FY2026 Kasama City SME Support Subsidy

1) Project overview: This Kasama City scheme supports SMEs based in the city with the costs of projects to (a) expand sales channels and (b) secure human resources. Activities funded include exhibition booth participation, website creation/renovation, joint company information sessions, recruitment promotional materials, company information meetings, factory tours, internship programmes, and other awareness-raising activities about SMEs. Each business can receive the subsidy once per fiscal year for each of the 'sales-expansion' and 'HR-securing' categories. 2) Target applicants: All applicants must satisfy: (1) be an SME with a place of business (operational) in Kasama City — for sole proprietors, the home address must be in the city — with the intent to continue operations; and (2) have no overdue city taxes. Eligible SME forms include those under Article 2(1) of the SME Strengthening Act, social welfare corporations, medical corporations, NPOs, general/public association corporations, general/public foundation corporations, school corporations, agricultural-cooperative corporations and agricultural corporations meeting the size requirements. Excluded are: entities >50% (or >2/3) owned by large businesses, entities whose officers are dominated by large-business personnel, entities receiving city investment or operational subsidies, sex-business operators, those undergoing corporate/civil rehabilitation, franchise-format outlets, and entities related to organised crime exclusion ordinance categories 1–3. 3) Eligible expenses / subsidy content: (1) Sales-expansion costs — (i) exhibition / fair attendance, (ii) website creation/renovation, (iii) other costs approved by the Mayor. (2) HR-securing costs — (i) use of private job-support services, (ii) joint company information / interview events, (iii) creation of recruitment promotional materials (videos, pamphlets), (iv) hosting company-information meetings, factory tours, job-shadowing, open factories, internships, and other SME-awareness initiatives, (v) other costs approved by the Mayor. 4) Subsidy rate / cap / schedule / application points: Within 1/2 of eligible costs; cap = 200,000 yen. Amounts below 1,000 yen are rounded down. Application window: until Friday 26 February 2027 (weekdays 08:45–17:00, excluding holidays). Applications close when budget is exhausted. Submit in person to the Commerce & Industry Division. Required documents: Form 1 (Application), Form 2 (Implementation Plan), Form 3 (Budget), expense breakdown statement, Form 4 (Declaration/Consent), proof of business in city (tax return / corporate registry / opening notification / licenses), and other documents requested by the Mayor. Starting the project before grant decision makes it ineligible. After completion, submit Form 8 (Achievement Report) within 30 days of completion or by Friday 12 March 2027, whichever is earlier. Contact: Kasama City Industry/Economy Department, Commerce & Industry Division Commerce Promotion Group, 0296-77-1101.