April 6, 2026 Results of the First Public Solicitation for Local Governments and Other Entities Receiving Accompanying Support, Including Local DX Plan Formulation

　As part of the "Regional Community DX Promotion Package Project," which aims to comprehensively support efforts to address regional issues through digital technology, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) conducted a first public solicitation for "planning support." Under this initiative, experts will assist in organizing regional issues and formulating an introduction and operation plan to address them using digital technology. The MIC has selected 20 applications.

1　Overview

　As the overall population continues to decline due to a falling birth rate and an aging population, as well as changes in economic structures, it is important to address regional challenges through labor-saving methods and regional revitalization by implementing digital technology (regional community DX). These efforts help create sustainable communities. To accelerate DX in local communities and contribute to the realization of strong regional economies, the MIC will create best practices for digital implementation and disseminate and share information effectively and efficiently through comprehensive measures. These measures include supporting the recruitment of digital talent and organizational structures, supporting pilot projects involving advanced solutions such as AI and autonomous driving, and providing subsidies for developing regional communication infrastructure.

　As part of this project, digital technology experts will be dispatched to local governments to help address regional challenges through digital solutions. They will provide support, including identifying and organizing regional issues as a first step toward digital adoption, and developing implementation plans to tackle these challenges using digital technology.

2　Results of the First Public Solicitation

　The following 20 applications have been selected through the first public solicitation conducted from Wednesday, March 4, 2026, to Thursday, March 26, 2026.

Applied Course	Organization to Be Supported
Course A (Support for organizing regional issues and considering solutions)	Otsuchi Town, Iwate Prefecture; Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture; Minamiaizu Town, Fukushima Prefecture; Nasu Town, Tochigi Prefecture; Komagane City, Nagano Prefecture; Anan Town, Nagano Prefecture; Owase City, Mie Prefecture; Watarai Town, Mie Prefecture; Kameoka City, Kyoto Prefecture; Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture; Nara Prefecture; Asuka Village, Nara Prefecture; Tsuyama City, Okayama Prefecture; Kaminoseki Town, Yamaguchi Prefecture; Uchiko Town, Ehime Prefecture; Shingu Town, Fukuoka Prefecture; Kikai Town, Kagoshima Prefecture
Course B (Support for developing a solution implementation plan)	Ito City, Shizuoka Prefecture; Kotoura Town, Tottori Prefecture; Kitagawa Village, Kochi Prefecture