JEED

With a view to promoting the employment of the elderly, the following grants and financial incentives are available for eligible employers.

Under the current circumstances, in which the labor force is predicted to decrease due to a rapid aging of the population and a decline in the birthrate, we must strive to utilize the knowledge and experience of elderly individuals who are still willing to work and make it possible for them to continue to work at companies in order to maintain the vitality of the Japanese economy and society. Although employers are already required by the Law concerning Stabilization of Older Persons( Elderly Employment Law) to provide stable employment for the elderly until the age of 65, the so-called baby boom generation will begin to reach the age of 65 in 2012. As a result, it has become essential to amend or abolish systems and regulations requiring retirement at the age of 65 and promote a continual employment system for all employees who wish to work beyond the age of 70. Employers, employees, and our entire society must make efforts toward developing companies where people can work until 70.
Raising the retirement age to 65 or above and relevant measures entail financial burdens, such as reviewing the wage structure and developing job categories, and the burden on medium and small sized companies is particularly large. The "Incentives for Raising the Retirement Age" are provided in order to support such companies.
The following three types of incentives/subsidies are available:

(1) Incentives for Medium and Small Sized Companies for Raising the Retirement Age and Other Measures

In accordance with the elderly employment security measures stipulated in Section 1, Article 9 of the Elderly Employment Law, certain incentives according to the systems implemented will be made available to businesses employing 300 or fewer regular employees covered by employment insurance that raise the retirement age to 65 or above, introduce a continual employment system for all who wish to work until 65 or above, or abolish their mandatory retirement policies.

(2) Grants for Model Companies for Elderly Employment

Grants are paid to employers who are recognized as producing major repercussions in the region by implementing model activities including expansion of new job categories, improvement of working conditions, and positive employment of the elderly aimed at 1) introducing a structure that enables employees to work up to or beyond the age of 70, or, 2) raising the retirement age to 65 or above, or introducing a continual employment system for all who have employment contract until the age of 65 and wish to continue working. The amount of grants is equivalent to one half of the costs required for implementation.

(3) Incentives for Medium and Small Sized Companies for Implementing Elderly Employment Security Activities

Employers' organizations that provide counseling or instruction for their medium and small sized companies members regarding implementing the elderly employment security measures stipulated in Section 1, Article 9 of the Elderly Employment Law or other necessary modifications to their employment environments are offered incentives equivalent to the costs required for implementation.