Before you start: what “paid to live in Japan” actually means
Japan really does offer grants, subsidies, training funds, business support, and paid rural positions to encourage people to rebuild homes, leave Tokyo, enter agriculture, start useful local businesses, and help revitalize shrinking communities.
But the viral version—“Japan will pay any foreigner to move there for free”—is not true.
These programs are real, but each one solves a different problem. Some reimburse renovation expenses. Some are only available to people who already live in Japan. Some pay you while you train or build a farm. One is effectively a paid rural job. None of them automatically gives you a visa.
This guide explains what each program actually provides, who can realistically qualify, how to apply, what documents you may need, and where to find the official application information.
The five opportunities
Akiya renovation subsidies — help paying to repair a vacant home
Tokyo-to-rural relocation grants — cash for qualifying people leaving the Tokyo area
New farmer support — monthly funding during approved training and the first years of an independent farm
Regional startup grants — reimbursement for businesses that solve a local problem
Regional Revitalization Cooperation Corps — paid rural positions in tourism, agriculture, housing, content, community support, and other fields
These are not one national “move to Japan” package. They are separate programs run through different ministries, prefectures, municipalities, and local organizations.
The three biggest misunderstandings
1. Buying a house does not give you a visa
Foreigners can generally purchase Japanese real estate, but owning a home does not give you residence rights. You still need a valid status of residence that allows you to live in Japan.
2. Most grants are not paid before you spend money
Housing and startup subsidies commonly reimburse an approved percentage of eligible costs. You may need your own cash, financing, signed estimates, receipts, and a completed inspection before payment arrives.
3. “Foreigners can apply” does not mean “anyone overseas can apply”
A municipality may accept foreign residents while still requiring a Japanese residence card, resident registration, an eligible visa status, local taxes, a Japanese bank account, and a multi-year commitment. A few Regional Revitalization Cooperation Corps openings do accept candidates living overseas, but that is vacancy-specific.
At-a-glance comparison
All five programs, side by side
Read the status labels first. They tell you whether a program is even open to your situation before you spend an evening on the fine print.
Comparison of the five programs covered in this guide. Amounts are program maximums, not guaranteed awards.
Program
What it can provide
Apply directly from overseas?
Best suited for
Biggest catch
1. Akiya renovation subsidyJapan residentsVisa separate
Reimbursement
Often ¥500,000–¥1,000,000+, depending on the town
Usually not as a simple overseas cash claim
People already moving to a participating municipality
Must use an eligible property and apply before construction
2. Tokyo-to-rural relocation grantTokyo history requiredVisa separate
Cash stipendChild supplement
Up to ¥600,000 for one person or ¥1,000,000 per household, plus up to ¥1,000,000 per child
No
People who already have qualifying Tokyo residence or commuting history
It is not for someone moving straight from the United States, Canada, or another country
3. New farmer supportJapan residentsVisa separate
Cash stipend
¥137,500 per month during approved training for up to two years, or during farm launch for up to three years
Research can begin overseas, but approval is locally administered
People serious about full-time commercial agriculture
Requires an approved plan, local support, income limits, land access, and legal work status
4. Regional startup grantJapan residentsVisa separate
Reimbursement
Up to ¥2,000,000, normally covering no more than half of eligible costs
Sometimes the planning process can begin before relocation
Entrepreneurs solving a documented regional problem
A normal business idea is not enough; it must satisfy the prefecture’s social-impact rules
5. Regional Revitalization Cooperation CorpsOverseas possibleVisa separate
Salary / contractActivity budget
Paid work or contract compensation, sometimes housing or activity expenses
Some openings do
People willing to work and live in a rural community for several years
Pay, visa support, Japanese requirements, housing, and employment status vary by listing
How to read the amounts
Japanese support programs use several different funding mechanisms. They are not interchangeable, and mixing them up is the fastest way to build a budget that collapses.
Cash stipend
Paid to you on a schedule once you are approved and while you keep meeting the conditions. Often repayable if you stop qualifying.
Salary / contract compensation
Payment for work performed, under either an employment relationship or an independent contract. Taxes, insurance, and pension treatment differ between the two.
Reimbursement
You spend the money first. An approved share comes back after the award decision, the completed work, and the inspection.
Activity budget
Money for project costs—equipment, vehicles, materials, travel. It is not personal income and should never be added to your take-home figure.
Child supplement
An additional amount per qualifying child, offered on top of a base award where the municipality implements it.
Maximum theoretical
The ceiling if every component is separately approved by every administering body. It describes a structure, not a typical outcome.
None of these five programs is a visa. Grant approval and immigration approval are separate decisions made by different bodies. You need both to work.
Which program is most realistic for you?
You currently live outside Japan
Your most direct opportunity in this guide is usually the Regional Revitalization Cooperation Corps, but only when a specific listing accepts overseas residents and can accommodate your immigration situation.
The startup and farming routes may eventually work, but the grant itself is not a visa pathway. You must separately establish how you will legally reside in Japan and perform the proposed activity.
Akiya renovation money is usually useful after you have chosen a municipality, confirmed the local program, secured a qualifying property, and established the right to reside there.
The Tokyo relocation grant is not designed for someone moving straight from abroad.
You already live in Japan
You may have access to more options, especially if you hold Permanent Resident, Spouse of Japanese National, Spouse of Permanent Resident, Long-Term Resident, or Special Permanent Resident status.
Ordinary work-visa holders should never assume that starting a farm, operating a business, or performing paid side activities is allowed under their current status. Confirm your permitted activities before committing money.
You already live in or commute into Tokyo’s 23 wards
The national relocation grant may be your strongest option. It can sometimes be combined with a startup grant, child supplements, housing assistance, or municipal incentives.
The five programs in detail
1Program One — Housing
Buy or rent an akiya and receive renovation support
Japan residentsVisa separate
An akiya is a vacant home. Some are abandoned or severely deteriorated, but many are simply older houses that are no longer occupied because the owner died, moved away, or inherited a property they do not need.
