Temporary Workshops for Traditional Crafts to Be Fully Subsidized; Aims for Swift Recovery of Quake Damaged Industry

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:43 JST, February 6, 2024

The Organization for Small & Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation, Japan, an independent administrative agency, is considering fully subsidizing the construction cost of temporary workshops for traditional crafts industries affected by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake. In Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, many Wajima-nuri lacquerware workshops were damaged by the Jan. 1 quake, and the agency intends to support production to ensure the swift recovery of the industry.

The agency is currently planning to apply one of its subsidy mechanisms for temporary facilities to the four prefectures affected by the quake, including Ishikawa Prefecture. This mechanism has been used for shopping streets in the past.

Under the mechanism, the agency will cover the entire construction cost of temporary facilities built by the local municipalities which small and medium-sized businesses will be able to move into the facilities at no cost. Since the traditional craft workshops may require special equipment, the agency will take requests from the local governments.

Meanwhile, the central government has decided to subsidize up to ¥10 million of the cost of securing the tools and materials necessary for the continuation of business in the traditional craft industry.