This is a translation of the Japanese original. The Japanese version and the official materials of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and each city are authoritative.
Kerosene is getting more expensive. According to the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, the national average retail price on 13 October was ¥2,563 per 18 litres (¥142.4 per litre). That is ¥340 more than a year earlier, and the delivered price in Hokkaido has risen to ¥158.2 per litre[Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, petroleum product price survey (in Japanese)].
There are two kinds of kerosene support. The national subsidy is ¥36.7 per litre (from 12 November) and is paid to oil wholesalers, so no application is needed. The only support that puts money directly into households is the municipal "welfare kerosene" (福祉灯油) scheme (around ¥10,000 per household), and it is limited to elderly, disabled and single-parent households exempt from resident tax (low-income households that pay no resident tax), among others. For fiscal 2026, Chitose, Tomakomai and Wakkanai in Hokkaido are taking applications. Tomakomai raised its payment to ¥14,000 per household from 10 November. Ebetsu closed applications on 6 November.
In short: the national subsidy lowers prices automatically. Only welfare kerosene pays you money
| National fuel subsidy | Imported kerosene subsidy (new) | Municipal welfare kerosene | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Subsidises wholesalers to lower wholesale prices | Covers the gap between pricier imported kerosene and domestic wholesale prices | Cash, kerosene vouchers or shopping vouchers for heating costs |
| Amount | ¥36.7 per litre (from 12 November) | Not yet published (imports reportedly cost about ¥20 per litre more than domestic product) | Often ¥10,000 per household |
| Who benefits | Everyone (reflected in retail prices) | Everyone (reflected in retail prices) | Elderly, disabled and single-parent households exempt from resident tax, etc. |
| Application | Not needed | Not needed | Required (often in person) |
| Period | From 19 March 2026. End date not set | November to next March (a measure for the kerosene peak season) | Varies by municipality. Deadlines are often in February or March |
Based on METI / Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, "Emergency price-shock mitigation measures in light of the Middle East situation", "Energy price support", the METI minister's 16 October press conference, press reports, and each city's official pages.
The national subsidy is ¥36.7 per litre and works on prices automatically
Since 19 March 2026, as an emergency response to higher crude prices caused by the Middle East situation, the government has subsidised petrol, diesel, heavy oil and kerosene. It covers in full the amount by which the national average petrol price is expected to exceed ¥170, and kerosene receives the same amount as petrol. From 12 November it is ¥36.7 per litre (¥43.0 for 15–21 October)[METI, emergency price-shock mitigation measures (in Japanese)].
The subsidy goes to oil wholesalers and importers and funds lower wholesale prices. Consumers do not need to do anything. The rate for the following week is announced every Wednesday, and from mid-September to early October it was above ¥50. On 29 October the government said it would continue the subsidy, but no end date has been set[Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, Energy price support (in Japanese)].
Simply adding the two using mid-October figures, retail kerosene would cost around ¥185 per litre without the subsidy (¥142.4 + ¥43.0, a rough guide). Even the price that feels high now is the price after the subsidy.
Subsidy for imported kerosene added on 16 October
On 16 October, METI Minister Akazawa called kerosene "a matter of life and death in cold regions in winter" and announced three measures[METI Minister's press conference after the Cabinet meeting, 16 October (in Japanese)].
- Ask wholesalers, import trading houses and distributors to sell and order the same volume as in the same month last year
- Create a "kerosene direct sales scheme" in which wholesalers sell directly if supply is uneven or distribution gets clogged
- Subsidise the gap between pricier imported kerosene and domestic wholesale prices as an "imported kerosene adjustment rate" (輸入灯油調整単価)
According to press reports, imported kerosene costs about ¥20 per litre more than domestically refined kerosene[Kumamoto Nichinichi Shimbun (Kyodo News) (in Japanese)]. The Agency for Natural Resources and Energy describes this subsidy as a measure for the kerosene peak season, from November to March[Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, support overview (PDF, in Japanese)]. This too is a subsidy to wholesalers and trading houses, so households do not apply. The Hokkaido Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry expects the effect to show from November onwards. The minister also said that "we are by no means in a situation of supply shortage".
