New Subsidies in the Second Week of April: Systems for Energy-Saving Equipment Introduction Open for Application, Mainly in Chubu and Kanto Regions

Subsidies and grants available for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and sole proprietors are newly announced for public application every week. Grasping the latest trends in support programs related to regional environmental and energy-saving initiatives is an important factor in business planning.

Franca AI Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo), which operates the support program search portal "Subsidy Flash," has compiled and analyzed 164 subsidies and grants for which public applications opened between April 5, 2026, and April 11, 2026.

In the second week of April, support was confirmed for businesses considering equipment upgrades for energy saving, SMEs working on energy cost reduction, and factory/store operators looking to introduce renewable energy equipment.

[Topics]

(1) In the second week of April, 20 systems applicable to energy saving and decarbonization opened for public application, accounting for just over 10% of the total 164 cases. A total of 11 cases were from the Chubu region (Aichi, Shizuoka, Nagano prefectures) and the Kanto region (Kanagawa, Tokyo prefectures), allowing businesses to start searching for candidates based on their location.

(2) Multiple systems were identified that cover not only equipment and machinery purchase costs but also installation costs (building, construction, and renovation expenses). Since equipment purchase and installation can be applied for under a single system, businesses considering equipment replacement can efficiently check systems that cover a wide range of eligible expenses.

(3) 11 systems, which is more than half of the total, can accommodate small-scale investments up to 1 million yen. The systems available in the second week of April primarily focused on accessible energy-saving investments such as switching to LED lighting and air conditioners.

Survey Overview

Survey Target: Subsidies and support programs for which public applications opened between April 5, 2026, and April 11, 2026. Survey Method: Compilation and analysis of nationwide subsidy and support program information registered in our proprietary database. Survey Objective: To grasp the regional distribution and environmental/energy-saving support trends of newly opened subsidies and support programs in the second week of April. Survey Period: April 5, 2026 - April 11, 2026 (based on application opening date). Survey Area: Nationwide. Number of Cases: 164. Surveyor: Franca AI Co., Ltd. (Subsidy Flash Operations). Compilation Date: April 12, 2026.

Main Survey Results

[Regional Status]

Source: Subsidy Flash (Proprietary Database) / Compilation Date: April 12, 2026

In the second week of April, environmental and energy-saving support was concentrated in the Chubu and Kanto regions, accounting for 11 out of the total 20 cases.

In the Chubu region, 6 cases were opened for application from Aichi, Shizuoka, and Nagano prefectures. Shizuoka Prefecture's "SME GX Management Promotion Project Subsidy" (up to 10 million yen) supports energy-saving and decarbonization initiatives and includes equipment/machinery purchase costs, system construction costs, and building/construction/renovation costs. It is one of the options for SMEs in the prefecture considering investment in GX (Green Transformation).

In the Kanto region, 5 cases were confirmed from Kanagawa and Tokyo prefectures. Tokyo's "LED Lighting Equipment Conversion Subsidy for Apartment Buildings and Business Facilities" (up to 300,000 yen, 50% subsidy rate) supports the conversion of lighting equipment to LEDs, and can be applied for by sole proprietors and business facilities. Even if there are few programs in one's own location, nationwide programs also exist among the 164 newly announced cases, expanding options when checked together.

[Main Usage Categories]

Source: Subsidy Flash (Proprietary Database) / Compilation Date: April 12, 2026

Among the 164 newly announced cases in the second week of April, support for equipment investment and management improvement was the most common, with energy-saving and decarbonization themes ranking third.

When considering equipment replacement or energy-saving renovations, selecting programs that fall under both the "equipment investment" and "environment/energy saving" themes allows for the appeal of energy-saving effects alongside equipment purchase. Fukuoka Prefecture's "Fukuoka City Business Facility Energy Saving Equipment Introduction Support Project" (up to 9 million yen, 1/2 subsidy rate) subsidizes the introduction costs of high-efficiency lighting, air conditioning, and ventilation equipment, supporting energy saving and decarbonization in business facilities.

In addition to equipment investment, programs related to productivity improvement and digital utilization were also confirmed in the second week of April, and exploring combinations of programs across multiple themes can broaden options.

[Breakdown by Eligible Expenses]

Source: Subsidy Flash (Proprietary Dat