#Japan #AI Avatar #Nagatoro #JetB #Toronyan

Introduction

On March 27, 2026, JetB Inc., a Tokyo-based company, initiated a groundbreaking project in Nagatoro Town, Saitama, by implementing a 3D avatar of the town's official mascot, Toronyan. This innovative use of the "Uchino AI Avatar" service marks the first time in Japan that a local government utilizes an AI avatar for administrative and tourist guidance. This pilot program aims to enhance visitor engagement and streamline service accessibility in an area frequently visited by over three million tourists each year.

The Need for Innovation

Nagatoro Town is a celebrated tourist destination known for its natural beauty and diverse attractions. While it attracts many visitors, it has long faced challenges in efficiently addressing inquiries from both residents and international tourists due to the absence of a dedicated comprehensive information desk at the town hall. The introduction of an AI avatar provides a solution to these challenges by presenting a friendly and approachable interface for assistance.

The AI Avatar Initiative

This innovative program centers around Toronyan, the beloved local mascot, which has been transformed into a 3D interactive avatar. Utilizing advanced Generative AI technology, this initiative aims to create a welcoming space where visitors can easily interact and receive information concerning administrative procedures as well as local tourist attractions. The approach seeks to foster an environment where everyone feels comfortable asking questions or seeking guidance.

Project Details

The implementation of this program encompasses different phases and locations:

• - Start Date: March 27, 2026
• - Operating Period: Through the end of August 2026
• - Initial Location: Nagatoro Town Hall lobby (from March until late May)
• - Subsequent Location: Nagatoro Tourist Information Center (from June until the end of August)
• - Supported Languages: 15 languages, including Japanese
• - Services Offered: Information on administrative procedures, tourism, and general inquiries
• - Cost: Free of charge
• - Usage: Visitors can simply engage by speaking to the avatar displayed on electronic signage.

Technical Aspects of the AI Interface

The AI capabilities of the Uchino AI Avatar are underpinned by several sophisticated features:
1. Flexible Interaction using Generative AI: Unlike traditional scripted chatbots, this system employs ChatGPT-based natural language processing, enabling it to understand user intent and provide responses dynamically.
2. Automatic Multilingual Support: The avatar can seamlessly respond in 15 languages based solely on the data it has learned from Japanese, without the need for separate configurations for each language. This ensures that tourists can converse in their native tongues.
3. Quick Response Times: JetB's proprietary two-stage voice generation technology significantly minimizes response time to create a fluid interactive experience without noticeable delays.
4. Accurate Information Delivery: By sourcing information from Nagatoro Town's official website and tourism brochures, the AI provides trusted and reliable guidance.

Evaluating the Project

This pilot program will assess multiple facets of the avatar’s effectiveness:

• - Impact on Resident Services: Measurement of wait times and user satisfaction ratings.
• - Multilingual Capability: Evaluation of user feedback from international visitors and the accuracy of responses.
• - Operational Efficiency: Analysis of how the avatar impacts the workload for town employees at the service desk.
• - Tourism Promotion: Exploration of the avatar's potential role in supporting tourism efforts at the information center.

Future Prospects

The pilot study will occur in two distinct stages, with an initial focus on the town hall and later at the tourist center. After gathering insights from this experiment, JetB aims to refine the capabilities of the AI avatar and potentially expand its use to other municipalities and public facilities across Japan.

About Uchino AI Avatar

JetB's Uchino AI Avatar is designed to serve corporate users as an interactive AI agent. By combining high-precision natural language processing with two-stage voice generation technology, it enables an engaging dialogue experience linked to avatars. Users can easily create their own AI by uploading existing documents like Excel, Word, and PDFs, thereby enhancing various applications ranging from customer service to internal help desks.

Company Background

Based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, JetB Inc. specializes in AI-driven services, offering a range of products such as "Uchino AI" for conversational agents, subscription services for AI interviews, and AI training solutions for businesses. They also develop marketing support tools based on Generative AI, including patented CMS applications.

For further inquiries, please contact JetB Inc. at TEL: 03-5919-0055 or E-mail: [email protected].