How much prices rose: ¥340 per 18 litres nationally, ¥543 for Hokkaido delivery
| Region | Retail (18L) | Delivered (18L) |
|---|---|---|
| National | ¥2,563 | ¥2,749 |
| Hokkaido | ¥2,799 | ¥2,847 |
| Aomori | ¥2,581 | ¥2,676 |
| Iwate | ¥2,525 | ¥2,667 |
| Akita | ¥2,561 | ¥2,676 |
| Yamagata | ¥2,505 | ¥2,733 |
| Niigata | ¥2,629 | ¥2,902 |
| Nagano | ¥2,519 | ¥2,785 |
Survey of 13 October 2026 (published 15 October). Hokkaido refers to the area covered by the Hokkaido Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry. The latest prices are published, as a rule, every Wednesday.
A Hokkaido household that uses 1,000 litres of delivered kerosene over a winter would pay about ¥30,000 more than last year (about ¥30 per litre × 1,000 litres, a hypothetical calculation). Welfare kerosene of ¥10,000 covers only about a third of that.
In Hokkaido, Co-op Sapporo has raised its regular delivery price to ¥159 per litre (Sapporo area), and there are reports that it "could reach about ¥190"[Hokkaido Shimbun (in Japanese)]. The electricity and gas subsidy ended for now with October usage, and there is none for November usage. On 29 October the government decided to support December to February usage. For household electricity, the discount is ¥1.0 per kWh for December usage and ¥4.5 for January and February usage[Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, Energy price support (in Japanese)]. Monthly estimates are calculated in How much will November bills rise after the electricity and gas subsidy ends.
Welfare kerosene: cities with fiscal 2026 application dates set
Welfare kerosene is a scheme in which municipalities pay part of residents' heating costs. The national emergency grant for regional revitalisation in response to price rises lists "subsidies for kerosene purchases, distribution of fuel vouchers, etc." among its example uses[Cabinet Office, priority support grant Q&A (in Japanese)]. As of 14 November, the following four cities are the ones we could confirm have announced their fiscal 2026 schemes (Ebetsu has closed applications).
| City | Amount | Eligibility | Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chitose City "Warm Kerosene" programme (あったか灯油事業) | ¥10,000 per household (bank transfer) | Households exempt from municipal resident tax that include someone aged 65+, a recipient of the medical subsidy for people with severe disabilities, or a recipient of child-rearing allowance. Income limits (single ¥1.44 million or less, two people ¥2,016,000 or less) and savings limits (single ¥540,000 or less) apply | 1 October 2026 to 26 February 2027, at the city office counter |
| Tomakomai City "Warmth Kerosene" programme (ぬくもり灯油事業) | ¥14,000 per household (raised from ¥10,000 on 10 November) | All household members exempt from tax, including someone aged 65+ or a recipient of the medical subsidy for people with severe disabilities. 2025 annual income of ¥1.4 million or less (plus ¥600,000 per additional person), financial assets of ¥500,000 or less (plus ¥500,000 per additional person) | 1 October 2026 to 26 February 2027, at the counter with income documents and bankbook. Households already approved for ¥10,000 by 9 November receive the extra ¥4,000 without applying |
| Ebetsu City Year-end allowance (welfare kerosene) (年末見舞金) | Equivalent of 200 litres of kerosene, etc. + ¥10,000 | Living in the city on 1 December, with household income at or below the public assistance standard (guide: single ¥1 million, two people ¥1.5 million or less) | 1 October 2026 to 6 November (closed), through the local welfare commissioner. Paid in late December |
| Wakkanai City Welfare kerosene programme (福祉灯油支給事業) | Part of your kerosene supplied in kind (check the city's notice for the amount) | All household members exempt from fiscal 2026 municipal resident tax, and the household includes someone with a disability certificate or receiving a basic disability pension, etc., or is a single-parent household receiving child-rearing allowance, etc. Households on public assistance and residents of care facilities are excluded. Reference date: 1 November | 2 November 2026 to 29 January 2027 (excluding weekends and public holidays), at the Social Welfare Division of the city office with your certificate and ID |
From each city's official pages (Chitose, Tomakomai, Ebetsu, Wakkanai). Chitose, Tomakomai and Wakkanai exclude households receiving public assistance.
Ebetsu closed applications on 6 November. Of the three cities still accepting applications, Wakkanai has the earliest deadline, 29 January. Chitose and Tomakomai require in-person applications, and you need to bring documents such as a bankbook showing your income and savings.
