#Japan #Tokyo #Community Engagement #Gamification #digital entertainment

Collaborative Project for Community Revitalization

Digital Entertainment Asset (DEA) and Japan Investment Advisor (JIA) have announced a joint project aimed at revitalizing local communities in Japan through the innovative use of gamification. This initiative will leverage the 'Local Secret Agent' platform to create meaningful connections between people and local regions, encouraging visits and active participation in community activities. The first mission is scheduled to launch in the fall of 2026, centering on local sake breweries.

Background: Building Sustainable Relationships with Local Populations

As Japan grapples with challenges such as declining population and aging demographics, creating and expanding 'relationship populations,' or people who engage with areas outside their residence, has become crucial for stimulating local economies. With the government's introduction of the 'Hometown Resident Registration System' in 2026, there is a structural push to connect people with regions far from where they live. Yet, a pressing need exists to lower barriers and create accessible opportunities for participation for those who have previously had little connection to local areas.

The collaboration between DEA and JIA aims to address this issue by utilizing the engaging nature of games to facilitate connection with communities, thereby promoting ongoing involvement in local industries and tourism resources.

Overview of the Joint Project: Launching the 'Local Secret Agent'

The 'Local Secret Agent' is designed as a community-engaging game for smartphones, accommodating all 1,741 cities and towns across Japan. Players will assume the role of 'secret agents,' tackling missions centered around the theme of local industries, culture, landmarks, and natural wonders. Through activities such as check-ins, photography, and quizzes, players will engage with their surroundings, receiving rewards and points upon successfully completing missions.

Local governments and businesses are encouraged to customize missions to fit their promotional needs, event engagement, or industrial advancement goals.

Future Mission Themes

1. Sake Brewery and Brewing Culture Mission
This mission will kick off in the fall of 2026, highlighting the history of sake brewing, the natural water sources and rice that support it, local food culture, and more. Players will enhance their interest in local sake brews through engaging experiences like quizzes and photography.

2. Heritage and Nature Exploration Missions
Schedule: TBD
A mission that combines elements of local sightseeing, taking players through historical sites, hot springs, and craftsmanship workshops while intertwining quizzes and check-ins to promote exploration and consumer activity within regions.

3. Reviving Underutilized Assets
Schedule: TBD
This mission will include visits to renovated inns and facilities repurposed from old schools, showcasing efforts in community regeneration. Participants will gain insight into these revitalization projects, potentially leading to extended ties with the community.

Service Overview

• - Name: Local Secret Agent
• - Format: Smartphone community engagement game (Web app, beta version available)
• - Target Area: 1,741 cities and towns
• - Uses: Regional PR, event promotion, information gathering, nurturing ties with local industry and tourism.
• - Official Website: Local Secret Agent

Roles in the Joint Project

DEA and JIA will leverage their respective networks and strengths to implement this project effectively.

DEA

DEA will spearhead the planning, development, and operation of the gamification service, including designing missions centered around local resources and challenges, creating the gaming systems, and fostering user experiences. With experience in social contribution games, they have successfully merged gaming with addressing societal challenges in areas like infrastructure and disaster prevention.

JIA

JIA will utilize its extensive relationships with financial institutions and its network of partners dedicated to solving social issues to connect local governments and businesses, tailoring mission themes to reflect unique community characteristics. They are also focusing on establishing a system that encourages engagement through community benefits and point systems, enhancing user participation.

Building Continue Contact With Communities

The goal of this initiative is to ensure that participating in the game leads to sustained engagement with local areas rather than being a fleeting experience. Through cooperation with local governments and businesses, they’ll explore ways to provide player incentives and event information that encourage ongoing participation and repeat engagement in upcoming missions. Leveraging financial knowledge, JIA aims to examine effective ways to utilize game points within communities, possibly collaborating with existing local currencies and digital payment systems in the future.

CEO Comments

Kōsuke Yamada (DEA's CEO):
"Games have the power to engage and motivate people. We have demonstrated this capability in fields addressing social challenges. By combining JIA’s longstanding connections with communities and our game expertise, we aim to increase the number of individuals with a second hometown across Japan, starting with understanding their local areas and continuing to visit and support them."

Naoto Shiraiwa (JIA's CEO):
"Understanding local regions, visiting them, and maintaining ongoing connections are vital for community revitalization. The Local Secret Agent is an accessible first step in this journey, with missions starting from sake breweries and expanding further, creating lasting ties with communities."

Company Profiles

Digital Entertainment Asset (DEA)
Website: DEA
Founded in Singapore in August 2018 and incorporated in Japan in January 2026, DEA focuses on creating a community engagement ecosystem through social contribution games. They also formed DEA LABO, which collaborates with various organizations to tackle societal challenges via gaming.

Japan Investment Advisor (JIA)
Website: JIA
Established in September 2006, JIA provides financial solutions and is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The company aims to foster the development of regional economies through innovative partnerships and financial strategies.