Matsusaka City SME Profitability Improvement and Wage-Raising Environment Development Subsidy

1) Program overview: The Matsusaka City SME Profitability Improvement and Wage-Raising Environment Development Subsidy supports small and medium-sized enterprises in Matsusaka City that improve profitability through new business activities while also raising employee wages. The subsidy is provided within budgetary limits in accordance with the city's subsidy regulations. 2) Eligible applicants: Businesses must have a head office, branch, or sales office in Matsusaka City operating as an independent business; must not be delinquent on municipal taxes; and must file blue-form tax returns (corporate or individual income tax). Eligible entities include SMEs (manufacturing with capital up to 300M JPY and 300 or fewer employees, wholesale up to 100M JPY and 100 employees, retail up to 50M JPY and 50 employees, services up to 50M JPY and 100 employees), SME cooperatives, NPOs, and sole proprietors. Adult entertainment, political, religious, and organized crime-related businesses are excluded. 3) Eligible expenses and content: Eligible projects must contribute to profitability improvement and, in principle, lead to wage increases. Examples include equipment investment and DX adoption for labor saving and productivity, supply chain reinforcement through in-house production, business restructuring toward growth markets, new product/service development, and sales channel expansion. Eligible costs include R&D, equipment and supplies, consignment, store renovation, advertising/promotion, and website-related expenses. 4) Subsidy rate, ceiling, schedule, and points: Subsidy rate is 1/2 of eligible expenses, with a maximum of 3,000,000 JPY and minimum of 100,000 JPY. Limited to once per applicant per fiscal year. Applications open April 1, Reiwa 8 (2026). Pre-decision construction is permitted for orders placed on or after February 24, 2026, in urgent cases. Cannot be combined with other public subsidies for the same project.