A subsidy program now open in Shizuoka Prefecture is trying to make wage increases less fragile by helping smaller companies raise earning power first. The scheme is aimed at SMEs responding to changes in the business environment and pursuing distinctive technology or service development, with the stated goal of improving profitability, supporting sustainable development, and promoting continued wage growth.
Applications are open from June 1 to June 30. The jGrants listing shows a maximum subsidy of ¥10,000,000, with support rates ranging from one-half to two-thirds depending on the application track and whether wage-raise requirements are met. It lists regular and DX-promotion tracks, allows multiple applications, sets a ceiling of 900 employees, and limits the target area to Shizuoka Prefecture.
Eligible purposes are broad, including new business initiatives, market expansion or overseas development, research and demonstration work, workplace improvement, and equipment or IT investment. The industry list is similarly wide, stretching from manufacturing and construction to retail, transport, hospitality, education, and healthcare. For business readers, the signal is in the design: this is not simply a wage subsidy. It channels support through productivity, digital adoption and competitiveness, on the theory that pay rises last longer when margins do too. The public description is still only an outline, so firms will need to confirm detailed eligibility and application conditions with the secretariat.