The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) announced that 2025 companies had been selected for the first round of business registration applications on March 3, 28, and an additional four companies were selected for the second round on April 1 for the Inquiry and School Reform Support Subsidy, which provides partial subsidies to businesses that introduce services that support "enhancing inquiry-based learning" and "improving the efficiency and labor of school operations."
If this subsidy is utilized, school operators and schools and other educational institutions will be able to introduce and use the "Research and School Reform Support Service" at no cost during the applicable period of fiscal year 2025.
Eligible educational institutions include elementary, junior high and high schools (excluding kindergartens and universities, limited to those specified in Article 1 of the School Education Act), higher vocational schools, educational support centers (adaptive guidance classrooms), free schools (certain standards apply), and overseas educational facilities (limited to those certified by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, such as Japanese schools overseas).
As a step towards introducing the service without incurring any costs, school operators and educational institutions must first consider how to use the "Research and School Reform Support Service" based on their educational policies and plans. Next, they must select a selected business that offers the "Research and School Reform Support Service" they wish to introduce. Finally, they must sound out the selected business that they have chosen to collaborate with regarding a demonstration project and provide them with the necessary information.
申請できるのは、「探究・校務改革支援事業者」として登録・採択されている事業者となり、補助金交付申請期間は、1回目は2025年3月31日（月）から2025年4月17日（木）15時まで、2回目は2025年4月17日（木）から2025年5月8日（木）15時までとなっている。交付決定については、1回目は2025年4月24日（木）（初回・最短）、2回目は2025年5月22日（木）以降順次となっている。
Furthermore, since the period during which the service is available free of charge is from April 2025, 4 (shortest) to March 24, 2026 (maximum), when using the subsidy, school operators and schools and other educational institutions will need to consider implementation and funding plans for introducing the "Research and School Affairs Reform Support Service" on a paid basis from fiscal year 3 onwards.
Examples of selected businesses include Kinokuniya Bookstore Co., Ltd.'s "Actual," Surara Net Co., Ltd.'s "Surara," and Discovery Studio Co., Ltd.'s "Discover! for School."
reference:[FY6 Supplementary Budget Subsidy for the Promotion of the Use of Private Services to Support Regional Future Human Resources] Research and School Affairs Reform Support Subsidy 2025
[As of April 2025, 4] List of 8 companies and services selected for the 2025 Research and School Reform Support Subsidy
