This is a translation of the Japanese original. The Japanese version is authoritative; figures follow Japanese tax law.
In October 2026 the deadlines for Japan's large national subsidies fall on the 16th and the 30th. Round 8 of the general type Labor-Saving Investment Subsidy (省力化投資補助金) closes at 17:00 on Friday 16 October. Round 1 of the New Business and Monozukuri Subsidy (新事業進出・ものづくり商業サービス補助金) closes at 18:00 on Friday 30 October. For the Business Improvement Subsidy (業務改善助成金), 26 prefectures reach their deadline in October. Meanwhile, the deadline for the SME Growth Acceleration Subsidy was pushed back to 12 November on 29 September. The previous edition is subsidies closing in September.[Labor-Saving Investment Subsidy office (in Japanese)]
The short answer: four programs close in October, clustered on the 16th and the 30th
| Subsidy | Deadline | Cap | Rate | Who | Our explainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Improvement Subsidy (MHLW) | 1-31 Oct, by prefecture (day before the new minimum wage takes effect) | ¥6 million | 3/4, 4/5 | SMEs and sole proprietors with employees | Minimum wage and the ¥1.06 million wall |
| Labor-Saving Investment Subsidy (general type), round 8 | Fri 16 Oct, 17:00 | ¥100 million | 1/2, 2/3 | SMEs short of staff | Subsidy and grant guide |
| Digitalization and AI Subsidy 2026, multi-company frame, round 3 | Fri 30 Oct, 17:00 | ¥30 million | 2/3 to 4/5 | Groups of SMEs applying jointly | Subsidies for adopting AI |
| New Business and Monozukuri Subsidy, round 1 | Fri 30 Oct, 18:00 | ¥90 million | 1/2, 2/3 | SMEs entering new markets or products | Round 1 scoring and eligibility |
* Caps are for the largest bracket (including special provisions). As announced on 29 September 2026.
Round 3 of the SME Growth Acceleration Subsidy (中小企業成長加速化補助金) was due to close at 15:00 on 29 October. On 29 September 2026 the deadline moved to 15:00 on Thursday 12 November. Guides still carrying the old date are around, so check the program office site.[¥10 billion company growth portal (in Japanese)]
The Business Improvement Subsidy closes in October in 26 prefectures - when is yours?
The deadline is the day before the regional minimum wage takes effect or 30 November, whichever comes first. Because the effective date differs by prefecture, so does the deadline. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) restated this on 24 September.[MHLW, Business Improvement Subsidy (in Japanese)]
| Deadline | Prefecture (scheduled effective date) |
|---|---|
| 30 Sep (closed) | Hokkaido, Miyagi, Tochigi, Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Niigata, Toyama, Gifu, Aichi, Mie, Osaka, Hyogo, Kagawa (effective 1 Oct) |
| 1-3 Oct | Nagano, Okayama (2 Oct); Gunma, Ishikawa, Shiga, Wakayama, Tottori (3 Oct); Fukui, Nara, Fukuoka (4 Oct) |
| 7-17 Oct | Yamaguchi (8 Oct), Shimane (10 Oct), Hiroshima (11 Oct), Akita (14 Oct), Shizuoka (15 Oct), Fukushima (16 Oct), Ibaraki (18 Oct) |
| 23-31 Oct | Miyazaki (24 Oct), Kagoshima (25 Oct), Aomori, Kochi (29 Oct), Yamagata (30 Oct), Yamanashi, Tokushima, Ehime, Oita (1 Nov) |
| 1-15 Nov | Nagasaki (2 Nov), Saga (15 Nov), Kyoto (16 Nov) |
| 30 Nov | Iwate, Kumamoto (1 Dec), Okinawa (2 Dec) |
* The deadline is the day before the effective date. Effective dates are scheduled and may change if objections are filed.[MHLW, FY2026 regional minimum wage recommendations (in Japanese)]
The second trap is that the pay rise has the same deadline. The leaflet sets the wage-raising period as "1 September to the day before the effective date". Even if the application is in on time, a work-rule change dated on the effective day itself does not count.
