How to Apply for Japan's Relocation Grants (Step by Step)

You've probably seen the headlines: "Japan will pay you to move to the countryside." It sounds too good to be true, and like most things that sound too good to be true, the reality is more nuanced. The money is real. The program is real. But the eligibility requirements are narrow, the process is in Japanese, and not everyone qualifies.

This guide breaks down the national relocation grant program (移住支援金, ijuu shienkin), the separate startup grant, and the additional municipal programs that can stack on top. We'll cover who qualifies, how to apply, and the common mistakes that get applications rejected.

The National Relocation Grant

The Regional Revitalization Relocation Support Program (地方創生移住支援事業) is funded by Japan's national government and administered by local municipalities. It's designed to reduce Tokyo's population concentration by incentivizing people to move to rural and regional areas.

How much money?

• Single person — up to ¥600,000 (~$3,900 USD)
• Household (couple or family) — up to ¥1,000,000 (~$6,500 USD)
• Per child under 18 — additional ¥1,000,000 per child

So a family of four (two adults, two children) can receive up to ¥3,000,000 (~$19,600 USD). The per-child amount was tripled from ¥300,000 to ¥1,000,000 in April 2023, making the program significantly more generous for families.

These are maximum amounts. The exact payout depends on the participating municipality — some offer the full maximum, others offer less.

Who Qualifies

This is where most people's hopes hit reality. The program has specific eligibility requirements on both ends — where you're coming from and where you're going.

Where you must be coming from

• You must currently live in one of Tokyo's 23 special wards, OR
• You must commute to the 23 wards from elsewhere in the Greater Tokyo Area (Tokyo, Saitama, Chiba, or Kanagawa prefectures)

How long you must have been there

• 5 years total out of the past 10 years of living in or commuting to the 23 wards
• At least 1 continuous year immediately before relocating
• For commuters, only periods when you were enrolled in employment insurance (雇用保険) count

Where you must move to

• A participating municipality outside the Greater Tokyo Area
• 44 of Japan's 47 prefectures participate, covering approximately 1,300 municipalities
• Tokyo, Kanagawa, and Osaka are generally excluded as destinations (though some rural areas within Tokyo, like Okutama, may qualify)
• Popular/wealthy destinations like Niseko, Kyoto city center, and Kobe are typically excluded

What you must do for work

You must meet at least one of the following employment conditions:

1. Find a job through the prefectural matching website — each participating prefecture runs a job portal listing positions at registered local small and medium businesses. The job must be found through this specific portal to qualify.
2. Continue your current job via remote work — if you telework for your existing employer, you qualify. This was added in 2021 and opened the program to remote workers.
3. Start a new business in the destination area.
4. Take up agriculture — added in the FY2025 expansion.
5. Become self-employed — also added in FY2025.
6. Work in medical or welfare roles — nursing, care work, and similar essential roles were added in FY2025 to address rural staffing shortages.
7. Work at a micro-enterprise — previously limited to SMEs, now expanded to include very small businesses.

Can Foreigners Apply?

Yes, but with significant restrictions on visa type. You must hold one of the following residence statuses:

• Permanent Resident (永住者)
• Spouse of Japanese National (日本人の配偶者等)
• Spouse of Permanent Resident (永住者の配偶者等)
• Long-Term Resident (定住者)
• Special Permanent Resident (特別永住者)

Standard work visas — including the Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services visa (技術・人文知識・国際業務) — are generally not eligible. This is the biggest barrier for most foreign professionals in Japan. The program targets people with permanent or quasi-permanent residency status.

You must also meet all the same Tokyo residency requirements as Japanese applicants: 5 years in the past 10, at least 1 continuous year before moving.

The Startup Grant (Bonus Money)

On top of the relocation grant, there's a separate Startup Support Grant (起業支援金) for people who start a business that addresses regional social issues.

How much

Up to ¥2,000,000 — covering half of eligible startup expenses. This is a non-repayable grant, not a loan.

What qualifies

Your business must be a social enterprise that addresses regional challenges. The government evaluates proposals on three criteria: sociality (does it solve a community problem?), business potential (is it viable?), and necessity (does the region need it?).

Examples of qualifying businesses:

• Childcare support services in underserved areas
• Restaurants using local agricultural products
• Services for elderly residents with limited access to shops
• Community development and tourism promotion
• Any business that addresses a documented regional issue

Can you stack them?

Yes. A single person starting a qualifying business could receive up to ¥2,600,000 (¥600K relocation + ¥2M startup). A family of four with a startup could receive up to ¥5,000,000. That's serious money — enough to cover a rural property purchase in some areas.

The startup grant is available in 43 prefectures (Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, and Osaka don't participate). You must submit a business plan and go through a prefectural selection process.

Step-by-Step Application Process

Before you move

1. Research participating municipalities. Check the official Cabinet Office list of participating cities, towns, and villages. Not every municipality in a participating prefecture is enrolled — you need to confirm your specific destination. The Furusato Kaiki Shien Center (ふるさと回帰支援センター) in Tokyo provides free counseling and can help you identify matching destinations.
2. Confirm your eligibility. Contact the destination municipality's government office directly. Ask about their specific implementation of the program, available amounts, and any local requirements. Some municipalities require pre-registration.
3. Secure qualifying employment. If using the employment pathway, find a job through the prefecture's designated matching website. If you're a remote worker continuing your current job, gather documentation of your telework arrangement. If starting a business, begin developing your business plan.
4. Gather proof of Tokyo residency. You'll need documentation proving your 5 years of residence/commuting in the Tokyo 23 wards area. Start collecting juminhyo (residence certificate) records and employment certificates now.

