FY2026 Obu City Carbon Neutral Production Equipment Introduction Support Subsidy

(1) Overview: This subsidy program by Obu City, Aichi Prefecture supports SMEs engaged in manufacturing within the city by helping them update equipment to reduce utility costs, improve productivity and competitiveness, and advance decarbonized management. It funds the introduction of energy-efficient production and utility equipment registered under the national METI/SII Energy-Saving Investment Promotion Support Program (Type III equipment-unit category). (2) Eligible Applicants: SMEs and individual proprietors whose main business is manufacturing located in Obu City, that satisfy ALL the following: no anti-social ties for representatives or employees; no delinquent municipal taxes; no duplicate national/prefectural subsidies for the same expenses; received an Energy-Saving Optimization Diagnosis (by the Energy Conservation Center of Japan) within the 2 years prior to application; not a deemed-large enterprise; profitability score under the SME Agency's self-diagnosis system below 8.0 averaged over the last two fiscal years; and not already certified under this scheme in the same fiscal year. (3) Eligible Expenses & Scope: Eligible equipment includes production equipment (machine tools, plastic processing machinery, press machines, printing machines, die-cast machines) and utility equipment (high-efficiency air conditioners, industrial heat pumps, commercial water heaters, high-performance boilers, high-efficiency cogeneration, transformers, refrigeration units, industrial motors, control-capable LED lighting). Covered expenses include purchase, installation and design costs (excluding consumption tax). Removal of existing equipment is NOT covered. (4) Subsidy Rate, Cap, Schedule & Application Tips: Production equipment is subsidized up to 1/2 of eligible expenses with a 5,000,000 JPY cap; utility equipment up to 1/3 with a 1,000,000 JPY cap (only when eligible expenses are 450,000 JPY or more). One award per SME per category. Production equipment is publicly solicited from May 1 to July 31, 2026; utility equipment is accepted on a rolling first-come basis from April 1, 2026. Work must start AFTER plan certification and must be completed (installation and payment) by the end of February of the following fiscal year. Pre-consultation with the Obu Chamber of Commerce and Industry is MANDATORY before submission. Bonus review points are granted for holding Aichi Women's Brilliance Company certification, Health & Productivity Management Outstanding Organization certification, or the Obu City Worker-Friendly Company commendation.