SME Agency / SMRJ ・ Round 8

SME Labour-Saving Investment Subsidy (General), Round 8

Open

Round 8 applications 18 Sep 10:00 – 16 Oct 2026 17:00 / results early Feb 2027 (planned)

At a glance

Rate: two-thirds for small businesses, half for SMEs; 1/2〜2/3
Cap: ¥7.5M for up to 5 employees / ¥15M for 6–20 / ¥30M for 21–50 (higher with the major wage-increase special)
Eligible: SMEs and small businesses with at least one employee, on a 3–5-year plan that raises labour productivity 4.0%/yr, pay per employee 3.5%/yr, and the site minimum wage to the regional minimum +¥30
Period: Round 8 applications 18 Sep 10:00 – 16 Oct 2026 17:00 / results early Feb 2027 (planned)

Eligible costs

Machinery and system build costs designed for the specific site (at least one item of ¥500K+ required), purpose-built software, cloud fees within the project period, subcontracting, expert fees

Not covered

Installing generic equipment or package software on its own without customisation, general-purpose PCs and tablets, upgrades of existing systems, communications, contracts or payments before the grant decision (no early start for any reason), development intended for resale

Large caps, but heavy wage and productivity conditions, and properties with no employees cannot apply. Suited to staffed properties planning a sizeable investment including equipment.

Which Dawnlight Hotel OS modules qualify

Reservations & roomsApply as bespoke equipment: per-property configuration combined with devices. A package on its own is excluded
Self check-inCan qualify when built together with kiosks and smart locks
AI conciergeQualifies to the extent the labour-saving index shows hours removed
PaymentsAs part of a set-up that includes a terminal; transaction fees are excluded
OTA channel managementOnly when applied for together with the PMS
Official websiteNot a labour-saving investment; excluded

◎ Named in the examples○ Can qualify△ Partly / confirm× Excluded

Starting early

Even after selection, no contract or order until the grant decision. The project period is 17 months from the decision (19 from the selection announcement).

How to apply

Online only (GビズID Prime, 2–3 weeks to issue). You write the 3–5-year business plan yourself. Competing quotations for any vendor at ¥500K (ex-tax) or more. Round 8 results due early Feb 2027.

Our part under this scheme

You file the application. We prepare the quotation (and tell you when two or more are required), the catalogue, the technical part of the implementation plan, and the delivery notes and completion report the final report needs. We can introduce an administrative scrivener.

Sources

Official site (General): https://shoryokuka.smrj.go.jp/ippan/ ・ Checked: 2026-09-18
Guidelines, Round 8 (rev. 18 Sep 2026): https://shoryokuka.smrj.go.jp/assets/pdf/application_guidelines_ippan_08.pdf ・ Checked: 2026-09-18
Schedule: https://shoryokuka.smrj.go.jp/ippan/schedule/ ・ Checked: 2026-09-18

Scheme details are based on official information as of the date checked. Schemes change or close without notice, and we do not guarantee adoption.

Find out, for free, whether a scheme applies.

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