Takamatsu City Takamatsu Central Shopping Street Startup New Store Opening Subsidy

This subsidy from Takamatsu City Industrial Promotion Division supports individual or corporate founders opening a new store in a vacant property within the Takamatsu Central Shopping Street area (8 shopping street promotion associations: Hyogo-machi, Katahara-machi West/East, Lion-dori, Marugame-machi, Minami-shin-machi, Tokiwa-machi, Tamachi). The aim is to promote use of vacant storefronts and revitalize the central commercial district. Eligible applicants are individual founders (never operated a business, or within 5 years of opening notification) or corporate founders (within 5 years of incorporation) who: (1) do not currently have a store in the central shopping street, (2) intend to join the local shopping street promotion association as member, (3) intend to operate at least 5 days per week, (4) intend to operate continuously for at least 1 year after opening, (5) operate the business themselves, and (6) have received management consultation from Kagawa Yorozu Support Center or Takamatsu Chamber of Commerce. Excluded: organized crime affiliates, municipal tax delinquents, relocations from existing shops in the area, adult entertainment, chain-store franchise operations, persons related to the vacant store owner (same household, within 2nd degree relatives, or employed by owner), political/religious/unincorporated groups. Eligible projects are renovation works on the vacant store: interior work (walls, floors, ceilings, fixtures, fixed equipment installation), exterior work (exterior walls, signage, exterior painting), and equipment installation (electrical wiring, air conditioning, plumbing, gas piping). Consumption tax is excluded. Excluded costs include licensing fees, consumables, portable fixtures/equipment, and payments via crypto-assets, gift certificates, or third-party checks. Projects overlapping with other national/prefectural/municipal subsidies are excluded. The subsidy rate is 1/4 of eligible expenses up to JPY 500,000 (standard tier), or 1/2 up to JPY 1,000,000 if the applicant has received support under a Certified Startup Support Project (Tokutei Sogyo Shien). Amounts below JPY 1,000 are rounded down. Awards are first-come-first-served until the annual budget is exhausted. Limited to 1 application per business per fiscal year; construction must NOT start before the grant decision; projects spanning fiscal years are ineligible. Payment is made after completion and review of the performance report. Required forms include Form 1 (application), Form 2 (business plan), Form 3 (expenditure budget), Form 4 (consultation report), Form 5 (pledge), plus quotations, drawings, pre-construction photos, corporate registry, lease contract, opening notification (individuals), and tax non-arrears certificate.