Kawanishi City New Store Opening Support Subsidy

(1) Overview: The Kawanishi City New Store Opening Support Subsidy supports small and medium-sized enterprises and individual proprietors who newly rent or acquire premises to open retail or food-service shops within Kawanishi City. Funded via the national Regional Future Grant (Regional Future Promotion Type), the program aims to invigorate the city by enabling attractive, lively new storefronts, and pairs financial aid with management guidance from SME consultants. (2) Eligible Applicants: SMEs and sole proprietors opening new retail or food-service shops within the city are eligible. Stores must operate at least 6 hours per day (with 3+ hours between 11:00 and 20:00), at least 5 days per week (including one weekend day), participate actively in vibrancy-creation activities by the city and shopping districts, and endeavor to join local economic associations or shopping street federations. No outstanding municipal tax arrears are permitted. (3) Eligible Expenses & Content: Two expense categories are covered: (a) construction costs (interior and exterior renovation of the store premises) and (b) rent (only for stores located within the central commercial district, payable from the 6th month after opening for 12 months). Additionally, beneficiaries may receive up to 2 hours of business-management consultation by an SME consultant or other expert at pre-opening, 6 months post-opening, and 18 months post-opening. (4) Rate, Cap, Schedule & Application Points: Construction costs are subsidized at 1/2 of eligible expenses up to 500,000 yen; rent is subsidized at 1/5 of eligible expenses, capped at 50,000 yen per month for up to 12 months (total up to 600,000 yen). Construction applications are accepted by the 1st of May, July, September, November, and January, with a WEB-presentation review by two judges and decisions issued late in the cutoff month. Rent applications are filed 6 months after opening, and continuation in the next fiscal year requires re-application in April. Recipients must file store-change reports for 5 years after the decision. Contact: Kawanishi City Industrial Promotion Section (072-740-1162).