Support for Capital Investment in the Sapporo Area

A subsidy available for companies that make capital investments in land, buildings, and depreciable assets that fall under the following categories:

• Experimental, research, and development facilities
• Factories
• Distribution centers
• Data centers

Eligible sectors:

Manufacturing, information and communications, transport, wholesale and retail, academic research, professional and technical services.

There are four different categories of companies that can apply to this subsidy. The amount you may receive differs depending on the category.

• Category 1: Companies newly established in Sapporo City which are either:

  a. Experimental, research, and development facilities, factories, human resource facility, or data centers for food, life science, energy, environment, robotics, space industries.

  b. Set up within Sapporo City industrial park

• Category 2: Companies expanding/relocating to the specific designated area in Sapporo relating to experimental research, development facilities, factories, distribution centers, data centers.
• Category 3: Companies either newly established in Sapporo or expanding/relocating to the city which do not fall under Category 1 and 2.
• Category 4: Companies in the field of food and cutting-edge technology newly established in the greater Sapporo area, outside the city.

• Category 1 & 2: Up to 1 billion JPY (approx. 6.5 million USD)
• Category 3 & 4: Up to 500 million JPY (approx. 3.2 million USD)(Based on an exchange rate of 1 USD = 154 JPY)

*The maximum amount available for Category 4 depends on the maximum amount available from similar subsidies provided by the local government at the location of establishment.

The application process is as follows:

The purpose of the eligibility application is to confirm and certify whether your business plan, etc. is eligible for the subsidy. The subsidy application is to determine the amount of subsidy and actually issue the grant.

Apply before construction, acquisition, or lease agreement of relevant buildings or facilities. The processing time for approval is approximately three weeks.

• Eligibility Application Form.
• Supplementary materials for capital investment plan.
• Company profile and business description (e.g. company brochure).
• Financial documents for the most recent two years (balance sheet, statement of profits and losses).
• A copy of the company’s articles of incorporation.
• A certified copy of the company’s corporate registration certificate.
• List of shareholders.
• Consent form for disclosure of information.
• Other necessary documents

You can:

• Use the subsidy for land, buildings, and depreciable assets subject to property tax that are acquired as a result of setting up business in or expanding business to Sapporo City.
• Use the subsidy for buildings, and depreciable assets subject to property tax that are acquired as a result of setting up business outside of Sapporo City.

You cannot:

• Use the subsidy for a capital investment that is not accompanied by the setting up of, expansion of, acquisition of a business or leasing of a building. You also cannot use the subsidy only for acquiring or renewing machinery or equipment.
• Depending on the municipality, the following circumstances would make your business ineligible for the subsidy:

  [In Sapporo City]

  • If the amount of capital investment, excluding the site, is less than 100 million yen.

  [Outside of Sapporo CIty]

  • If the amount of capital investment is less than 100 million yen.
  • If the head office or an existing key facility is located within the wider Sapporo area.
  • If the municipality in which the company is located does not offer subsidies for capital investment.
  • If existing eligible facilities are to be closed or downsized within the Sapporo area (excluding any facilities in the Hokkaido municipality in which more will be set up).