- The cap depends on the size of the raise and the number of workers, up to ¥6 million (¥90 course, 10 or more workers, special-case employers)
- The rate is 4/5 if the lowest wage at the workplace is under ¥1,050, and 3/4 if it is ¥1,050 or more
- The raise must cover employment insurance members hired at least six months earlier
- Raises or investments already made do not count; only future ones do
- Shizuoka's minimum wage rises from ¥1,097 to ¥1,154, scheduled to take effect on 15 October, so both the application and the raise are due by 14 October
- Five workers on the workplace minimum of ¥1,100 go up to ¥1,190 (¥90 course, 4-5 workers). The cap is ¥2.7 million
- ¥3 million goes on a ticket machine and a dishwasher. The workplace minimum is ¥1,050 or more, so the rate is 3/4
- ¥3 million × 3/4 = ¥2.25 million, below the ¥2.7 million cap, so the grant is ¥2.25 million (this site's estimate)
If the minimum wage rise means you must raise hourly pay anyway, pairing that raise with an equipment investment is the most efficient use. SMEs that raise pay can also look at the wage increase tax credit on corporate tax.
What the three subsidies closing on 16 and 30 October offer
All three are online-only and require a gBizID Prime account (GビズIDプライム). It can take two to three weeks to issue, so without one there is little room left for October.
Labor-Saving Investment Subsidy (general type), round 8 | 17:00 Fri 16 October
It supports equipment and systems tailored to workplaces short of staff. Applications opened on 18 September.[Labor-Saving Investment Subsidy, general type (in Japanese)]
- The cap depends on headcount, from ¥7.5 million (5 or fewer) to ¥80 million (101 or more)
- With the large pay-rise provision the cap rises to ¥10 million-¥100 million
- The rate is 1/2 for SMEs (2/3 under the minimum wage provision) and 2/3 for small businesses
Digitalization and AI Subsidy 2026, multi-company frame | 17:00 Fri 30 October
Of the former IT Introduction Subsidy, this is the only frame closing in October. It covers several SMEs bringing in software and devices together.[Digitalization and AI Subsidy schedule (in Japanese)]
- Up to ¥30 million combined for base introduction costs and consumer-trend analysis costs
- The rate is 3/4 (4/5 for small businesses) on the portion up to ¥500,000 per member, and 2/3 above that
New Business and Monozukuri Subsidy, round 1 | 18:00 Fri 30 October
Applications opened on 30 September. This round was pushed back a month from its original 30 September deadline. Unlike the others, the cut-off is 18:00.[Application schedule (in Japanese)]
- New business and global frames: caps of ¥25 million-¥70 million (¥30 million-¥90 million with the pay-rise provision), minimum ¥7.5 million
- Innovative products and services frame: caps of ¥7.5 million-¥25 million (¥8.5 million-¥35 million with the provision)
- Results are due in January 2027
The bonus points and which frame fits your business are covered in our guide to round 1.
What opens in October - round 16 of the Business Succession and M&A Subsidy starts on the 2nd
October also brings openings. Note them as starting points for preparation.
The four frames and rates of the succession subsidy are in our guide to round 16.[Business Succession and M&A Subsidy office (in Japanese)]
What can end early when the budget runs out - Housing Energy Saving 2026
Subsidies for private homes have a budget cap that bites before any deadline. The Housing Energy Saving 2026 Campaign (住宅省エネ2026キャンペーン) stops taking applications once claims reach the budget. The shares as of 29 September were:[Housing Energy Saving 2026 Campaign (in Japanese)]
| Program | Claims as a share of budget |
|---|---|
| Mirai Eco Housing 2026 (new builds, GX-oriented) | 60% |
| Water Heater Energy Saving 2026 | 46% |
| Mirai Eco Housing 2026 (new builds, long-life quality or ZEH level) | 34% |
| Advanced Window Renovation 2026 | 26% |
| Mirai Eco Housing 2026 (renovation) | 7% |
* Approximate figures as of 00:00 on 29 September 2026, updated every morning.
Every program still has room. The grant is ¥70,000 per heat-pump water heater (plus ¥30,000 for the performance add-on), and window renovation is capped at ¥1 million per home. But reservations close by 16 November at the latest and applications by 31 December. Phase 2 for custom-built new homes (ZEH level) closed on 30 September. See interior window subsidies 2026 and renovation subsidies 2026.
Subsidies easily mistaken for October deadlines
Some deadlines have moved and some have already passed. A rushed business plan tends to fare badly in review.
| Subsidy | Actual deadline | Why it confuses |
|---|---|---|
| SME Growth Acceleration Subsidy, round 3 | 15:00 Thu 12 Nov | Extended from 29 October on 29 September; guides with the old date remain |
| Digitalization and AI Subsidy 2026, standard frame etc. | Round 5 closed 29 Sep | Rounds 6 and 7 are unannounced; only the multi-company frame closes in October |
| Small Business Sustainability Subsidy, joint type, round 3 | Closed 30 Sep | Covered in the September edition; nothing opens in October |
| Mirai Eco Housing 2026, custom-built homes (ZEH level), phase 2 | Closed 30 Sep | Other categories of the same program run to 31 December |
Deadlines change mid-year. Check each program office's schedule page. Past recipients can be searched in our subsidy award database.