Municipalities use akiya banks to connect owners with buyers and tenants. Some towns then offer renovation subsidies to encourage the new resident to make the property safe and usable.
What you can receive
ReimbursementRoughly ¥500,000 to ¥1,000,000
Awards in this range are common among current municipal programs, but some programs offer more when supplements are included. The subsidy covers an approved share of eligible renovation costs—never the purchase price of the house itself.
Child supplementVaries by municipality
Some towns add an amount for households with children, for younger applicants, or for people moving in from outside the prefecture. Nothing is standard nationwide.
There is no single nationwide akiya subsidy. Each municipality decides:
The reimbursement percentage
The maximum award
Whether the home must be purchased or may be rented
Whether it must be listed in that town’s akiya bank
Whether a local contractor must perform the work
How long the recipient must live there
Which visa or residence categories are accepted
Whether child, age, or out-of-prefecture supplements apply
Eligibility summary
Exact rules vary, but the typical applicant must:
Be moving into the municipality from somewhere else
Purchase, receive, or rent a qualifying vacant home
Register the home as their primary residence
Commit to living there for five to ten years
Have no unpaid municipal taxes
Receive approval before signing the construction contract or beginning work
Use an approved or locally based contractor
Complete the work and submit the final report within the fiscal-year deadline
Some municipalities permit the owner to apply when the home will be leased to a qualifying migrant.
Can I apply from overseas?
Usually not as a simple overseas cash claim
Possibly, but never assume it. A program may not have a nationality restriction while still requiring Japanese resident registration, a valid residence card, local tax documentation, a Japanese bank account, and the ability to make the property your legal primary residence.
A tourist, temporary visitor, or digital nomad without normal resident registration will usually not fit the structure of these municipal programs.
The correct question is not merely, “Can foreigners buy this house?” The correct questions are:
Can a foreign national apply for this specific subsidy?
Which residence statuses are accepted?
Must I already have a Japanese address when I apply?
When must I transfer my resident registration?
Can the grant be paid to a non-Japanese bank account?
Live 2026 examples
Deadlines and budgets can close early. Japanese grant programs run on a fiscal year from April through March, and many stop accepting applications the moment the allocated budget is exhausted. Confirm the current window with the municipality before you plan around it.
Current as of August 1, 2026
Nabari City vacant-house renovation program
Location
Nabari City, Mie Prefecture
Amount
ReimbursementChild supplement
Covers up to one-third of eligible renovation expenses. Basic maximum:
Up to ¥1,000,000
Up to ¥1,200,000 for a household with children
An additional amount of up to ¥250,000 may apply to a move from outside Mie Prefecture
Deadline
For the 2026 fiscal year, Nabari opened applications from June 1 through November 30, 2026, subject to the available budget.
Key restriction
The recipient must satisfy the property and residency rules and generally commit to living in Nabari for ten years. The property must meet earthquake-resistance requirements or be brought into compliance through the project. A contractor with a business location in Nabari must perform the work.
Start with the national vacant-home information page supported by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. It links to the two nationwide akiya-bank platforms operated by At Home and LIFULL.
Also search the municipality’s own website using:
[town name] 空き家バンク
[town name] 空き家 改修 補助金
[town name] 移住 住宅 補助
[town name] 令和8年度 空き家
The JOIN portal also publishes a 2026 municipality-support database.
Step-by-step application process
1
Choose the municipality before choosing the houseTwo similar-looking houses in neighboring towns may have completely different subsidy rules. Decide where you are willing to live long term, then study that municipality’s 2026 program.
2
Contact the municipal housing or migration officeDo this before making an offer or signing a construction agreement. Ask for the current fiscal-year guidelines, remaining budget, foreign-resident eligibility, property requirements, required residency commitment, approved contractors, whether purchase, rental, or family-owned property qualifies, and whether the award can stack with earthquake, energy-efficiency, child, or relocation subsidies.
3
Confirm the property qualifiesCheck whether the home must be listed in the akiya bank, has been vacant for a minimum period, meets road-access and rebuilding requirements, satisfies earthquake standards, sits outside prohibited hazard areas, has clear title and no unresolved heirs, and has legal water, sewer, septic, electricity, and access rights.
4
Get an inspection and written estimatesAn extremely cheap home can require roof replacement, termite treatment, foundation work, plumbing, septic replacement, electrical rewiring, mold remediation, or structural reinforcement. The grant cap is not a promise that the renovation will fit within that cap.
5
Submit the application before work beginsThis is one of the most important rules in the entire guide. Many programs reject costs incurred before the municipality issues the formal grant decision. Do not assume you can renovate first and request reimbursement later.
6
Receive the award decisionWait for the written approval. Confirm exactly which cost categories and contractors were approved.
7
Complete the renovation and moveFollow the approved plan. Save contracts, bank-transfer records, invoices, progress photographs, completion photographs, permits, and inspection documents.
8
Submit the completion reportAfter the municipality verifies the work and your residency conditions, it calculates the final award and processes payment.
Documents commonly requested
Grant application
Purchase, gift, or lease agreement
Property registry record
Owner consent, when applicable
Floor plans and photographs
Contractor estimates
Construction plan
Proof of earthquake resistance or planned reinforcement
Resident certificate
Tax-payment certificate
Residence card and passport for a foreign applicant
Written commitment to remain in the municipality
Completion invoices and proof of payment
Biggest catches
Mistakes to avoid
Buying a home before confirming that it qualifies
Signing a construction contract before grant approval
Assuming the cheapest house produces the cheapest total project
Ignoring road access, rebuilding restrictions, boundaries, or hazard maps
Treating the property purchase as a visa strategy
Assuming a municipality will communicate or contract in English
Expecting the subsidy to cover the purchase price itself
Wants rural or regional life rather than central Tokyo
Can fund the purchase and initial work without depending on immediate reimbursement
Is willing to commit to the location for years
Has professional help evaluating the property
2Program Two — Relocation
Receive a grant to leave Tokyo for a regional area
Tokyo history requiredVisa separate
Japan’s national Regional Revitalization Relocation Support Project helps qualifying people move from Tokyo’s 23 wards—or from the surrounding Tokyo region while commuting into the 23 wards—to participating municipalities elsewhere in Japan.
