; service: ≤ 50M / ≤ 100; retail: ≤ 50M / ≤ 50). The program has three branches: (I) the Expert Comprehensive Course — Stage 1 risk assessment by an external safety/health expert (subsidy rate 4/5, cap JPY 1,000,000); Stage 2 workplace improvements and physical-function/safety training (rate 1/2, cap JPY 1,000,000, A+B+C combined). (II) Heat-Stroke Course — rate 1/2, cap JPY 1,000,000. (III) Collab-Health Course — rate 3/4, cap JPY 300,000. All caps are exclusive of consumption tax. One grant per employer per fiscal year is permitted, with the exception that a Stage-1 recipient may also apply for Stage 2 in the same fiscal year. Applications are submitted via jGrants (online) or by mail between 20 May 2026 (Wed) and 31 October 2026 (Sat), postmark valid; Stage 1 of the Expert Course must be filed by 31 August 2026 (Mon). The required materials are Form 1 (with Annex), Form 1-1 (pledge and statement), Form 1-2 (older-worker roster) and Form 1-3 (cost itemisation), delivered to the Age-Friendly Subsidy Office. Applications close early if the budget is exhausted. Implementation reports and payment requests (Form 3) must be filed by 31 January 2027 (postmark valid).