1. Outline of the start of accepting requests for the subsidies

Start date for accepting subsidy requests: March 9 (Mon.), 2020

2. Types of vehicles and devices subject to the subsidies, necessary written documents for applications and other information

(1) Projects supporting candidate drivers in purchasing safety support cars

[i] Types of vehicles to be subsidized and period of availability of the subsidies

A. Newly registered vehicles

• Types and grades of applicable vehicles

• For details, see the press release dated December 23, 2019.

• Date from which the subsidies cover certain vehicles
  The subsidies are applicable to standard-sized vehicles or light motor vehicles newly registered from December 23, 2019.*
  *Note: If other types of vehicles are decided to be additionally subsidized after December 23, 2019, these types will be subject to the subsidies from the date of their inclusion.

B. Used vehicles

• Types and grades of applicable vehicles
  The list is scheduled to be released on March 6, 2020.
• Date from which the subsidies cover certain vehicles
  The subsidies are applicable to standard-sized vehicles or light motor vehicles for which a vehicle inspection certificate has been issued and which are registered as used vehicles from March 9, 2020.

[2] Candidate drivers to be subsidized

The subsidies are available for elderly drivers who are or will be aged 65 or older by the end of FY2019.**

[iii] Written documents and other information necessary for filing a request

The following written documents are necessary for filing a request.

• Application form;
• Copy of the driver’s license of the applicant;
• Copy of the vehicle inspection certificate;
• Document establishing the purchase of the applicable vehicle by the applicant, e.g., copy of the receipt;
• Copy of the applicant’s passbook issued by a financial institution for the account to which the subsidies will be paid; and
• Other documents stipulated by the Next Generation Vehicle Promotion Center.

(2) Projects for supporting candidate vehicle owners in introducing safety support devices for aftermarket installation***

***Note: The term “safety support device for aftermarket installation” refers to acceleration control systems additionally installed in the vehicles after the purchase of the vehicles.

[i] Acceleration control systems to be subsidized

• For details of acceleration control systems to be subsidized, see the press release dated December 23, 2019.

[ii] Businesses to be subsidized

• The subsidies are available for businesses which sell such acceleration control systems to elderly drivers who are or will be aged 65 or older by the end of FY2019** and which have been certified as “businesses for trading acceleration control systems for aftermarket installation.”
  (Note: The subsidized elderly drivers need to pay the difference after deducting the amount of subsidies from the total expenditures needed to install such acceleration control systems in their target vehicles.)
• The list of these businesses is scheduled to be released on March 6, 2020.
• The subsidies are applicable to acceleration control systems for aftermarket installation which are sold and installed after March 9, 2020.

[iii] Written documents and other information necessary for filing a request

The following written documents are necessary for filing a request.

• Application form;
• Copy of the driver’s license of the candidate elderly driver who intends to install an applicable acceleration control system for aftermarket installation in his/her vehicle;
• Copy of the vehicle inspection certificate;
• Documents establishing completion of payment for the applicable vehicle, which, for purposes of confirmation, shows the deduction of the amount of subsidies from the total expenditures for the installation of such system; and
• Other documents stipulated by the Next Generation Vehicle Promotion Center.

**Note: Regarding service vehicles, these subsidies are available to businesses that have been employing elderly drivers who are or will be aged 65 or older by the end of FY2019.

3. Points to be noted

• The overview of this subsidies program is publicized on the website of the Next Generation Vehicle Promotion Center, an operator of the program.
• Application forms for filing a request are scheduled to be released on March 6, 2020, on the website above.
• Regarding service vehicles, if a single business operates a number of applicable vehicles and/or acceleration control systems for aftermarket installation that is greater than the number of the applicable elderly drivers employed by the business, the business is not permitted to receive the subsidies for the number of target vehicles beyond the number of such drivers.
• Regarding used vehicles, if a used vehicle falls in the target types of vehicles but it does not have an applicable braking system or acceleration control system, the used vehicle is not subject to the subsidies.
• If a non-certified business installs a target acceleration control system for aftermarket installation in a target vehicle, the vehicle is not subject to the subsidies.
• Please note that the call for applicants for the subsidies program will close once the total number of requests reaches the budgetary limits for the subsidy program.

4. References

• Overview of the subsidies program and other information (in Japanese)

• Website operated by the Next Generation Vehicle Promotion Center for the subsidies program Link
• Types and Grades of Vehicles Targeted by the Subsidies for Safety Support Cars (December 23, 2019)
• Subsidies for Safety Support Cars Included in FY2019 Supplementary Budget Draft (December 13, 2019)
• Release of the Results of Preliminary Individual Certification of Acceleration Control Systems for Aftermarket Installation - Certified acceleration control systems which respond to drivers’ mis-operation of the acceleration pedal for aftermarket installation - (released by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) Link

Division in Charge

Automobile Division, Manufacturing Industries Bureau