FY2026 Age-Friendly Subsidy Launches with Budget Expanded to 950 Million Yen: walks Inc. Offers Occupational Accident Prevention Program with 50% Real Cost Burden

Based in Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, providing corporate wellness consulting, and operating the health management class 'walk on' in Utsunomiya-shi, Tochigi, walks Inc. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Taichi Hirano) announces the launch of a 'Fall and Back Pain Prevention Package'. This package fully utilizes the 'Age-Friendly Subsidy', whose budget has been significantly expanded to 950 million yen in FY2026, allowing companies to implement safety measures for older workers at a low cost.

Applications for the FY2026 Age-Friendly Subsidy begin on May 20.

■ What is the Age-Friendly Subsidy?

It is an occupational accident prevention support system for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) implemented by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

To create a workplace environment where older workers (aged 60 and above) can work safely and healthily, the government subsidizes a portion of the costs when introducing exercise instruction and physical function checks to prevent falls and back pain.

For exercise instruction related to fall and back pain prevention, the subsidy covers:

■ Subsidy rate: 1/2
■ Maximum limit: 1 million yen

Main conditions for eligibility:

- Must be a small and medium-sized enterprise operator
- Must have been conducting business for at least 1 year
- Must have at least one worker aged 60 or older (excluding executives)
- Must be a workplace covered by workers' compensation insurance, etc.

Scope of SMEs eligible for the Age-Friendly Subsidy

In addition, this system requires a 'risk assessment (confirmation of hazards in the workplace)' regarding falls, back pain, etc. Applications can be made not only by utilizing external consultants but also if the assessment is conducted by internal health and safety personnel such as health officers, safety and health promoters, safety officers, or business owners.

It is attracting attention as a system where the government supports 'preventive safety measures' to preemptively avoid occupational accidents such as falls and back pain among older workers.

Instructors eligible for the subsidy are limited to qualified personnel

There are qualification requirements for trainers eligible for the subsidy, limited to physical therapists, acupuncturists, ATs (athletic trainers), Health and Exercise Instructors, and Health and Exercise Practical Instructors.

Hirano from our company holds the qualification of 'Health and Exercise Instructor'. While physical therapists and acupuncturists specialize mainly in 'treatment and rehabilitation', Health and Exercise Instructors are experts in 'creating and guiding safe and effective exercise programs'. Therefore, we believe they are the most suitable personnel for the actual exercise instruction, which is the purpose of this subsidy.

■ 2026: The 'Age-Friendly' workplace environment required of companies

Starting in April 2026 (Reiwa 8), improving the work environment to match the physical characteristics of older workers has become a 'duty to make an effort' (legal obligation to endeavor). Simple warnings or relying on willpower cannot compensate for the decline in physical function due to aging. The 'Age-Friendly Subsidy', whose budget has been expanded to 950 million yen this year, is the greatest opportunity for SMEs to incorporate professional expertise and simultaneously reduce legal risks and workers' compensation costs.

■ Companies eligible for Age-Friendly / Recommended for these companies

Taking action utilizing this subsidy is an urgent task especially in the following industries with a high proportion of older workers.

(*SMEs with at least one employee aged 60 or older are eligible)

Manufacturing / Factories (Workplaces facing 'chronic back pain' due to carrying heavy materials and repetitive tasks, and 'fall risks' around machinery)

Construction / Builders (Workplaces where 'fall/slip accidents' and 'decline in physical function' on scaffolding, steps, and outdoor work are serious issues)

Transport / Logistics Warehouses (Workplaces with a high incidence of 'strained backs and poor loading conditions' due to cargo handling work)

Nursing Care / Medical Facilities (Workplaces directly linked to 'turnover rates due to back pain' among staff from transfer assistance and bathing assistance)

Retail / Building Management (Workplaces with frequent 'slip, trip, and fall' accidents while walking during store patrols, cleaning, and stocking goods)

IT Companies / Desk Work (Workplaces where 'severe chronic back pain' and 'loss of concentration due to decreased cerebral blood flow' from sitting for 8+ hours a day are serious issues)

■ Case study of introducing the back pain prevention program

Unique physical measurements provided by walks

This is an age-friendly compliant program that goes beyond mere numerical measurement, directly linking to 'occupational accident prevention' and 'productivity improvement'.

While general physical measurements end with grasping the 'current status' of muscle strength and flexibility, walks utilizes specialized expertise as a Health and Exercise Instructor to emphatically evaluate items directly linked to fall and slip risks during actual work duties, such as 'walking ability', 'balance ability', and 'agility' of working seniors.

The measurement data is instantly analyzed, providing feedback to all employees on how to use their bodies safely, and can be utilized as specific evidence (evaluation reports) for companies to improve their workplace environments and reduce workers' compensation risks.

Scene measuring sit-and-reach flexibility for physical fitness test

Posture confirmation and individual feedback

In this program, measurements are completed simply by recording the participant's standing posture and walking movements with a smartphone, without using special equipment. Based on the collected image data, health and exercise