Nagahama City Unveils 'Smart Public Relations' to Enhance Citizen Engagement
In a bid to modernize its public communication approach, Nagahama City, located in Shiga Prefecture, has officially unveiled its 'Smart Public Relations' initiative. This innovative project, developed in collaboration with POTETO Design, is designed to transform traditional printed news into a more accessible digital format, facilitating better engagement between the government and its residents.
The inception of Smart Public Relations stems from a pressing need to enhance how information is disseminated to the public. The city's official newsletter, known as Koho Nagahama, has been traditionally printed and distributed to every household, as well as made available as a PDF on the city's website and communicated through LINE official accounts. However, the readability of the PDF format on smartphones posed a significant challenge, as the texts often appeared too small to read comfortably, leading to a gap in effective communication.
Recognizing these issues, Nagahama City initiated a proof-of-concept within the framework of its 'Second Phase DX Proof of Concept Project for Nagahama City,' intended to explore digital transformation in municipal public relations. This initiative represents a groundbreaking collaboration between Nagahama City and POTETO Design, utilizing a specialized service called Smart Public Relations, coupled with a banner creation service by POTETO Design. The findings were presented at a regular press conference held by the mayor on August 28, 2025.
The main objective of this initiative is to deliver governmental information in a manner that ensures everyone, regardless of age or background, can access and understand the content easily. It also aims to reach demographics that may not typically engage with traditional print media. In addition, the project seeks to assess metrics such as citizen satisfaction, the workload impact on municipal staff, and the increase in friends on the LINE platform.
During this experimental phase, Smart Public Relations employs an advanced methodology, utilizing Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology to automatically convert paper-based newsletters into web articles optimized for mobile viewing. This process streamlines the conversion of bulky PDF documents into easy-to-consume web content, ensuring that essential information is not just accessible but also visually engaging.
Moreover, through POTETO Design's AI-driven graphic design service, relevant information is synthesized and presented through visually appealing banners, which can be produced in as little as 20 minutes. This allows for rapid updates and dissemination of the most crucial information in a format that captures the reader’s attention effectively. With the impending verification periods featuring pre-and post-surveys, the project will measure metrics such as engagement rates, readability satisfaction, and staff involvement related to the article conversions.
Furthermore, Smart Public Relations allows residents immediate access to the published material directly from their smartphones or computers starting from the day of release, thereby enhancing the responsiveness and relevance of municipal information. Through this initiative, Nagahama City aims to foster a closer relationship with its citizens, assuring them that government communication is more accessible than ever.
POTETO Design, playing a significant role in this project, specializes in leveraging AI to create graphic content for governmental bodies, allowing officials to produce user-friendly visuals with minimal effort. The service dramatically reduces design labor whilst ensuring high-quality output, altering how government communications are delivered and perceived. To date, POTETO Design has worked with over thirty administrative entities, illustrating its effectiveness and reliability.
In statements provided by key players involved in the project, Imai Michinori from Nagahama City’s Future Creation Division emphasized the importance of making government information accessible to diverse generations and ensuring that residents can stay informed about city initiatives. POTETO Design's CEO, Fujita Kento, expressed his satisfaction in witnessing the evolution of administrative public relations toward a more digital-friendly model in partnership with Nagahama City.
As this project unfolds, the outcomes will not only signify a technological leap for Nagahama’s cornucopia of communication strategies but may also serve as a robust model for other municipalities in Japan looking to embark on similar digital transformation journeys.
For more details about this initiative, the public is invited to visit the Smart Public Relations website. As Nagahama City continues to innovate its public information strategies, it positions itself at the forefront of communicating essential civic information in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
The inception of Smart Public Relations stems from a pressing need to enhance how information is disseminated to the public. The city's official newsletter, known as Koho Nagahama, has been traditionally printed and distributed to every household, as well as made available as a PDF on the city's website and communicated through LINE official accounts. However, the readability of the PDF format on smartphones posed a significant challenge, as the texts often appeared too small to read comfortably, leading to a gap in effective communication.
Recognizing these issues, Nagahama City initiated a proof-of-concept within the framework of its 'Second Phase DX Proof of Concept Project for Nagahama City,' intended to explore digital transformation in municipal public relations. This initiative represents a groundbreaking collaboration between Nagahama City and POTETO Design, utilizing a specialized service called Smart Public Relations, coupled with a banner creation service by POTETO Design. The findings were presented at a regular press conference held by the mayor on August 28, 2025.
The main objective of this initiative is to deliver governmental information in a manner that ensures everyone, regardless of age or background, can access and understand the content easily. It also aims to reach demographics that may not typically engage with traditional print media. In addition, the project seeks to assess metrics such as citizen satisfaction, the workload impact on municipal staff, and the increase in friends on the LINE platform.
During this experimental phase, Smart Public Relations employs an advanced methodology, utilizing Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology to automatically convert paper-based newsletters into web articles optimized for mobile viewing. This process streamlines the conversion of bulky PDF documents into easy-to-consume web content, ensuring that essential information is not just accessible but also visually engaging.
Moreover, through POTETO Design's AI-driven graphic design service, relevant information is synthesized and presented through visually appealing banners, which can be produced in as little as 20 minutes. This allows for rapid updates and dissemination of the most crucial information in a format that captures the reader’s attention effectively. With the impending verification periods featuring pre-and post-surveys, the project will measure metrics such as engagement rates, readability satisfaction, and staff involvement related to the article conversions.
Furthermore, Smart Public Relations allows residents immediate access to the published material directly from their smartphones or computers starting from the day of release, thereby enhancing the responsiveness and relevance of municipal information. Through this initiative, Nagahama City aims to foster a closer relationship with its citizens, assuring them that government communication is more accessible than ever.
POTETO Design, playing a significant role in this project, specializes in leveraging AI to create graphic content for governmental bodies, allowing officials to produce user-friendly visuals with minimal effort. The service dramatically reduces design labor whilst ensuring high-quality output, altering how government communications are delivered and perceived. To date, POTETO Design has worked with over thirty administrative entities, illustrating its effectiveness and reliability.
In statements provided by key players involved in the project, Imai Michinori from Nagahama City’s Future Creation Division emphasized the importance of making government information accessible to diverse generations and ensuring that residents can stay informed about city initiatives. POTETO Design's CEO, Fujita Kento, expressed his satisfaction in witnessing the evolution of administrative public relations toward a more digital-friendly model in partnership with Nagahama City.
As this project unfolds, the outcomes will not only signify a technological leap for Nagahama’s cornucopia of communication strategies but may also serve as a robust model for other municipalities in Japan looking to embark on similar digital transformation journeys.
For more details about this initiative, the public is invited to visit the Smart Public Relations website. As Nagahama City continues to innovate its public information strategies, it positions itself at the forefront of communicating essential civic information in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Topics People & Culture）
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