The national government provides the framework, but the prefecture and destination municipality administer the application and may add local rules.
What you can receive
Cash stipendUp to ¥600,000 for a single-person move
Standard national maximum. The exact amount depends on the destination municipality’s implementation.
Cash stipendUp to ¥1,000,000 for a qualifying household
Standard national maximum for a household move, again subject to local implementation.
Child supplementUp to an additional ¥1,000,000 per accompanying child under 18
The child supplement depends on whether the destination municipality offers the full amount.
Maximum theoreticalUp to ¥3,000,000 for a household with two children
A household with two children could receive up to this amount from the relocation grant alone where the full amounts are offered. It is a ceiling, not an expectation.
Eligibility summary
The rule that excludes most overseas readers
This program is not a grant for moving directly from another country.
Generally, before moving, the applicant must have spent at least five of the previous ten years:
Living in Tokyo’s 23 wards, or
Living in the Tokyo region outside designated disadvantaged areas while commuting into the 23 wards
The applicant must also generally have lived in or commuted into the 23 wards continuously for at least the final year immediately before moving. Certain periods of study in the 23 wards may count when followed by qualifying employment there.
Where must you move?
You must move to:
A participating municipality outside the Tokyo region, or
A qualifying disadvantaged municipality inside the broader Tokyo region
Not every prefecture and municipality implements the program in the same way. Always confirm the exact destination.
What must you do after moving?
You generally need to satisfy at least one approved pathway:
Eligible regional employment — you take a qualifying job listed through the prefecture’s designated matching system or enter through an eligible professional-talent program.
Continued telework — you voluntarily move while continuing your existing work remotely. Local implementation rules may specify minimum hours or documentation.
“Relationship population” pathway — the municipality recognizes that you already have an established relationship with the area and meet its local criteria. This may involve prior residence, family, school attendance, repeated visits, community participation, or a local business plan.
Approved regional startup — you receive a decision under the regional startup-support program and satisfy the relocation-grant timing rules.
Foreign-resident eligibility
The national framework is administered locally, and foreign-resident eligibility can be narrower than the general headline suggests.
For example, Ishikawa Prefecture’s 2026 rules state that a foreign applicant must hold one of these statuses:
Permanent Resident
Spouse or Child of Japanese National
Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident
Long-Term Resident
Special Permanent Resident
This means an ordinary Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services visa holder should not assume eligibility. Always request the destination municipality’s current written rule.
Can I apply from overseas?
No
The qualifying history is built around Tokyo residence or commuting immediately before the move. Someone relocating straight from the United States, Canada, or another country does not meet that structure, regardless of nationality.
If you are overseas today, this program becomes relevant only after you have legally lived and worked in Tokyo long enough to satisfy the five-of-ten-years rule.
Required commitment
You generally must:
Apply within one year after moving
Intend to remain in the destination municipality for at least five years
Continue satisfying the job, telework, business, or local-relationship pathway
Repay some or all of the award if you leave early, falsify the application, or break major conditions
Repayment formulas vary by municipality.
Step-by-step application process
1
Prove your Tokyo history before you moveCollect the documents that show where you lived and, if relevant, where you commuted. Do not wait until after leaving an employer or closing your Tokyo residence if doing so will make documents harder to obtain.
2
Select a participating destinationCheck both the national list of participating prefectures and municipalities and the destination municipality’s own 2026 application page.
3
Choose your qualifying pathwayConfirm whether you will apply through a designated job, professional recruitment, telework, relationship-population criteria, or the startup grant. Get written confirmation from the municipality that your planned pathway appears eligible.
4
Move and register your new addressComplete the official move-out and move-in registration process. Your resident-registration dates matter.
5
Complete the local applicationThe municipality—not the national government—typically receives and processes the application.
6
Maintain the required residence and work conditionsSave documentation and immediately report material changes.
Documents commonly requested
Current resident certificate
Historical resident records or removed resident records
Documents proving Tokyo employment and commuting
Employment-insurance records
Employment contract or work certificate
Telework certificate from the employer
Startup-grant decision, when applicable
Tax records
Household records
Residence card and passport
Bank information
Written five-year residence commitment
Can it stack with other assistance?
Potentially, yes. A qualifying recipient may be able to combine the relocation grant with:
The regional startup grant
Akiya renovation support
Child supplements
Local home-purchase support
Moving-cost reimbursement
Municipal settlement bonuses
Every program must independently allow the combination. Never add advertised maximums together without written confirmation.
Illustrative stacking example Maximum theoretical
Where all programs and supplements are permitted:
Household relocation grant: ¥1,000,000
Two child supplements: ¥2,000,000
Regional startup grant: ¥2,000,000
Potential combined support: ¥5,000,000
This is not a universal entitlement. It is an example of the maximum structure when a household independently qualifies for each component.
Biggest catches
The five-of-ten-years Tokyo rule disqualifies most people who are excited by the headline number
Foreign-resident eligibility can be limited to a short list of residence statuses, as in the Ishikawa example
The award is administered locally, so the national page is only the starting point
Leaving the destination early can trigger repayment
Advertised maximums assume the destination municipality implements every component in full
Someone able to document five years of qualifying history
A household with children
A teleworker who can keep the same job
Someone taking a designated regional job
An entrepreneur whose business also qualifies for the startup grant
3Program Three — Farming
Get paid while training to become a farmer—and while starting your farm
Japan residentsVisa separate
Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries operates two major funding stages for younger new farmers:
Farming Preparation Fund — 就農準備資金
Farm Management Start Fund — 経営開始資金
These are serious workforce-development programs, not casual homesteading grants.
