Subsidy Flash Survey: Guidance for SMEs Considering Equipment Upgrades—Public Applications Open Now for Subsidies Including Labor Costs

'Hojokin Flash' (https://hojokin-kensaku.jp/), a service offering AI search and application support for subsidies and grants across Japan, has conducted an analysis of 172 support programs that opened for application from May 17 to May 23, 2026.

While subsidies are often thought to be limited to purchasing machinery and equipment, looking into programs that also cover labor costs, such as salaries and training for newly hired staff, reveals opportunities to consolidate equipment upgrades and personnel expansion in a single application.

Summary of Analysis Results

(1) For those considering replacing machinery or systems, there are many programs where out-of-pocket expenses can be reduced by more than half. Since options can be found starting from small investments under 1 million yen, listing 'what you want to introduce' first makes it easier to narrow down the choices.

(2) Programs that cover not only equipment and machinery purchase costs but also the salaries and training expenses of newly hired staff are emerging. Because these can be used in tandem with capital investment or business succession initiatives, coordinating personnel expansion plans with equipment plans broadens the scope of potential applications.

(3) The majority of programs are open to applications from sole proprietors. Searching by 'type of expense' rather than by legal entity type allows for faster discovery of potential matches.

Survey Overview

Survey Target: Subsidy and support programs that opened for application from 2026/05/17 to 2026/05/23. Survey Method: Aggregation and analysis of public information listed on Hojokin Flash. Survey Purpose: To organize newly launched support programs from the perspective of eligible expenses and to visualize programs that cover costs beyond equipment. Survey Period: 2026/05/17 to 2026/05/23 (based on application start date). Survey Area: Nationwide. Number of Cases: 172. Survey Body: Hojokin Flash (Operated by Franca AI Co., Ltd.).

Main Survey Results

【What expenses are covered?】

Most programs focus on purchasing machinery or production equipment, allowing consideration to begin with the introduction of the hardware itself.

There are many programs available to bundle the purchase costs when replacing air conditioning, commercial machinery, or production line equipment. The 'FY2026 Miyagi Prefecture SME Digitalization Support Project (Regular Frame)' (with a cap of 2.5 million yen) covers system construction costs and expert consultation fees in addition to equipment/machinery purchase costs, allowing equipment introduction and IT conversion to be managed within the same application.

There is also a certain number of programs targeting expert consultation and system construction costs, and in some cases, expenses for external help while choosing equipment are also covered. Even if you haven't decided exactly how much to spend, looking at programs with a wide range of eligible expenses helps expand your options.

Full Report (PDF Version)

For those who want to check 'if there are programs that cover labor costs' or 'if equipment upgrades and hiring can be applied for together,' the full PDF report detailing trends by expense category and subsidy rates is available.

▶ Survey Page (PDF Download Available): https://hojokin-kensaku.jp/report/Rcd1731209a