#Japan #Chofu #Chofu City #Liquitous #Liqlid

Liquitous and Chofu City Collaborate for Smart City Development

Introduction

On March 21, 2025, Liquitous Inc., headquartered in Yokohama, Kanagawa, announced a partnership with Chofu City, Tokyo, to develop a citizen participation platform named "Liqlid". This initiative aims to establish a Smart City Vision based on public feedback and to promote co-creation through collaboration among academia, business, and government.

Citizen Involvement in Urban Planning

Chofu City is undertaking a novel approach to incorporate citizen voices more thoroughly into policy making. This initiative aligns with the city's overarching plan to foster a collaborative urban environment. Utilizing the Liqlid platform, residents can share their thoughts, experiences, and needs regarding the challenges they face in daily life. This shared information will be gathered and reflected in administrative plans and initiatives, breaking away from traditional methods of merely collecting feedback through surveys.

The goal of this collaboration extends beyond mere feedback solicitation; it seeks to create a platform for meaningful dialogue and co-creation, where citizens actively participate in shaping their community. By adopting flexible participation methods that aren't bound by time or location, Chofu City hopes to engage demographics like youth and families with children, who have historically been underrepresented in such processes.

Liquitous's Role and Advisory Support

Apart from providing the Liqlid platform, Liquitous will lend its expertise in facilitating online dialogue and consensus-building. The firm will offer advisory support on process design and operations, ensuring that important aspects such as accessibility, clarity, and interactivity are prioritized in the citizen participation framework. This strategic support aims to realize effective citizen engagement by enabling diverse voices to influence the urban planning process.

Toward Sustainable City Development

Through this partnership, Chofu City intends to deepen the practice of co-creation grounded in citizen feedback, thereby developing a new model for sustainable urban planning that integrates government, citizens, and private entities.

The Liqlid Platform: Redefining Public Participation

Liqlid serves as a citizen engagement platform designed to foster dialogue-driven consensus building. It operates directly in web browsers without needing downloads or installations, thus making it accessible to all. This platform facilitates citizen-driven ideation and co-creation of projects, ranging from initial brainstorming to conducting intention surveys.

Residents are encouraged to articulate their visions for the future of Chofu and how they envision their relationship with the city evolving. As part of this initiative, a survey on the “Well-Being” of the community is also underway, with citizen insights poised to inform future strategic planning.

Connection to Smart Tokyo Initiatives

The efforts in Chofu City align with the broader goals of the Smart Tokyo initiative. Launched in the 2022 fiscal year, this project is focused on enhancing the quality of life in Tokyo through various digital services. Collaborating with TIS Inc., Liquitous is part of this endeavor to bring innovative services that improve convenience and livability for Tokyo residents.

Vision of Liquitous's CEO

Takuya Kurimoto, CEO of Liquitous, remarked on the increasing discourse around citizen co-creation and public-private partnerships. He emphasized the importance of genuinely reflecting on how citizen participation has been valued and integrated into decision-making processes.

In Chofu City, the aim is not solely to implement digital technologies but to enhance the processes of co-creation between citizens and the government. The strategic use of such platforms will foster more inclusive urban development practices moving forward.

Conclusion

Liquitous's partnership with Chofu City represents a significant advancement in citizen participation in urban development. By integrating technology into the collaborative process, both organizations are committed to building a more responsive, inclusive, and sustainable community.

Explore more about the initiative and participate in sharing your ideas and feedback at Chofu City Liqlid.