What you can receive
Cash stipendStage 1 — Farming Preparation Fund: ¥137,500 per month
Up to ¥1,650,000 per year, for up to two years of approved training. Potential maximum over two years: up to ¥3,300,000. It is paid while you train and only while you keep satisfying the training conditions.
Up to ¥1,650,000 per year, for up to three years during the first years of an independent agricultural business. Potential maximum over three years: up to ¥4,950,000.
Maximum theoreticalPotential total across five years: up to ¥8,250,000
A person who separately qualifies for the full training stage and then the full launch stage could receive up to ¥3,300,000 for training plus up to ¥4,950,000 for the farm launch. This is not one automatic five-year award. The stages have separate plans, approvals, monitoring, and repayment rules.
Eligibility summary
Stage 1: Farming Preparation Fund
This supports an approved trainee learning the skills required to enter agriculture. The national summary states that the applicant generally must:
Be 49 or younger at the planned time of entering farming
Aim for independent farming, agricultural employment, or an approved family-farm succession route
Train at an institution or farm recognized by the prefecture or administering body
Complete roughly one year or more of training
Train roughly 1,200 hours or more per year
Not hold a full-time employment contract during the funded training
Normally have prior-year household income of no more than ¥6,000,000
Carry accident insurance during training
After training, the recipient must enter farming within the required period and continue for the required duration or risk repayment.
Stage 2: Farm Management Start Fund
This supports a recognized new farmer during the difficult first years of an independent agricultural business. The applicant generally must:
Be 49 or younger when beginning independent farming
Be approved as a Recognized New Farmer — 認定新規就農者
Operate an independent farm rather than simply work as a normal employee
Present a realistic plan showing that the farm can support the applicant by the fifth year
Be included, or expected to be included, in the region’s agricultural land plan, or lease land through the farmland intermediary system
Normally have prior-year household income of no more than ¥6,000,000
Continue farming after the funded period or risk repayment
Additional support for machinery and facilities
The 2026 Farm Management Development Support Project — 経営発展支援事業 — may help with agricultural machinery, greenhouses and other facilities, livestock, new or replacement fruit and tea planting, machinery leasing, and certain farm-transfer and business-development costs.
ReimbursementNational share of up to ¥5,000,000
Under the normal 2026 framework. The national subsidy rate is generally capped at one-half, and the applicant generally needs financing for their own share.
ReimbursementGenerally ¥2,500,000 if you also receive the Farm Management Start Fund
Taking the monthly launch stipend generally halves the national-share cap on this investment support.
ReimbursementA special regional-plan category may provide a national share of up to ¥6,000,000
For specified activities only. It carries additional conditions and cannot be combined with the Farm Management Start Fund.
Selection is competitive and based on the approved plan.
Can I apply from overseas?
Research can begin overseas, but approval is locally administered
The grant itself does not solve immigration. A foreign national must hold or obtain a status of residence that legally permits the intended activity. The immigration route for being employed by a farm is not necessarily the same as the route for independently operating a farm business.
Japan’s Specified Skilled Worker agriculture category permits qualifying foreign workers to perform crop or livestock work for an eligible employer. It is an employment route and should not be confused with a grant for launching an independent farm.
Someone planning to independently manage a commercial operation may need a status that permits unrestricted work or business management. Immigration rules, agricultural approvals, and grant eligibility must all align.
Do not assume that a student visa, tourist status, digital nomad status, or an unrelated work visa allows independent farming.
What “becoming a farmer” actually requires
The first step is not buying random land. A serious new-farmer plan normally involves:
Selecting a prefecture and crop or livestock category
Speaking with the prefectural farming-support center
Completing a farm experience or consultation
Entering approved training
Building a five-year financial and production plan
Securing land through local agricultural channels
Obtaining municipal recognition as a new farmer
Securing equipment, working capital, sales channels, and housing
Applying for the correct funding stage before missing the local deadline
Step-by-step application process
There is no single “apply now” button for everyone in Japan.
1
Choose a regionAgriculture is highly regional. The correct crop, land cost, climate, market, training pipeline, and local-support system differ dramatically.
2
Contact the prefectural farming-support centerThe Ministry of Agriculture maintains a current list of entry and support offices for all 47 prefectures.
3
Use the national new-farmer portalThe government-supported 農業をはじめる.JP portal lists consultations, training, experiences, support programs, and employment opportunities.
4
Confirm your immigration positionBefore relying on any subsidy, confirm that your current or planned residence status permits the training, employment, self-employment, or business activity involved.
5
Complete approved training or prepare the recognized planThe local authority will guide you toward a recognized training institution, a training plan, the Recognized New Farmer process, land-access requirements, a five-year business plan, and the local application forms and deadlines.
6
Apply through the administering bodyDepending on the stage, this may be a municipality, a prefecture, a recognized youth-farmer center, or the national agricultural committee network. Contact the administering body before completing the form.
Documents commonly requested
For the training stage
Training plan
Proof of age
Household-income documents
Training-institution acceptance
Schedule showing required hours
Accident-insurance proof
Farming-career plan
Residence and immigration documents
For the farm-launch stage
Recognized New Farmer plan
Five-year production and income projections
Land lease or farmland-intermediary documentation
Equipment and financing plan
Sales and distribution plan
Household-income documents
Tax and bank records
Residence card and permitted-activity documentation
Biggest catches
Repayment risk
The training funding may need to be repaid when, for example, the recipient:
Does not train properly
Does not enter farming within the required time
Leaves farming before completing the required continuation period
The farm-launch funding may be stopped or repaid when, for example, the recipient:
Wants commercial agriculture as a full-time career
Is willing to train for at least a year
Can work in Japanese or secure strong local support
Accepts that the award comes with monitoring and repayment obligations
Has a realistic residence status and long-term plan
4Program Four — Business
Start a business that solves a local problem
Japan residentsVisa separate
Japan’s Regional Revitalization Startup Support Project — 地方創生起業支援事業 — helps fund new businesses that address a documented regional need.
