Innovative DX Collaboration Platform to Launch in Tokushima in 2026

Embracing Digital Transformation: The Tokushima DX Collaborative Platform 2026

As digital transformation (DX) becomes imperative for communities across Japan, Tokushima Prefecture is stepping forward with an ambitious initiative: the Tokushima DX Collaborative Platform 2026. This program, managed by Forval, aims to foster collaboration between public entities and private businesses to effectively address local issues and enhance administrative efficiency through DX.

Background and Objectives

Despite the growing demand for DX among municipalities under national directives, many local governments struggle to achieve meaningful outcomes. Issues such as complex existing operations, institutional constraints, legacy systems, and gaps in understanding between public authorities and IT providers have impeded progress. Many municipalities have primarily focused on the mere implementation of tools without fully embracing business process reengineering (BPR), which is a challenge they all share.

In response to this situation, Tokushima Prefecture emphasizes public-private co-creation as a means to share on-the-ground challenges equally and collaboratively develop effective solutions. To facilitate continued cooperation among stakeholders inside and outside the region, the Tokushima DX Promotion HUB, 'Tokunowa', has been established as a central hub. Forval is tasked with fostering community development, information dissemination, and event planning, ensuring the foundation of a sustainable DX promotion network.

The Tokushima DX Collaborative Platform 2026

Kicking off on June 9, 2026, the Tokushima DX Collaborative Platform 2026 is set to take place across five events until September 2026. Utilizing a hybrid model that combines in-person engagement at Tokunowa with online interactions, this program will provide a continuous structure for interactions between municipal employees and IT companies. The first event will be open to the public to widely share Tokushima's efforts, thereby expanding awareness and interest. Subsequent events will adopt a closed format to facilitate deep discussions and practical knowledge accumulation.

Program Overview

The series will commence with an opening session that explains the objectives and framework of the collaboration. Attendees can look forward to insightful presentations from private sector leaders, including Kenji Takatori from Mitsui E & S System Engineering, and from Tokushima's government representatives who will share insights on the uniqueness of their municipality. Additionally, a panel discussion will delve into the challenges of effective sales and partnerships between local governments and businesses.

Through this dual approach of open and closed sessions, the Tokushima DX Collaborative Platform aspires to simultaneously enhance recognition and implementation value.