#Japan #Tokyo #GovTech #QommonsAI #Polimill

Polimill COO Nonoka Taniguchi Takes the Stage at the GovTech Tokyo Conference

On July 5, 2026, the GovTech Tokyo Conference was held at Tokyo Innovation Base in Yurakucho, with a focus on advancing governmental digital transformation (DX) and administrative efficiency (AX) throughout Japan. The event was organized by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in partnership with the General Foundation, GovTech Tokyo. Polimill, an innovative startup from Minato-ku, Tokyo, was represented by its Chief Operating Officer, Nonoka Taniguchi, who took part in a panel titled "The Future of Local Government Using AI and the Vision for Collaboration".

Event Overview

The conference gathered a diverse group, with 111 officials from various prefectures attending. The first part featured keynote addresses and a panel discussion from five governors, including Tokyo's Yuriko Koike and Ishikawa's Yoshiyuki Yamano. Following this, Nonoka Taniguchi and other representatives discussed the prospects of AI in local governance, emphasizing the importance of collaborative approaches to overcome existing challenges.

Addressing the Administrative Challenges

In her presentation, Taniguchi highlighted the critical issue of the "2040 Problem", where it is projected that over 40% of municipalities across Japan could face potential extinction. With a concurrent decline in staff while administrative demands increase, an urgent redesign of administrative processes using AI is required.

Taniguchi presented three main structural challenges that local governments face:

1. Growing Disparities Between Municipalities - The uneven distribution of resources necessitates interventions that level the playing fields. Polimill proposes lasting free access to their AI tools for up to 1,000 accounts per municipality.
2. Fragmented Knowledge - To tackle this, Polimill plans to consolidate knowledge from across Japan’s 1,000 local governments and approximately 500,000 civil servants into a unified knowledge base.
3. Rigid Budgets - By facilitating the distribution of AI applications on a shared platform, the financial resources of municipalities can be utilized more effectively.

The proposed approach, dubbed “collaboration,” aims to establish a common infrastructure where wisdom can be shared and regional issues addressed collectively.

The Future of Collaboration

The conference also marked the anticipated beta release of Qommons ONE, an AI application store for government use, slated for the end of July 2026. Despite being in its beta phase, more than 20 companies have already requested to have their applications featured, signalling robust interest in collaborative solutions.

“In the coming era, we need to shift from competition to co-creation,” said Taniguchi, endorsing the creation of a nationwide ecosystem where public and private entities can work together seamlessly to solve regional problems.

Comments from COO Nonoka Taniguchi

Taniguchi expressed her gratitude for the platform to share insights from a private sector perspective among governors and senior officials. “We must ensure that disparities in resources do not translate into differences in public service for residents. Our commitment to providing continues free access to QommonsAI for up to 1,000 accounts reflects our strong determination to not exacerbate inequality,” she noted. She praised the growth of QommonsAI, which has already become the backbone for nearly 1,000 municipalities across Japan, assisting in various administrative tasks like policy planning and public relations.

Insights on QommonsAI

The AI solution, QommonsAI, developed by Polimill, serves as a significant tool in addressing various municipal challenges by leveraging extensive databases, including laws, policies, and local case studies. By July 2026, approximately 500,000 civil servants were utilizing its capabilities, which span from legislative assistance to community engagement.

Overview of Polimill Inc.

Founded five years ago, Polimill aims to create a digital society where everyone can participate in rule-making processes. By providing innovative solutions like QommonsAI and the participatory social networking platform Surfvote, Polimill pursues its mission of shaping a sustainable future for communities across Japan.

For more information, visit Polimill's official site.
For details on QommonsAI, visit Qommons AI's official site.