Yamanobe Town Startup Support Subsidy

The Yamanobe Town Startup Support Subsidy is a program by Yamanobe Town in Yamagata Prefecture that supports the initial costs faced by motivated entrepreneurs starting a business within the town. The purpose is to promote local industry, economic vitalization, and employment creation by reducing the financial burden at startup and encouraging post-startup growth. The program has been in effect since April 1, 2025 (Reiwa 7). Eligible applicants are entrepreneurs who establish their headquarters or principal place of business within the town and operate in one of the industries listed in Appendix 1 (construction, manufacturing, ICT, transport, wholesale and retail, finance and insurance, real estate, professional and technical services, lodging and food service, lifestyle-related services, education, and other services). Applicants must additionally have received the specified startup support program designated under Article 128 of the Industrial Competitiveness Enhancement Act, intend to join the Yamanobe Chamber of Commerce, intend to continue business for at least 3 years, have no tax arrears, and not be involved with organized crime, adult entertainment, religious or political organizations, or franchise contracts. Eligible expenses fall into two categories: Soft Support and Hard Support. Soft Support covers application document preparation fees, purchase of machinery, tools, instruments, and equipment costing at least 100,000 JPY per item (excluding general-purpose items such as PCs, tablets, and vehicles), and sales channel expansion expenses including advertising, brochures, and website creation. Hard Support covers expenses for new construction of facilities and equipment required for opening the business (excluding residential portions). The subsidy rate for both categories is up to 1/2 of eligible expenses, with a cap of 500,000 JPY for Soft Support and 1,000,000 JPY for Hard Support. The two categories may be combined and are treated as a single grant. Amounts are rounded down below 1,000 JPY. Applications are submitted to the Mayor using Form 1 along with a business plan (Form 2), budget statement (Form 3), business opening notification copy, registry certificate copy, articles of incorporation, and consent for investigation (Form 4). Performance reports (Form 5) must be submitted within 30 days of project completion or by March 31 of the fiscal year, whichever is earlier.