The national framework is administered by participating prefectures or municipalities through designated organizations.
What you can receive
ReimbursementUp to ¥2,000,000
Usually no more than one-half of eligible startup expenses, so the award assumes you are funding the rest yourself. Business-planning and mentoring support may also be included.
The prefecture may only accept expenses incurred after the formal award decision unless it approves an exception. Payment may come after the project and final inspection.
What types of businesses can qualify?
The business must do more than generate private income. It generally needs to solve a local social or economic problem while remaining commercially sustainable. Examples can include:
Childcare or family support
Services for older residents
Transportation or shopping access in underserved areas
Community development
Tourism that creates meaningful regional economic activity
Food businesses using local products
Empty-home reuse
Welfare and disability services
Environmental or energy projects
Education and workforce development
Digital services that improve regional access or productivity
Each prefecture defines its own priority fields and scoring criteria.
Can a normal café, guesthouse, or social-media business qualify?
Possibly—but not merely because it exists in a rural town.
A café might qualify if it uses local agricultural products, reuses an empty property, serves an underserved community, creates local jobs, functions as a community or childcare hub, or solves a clearly documented tourism or access problem.
A guesthouse might qualify if it addresses a real accommodation shortage, creates a regional experience, supports local producers, and contributes to a viable tourism strategy.
A content business may be harder unless it has a strong, measurable local-development purpose.
What expenses may qualify?
Depending on the prefecture: employee costs, rent for a shop or office, equipment, raw materials, leasing, intellectual-property expenses, professional fees, travel, outsourcing, contracted services, market research, advertising and promotion, and website, branding, or design work.
Eligibility summary
A typical applicant must:
Start, inherit, or substantially relaunch an eligible business during the program’s specified period
Live in, or commit to moving to, the prefecture
Submit a competitive business plan
Explain the regional problem with evidence
Show how the service solves that problem
Demonstrate a sustainable revenue model
Use required digital technology where the local rules demand it
Complete spending and reporting by the fiscal-year deadline
Can I apply from overseas?
Sometimes the planning process can begin before relocation
Potentially, but the grant does not create permission to live in Japan or operate a business. You need:
A status of residence that permits the activity
The ability to establish the business legally
Any required licenses
Local residence by the required date
A compatible bank, tax, accounting, and registration setup
Japan’s Business Manager status has its own immigration requirements. Receiving a ¥2,000,000 regional grant does not automatically satisfy those requirements or guarantee approval.
Foreign residents with unrestricted work rights may have fewer immigration barriers, but they still must satisfy every grant rule.
Live 2026 example
Deadlines and budgets can close early. Application rounds open and close inside the fiscal year, and a round that is open today may be closed by the time you finish a business plan. Confirm the current round before you build a schedule around it.
Current as of August 1, 2026
Iwate Prefecture second 2026 application round
Location
Iwate Prefecture
Amount
ReimbursementUp to ¥2,000,000, and no more than half of eligible costs.
Deadline
The second-round application window is June 24 through August 24, 2026. This date is current as of August 1, 2026. Future readers must check the latest round.
Key restriction
Support is for a person who lives in Iwate or will move there by the program deadline. Eligible activity covers new businesses, business succession, or second startups that address regional problems.
Review is based on social value, business viability, and necessity
Choose the prefectureUse the national startup-grant page to find participating prefectures, then open the prefecture’s current fiscal-year page.
2
Read the application guidelines before starting the companyThe allowed incorporation or opening dates matter. Starting too early can make you ineligible.
3
Attend a consultation or briefingMany implementing organizations offer free pre-application advice. Use it.
4
Build the business around a documented local problemA strong plan clearly states the problem, who experiences it, why current services are insufficient, what you will provide, how you will charge, why the business can survive after the grant, and what measurable regional benefit will result.
5
Build an eligible cost budgetSeparate the costs requested from the grant, your matching contribution, financing, costs that are not eligible, and costs incurred before and after the approved period.
6
Submit the plan and complete the reviewExpect document screening and possibly an interview or presentation.
7
Wait for the award decision before spendingDo not sign leases, order equipment, hire contractors, or begin reimbursable work until you understand the program’s pre-award spending rule.
8
Start the business, document every cost, and report resultsPayment may come after the project and final inspection.
Documents commonly requested
Application form
Detailed business plan
Founder résumé
Regional-problem explanation
Revenue and expense projections
Startup schedule
Cost estimates
Proof of matching funds or financing
Residence or relocation plan
Company-registration or sole-proprietor documents
Tax documents
Residence card and passport
Required licenses or evidence that they can be obtained
Bank information
Stacking with the relocation grant
The national framework allows the startup award to serve as one qualifying pathway for the Tokyo-to-rural relocation grant. Where the local programs allow it, a qualifying entrepreneur may receive:
Up to ¥2,000,000 in startup support
Plus up to ¥600,000 as a single mover
Or up to ¥1,000,000 for a household
Plus eligible child supplements
Confirm timing carefully. The relocation application may require the startup-grant decision to have been issued within a specified period.
