Japan Regional Migration Subsidy: Up to ¥5M to Move Out of Tokyo (Foreigners Eligible?)
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Updated against official, partner, and reviewed site evidence where available.
Last updated: July 27, 2026
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Quick Answer (30 seconds)
Japan's national 地方創生移住支援事業 (Regional Migration Support Program) pays people to leave Tokyo for rural and regional areas. Key facts:
- Base grants: ¥600,000 (single person) / ¥1,000,000 (household) + ¥1,000,000 per child under 18
- Startup bonus: Stack an additional ¥2,000,000 if you launch a qualifying business at the destination
- Combined national maximum: ¥5,000,000 for a family with 2 children who also starts a business
- Foreign nationals: Eligible — but only with permanent residency or specific spousal/settled visas. Standard employment visas (engineer, HSP, etc.) do not qualify.
- Origin requirement: Must have lived in or commuted to the Tokyo 23 wards specifically for 5+ cumulative years in the past 10 years
The ¥10 Million Figure: Real or Hype?
Many English-language articles claim Japan pays "up to ¥10 million" to move to the countryside. This is misleading. There is no single government program with a ¥10M cap.
The ¥10M figure comes from stacking multiple independent programs:
| Source | Approx. amount |
|---|---|
| National relocation grant (family + 3 children) | ¥4,000,000 |
| National startup grant | ¥2,000,000 |
| Municipal housing purchase subsidy | ¥1,000,000–¥2,500,000 |
| Prefectural top-up grant | ¥500,000–¥1,500,000 |
| Municipal vacant house (akiya 空家) renovation subsidy | ¥500,000–¥2,000,000 |
This stacking is real and possible — but requires qualifying for every program simultaneously, which is unusual. The accurate claim is: ¥5M from national programs alone for a family with children who also launches a business, with potential to stack further with municipal programs.
移住支援金 — Regional Migration Grant
Amounts (national program)
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