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Japan starts issuing cash benefits to virus-hit small firms

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Eligible applicants must have seen a reduction in their monthly income of half or more from year-earlier levels since January. Businesses founded this year are not eligible.

How about businesses that were created last year or before but became fully operational this year?

Just like the 300,000yen that was initially promised, the eligibility conditions will deliberately be made difficult, confusing with numerous cumbersome paperwork to discourage many from applying or limit the number.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

The manual for applying is pretty specific you just need to read it to discover that unless you have a personal relationship with someone in the LDP or Nippon Kaigei You are eligible for squat.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

The requirements are not difficult. I’ll be cashing 500,000 after a month of low performance. Personally, I think their approach and application is bad, but I’m not going to say not to free money.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

I don't think the paperwork is that cumbersome, but our accountant handles it and he's used to this stuff. Very grateful either way. The year started off so well and then... wham.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Ha you called it. I'm applying for it but the application for the manual to apply for the manual is kind of distressing. Might not be able to receive anything as my local LDP member has a restraining order on me. Although I am reading the manual to get that removed after I fill out the paperwork to apply for a court date, providing my hanko is workable, and wearing a mask of course. At the best I can yell "Bonzi" and cruise through this

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Seriously, please inform me of other countries implementing better support at the moment. 100,000 to all citizens AND foreigners. Cash hand outs to SME's AND self employed/ freelancers.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Well at least....

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Your business if fully operational from the day you start so what do you mean?

You can have a business registered last year or many years back that for some reason was inactive and on hold but that took off this year. Going by the criteria that it should have fallen by half of last year you won't qualify because you were not operational and have no data for last year.

What is the reason for excluding businesses that were registered this year, does it mean a new business is not affected by the pandemic. It doesn't really make sense.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

@drlucifer because the program is not for gaijin trying to exploit the benevolent Japanese system. If you started a business last year, surely you don't need this help. Leave it to whom really needs it.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

If you started a business last year, surely you don't need this help.

That's a pretty foolish statement - the first year for pretty much any business is the least stable, the most uncertainty, and the time when you would need help more than any other in a situation like this.

If this pandemic had have happened in the first year of my business, it almost definitely would have shut it down. I'm fortunate I've had over a decade to stabilize the company, but new businesses will not have had that time.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Just to put some of your minds at ease. I have a small business and my income dropped over 50% in the month.

I have applied and expect to get the support soon. It will be classed as income so I will need to pay taxes on it but as it covers lost income, that’s fine.

also, it can be applied to a 50% drop in income in any month of this year.

apply online, if you are eligible.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Why is it called cash benefits? When money is given to common people, its called cash hand outs? On topic?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

“Seriously, please inform me of other countries implementing better support at the moment. 100,000 to all citizens AND foreigners. Cash hand outs to SME's AND self employed/ freelancers.”

Australia, New Zealand, Canada...

Japan’s idea is a one-time handout, and not much at that. These countries have been regularly compensating people since this crap started.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Basically people, if you have tax filings for last year, January through May and can show or have your tax accountant show that you’ve had a BUSINESS loss from the same months a year ago, you can receive funding. If no paper trail, either GK, KK or home business, you will not be able to receive funds. Gotta back up with paper what you perceive as a loss regardless if it’s corona related or not.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

That's a pretty foolish statement - the first year for pretty much any business is the least stable, the most uncertainty, and the time when you would need help more than any other in a situation like this.

Indeed. Started up in January 2020 and do not expect any real income until autumn or even next year (inbound travel related business). Of course we will have to be creative and find other means of income while time, but I feel we are in a forgotten grey area in regards of support. Surely there must be many businesses in the same situation.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

And still no revision of guidelines for unemployment benefits to include zero hour contract, PT, gig and the precariously employed...

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Could someone please post a link to the website ? Do they have an English one ?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

All my friends in Aomori Prefecture have yet to receive masks much less the promised yen. They are now wondering if this is fake news.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

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