Biggest catches
A normal business idea is not enough; it must satisfy the prefecture’s social-impact and viability rules
Selection is competitive, so a complete application is not an award
The grant normally covers no more than half of eligible costs, so you need your own capital or financing
Spending before the formal award decision may be rejected
Reporting and spending must finish inside the fiscal-year deadline
The grant does not create immigration permission to run a business in Japan
Has a credible business idea tied to a real local need
Can fund at least part of the project
Is comfortable with competitive selection
Can reside legally in the prefecture
Will not depend on the award as their only startup capital
Can complete Japanese administrative and accounting requirements
5Program Five — Paid rural positions
Get a paid rural position through the Regional Revitalization Cooperation Corps
Overseas possibleVisa separate
The Regional Revitalization Cooperation Corps — 地域おこし協力隊 — is a national framework under which local governments recruit people to relocate from urban areas or overseas and work on local priorities.
Common assignments include tourism promotion; social media, photography, writing, and video; agriculture, forestry, and fisheries; local-product development; empty-home research and reuse; migration support; community events; support for foreign residents; education, childcare, welfare, or transportation; and business creation and succession.
The purpose is not only to complete a project. The program is also designed to help the participant build a long-term life in the community.
What you can receive
There is no universal salary. A participant may be a municipal employee, an employee of a partner organization, an independent contractor, or a commissioned individual operating as a sole proprietor. A listing may separate personal compensation, activity expenses, housing allowance, vehicle expenses, travel, equipment, insurance and pension, and moving costs.
Personal compensationVaries by listing
This is the only figure that is yours. It is either wages under an employment relationship or compensation under an independent contract—and the two are taxed and insured very differently.
Activity expensesVaries by listing
A project budget for equipment, vehicles, materials, and travel connected to the assignment. It is not personal income and must never be added to your take-home figure.
Contract budgetPersonal compensation + activity expenses shown as one number
Many listings publish this combined figure because it is what the municipality has budgeted for the position. Never treat the total municipal budget as take-home salary.
Live 2026 example
Deadlines and budgets can close early. Cooperation Corps vacancies are individual recruitments with their own closing dates. This is a live example, not a promise that identical positions will remain available.
Current as of August 1, 2026
Bekkai Town Cooperation Corps recruitment
Location
Bekkai Town, Hokkaido — improving the town’s vacant-home and migrant-housing system
Amount
These are three different things. Read all three rows before you build a budget.
Personal compensation¥300,000 per month
This is the participant’s own compensation under the contract. Income tax, health insurance, and pension come out of it.
Activity expensesApproximately ¥155,000 per month
A budget for carrying out the assignment. Not personal income. Do not add it to the row above when you work out what you can live on.
Contract budgetApproximately ¥455,000 per month combined
This is the two figures above added together as the total contract budget. It is not a salary of ¥455,000 per month and should never be described as one.
Deadline
The application deadline shown in the 2026 listing is September 18, 2026.
Who may apply
The listing states that candidates may qualify if they currently live:
In an eligible Japanese urban area
As a recent former Cooperation Corps member
As a qualifying former JET participant
Or overseas without Japanese resident registration
Key restriction
Foreign applicants must have Japanese ability around JLPT N3 or higher and be able to communicate in Japanese
The position is an independent-contractor arrangement, not employment
No employer-provided employment insurance, because it is not an employment relationship
Health insurance and pension are handled by the participant
Housing is introduced by the town, but rent and utilities are paid by the participant
Traditionally, positions run for approximately one to three years, with annual renewal.
Beginning in fiscal 2026, Japan has also introduced an extension mechanism for certain participants working in local industries and preparing for business creation or succession, potentially allowing a longer period in qualifying cases. The exact listing and municipal implementation control.
Eligibility summary
Typical conditions include:
Moving from an eligible urban area to the recruiting municipality
Moving resident registration only after selection
Living in the community during the appointment
Intending to remain after the program
Holding a driver’s license or obtaining one
Basic computer and communication skills
Ability to work with residents and local government
Japanese-language ability appropriate to the position
Meeting the listing’s visa or residence requirements
Some positions accept overseas residents. Others require the applicant to already live in Japan. Some explicitly accept foreign nationals; others are silent or effectively require high-level Japanese.
Can I apply from overseas?
Some openings do
A Cooperation Corps listing does not automatically equal visa sponsorship. Before applying from overseas, ask:
Which status of residence is expected for this position?
Will the municipality or employing organization sponsor a Certificate of Eligibility?
Is the position an employment relationship or independent contract?
Does the proposed status permit all listed duties?
Who pays for immigration assistance, relocation, housing deposits, insurance, and pension?
A municipality may be willing to help but unable to guarantee immigration approval.
How to find openings
The primary nationwide portal is JOIN. Search filters and Japanese keywords can help:
外国人 地域おこし協力隊
海外在住 地域おこし協力隊
英語 地域おこし協力隊
観光 地域おこし協力隊
情報発信 地域おこし協力隊
空き家 地域おこし協力隊
農業 地域おこし協力隊
Step-by-step application process
1
Read the employment classification carefullyDetermine whether the role is municipal employment, private or nonprofit employment, commissioned work, or independent contracting. This affects taxes, insurance, pension, leave, overtime, and visa feasibility.
2
Verify the geographic eligibility ruleDo not move your resident registration before selection. Many listings state that doing so destroys eligibility.
3
Confirm foreign-national and overseas eligibilityAsk in writing. Include your nationality, current country and city, current Japanese status when applicable, Japanese level, and proposed move date.
4
Confirm immigration supportDo not rely on the word “foreigner-friendly.” Ask what the organization has actually done for previous foreign hires.
5
Evaluate the total compensationSeparate personal pay, reimbursable activity funds, housing, vehicle, insurance, pension, taxes, moving costs, and required out-of-pocket expenses.
6
Submit the required documentsListings commonly request a résumé, employment history, motivation statement, project proposal, residence certificate, driver’s-license copy, Japanese-language certificate, residence-card copy for foreign residents, and a portfolio for content, tourism, design, or media roles.
7
Complete interviews and any trial visitSome municipalities use online interviews. Others require an in-person final interview or a short local experience.
8
Move only after formal selectionComplete housing, immigration, resident registration, insurance, pension, banking, and vehicle arrangements.
