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Types and Grades of Vehicles Targeted by the Subsidies for Safety Support Cars

Types and Grades of Vehicles Targeted by the Subsidies for Safety Support Cars

December 23, 2019

Manufacturing, Information, and Distribution/Service Policy

Note: FY2019 Draft Supplementary Budget was approved by the Diet on January 30, 2020.

The government of Japan included the Subsidies for Safety Support Cars in the FY2019 Draft Supplementary Budget, which was approved by the Cabinet on December 13, 2019. These subsidies aim to support elderly drivers aged 65 or older in purchasing safety support cars in which a collision damage mitigation braking system (hereinafter referred to as “breaking system”) or an acceleration control system which responds to driver errors in use of the acceleration pedal (hereinafter referred to as “acceleration control system”) is installed.

Following this decision, METI hereby releases the types and grades of vehicles targeted by the Subsidies for Safety Support Cars that were compiled on December 23, 2019, as a result of examination by the Examination Committee on the Subsidies for Safety Support Cars.

As a result of examination by the said Examination Committee, acceleration control systems for aftermarket installation were also compiled on the basis that they have already been individually approved in advance by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

1. Types and grades of vehicles targeted by the Subsidies for Safety Support Cars

METI hereby releases the types and grades of vehicles targeted by the Subsidies for Safety Support Cars, as a result of examination by the Examination Committee on the Subsidies for Safety Support Cars, which are shown in the Appendix attached to the Japanese language press release.

Targets to be subsidized are standard-sized vehicles or light motor vehicles newly registered from December 23, 2019.
* Acceptance of applications starts only after the establishment of the Supplementary Budget. Please note that the offering of the subsidies will terminate as soon as the number of applications exceeds the budget amount.
New vehicles for which subsidies are granted are required to be used by the same person for one year or longer from the date of new registration (the name of the user on the vehicle inspection certificate should not be changed) as a general rule. Those failing to do so must return the subsidy granted.
Although you do not need to return the subsidy for vehicles discarded* due to accidents, etc., it then becomes necessary to submit documents for registration change.
* Discarding of vehicles means the delivery of the End-of-Life Vehicles is implemented based on the Act on Recycling, etc. of End-of-Life Vehicles. When the vehicle is regarded as total loss due to accidents but is resold as a used car upon an insurance company acquiring rights by subrogation, it becomes necessary to return the subsidies.
As a result of examination by the said Examination Committee, acceleration control systems for aftermarket installation were also compiled on the basis that they have already been individually approved in advance by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism . The targeted period and sales/installation businesses will be announced immediately after they are decided.

2. Points of attention for the subsidies

Types and grades of vehicles that will be on sale in the future will be subject to the examination by the Examination Committee on the Subsidies for Safety Support Cars anew, and will be complied and released sequentially.
As for private automobiles, purchase under the name of a corporation is not eligible for the subsidies. The subsidies will be granted for one vehicle per person.
As for business vehicles, purchase under the name of a corporation is eligible for the subsidies. Subsidies cannot be granted for the number of vehicles or acceleration control systems for aftermarket installation that exceed the number of drivers who are aged 65 or older per business (*).
Major documents necessary for application are expected to be as follows:
(1) Application form for the grant of subsidies
(2) Copy of the vehicle inspection certificate
(3) Identification documents (copy of resident record, driver’s license, health insurance certificate, etc.)
(4) Account to which the subsidies are paid
(5) Documents necessary to confirm the above (*)
Procedures regarding used cars will also be compiled and released sequentially.

3. Appendix

* The functions on (i) and (ii) in the Appendix are as follows.
(i): function of the collision damage mitigation braking system; (ii) function of the acceleration control system which responds to driver errors in use of the acceleration pedal
- Appendix: Types and Grades of Vehicles Targeted by the Subsidies for Safety Support Cars

Types and Grades of Vehicles Targeted by the Subsidies for Safety Support Cars

4. Reference materials

Division in Charge

Automobile Division, Manufacturing Industries Bureau, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

Related website

Automobile Industry