The move

1. Relocate and register. Move to your destination and register your new address (住民票 / juminhyo) at the local municipal office. This registration date starts your application clock.

After you move

1. Wait at least 3 months. You cannot apply until you've been a registered resident for a minimum of 3 months.
2. Apply within 1 year. Your application window is 3 months to 12 months after registering residence. Miss this window and you lose eligibility.
3. Submit your application at the destination municipality's city or town hall. Applications are typically in Japanese.

Required documents

These vary by municipality, but typically include:

• Application form (provided by the municipality)
• Copy of your housing contract or proof of residence at the new location
• Proof of prior Tokyo residency — juminhyo records, employment certificates covering the 5-year requirement
• My Number Card (Individual Number Card)
• Employment verification — job offer letter, employment contract, or business registration at the new location
• Passport and residence card (for foreign applicants)
• Family register (koseki tohon) if applying as a household with children
• Financial documentation (bank statements)

After approval

Processing time varies by municipality — typically several weeks to a few months. Funds are disbursed after approval.

The Clawback Rules

This is critical. The grant comes with strings attached:

• Leave within 3 years — must repay the full amount
• Leave in years 4-5 — must repay half the amount
• After 5 years — no repayment obligation
• Fraudulent application — full repayment required at any time

In other words, you need to genuinely commit to living in your new area for at least 5 years to keep the full grant. This isn't "free money to try rural life for a year." The government wants you to stay.

Municipal Bonus Programs

Many municipalities offer their own additional grants on top of the national program. These vary widely and change frequently, but here are real examples:

Hokkaido

• Startup subsidies up to 50% of initial costs (max ¥2,500,000)
• Higashikawa: renovation funds and subsidized land near Daisetsuzan National Park
• Oumu Town: has offered free homes for long-term residents

Nagano Prefecture

• Up to ¥300,000 in additional relocation assistance for families
• Akiya (vacant house) renovation subsidies — ¥500,000+ in towns like Otari Village
• Childcare support grants with monthly daycare fee allowances

Tottori Prefecture

• Free daycare for the third child onward (first prefecture in Japan to do this)
• Trial homes where you can experience living there before committing
• Plumbing renovation subsidies for older homes

Shimane Prefecture

• Business startup support up to ¥2,000,000 for local job creation
• Historic home preservation grants in towns like Tsuwano
• Education scholarships for families with multiple children

Akita Prefecture

• Three separate subsidy programs: Tokyo Metropolitan Area Relocation, Child-Rearing Family, and Young People Relocation
• Requires pre-registration with the prefectural relocation registry

General Renovation Subsidies

Across Japan, various renovation grants are available:

• Regional revitalization renovation: ¥500,000-2,000,000
• Energy efficiency upgrades: ¥500,000-1,000,000
• Earthquake retrofitting: ¥1,000,000-3,000,000 (typically 50% of costs)
• Akiya Bank purchase + renovation packages: up to ¥2,000,000 combined

Common Reasons Applications Get Rejected

• Not meeting the Tokyo residency requirement — you need 5 cumulative years in the past 10, and at least 1 continuous year immediately before moving. Gaps or short stays don't count.
• Wrong timing — applying before 3 months or after 1 year from your move-in date.
• Finding a job on the wrong platform — the job must be listed on the prefectural matching website, not just any job board.
• Wrong visa status — for foreigners, holding a standard work visa instead of PR, spouse, or long-term resident visa.
• Outstanding municipal taxes — any unpaid local taxes can disqualify you.
• Incomplete documentation — especially proof of the 5-year Tokyo residency requirement.
• Non-participating municipality — not every town in a participating prefecture is enrolled.
• Budget exhaustion — some municipalities have limited annual budgets and close applications early.

Recent Changes (2025-2026)

The program has expanded significantly in recent years:

• April 2023: Per-child grant tripled from ¥300,000 to ¥1,000,000
• 2021: Remote workers added as eligible (you can keep your Tokyo job and telework)
• FY2025: Major expansion — agriculture workers, self-employed, micro-enterprise employees, and medical/welfare workers all added as qualifying employment categories
• Government target: 10,000 annual relocations from Tokyo to rural areas by 2027

The trend is clearly toward broader eligibility. The government is serious about decentralizing Japan's population, and the financial incentives keep growing.

Is It Worth Applying?

If you meet the eligibility requirements — especially the 5-year Tokyo residency rule and the visa status requirement — absolutely yes. Free money for doing something you were already planning to do is hard to argue with.

But don't let the grant drive the decision. Choose your destination based on where you actually want to live — the community, the environment, the job opportunities, the lifestyle. The grant is a bonus, not a reason. You're committing to at least 5 years in a place, and no amount of money makes 5 years in the wrong town feel right.

The paperwork is manageable if you have basic Japanese ability or a Japanese-speaking partner. For foreigners who don't speak Japanese, working with a relocation consultant who can navigate the application process is strongly recommended.