Japan Small and Medium Business Owners Association Launches "2026 100 Lectures Donation Project"

The Japan Small and Medium Business Owners Association (General Incorporated Association) (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, Tetsuaki Ishiguro) has launched the "[FY2026] 100 Lectures Donation Project," offering free expert lectures to local governments, SME support organizations, and industry groups nationwide. The association will dispatch professionals in fields directly related to SME management, such as recruitment, subsidies and grants, fundraising, tax-saving measures, and M&A/business succession, aiming to conduct 100 lectures per year.

Background of the Project Launch – The Worsening "Information Gap" for SMEs

Recently, the business environment surrounding SMEs is rapidly changing due to rising labor and raw material costs and responses to legal revisions. While support systems from the national and local governments are expanding year by year, the reality is that most companies are unable to utilize support systems that should be available to them, citing reasons such as "not knowing which system their company can use," "having no opportunity to consult with experts," and "difficulty obtaining high-quality information locally."

To correct this information gap, it is essential to increase the opportunities to deliver accurate information. However, many local governments and industry groups face challenges such as "inability to secure budgets to invite external expert lecturers," "inability to find suitable lecturers locally," and "content becoming stale, leading to declining participation rates and satisfaction." This makes it difficult to create opportunities for information provision. In response to these on-the-ground voices, our association has launched this project.

Three Features of This Project

Feature 1: High-quality seminars can be held at no lecturer cost.

Because it is operated through pro bono activities, the organizing group only needs to arrange the venue and notify members to hold a high-quality seminar (*only the lecturer's travel expenses are borne by the organizer). Even groups that find it difficult to secure budgets for inviting external lecturers can easily utilize this service.

Feature 2: Professionals from various fields will take the stage.

Experts active at the forefront of their respective fields will take the stage on themes directly linked to management, such as recruitment, subsidies and grants, fundraising, tax-saving measures, and M&A/business succession. We promise high satisfaction for participating member companies by delivering the latest information and practical know-how.

Feature 3: Comprehensive support from planning to creating announcement texts.

Even if you are unsure "what themes would be appreciated by members," you can consult with us with peace of mind. Our association will provide careful support, from proposing seminar themes tailored to current trends and regional characteristics to providing announcement texts that can be used for flyers.

Flow from Request to Event Day

We will carefully handle the process from inquiry to seminar execution through the following steps.

STEP 1. Consultation via the inquiry form below.

Please feel free to let us know your requests regarding themes, timing, etc.!

https://smb-japan.or.jp/seminar-lp/

STEP 2. Online meeting (email/phone).

Hearing about challenges and finalizing themes and flow.

STEP 3. Announcement and member recruitment.

Materials such as announcement texts will be prepared by our association.

STEP 4. Seminar day.

Experts will take the stage and provide practical information.

About the Japan Small and Medium Business Owners Association

The Japan Small and Medium Business Owners Association is a non-profit organization that regularly provides information to SMEs across Japan through lecture-style conferences as a pro bono activity (unpaid volunteer activities utilizing the social and public skills and specialized knowledge of experts in various fields) to correct the information gap. Our pro bono activities are supported by many people who sympathize with our philosophy and support us through donations, sponsorships, and endorsements. We support SMEs entirely free of charge, from participation in various conferences to individual consultations on management.

Last year, we conducted over 100 lectures nationwide in one year, with participation from over 9,000 companies. We have built a track record of collaboration with local governments and industry groups across the country, from Hokkaido to Okinawa, and have received high praise for participant satisfaction.

<Corporate Profile>

Corporate Name: Japan Small and Medium Business Owners Association (General Incorporated Association)

Japan Small and Medium Business Owners Association

Representative: Representative Director, Tetsuaki Ishiguro

WEB: https://smb-japan.or.jp/

Contact: Conference Operations Office

03-6698-4230 / info@smb-japan.or.jp