Japan runs several subsidy programmes that can pay for part of a digital signage or LED display installation. They are real money — commonly one half to two thirds of the cost — but they are paid to businesses registered in Japan, they are decided before you order the equipment, and they are reimbursed after the work is finished. This page explains which programme fits which purchase, and what we have to give you so your application stands up.
The applicant must be a business entity registered in Japan — a 株式会社 (KK), 合同会社 (GK), or a sole proprietor with a Japanese tax registration. A foreign parent company cannot apply directly; the Japanese subsidiary is the applicant, and the equipment has to be installed and used by that entity in Japan.
Being foreign-owned is not itself a barrier. What matters is the size test: most of these programmes are for small and medium enterprises, defined by capital and headcount, and some are for very small businesses only. The national programmes also need a GビズID プライム account for electronic filing, which takes time to obtain — start it before you need it.
| Programme | Best for | Rate | Ceiling | Screen itself? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 小規模事業者持続化補助金 Small Business Sustainability Subsidy |
One or two screens in a shop, restaurant or clinic | 2/3 | ¥500,000, up to ¥2.5m with the invoice and wage-rise add-ons | Yes — signage is named in the eligible cost list |
| ものづくり補助金 Monozukuri Subsidy |
A large display that is the core of a new service | 1/2 – 2/3 | up to ¥25m (¥30m global frame) | Yes, as machinery and system construction cost |
| 中小企業省力化投資補助金 Labour-Saving Investment Subsidy |
Screens that remove staff work: reception, ordering, wayfinding | 1/2 – 2/3 | ¥7.5m – ¥80m by headcount | Yes, in the general frame — not the catalogue frame |
| デジタル化・AI導入補助金 Digitalisation & AI Subsidy (formerly IT導入補助金) |
The content management and distribution software | 1/2 – 4/5 | ¥50,000 – ¥4.5m | No — software and cloud fees only |
Figures verified on 8 August 2026. Rates, ceilings and eligible costs change with every application round — always confirm against the current guidelines before you commit.
VISION-LED is the equipment supplier and installer, not a grant consultant. We do not write or file applications. What we do provide, in the form the application asks for:
We keep a live list of the open calls — national and municipal — that could apply to signage and display equipment, rebuilt every night from the government's own jGrants portal and sorted by closing date. It is in Japanese, because the applications are in Japanese:
See the open subsidies (Japanese) →
If you would rather we look at it with you in English: tell us the site, the screen size you have in mind and what it is for, and we will come back with an itemised quotation you can hand to whoever prepares your application.
This page is general information about publicly announced programmes, prepared by LOREATEC Inc. (VISION-LED). It is not advice, and it is not endorsed by the Japanese government or by any of the issuing bodies. Whether a specific purchase is eligible is decided by the guidelines of the round you apply to.