The questions we hear most, mainly about the subsidy.
Is the subsidy guaranteed?
No. Whether it's granted is decided by the Prefectural Labor Bureau, so we cannot guarantee payment. That said, the typical reasons for rejection or reduction (too few training hours, content not closely related to the job, a plan notification filed at the wrong time, incomplete paperwork, or costs passed on to participants) can all be avoided at the design stage. This program is built to satisfy every one of them.
When is the subsidy paid out?
The deadline to apply is set nationwide at "within two months of the day after training ends." But how long the review takes after that, and when the money actually arrives, varies by prefecture and by when you apply. We can't commit to a date. You pay the tuition first and receive the subsidy afterward, so plan your cash flow on that basis. For a realistic estimate, your local Labor Bureau or labor attorney is the reliable source.
I heard the August 2026 revision made AI training ineligible. Is that true?
The revision is real, but that isn't quite what it says. Previously, training related to DX or GX was allowed an exception. That exception was removed, and it's now explicit that "knowledge and skills only indirectly necessary for the job" and "skills generally required of any working professional" are ineligible, even when the training concerns DX or GX (applies to plan notifications filed on or after August 3, 2026).
In other words, the test isn't whether the training involves AI. It's whether the content is directly necessary for the participant's job. Every subject in this program is framed as "be able to perform task X in your role using AI," with participants' real data as the material, precisely so that the direct connection to the job can be demonstrated. The final decision still rests with the Labor Bureau.
Can you prepare the subsidy application for us?
No. Preparing application documents on a client's behalf is legally reserved for certified labor and social security attorneys, so we don't do it. As the training provider, we issue what's needed for the plan notification and subsidy application from our side: curriculum, tuition statement, attendance records, certificates, receipts, and so on. If you don't have a labor attorney on retainer, we can introduce one we work with regularly, someone experienced with these applications, so even a first-time application goes smoothly.
The tuition is ¥400,000. How does that become ¥100,000?
It's not a discount. You pay Xerox the full ¥400,000, and 75% of that, ¥300,000, is paid back to your company by the Labor Bureau as a subsidy. Your out-of-pocket cost ends up at ¥100,000. The expense subsidy is capped per person per course (¥300,000 for courses of 10 to under 100 hours), and this program is designed to fit within that cap.
How are the days and times decided?
Together with you, at the initial consultation. We work around busy periods and standing meetings to find a slot your team can realistically make. Once set, the day and time are fixed: the same slot every week (every other week for Track 02). All dates are locked when the curriculum is finalized and recorded in the plan notification. If a change becomes unavoidable, we discuss it with you first.
Can the program be arranged differently from the three tracks?
Yes. The three tracks are the patterns we're asked about most. The number of sessions, the length of each, and the tasks covered can all be rearranged to fit your departments, your problems, and the time your team can spare. The one constraint is the subsidy's requirement of at least 10 total training hours.
Wouldn't e-learning be cheaper?
It works out worse. For on-demand e-learning, the expense subsidy cap drops to ¥150,000 per person regardless of training hours, and the wage subsidy doesn't apply at all. Each employee can also use it only once per fiscal year. We deliver this program live with an instructor partly for the educational value, and partly because the difference in subsidy terms is that large.
Are there separate fees for the AI tools?
You can start on free plans. The early sessions are designed to run within free tiers. But once you're working with real internal data or confidential information, or when a feature requires it, we may ask you to move to a paid business plan. We'll explain when and why ahead of time. Those tool fees aren't included in the tuition and aren't covered by the expense subsidy.
How soon can we start?
If you're using the subsidy, the plan notification has to reach the Labor Bureau between six months and one month before the start date. Including curriculum finalization and paperwork, allow six to eight weeks from first conversation to first session. Note that this course is a time-limited measure through the end of fiscal 2026 (March 31, 2027), so if you're considering it, earlier is better.
Can employees who've never used AI take part?
Yes. Because the material is their own work, what participants need is the ability to explain their job, not prior AI knowledge. No terminal or technical operations are involved; everything runs in the chat interface they already use.
Is it safe to work with confidential or customer data?
The environment changes with the sensitivity of the data. Early sessions avoid confidential information, so free plans are fine. Once you're handling real internal data or customer information, switching to a business plan or API contract is mandatory. Under a business contract, input data isn't used to train models by default, but that protection applies only to business contracts, not to employees' personal free accounts. The final session covers internal usage rules, access permissions, and logging, built on exactly this premise.
Can we include participants from several departments?
Yes. Track 03 in particular is structured so that people from sales, accounting, HR, and other departments can progress at the same time. Class size is 4 to 100 per company. You can also start with a small core group to establish the approach, then roll it out by department using the standard procedures created in the final session.