Measure to be Taken to Support SMEs Affected by Novel Coronavirus Disease

As the first effort to this end, METI designated all prefectures across Japan as areas subject to No. 4 Safety Nets for Financing Guarantees on March 2, 2020, and then, on March 6, 2020, it additionally designated the industries seriously affected by the novel coronavirus disease in particular as those subject to No.5 Safety Nets for Financing Guarantees.

Based on the Second Batch of the Emergency Measures against the Novel Coronavirus Disease that were newly compiled by the Novel Coronavirus Response Headquarters on March 10, 2020, METI will take the following measures.

(1) Implementing Guarantees Related to Emergencies

In light of the fact that SMEs and small enterprises across Japan have been facing tight situations in financing as they are affected by the novel coronavirus disease, METI will for the first time implement the Guarantees Related to Emergencies (see Appendix 1).

(2) Additionally designating more industries as those subject to No.5 Safety Nets for Financing Guarantees

METI will additionally designate 316 industries seriously affected by the novel coronavirus disease in particular as those subject to No.5 Safety Nets for Financing Guarantees, including dairy product manufacturers and beauty services (see Appendices 2 and 3).

(3) Relaxing the operation of approval criteria in line with starting the above measures (Nos.4 and 5 Safety Nets for Financing Guarantees as well as Guarantees Related to Emergencies)

METI will relax the approval criteria procedures for Nos.4 and 5 Safety Nets for Financing Guarantees as well as the Guarantees Related to Emergencies so that founders and other business operators, who are running businesses for one year or less and facing difficulties in operating stable business due to impacts caused by the novel coronavirus disease, are eligible to apply for these measures.

On March 13, 2020, METI will publish a public notice on the implementation of the Guarantee Related to Emergencies and the newly added industries as those subject to No.5 Safety Nets for Financing Guarantees in the official gazette. Prior to this, on March 12, 2020, respective Credit Guarantee Corporations will open preparatory consultation counters for businesses to explain the Guarantees Related to Emergencies and No.5 Safety Nets for Financing Guarantees. Please contact a nearby Credit Guarantee Corporation.

For information on contact offices of the Credit Guarantee Corporations, visit their website (in Japanese).

If you wish to make use of the Guarantees Related to Emergencies or No.5 Safety Nets for Financing Guarantees, your decline in sales and other revenue must be verified and certified by the head of your municipality. Please contact your local municipality.

• Appendix 1: Overview of Guarantees Related to Emergencies (in Japanese) (PDF:336KB)PDF
• Appendix 2: Overview of No.5 Safety Nets for Financing Guarantees (in Japanese) (PDF:342KB)PDF
• Appendix 3: Industries additionally designated as those subject to No.5 Safety Nets for Financing Guarantees (from March 13 to 31, 2020) (in Japanese) (PDF:302KB)PDF
• Appendix 4: Relaxing the operation of approval criteria (in Japanese) (PDF:248KB)PDF

Note: For more information on the 152 industries currently designated as those subject to No.5 Safety Nets for Financing Guarantees and 40 industries additionally designated on March 6 for the same purpose,

• visit METI’s website (in Japanese) .

For more information on this press release, contact the SME Financial Consultation Counter or a nearby Regional Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry.

Related links

• Novel Coronavirus-related info (in Japanese) Link

Division in Charge

Finance Division, Business Environment Department, Small and Medium Enterprise Agency