O-BIC Support Program for Foreign Companies -Fiscal 2009-
1. Purpose of Program
In cooperation with JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization), ‘O-BIC Support Program for Foreign Companies’ aims to support foreign companies entering Osaka Prefecture to set up a base of business operations through O-BIC, JETRO-IBSC of Osaka or other authorized municipalities, by reducing the costs to be paid by such foreign companies for the entry.
2. Companies Eligible for Support
Eligibility is restricted to those foreign companies (with one third or more foreign capital percentage) assisted by O-BIC, IBSC of Osaka or other local municipalities to set up a new head office or branch in Osaka.
3. Applicable Costs
Concerning the following costs** to be paid to Supporting Companies* registered with O-BIC, for their services offered before the establishment of a new head office or branch, 50% of such costs (any fractional sum less than \1,000 to be discarded) are provided as support with \500,000 (five hundred thousand yen) as the maximum amount:
- Expenses for obtaining licenses, permits, registrations
- Expenses for acquiring status of residence***
- Expenses for real-estate brokerages
- Any other costs approved by O-BIC to be necessary for entry or investment in Osaka
- * “Supporting Companies” are those companies, organizations or individuals registered with O-BIC as ones who are capable of offering foreign companies required support for their entry into Japan to establish a presence to do business.
- ** Costs not applicable are:
- Those costs that are unconnected with the services offered by Supporting Companies such as; taxes like consumption tax, deposits or key money for renting any real estate, membership fees for organizations/bodies, expenses to be paid to governmental or public offices etc.
- Expenses involving financial support (like subsidy) from any other parties.
- Any other expenses considered by O-BIC to be inapplicable.
- *** Support fund for acquiring the status of residence is provided only when application for Certificate of Eligibility is submitted in two weeks after the registration of the company.
- **** Support fund is provided only within the set budget.
4. Matters to Pay Attention to, for Receiving Support
- Support fund is not paid for any new head office or branch that is not established by March 10th 2010.
- Regarding the establishment of a new office or branch, circumstances concerned with procedures for registrations, permits or notifications are comprehensively considered.
5. Payment of Support Fund
Support fund is directly paid to the service providers concerned (O-BIC Supporting Companies) on confirmation of the cost payments and achieved results report after the establishment of a new office or branch.
6. Confirmation of Payments
O-BIC staffers will visit the company to check through the originals of relevant contracts, bills, statements, receipts or other documents. If such confirmation is not made, support fund cannot be paid.
7. Alteration in Application for Support
For alteration in the initial application for the Support Program, another application for such alteration is required. Such applicant is asked to contact O-BIC for details. However, some minor alterations may not require that procedure.
8. Language to be Used in Applications or Other Documents
Applications or other documents must be completed in Japanese.
9. Please Note
Applications are accepted on the understanding that the support fund recipient's name and the amount of support fund may be made public without the recipient's prior consent.
10. Process of Procedures
- The straight-line rectangles on the right of the pages indicate the steps to be taken by support fund recipients. These steps must be taken in time before the closing dates. The dotted-line ones are for O-BIC to do.
(1) Prior consultation
Prior consultation is required before application.
(2) Application for support fund
Application must be submitted as soon as possible, once the decision is made to set up a head office or branch.
Documents to be submitted
- Application form
- Plan of business (Data(1))
- Plan of services to receive from Supporting Companies (Data(2))
- Data as a base of cost addition like relevant estimates
- Data showing the outline of parent company in the home country (brochure, leaflet etc)
- Curriculum Vitae of the investor or the representative of Osaka if the investment is made by the individuals
- Copy of notification to Bank of Japan on possession of stocks/shares based on the Foreign Exchange Control Act (direction on internal direct investment) *
- Copy of company articles (statutes) *
- Certified copy of body corporate register (certification of all past record) *
- *If still unregistered, these must be submitted at the time to report on achieved results.
(3) Screening / Approval for Support
Screening of applications is conducted and the outcome will be informed to applicants.
To those who passed the screening, ‘notification of support approval’ will be sent.
(4) Establishment of a head office or branch
O-BIC must be informed so when a new head office or branch is established.
Application for approval of alteration may be necessary.
(5) Determination of support fund amount
Based on the application documents and the report on commissioned matters from the service providers concerned (O-BIC Supporting Companies), the amount of support fund is determined.
(6) Payment of expenses
Support fund recipient must pay the recipient’s share of expenses concerned.
(7) Report on recipient’s support-related results
Within two weeks from the date of establishment of a head office or branch, support fund recipient must submit a report on the recipient’s support-related results.
Documents to be submitted
- Report on support recipient’s support-related results
- Report on business achievements (Data(3))
- Report on services received from Supporting Companies (Data(4))
- Vouchers like copies of bills, statements, receipts etc.
- Outline of company set up in Osaka (brochure, leaflet etc)
- (Those who apply for the expenses for acquiring the status of residence) Copy of application acceptance slips given at the time of acceptance
- * The following documents must be submitted if not already submitted at the time of application:
- Copy of notification to Bank of Japan on possession of stocks/shares based on the Foreign Exchange Control Act (direction on internal direct investment) *
- Copy of company articles (statutes) *
- Certified copy of body corporate register (certification of all past record) *
(8) Confirmation of payments
Confirmation is required to make sure that support-related payments are properly made. All vouchers and other documents for evidence must be retained for 5 years after the period of the Support Program, up to March 31st 2015.
(9) Payment of support costs
Support-related costs due are paid by transfer into the bank accounts of the service providers (O-BIC Supporting Companies).
(Notes)- The contents of the details described above are subject to change.
11. Applications and Inquiries to
Osaka Business and Investment Center (O-BIC)
Tel: +81-(0)6-6944-6298 Fax: +81-(0)6-6944-6293
‘O-BIC Support Program for Foreign Companies -Fiscal 2009-’ (PDF :228KB)