Municipalities that ran schemes last winter (not yet announced this year)
Many municipalities announce their schemes between November and January. Examples from last winter (fiscal 2025) are below; whether they continue at the same level depends on each municipality's announcement.
| Municipality | Last winter | Eligibility |
|---|---|---|
| Asahikawa City | ¥10,000 per household | Tax-exempt households including someone aged 70+, a person with a severe disability, a single parent, or public assistance recipients |
| Aomori City | ¥10,000 per household | Households exempt from resident tax, or paying only the per-capita levy |
| Goshogawara City / Tsugaru City | ¥5,000 per household | Households exempt from the per-capita levy |
| Akita City | ¥6,100 per household | Households exempt from municipal and prefectural resident tax |
| Ashoro Town | ¥20,000 in town shopping vouchers | Tax-exempt elderly, disabled and single-parent households |
| Hiroo Town | Exchange voucher for up to 100 litres of kerosene | Elderly, disabled, single-parent households etc., with income limits |
From each municipality's official pages (fiscal 2025). Cities in Aomori Prefecture combined the national grant with the prefecture's kerosene purchase subsidy.
To find a scheme, search your city, ward, town or village website for "福祉灯油" (welfare kerosene), "灯油購入費助成" (kerosene purchase subsidy) or "暖房費助成" (heating cost subsidy). Most pay only if you apply, and do not accept applications after the deadline. Some, like Tsugaru City, pay without an application to households whose bank account is already known.
Households receiving public assistance are often excluded from welfare kerosene, but a winter supplement is added to their benefits from October (November in some areas). Benefits and reductions available to households exempt from resident tax are summarised in Benefits and reductions for resident-tax-exempt households 2026.
Welfare kerosene payments are very unlikely to be subject to income tax. Tsugaru City describes them as non-taxable income, and even where that is not the case they fall within the ¥500,000 special deduction for occasional income.
Summary
- The national retail price of kerosene is ¥2,563 per 18 litres, ¥340 more than a year earlier. Delivered kerosene in Hokkaido costs ¥158.2 per litre
- The national subsidy is ¥36.7 per litre (from 12 November). It is paid to wholesalers, so no application is needed and it is reflected in prices automatically
- A subsidy for imported kerosene was added on 16 October. It is a measure for the kerosene peak season, from November to next March
- The only support that pays you money is municipal welfare kerosene. Chitose pays ¥10,000 per household and Tomakomai ¥14,000, both until 26 February. Wakkanai accepts applications until 29 January. Ebetsu closed applications on 6 November
- Other municipalities often announce schemes between November and January. Tax-exempt elderly, disabled and single-parent households should search for "福祉灯油" (welfare kerosene)
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References (sources)
- METI / Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, "Emergency price-shock mitigation measures in light of the Middle East situation" (in Japanese)
- Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, "Energy price support" (in Japanese) (support overview, PDF)
- Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, "Petroleum product price survey" (published 15 October 2026) (in Japanese)
- METI, "Press conference by METI Minister Akazawa after the Cabinet meeting" (16 October 2026) (in Japanese)
- Kumamoto Nichinichi Shimbun (Kyodo News), "METI minister strengthens measures against rising kerosene prices, subsidises imports" (in Japanese)
- Cabinet Office, "Priority support grant: recommended project menu Q&A" (PDF, in Japanese)
- Chitose City, "Warm Kerosene programme" (in Japanese)
- Tomakomai City, "Warmth Kerosene programme" (in Japanese)
- Ebetsu City, "Year-end allowance (welfare kerosene)" (the city's page was taken down after applications closed)
- Wakkanai City, "Fiscal 2026 welfare kerosene programme" (in Japanese)
- Asahikawa City, "Welfare kerosene" (fiscal 2025) (in Japanese)
- Aomori City, "Kerosene purchase subsidy" (fiscal 2025) (in Japanese)
- Tsugaru City, "Welfare kerosene" (fiscal 2025) (in Japanese)
- Akita City, "Kerosene purchase subsidy" (fiscal 2025) (in Japanese)
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, "Standards of assistance under the Public Assistance Act" (winter supplement) (in Japanese)
This article provides general information based on materials published as of 20 October 2026 (cities running welfare kerosene and the national subsidy rates and support measures rechecked on 14 November). Eligibility and deadlines for welfare kerosene differ by municipality. Please follow the guidance of your own city, ward, town or village.