#Japan #Digital Transformation #Osaka #Smart City #Municipal DX

Current Status and Future of Municipal DX: A Seminar Overview

As the Digital Agency celebrates its fourth anniversary, challenges persist in the Municipal Digital Transformation (DX) space. Issues such as slow utilization of My Number Portal and operational inefficiencies highlight the need for urgent reform to bridge the gap between national directives and local realities. The Advanced Education Organization, alongside the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and the Osaka Prefectural Government, will host a seminar in May 2026 to address these pressing matters.

Seminar Overview

The seminar, entitled "Current Status and Future of Municipal DX", will take place as a hybrid event across three venues - two in-person sessions in Osaka and Tokyo, and one online. It aims to bring together key stakeholders, including frontline personnel from municipalities, to share knowledge, align on priorities, and develop actionable strategies for effective DX implementation.

Key Dates:

• - Online: May 12, 2026 (13:00 - 17:00)
• - Osaka: May 21, 2026 (14:00 - 17:10)
• - Tokyo: May 26, 2026 (14:00 - 17:50)

Locations:

• - Osaka: Umeda Dai Building, Osaka
• - Tokyo: Otemachi One, Mitsui Bussan Building, Tokyo

Key Topics and Discussions

The event will cover a range of critical topics focused on municipal DX:

• - Understanding DX Status: The first day, conducted online, will introduce the current state of municipal DX and share advanced case examples. This segment is designed to create a shared understanding of the challenges faced by municipalities.
• - Interactive Workshops: The second day in Osaka and Tokyo will feature smaller group discussions to aid participants in drafting feasible action plans tailored to their respective municipalities.

Prominent speakers will deliver critical insights throughout the seminar. Among them is Yushi Matsuba, Deputy Director of the Regional DX Promotion Office at the Ministry, who will present on the upcoming directions for municipal DX post-2026. Additionally, Hideo Ichinose, Chief Digital Officer for Osaka Prefecture, will discuss the strategic development of a next-generation smart city in Osaka.

Special Guest Appearance: Former Special Advisor to the Prime Minister on Employment and Wages, Wakako Yata, will also contribute her expertise.

Throughout the seminar, participants will gain valuable takeaways including:

• - An understanding of the Ministry's DX promotion policy for 2026 and specific actions municipalities should take.
• - Insights from the implementation example of Osaka's Smart City initiative, focusing on budget allocation and internal consensus-building strategies.
• - The opportunity to create a tailored action plan through smaller workshop interactions in both Osaka and Tokyo venues.

Speaker Line-Up

Featured speakers include:

• - Masaki Hashimoto, President of Concur Inc., discussing digital solutions for operational efficiency in municipalities.
• - Daigo Hase, Head of Public Sector Sales, also from Concur, will talk about visualizing administrative processes using data.
• - Katsushi Fujiwara, an esteemed professor, will address the evolution of travel expense management in local governments.

Conclusion

This endeavor reflects the commitment of the Advanced Education Organization and its partners to advance municipal DX, bringing together leading authorities from various sectors to establish a deeper understanding and collaborative solutions. Through this seminar, attendees will not only gain insights from current best practices but also engage in discussions that shape the future of municipal governance.

For more information and to register for the seminar, please visit the official website or fill out the pre-registration form.

Contact Information:
Advanced Education Organization
Webinar Secretariat
Phone: 03-5860-5731 (10:00 - 15:00)
Email: [email protected]

Join us to explore the future of Municipal DX and contribute to effective and efficient governance!