Kyoto City Business Location Promotion Subsidy [Trial Location Support Program]

(1) Overview: The Kyoto City Business Location Promotion Subsidy [Trial Location Support Program] subsidizes part of the usage fees and transportation costs incurred when companies considering relocation to Kyoto City try out shared offices or coworking spaces within the city on a trial basis. Operated by the Industrial and Tourism Bureau Corporate Attraction Promotion Office under Chapter 4 (Articles 10-12) of the subsidy guidelines. (2) Eligible applicants: Companies that already have offices outside Kyoto City and have not established offices inside the city during the two years preceding the application date, and are considering establishing offices in the city. Organized-crime members, adult-entertainment operators, companies without required business licenses, companies in tax arrears, prior recipients of this subsidy, and companies that might harm public trust are excluded. Overseas companies (foreign and foreign-affiliated corporations) are also eligible if they are kaisha (companies). (3) Eligible expenses and subsidy content: The eligible project must satisfy both: (i) continuously using a shared office in Kyoto City for at least one week, and (ii) responding to interviews and surveys by the city during the support period. Eligible expenses are (A) shared-office usage fees (excluding admission fees, deposits, handling fees, food/beverage, and lodging) and (B) round-trip transportation between the applicant's usual office or home (port of entry for overseas companies) and the shared office, limited to reasonable public transportation per the Kyoto City Travel Expense Ordinance. (4) Subsidy rate, ceilings, schedule and application points: Subsidy rate is 1/2 of both usage fees and transportation. Support period is up to 3 months (6 months for overseas companies). Ceiling per category is JPY 250,000 each (JPY 500,000 each for overseas companies), set in Appendix 2 by usage days and number of users. Application must be submitted at least 7 days before the use start date, using Form 1 (Designation Application) with corporate registration, business plan, lease/usage agreement, etc. Operations must start within 90 days of designation; subsidy claim within 30 days of completion.