Questions to ask before accepting
Ask every one of these in writing
Is the quoted amount gross salary, contract compensation, or total project budget?
Is activity funding paid to me or reimbursed after approval?
Is housing free, subsidized, introduced, or entirely self-funded?
Is a car required?
Are fuel, vehicle purchase, insurance, and winter tires covered?
Can I take side work?
What happens after year three?
Is there startup support after the appointment?
Who owns equipment, content, websites, or business assets created during the project?
What performance criteria control annual renewal?
Biggest catches
The headline number in a listing is often the contract budget, not your pay
An independent contract means no employer-provided employment insurance, and health insurance and pension become your responsibility
Pay, visa support, Japanese requirements, housing, and employment status all vary by listing
Moving your resident registration before selection can destroy eligibility
A listing that accepts foreign nationals is not the same as a listing that sponsors a visa
“Housing introduced” can still mean you pay rent, utilities, and the deposit
Wants a genuine rural relocation rather than a short stay
Has useful skills in tourism, media, agriculture, community building, housing, education, or business development
Can communicate in Japanese
Is willing to integrate into a small community
Understands that the role may be less structured than a normal corporate job
Has a plan for life after the appointment
Visa compatibility quick check
A planning tool, not an immigration determination
Use this to work out which of the five routes is worth researching from where you stand today. It tells you nothing about whether any particular application would be approved. Only the Immigration Services Agency or a qualified Japanese immigration professional can make that call.
General fit between a status of residence and the five programs in this guide. This is a planning tool, not an immigration determination.
Status
General fit with these programs
Permanent Resident
Strongest flexibility. Still must satisfy every municipal rule.
Spouse or Child of Japanese National
Generally strong because work activity is not narrowly restricted.
Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident
Generally strong, subject to local program rules.
Long-Term Resident
Generally strong, subject to local program rules.
Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services
May fit housing support, but farming, business operation, contracting, or side work may fall outside permitted activities.
Business Manager
Potentially relevant to the startup route, but the grant does not guarantee immigration eligibility.
Specified Skilled Worker — Agriculture
Relevant to agricultural employment, not automatically to independent-farm grants.
Student
Usually a poor fit for long-term relocation, business, and independent-farming programs.
Digital Nomad
Usually a poor fit because the status is temporary and does not create normal long-term resident registration.
Temporary Visitor / Tourist
Not a viable basis for these long-term grants or work programs.
No current Japan status
Cooperation Corps listings that accept overseas candidates may be worth checking; all other routes require a separate immigration strategy.
For an official determination, use Japan’s Immigration Services Agency or a qualified Japanese immigration professional.
Different costs, different purposes — not every advertised maximum added together
Stacking means receiving multiple awards for different approved costs or purposes. It does not mean collecting every advertised maximum.
Potentially compatible combinations
Relocation grant + startup grant — built into the national framework when the applicant satisfies both programs and the local timing rules.
Relocation grant + child supplement — a standard feature where the municipality offers the full child amount.
Relocation grant + akiya renovation support — possible in some municipalities because one supports the move and the other supports the house. Confirm that neither program prohibits duplicate public funding for the same cost.
Farmer monthly support + selected equipment support — possible under the 2026 framework, but the equipment-support cap is lower when the recipient also receives the Farm Management Start Fund.
Cooperation Corps + post-program startup support — some municipalities help former participants start or inherit a local business. This is town-specific and usually requires a separate plan and approval.
Illustrative stacking example Maximum theoretical
The Program 2 example reaches a potential combined figure of ¥5,000,000 from a household relocation grant of ¥1,000,000, two child supplements of ¥1,000,000 each, and a ¥2,000,000 regional startup grant.
That number is illustrative, not an entitlement. It describes the maximum structure available when a household independently qualifies for each component and every administering body offers it in full.
Costs usually cannot be claimed twice
Do not use two grants to reimburse the same invoice unless both administering agencies explicitly allow it.
Build a spreadsheet with:
Each expense
Which program may cover it
The reimbursement percentage
Your required contribution
Application date
Award date
Payment date
Proof required
Universal document pack
Build this once, before you contact anybody
Create one secure digital folder before contacting municipalities. Almost every program in this guide draws from the same four groups.
Identity and residence
Passport
Residence card, if applicable
Current resident certificate
Historical resident records
Household records
Driver’s license
Japanese-language certification
Financial
Tax certificates
Income records
Bank statements
Japanese bank information
Financing preapproval
Proof of available matching funds
Employment or business
Résumé
Employment history
Employment contract
Employer telework statement
Business plan
Five-year projections
Company documents
Licenses and qualifications
Property or agriculture
Purchase or lease agreement
Registry records
Property photographs
Inspection
Contractor estimates
Renovation plan
Land lease
Farm plan
Training acceptance
Equipment quotations
Evidence file
Save:
Every email
Screenshots of the program page
Downloaded guidelines
Application versions
Submitted documents
Receipts
Bank-transfer records
Before-and-after photographs
Written confirmation of unusual eligibility questions
Municipal pages can change after the fiscal year ends. Keep the version that applied when you submitted.
Copy-paste inquiry email
One question set, in two languages
Send this before you sign anything. Fill in every bracket, and keep the reply—a written answer from the administering office is worth more than any guide, including this one.
English
Subject: FY2026 Program Eligibility Inquiry — Foreign Applicant
Dear [Municipality / Program Office],
My name is [NAME]. I am a citizen of [COUNTRY] and currently live in [CITY, COUNTRY OR JAPAN PREFECTURE].
I am interested in [PROGRAM NAME] and am considering moving to [MUNICIPALITY] around [DATE].
My current status of residence is [STATUS / I DO NOT CURRENTLY HOLD JAPANESE RESIDENCE STATUS]. My Japanese level is approximately [LEVEL].
