## ② Subcontracting receivables preservation aid project

The subcontracting receivables preservation project proactively promotes the guaranteed payment of the account-receivables for contract prices subcontractors, etc. have for their primary contractors when the payment of such receivables is guaranteed by a factoring company $ ^{Note} $ by easing the guarantee charge burden of the subcontractors, etc. and indemnifying the factoring company for the loss it may suffer upon fulfillment of the guaranteed obligations.

Inaugurated in March 20, this project was extended in February 1013 to expire at the end of FY2013.

## ③ Disaster-stricken construction business handling financial aid project

The FY2012 supplementary budget has created a disaster-stricken construction business handling financial aid project to finance the

purchasing of typical construction machinery used by smaller and middle-ranking contractors to handle the aftermaths of natural disasters and to ease their monetary interest burden on their borrowings relating to the purchase of the construction machinery.

## (5) Promoting the development of human resources to support manufacturing

The construction industry is supported by human resources, because it depends on the competency of experts or technicians for successful production. The industry is now faced with the problems of an aging workforce and a declining number of young workers entering into the industry amid drastic cuts in construction investment and reductions in the number of employees at work.

Further, many enterprises fail to pay their due shares of the legal welfare expenses, such as obligatory social insurance premiums. The diminishing number of young workers entering into the industry is attributable in one way to a lack of a minimum package of welfare services for skilled workers. In addition, the more seriously an enterprise subscribes to insurances, the less competitive position it is put to.

For this reason, the administrative, primary contractors and subcontractors will work in accord to promote subscription to social insurances and explore ways to “visualize” the proficiencies of skilled workers and encourage the entry of young workers, develop and evaluate human resources and so on. In addition, the acquisition, development and utilization of registered technicians who are furnished with work management, modulatory and other relevant capacities to qualify themselves to work in key operations have been promoted.

As of April 1, 2013, 39,043 technicians (in 30 different kinds of jobs) were registered. The availability of registered key technicians is taken into account at point addition scoring during the Ministry’s management reviews or contractor bidding assessment for public works projects (trial works).

## (6) Promoting the construction industry

## ① Management support to regional construction businesses

The development of new projects by 91 coalitions has been subsidized on the basis of the Construction Firm Coalition-based Frontier Project. At the same time, project result report meetings were held at 11 locations nationwide and in Tokyo. In addition, advisors on construction business management strategy provided advised smaller and middle-ranking