Subsidies for installing solar panels, a storage battery or V2H (charging/discharging equipment that links an EV to your home) come in three layers: national, prefectural and municipal. In 2026 the national DR subsidy for household batteries ran out of budget and closed in May, while Tokyo set a record ¥101.2 billion budget — its three programmes alone pay up to about ¥2.6 million — leaving regional gaps wider than ever. This article compares, in a single table, the programmes of the four Tokyo-area prefectures we have examined individually on this site, and sorts out the state of national subsidies, the rules on combining them, and the checkpoints shared by every application.
1. Tokyo is by far the most generous: ¥150,000/kW for solar, ¥100,000/kWh for batteries (capped at ¥1.2 million) and up to ¥1 million for V2H — about ¥2.6 million when combined.
2. The national DR household battery subsidy (capped at ¥600,000) stopped accepting applications on 29 May 2026 and will not reopen. For V2H, the national charging-infrastructure subsidy (equipment up to ¥750,000 plus installation up to ¥550,000) remains.
3. Saitama's and Kanagawa's prefectural subsidies require solar and a battery installed together. Chiba's direct prefectural subsidy covers lease/PPA arrangements only; buyers apply at their municipality.
4. Saitama's subsidy cannot be combined with national ones (it is either/or) — combination rules are the exact opposite from region to region. Apply in the wrong order and you receive nothing.
Detailed guides by prefecture (all four)
Amount breakdowns, municipal top-ups, application steps and deadlines are covered in detail in the individual guides for each prefecture.
The four prefectures' programmes in one table
| Prefecture | Solar | Storage battery | V2H | Features and cautions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo | ¥150,000/kW for existing homes (up to 3.75kW, capped at ¥450,000) | ¥100,000/kWh, capped at ¥1.2 million per home | Up to ¥1 million | About ¥2.6 million across the three programmes. Can be combined with national subsidies (the total may not exceed installation costs) |
| Saitama | ¥70,000/kW, capped at ¥350,000 | ¥100,000 per project | Not covered by the prefecture | Solar requires a battery installed at the same time. Cannot be combined with national subsidies (either/or). V2H is municipal (e.g. ¥100,000 in Saitama City) |
| Chiba | Direct prefectural subsidy is for lease/PPA arrangements only (solar ¥70,000/kW plus ¥120,000 for a battery; closes 30 October 2026) | One-tenth of costs, capped at ¥250,000, at municipalities | Buyers apply at their municipality. V2H requires solar plus a next-generation vehicle | |
| Kanagawa | ¥70,000/kW | ¥150,000 per unit (around ¥500,000 in total) | Not covered by the prefecture | Requires solar and a battery installed together, plus seismic requirements. Round 1 closed; round 2 opens for online applications at 8:30 a.m. on 7 September (first come, roughly 500 slots; deadline 30 September). V2H is municipal (¥200,000 in Sagamihara, ¥100,000 in Yokohama, etc.) |
Figures are approximate amounts for representative menu items. Municipal top-ups (Kawasaki's battery cap of ¥700,000, Kawaguchi's ¥160,000 each for solar and batteries, and so on) are covered exhaustively in the individual guides.
Where national subsidies stand (as of September 2026)
- Household batteries (DR subsidy, capped at ¥600,000): closed. Applications ended on 29 May 2026 when the budget was reached, and SII has stated it will not reopen the call. Battery subsidies are now chiefly a prefectural and municipal affair.
- V2H (the V2H slot of the charging-infrastructure subsidy): continuing. A large programme paying up to ¥750,000 for equipment plus up to ¥550,000 for installation, with application windows opening in stages from July to September 2026. It can be combined with the CEV subsidy for buying the EV itself. See our EV charger and V2H subsidy guide for details.
- Design around the EV purchase subsidy too: many V2H subsidies require that you own an EV, and the vehicle itself qualifies for the national CEV subsidy plus municipal top-ups. See EV subsidies in all 47 prefectures for the full picture.
A shared checklist before you apply
- Check the combination rules first: Tokyo allows combining with national subsidies (as long as the total does not exceed installation costs), while Saitama makes you choose between the prefecture and the nation — the rules are the exact opposite from region to region. Confirm which combination pays the most in the individual guides before signing anything.
- Watch for "installed together" conditions: Saitama's and Kanagawa's prefectural subsidies presuppose solar and a battery introduced as a set. A plan that adds one of them later does not qualify.
- Do not sign a contract before the grant decision: under most programmes, orders, contracts or construction started before the grant decision are ineligible. Get quotes, apply, wait for the decision, then sign — in that order.
- Budgets and deadlines: first come, first served is the norm, and mid-year closures happen every year (the national DR subsidy is the typical case). Chiba's lease/PPA subsidy closes on 30 October 2026, and Kanagawa's round 2 opens at 8:30 a.m. on 7 September 2026 (first come, roughly 500 slots — round 1 filled in two days).
- Tax on the subsidy you receive: for a personal residence it counts as occasional income, untaxed within the ¥500,000 annual special deduction. Totals as large as Tokyo's, or a year in which an EV subsidy also arrives, can exceed that.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a subsidy if I add only V2H later?
Yes. The V2H slot of the national charging-infrastructure subsidy (equipment up to ¥750,000 plus installation up to ¥550,000) does not ask whether you have solar. Municipal V2H subsidies, however, often require solar or an EV, and Tokyo's ¥1 million cap likewise presupposes owning both solar and an EV. Check the conditions in each guide.
Summary
- The national DR household battery subsidy (cap ¥600,000) closed on May 29, 2026, and applications will not reopen.
- Tokyo offers ¥150,000/kW for solar, ¥100,000/kWh for batteries (cap ¥1,200,000) and up to ¥1,000,000 for V2H, for a maximum of about ¥2,600,000 across the three programs.
- The Saitama and Kanagawa prefectural subsidies require installing solar and a battery together. Saitama's subsidy cannot be combined with the national subsidy (you must choose one).
- Chiba Prefecture's direct subsidy covers only lease and PPA arrangements, with a deadline of October 30, 2026. Buyers should go through their municipality.
- For V2H, the national charging infrastructure subsidy continues, with caps of ¥750,000 for equipment and ¥550,000 for installation. Many programs exclude contracts signed before the grant decision.
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References (sources)
- Primary sources for each programme (guidelines and official pages): listed in the source sections at the end of our Tokyo, Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa guides
- National charging-infrastructure subsidy (V2H slot) and CEV subsidy: Next Generation Vehicle Promotion Center
Subsidy amounts, requirements and acceptance status change with each fiscal year and budget. This article is general information based on published sources; always check the official sites before applying. For individual tax matters, consult a tax office or a licensed tax accountant.