Coming after October - round 20 of the Sustainability Subsidy opens on 5 November
If October is too tight, the next deadline is an option. Here are the dates announced so far.
| Date | What |
|---|---|
| Thu 5 Nov | Round 20 of the Small Business Sustainability Subsidy (general type, standard frame) opens. Closes 17:00 Tue 15 Dec; requests for the support plan (form 4) from chambers of commerce close Fri 4 Dec |
| Fri 6 Nov, 17:00 | Business Succession and M&A Subsidy, round 16 closes |
| Thu 12 Nov, 15:00 | SME Growth Acceleration Subsidy, round 3 closes |
| Mon 16 Nov | Last day for reservations under Housing Energy Saving 2026 (at the latest) |
| Mon 30 Nov | Final deadline for the Business Improvement Subsidy (Iwate, Kumamoto, Okinawa and other late prefectures) |
| Thu 31 Dec | Last day for Housing Energy Saving 2026 applications (at the latest) |
* Sustainability Subsidy dates are from its program office.[Small Business Sustainability Subsidy office (in Japanese)]
Before applying: payment after the fact, tax and clawback
A subsidy is money you receive, but your own cash goes out first. It does not suit every business.
Suits businesses that
- Have the cash or credit line to pay for equipment up front
- Can show staff a pay-rise plan for three to five years
Does not suit businesses that
- Cannot carry the cost for close to a year until payment
- See no realistic way to hit the pay-rise target
- Paid afterwards: money arrives after the project ends and is reported. Bridge financing costs are worked out in subsidies are paid afterwards
- Taxable: it counts as taxable income for a company and as business income for a sole proprietor. The part spent on assets can use compression entry to defer the tax
- Clawback: under the Monozukuri and Labor-Saving subsidies, missing the pay-rise target can mean returning part or all of the money
What to do today
- Check whether you hold a gBizID Prime account. If not, apply today
- Look up your prefecture's minimum wage effective date in the MHLW table (the day before is the Business Improvement Subsidy deadline)
- Split what you will submit by 30 October from what moves to November or later, on one schedule sheet
Frequently asked questions
If I miss the Business Improvement Subsidy deadline, is it gone for this year?
The FY2026 window runs until the day before your prefecture's minimum wage takes effect or 30 November, whichever is earlier. No route for applying later this year has been announced. You would wait for next year's guidelines.
Do the two programs closing on 30 October close at the same time?
No. The New Business and Monozukuri Subsidy closes at 18:00 and the multi-company frame of the Digitalization and AI Subsidy at 17:00. Neither accepts late applications.
What if I cannot make the general type Labor-Saving Investment Subsidy?
The catalog-order type takes applications at any time. It is limited to products in the catalog, with caps of ¥2 million-¥10 million by headcount (¥3 million-¥15 million with a pay rise) and a rate of up to 1/2.
Can sole proprietors apply for the October subsidies?
The Business Improvement Subsidy can apply to sole proprietors who employ staff and raise the workplace minimum wage. The Monozukuri Subsidy also covers individuals who meet the capital or full-time headcount test. Check the guidelines of the Labor-Saving subsidy and others for eligibility.
References (sources)
- MHLW, Business Improvement Subsidy (in Japanese)
- MHLW, FY2026 Business Improvement Subsidy leaflet (in Japanese)
- MHLW, FY2026 regional minimum wage recommendations (in Japanese)
- Labor-Saving Investment Subsidy, general type (in Japanese) / catalog-order type (in Japanese)
- New Business and Monozukuri Subsidy, application schedule (in Japanese)
- Digitalization and AI Subsidy 2026, schedule (in Japanese) / multi-company frame (in Japanese)
- Business Succession and M&A Subsidy office (in Japanese) / SMRJ, round 16 guidelines released (in Japanese)
- ¥10 billion company growth portal (SME Growth Acceleration Subsidy, in Japanese)
- Housing Energy Saving 2026 Campaign (in Japanese) / Water Heater Energy Saving 2026 (in Japanese) / Advanced Window Renovation 2026 (in Japanese)
- National Tax Agency, No.5601 Compression entry for assets acquired with national subsidies (in Japanese)
This article is based on information published by program offices and government agencies as of 29 September 2026. Deadlines and requirements can change during the year; always check the latest guidelines on each official site before applying. This article is general information. For individual decisions, consult the program office, the prefectural labour bureau or a tax accountant.
