SME Overseas Expansion Support Subsidy (Foreign IP Application Support Program)

(1) Overview: This subsidy, administered by Gifu Prefecture Industrial and Economic Promotion Center (GPC Gifu) under METI's SME Overseas Expansion Support Subsidy (Foreign IP Application Support Program) Grant Outline and Implementation Guidelines, helps SMEs in Gifu Prefecture cover part of the costs of filing foreign patent, utility-model, design and trademark applications, supporting overseas expansion grounded in IP rights. (2) Eligible applicants: SMEs (as defined in Articles 2(1)(1)-(3) of the SME Support Act) with a business establishment in Gifu Prefecture, qualifying SME groups, business cooperatives, chambers of commerce, and NPOs filing regional collective trademarks. Applicants must already have filed a corresponding Japanese domestic application (or qualifying PCT/Hague/Madrid Protocol route) and plan to file abroad. Quasi-large enterprises (>=1/2 owned by a single large enterprise, etc.) and entities whose three-year average taxable income exceeds JPY 1.5 billion, as well as anti-social forces, are excluded. (3) Eligible expenses: Foreign patent office filing fees, foreign attorney fees, Japanese patent-attorney fees, and translation costs, provided they are incurred and paid between the grant decision date and 12 February 2027. Japanese stamp duties, consumption/VAT/service taxes, PCT international-phase fees, post-filing additional fees, third-country agent fees, and costs incurred before the grant decision are not covered. Joint applications are subsidised only for the applicant's share. (4) Rate, ceiling, schedule, key points: Subsidy rate up to 1/2 of eligible costs. Per-company annual cap JPY 3,000,000. Per-case caps: patent JPY 1,500,000; utility model / design / trademark JPY 600,000; anti-squatting trademark JPY 300,000. Applications accepted from 11 May 2026 (Mon) until 17:00 on 30 June 2026 (Tue), primarily by email to fund-k@gpc-gifu.or.jp (jGrants may be used in parallel). Bonus points for wage-raising firms and work-life-balance-certified firms (Eruboshi/Kurumin/Youth Yell). Performance reports due within 30 days of project completion or by 19 February 2027, whichever is earlier.