Before making any contracts or relocation arrangements, could you please confirm:
1. Whether a foreign national with my residence status may apply
2. Whether I must already live in Japan or in the municipality when applying
3. The FY2026 application deadline and remaining budget
4. The required residence or participation period
5. Whether approval is required before purchase, construction, incorporation, training, or relocation
6. Which documents I should prepare
7. Whether English-language assistance is available
Thank you very much for your guidance.
Kind regards,
[NAME]
[EMAIL]
[PHONE]
Paste these into a Japanese search alongside the town name
Almost every program page in this guide exists only in Japanese. These are the words the pages actually use.
Japanese search terms used on municipal, prefectural, and ministry program pages.
Japanese
Meaning
空き家
Vacant house
空き家バンク
Vacant-house bank
空き家改修補助金
Vacant-house renovation subsidy
移住支援金
Relocation-support grant
定住
Long-term settlement
交付決定
Formal grant-award decision
補助対象経費
Eligible subsidized expenses
返還
Repayment / clawback
就農準備資金
Farming Preparation Fund
経営開始資金
Farm Management Start Fund
認定新規就農者
Recognized New Farmer
地方創生起業支援金
Regional revitalization startup grant
地域おこし協力隊
Regional Revitalization Cooperation Corps
募集要項
Application / recruitment guidelines
令和8年度
Fiscal year 2026
住民票
Resident record
在留資格
Status of residence
The biggest red flags
Six claims you will see, and what is actually true
“Japan will pay you to move from America”
Usually false when referring to the national relocation grant. That program is built around qualifying Tokyo residence or commuting history.
“Buy a free house and get a million yen”
The home may have major renovation, title, access, hazard, or utility problems. The subsidy usually reimburses only approved work and may require years of residence.
“The farming program is a no-strings salary”
It is conditional support tied to approved training or a monitored farm plan. Failure to enter or continue farming can create repayment obligations.
“Any business can receive ¥2 million”
The business must fit the prefecture’s social-impact and viability rules. Competition, deadlines, matching funds, and reporting apply.
“The Cooperation Corps will sponsor anyone”
Each vacancy is different. Some accept overseas foreigners; others require current Japanese residence, advanced Japanese, a driver’s license, or a specific visa.
“Grant approval means immigration approval”
Grant administrators and immigration authorities answer different questions. You need both pieces to work.
Your 30-day action plan
One route, three regions, written confirmation
1
Days 1–3: Choose your routePick one primary route: housing, Tokyo relocation, farming, startup, or Cooperation Corps. Do not start by chasing every grant.
2
Days 4–7: Choose three regionsCompare climate, transport, healthcare, employment, language support, housing, schools, natural-disaster risk, and distance to an airport or major city.
3
Days 8–10: Verify immigration compatibilityWrite down your current status, permitted activity, needed change of status, sponsor, Certificate of Eligibility plan, and family-dependent implications.
4
Days 11–15: Contact the administering officesSend the inquiry template to three municipalities or program offices.
5
Days 16–20: Build the document packCollect identity, income, residence, work, property, business, or farming documents.
6
Days 21–25: Schedule consultationsUse the municipal migration office, the prefectural farming-support center, the startup-grant implementing organization, a Cooperation Corps recruiter, and a qualified immigration specialist when needed.
7
Days 26–30: Build a real budgetInclude flights and moving, housing deposits, vehicle, renovation beyond the grant cap, matching funds, insurance and pension, taxes, professional fees, three to six months of living costs, and the time before reimbursement.
A grant should improve a viable plan. It should not be the only reason the plan works.
Final reality check
These programs can be genuinely life-changing for the right person.
A qualifying younger farmer may receive years of structured support. A Tokyo household with children may receive millions of yen to build a regional life. A local entrepreneur may receive startup reimbursement and mentoring. An akiya buyer may significantly reduce renovation costs. A strong Cooperation Corps applicant may secure a paid path into a rural community.
But the order matters:
Establish a realistic visa or residence position
Choose a place you would still want without the grant
Confirm eligibility in writing
Apply before taking irreversible action
Keep enough money to proceed while waiting for reimbursement
Treat every award as conditional until the final payment is received
Official links directory
Every source used in this guide, grouped by program
Each link opens the original page in a new tab. Where a page is only available in Japanese, a browser translation is usually enough to find the deadline and the contact number—but confirm the details with the office itself before acting.
Source legend
National government A ministry or Cabinet Office page that sets the national framework.
Prefecture Prefectural rules, or the prefecture’s designated implementing organization.
Municipality A single town or city’s own program page.
Live recruitment An open vacancy or recruitment portal. These change frequently.
The version of this that goes viral always strips out the conditions, and the conditions are the whole story. Every number on this page is attached to an application window, a residency commitment, an income limit, a repayment clause, or a status of residence that has to permit the activity in the first place.
None of that makes these programs fake. A qualifying person really can be supported for years. It just means the work is in the eligibility, not in the headline.
Treat this page as your starting map. The decision that matters is made by a person in a municipal or prefectural office, and the only answer worth planning around is the one they give you in writing.
This guide was put together by reviewing the current 2026 national frameworks, ministry pages, prefectural rules, municipal programs, and live recruitment materials.
Program amounts, budgets, deadlines, visa interpretations, and local eligibility rules can change without much notice. Japanese grant programs also operate on a fiscal year running from April through March, and some close early when their budgets are exhausted.
Use this as your starting map, then verify the final details directly with the municipality, prefecture, program administrator, and—where immigration is involved—a qualified professional.
This guide is educational information, not legal, immigration, tax, real-estate, agricultural, or financial advice. No grant, visa, job, property, or award is guaranteed.
Verified August 1, 2026. This date is set by hand and does not update automatically. If you are reading this well after that date, treat every amount and deadline as something to re-confirm.
Program changed? If you find that a deadline has moved, a budget has closed, or an amount is out of date, tell me and I will fix it.