Getting Married in Japan can Give you 600,000 JPY Grant
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Japan has been experiencing a steep decline in birth rates due to a variety of reasons including a decrease in the average number of people getting married, based on a research study. Since the government is now stepping up to resolve the problem, a newlywed grant worth 600,000 JPY for those getting married in Japan is now up for grabs.
The program applies to all people living in Japan, regardless of nationality.
Of course, there are certain requirements in order to qualify for the grant. There is, indeed, paperwork involved, but, do not worry, if you keep reading, you may find all of the details you need.
Before you dig into the blog, here are a set of marriage-related Japanese vocabulary that we think may be helpful to you:
- Marriage – 結婚 (kekkon)
- Wedding – 結婚式 (kekkonshiki)
- Newlywed Grant – 結婚新生活支援事業 (kekkon shinseikatsu shien jigyo)
- Life – 生活 (seikatsu)
Table of Contents
1. Overview of newlywed grant in Japan
For years, Japan has offered a life support grant for newly married couples, but since April 2021, they have changed some standards to make it easier for newlyweds to apply. The purpose of Japan’s newlywed grant program is to encourage young people to get married in Japan and increase the fertility rate. Being married with children involves a lot of time and money which many couples commonly experience. Upon registration, newly married couples getting married in Japan will receive partial support of up to 600,000 JPY for expenses when they start a new life.
2. Objectives and scope of application of grant for newlyweds getting married in Japan
Currently, the newlywed grant program in Japan is applied to all citizens legally living in Japan, regardless of nationality, so even foreigners moving to Japan won’t be left out. One thing to note is the newlywed grant is available only to people living in 260 Japanese prefectures. To find out more information about the areas where the newlywed grant is applied, click here.
3. Supported expenses from Japan’s newlywed grant program
According to the newlywed grant program, newly married couples in Japan will be supported up to four expenses below:
- Cost of buying a new house
- Cost of new rent, deposit, key money, general service fee, brokerage fee
- Cost of moving to a new place of residence
- Cost to pay the moving company and the carrier
Note: Newly married couples usually move to a house by themselves by renting a car, if they liquidate unnecessary items during the moving process. The cost of buying goods such as furniture will not be supported.
4. Conditions for receiving Japan’s newlywed grant
| Married March 2021 or earlier | Married from April 2021 to present | |
| Maximum benefit amount received | 300,000 JPY | 600,000 JPY |
| Age requirement | Both spouses under 34 years old | Both spouses under 39 years old |
| Annual income | Household income less than 3.4 million JPY | Household income less than 5.4 million JPY |
| Other requirements |
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5. Required documents for newlywed grant application
To apply for Japan’s newlywed grant, newly married couples will need to prepare necessary documents and submit an application at their city hall as listed in the following:
- Marriage certificate
- Copy of household registration
- Explain the purpose of receiving the grant (e.g., support for buying a new home). You may be asked what kind of support you want to receive.
Please note that there are different documentation requirements for each city/ward, so check your local area’s website. You can search with the syntax “city name + 結婚新生活支援事業” to get the fastest results.
So overall…
Marriage is a turning point for couples after a period of searching for and finding a companion for a lifetime. Smiles wishes couples getting married in Japan success in applying for the newlywed grant and in easing some of the burden of life for newly married couples.
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