Covid-19 Crisis: Close Your Business, Get a Subsidy (For Freelancers and Small Business Owners)

Today May 4, 2020, the prime minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, has extended the country’s state of emergency until the end of May.

As a result, the majority of the economic activities will definitely not be back in business and with this, the owners of small businesses and freelancers are once again hit hard. Fortunately, several prefectures have prepared additional subsidies to lessen the pandemic’s impact.

Kanto Region

TOKYO

Target⇒ Small business owners or freelancers who cooperate with the local government’s request to temporarily close their businesses

Subsidy amount⇒ ¥500,000 or ¥1,000,000

SAITAMA

Target⇒ Small business owners or freelancers who closed their businesses for more than 70% of the days between April 8 through May 6

Subsidy amount⇒ ¥200,000 or ¥300,000

CHIBA

Target⇒ Small business owners or freelancers who cooperate with the local government’s request to temporarily close their businesses and whose income in any one month between January to July 2020 decreased by more than 50% compared to the same month’s income last year

Subsidy amount⇒¥100,000, ¥200,000 or ¥300,000

KANAGAWA

Target⇒ Small business owners or freelancers who cooperate with the local government’s request to temporarily close their businesses

Subsidy amount⇒¥100,000, ¥200,000 or ¥300,000

TOCHIGI

Target⇒ Small business owners or freelancers who cooperate with the local government’s request to temporarily close their businesses, from April 21 to May 6

Subsidy amount⇒¥100,000 or ¥200,000

GUNMA

Target⇒ Small business owners or freelancers who cooperate with the local government’s request to temporarily close their businesses from April 25 to May 6

Subsidy amount⇒¥200,000

IBARAKI

Target⇒ Small business owners or freelancers who cooperate with the local government’s request to temporarily close their businesses from April 22 to May 6.

Subsidy amount⇒¥100,000, ¥200,000 or ¥300,000

If you wanna know more details, how to apply for the subsidies, or information about your area, please feel free to ask me.