DX initiatives in Machida City

Introduction:
　Mr. Akira Takahashi, Section Manager, Toshio Kuriyama, and Section Chief Shingo Wada of the Digital Strategy Office of the Machida City Policy Management Department, which is promoting advanced digitalization initiatives such as cloud shift, metaverse, and the utilization of generative AI. We asked him about his DX initiatives and ingenuity.

●Person who answered

Overall picture of “digitization” in “Machida City”

Secretariat: Speaking of Machida City, we have the image of being a ``top runner in administrative DX.'' I believe you are also working on introducing generative AI and the Metaverse, but first of all, could you give us an overview of Machida City's ``digitization''?

(I.e.: Machida City compiled the "Machida City Digitalization Comprehensive Strategy 2023" in December 12. This comprehensive strategy has three pillars: "Strategy 2023: Shift to cloud services," "Strategy 1: Standardization of 2 core business systems," and "Strategy 20: DX promotion."
　Regarding Strategy 2023, as of fiscal 95, 2024% of our systems have been migrated to cloud services, including "Government Cloud," and we expect to be able to migrate 100% to cloud services by fiscal 2024. Additionally, starting in fiscal 5, we will begin transitioning the government network from our own dedicated line to a XNUMXG carrier line, with the aim of making it fully wireless.
　Regarding Strategy 20, we plan to transfer 3 of the 2024 core operations (*) in FY17 and the remaining 2025 operations in FYXNUMX.

Regarding Strategy 3, we are actively introducing "trend technologies" such as generative AI and Metaverse. The Machida City Digitalization Promotion Committee, which is made up of external experts, also used Metaverse for live streaming, which was able to be viewed by a larger number of people than streaming on YouTube Live. I think this is interesting in the sense of ``multi-channel information dissemination.''
　Last year, we won the grand prize of the Tokyo City Municipal DXaward 2023 and ranked 3rd in the nation in the National Local Government DX Promotion Ranking. There are some initiatives that are ahead of the rest of the country.

Secretariat:thank you. I looked at Machida City's website and learned that the ``Machida City Comprehensive Digitalization Strategy'' has been updated in 2022 and 2023. It was very impressive to see how flexibly they responded to government policy trends and technological advances surrounding digitalization.

About the use of trending technology

Secretariat:What are your impressions after actually using new technologies such as generative AI and the Metaverse?

(I.e.: There are various ways to use the Metaverse, but we are not using it as a ``digital twin'' or ``realistic reproduction of a townscape'', but rather as a viewing venue for the ``Machida City Digitalization Promotion Committee'', It is used as a forum for exchanging opinions with high school students at city business evaluation events, and as a portal site for online procedures. I thought it would be easy to use and useful for that kind of use, even if it wasn't very sophisticated.
　Generative AI currently allows all employees of Machida City to use ChatGPT. Currently, ChatGPT responses tend to be "general". In the future, it may be a good idea to have a specialized AI that can "always hit a hit if it's information about Machida City." I'm looking forward to seeing domestically produced generative AI that makes it easier to control the learning content and allows for greater flexibility.
　Generative AI can sometimes generate incorrect information, so humans need to "confirm" it when using it. However, regardless of whether it is AI or not, "confirmation" is necessary at work. I think we're all the same, so we're planning to further utilize them while ensuring safety.

Secretariat：In order to grasp "trend technology", is it necessary to collect information from system vendors and the like, as well as to personally set up antennas in various places to collect information?

(I.e.:I think both are important. However, for example, there is not a day that goes by that "ChatGPT" is not in the news. The use of cloud technology has been talked about for over a decade. Therefore, I think that if you watch the news, etc., you can get a sense of the ``technological crowd''. Rather than trying to create new technology or cloud services, it is better to procure what is already available. I think the key is to determine whether the technology or service will disappear within a year or whether it will become the de facto standard.

Wada:From the perspective of grasping trending technologies, I think belonging to a community outside of the local government office was a big factor in my case. It's a community where engineers from different industries and industries gather, and while we discuss "new technology" and try out new technologies, we're able to keep up with trending technologies, albeit from a personal perspective. I think there are.

To advance local government DX

Secretariat:What is necessary to advance local government DX?

(I.e.: One is "people's timing". From the chief executive to the department promoting digitalization, ``timing of people'' is important, and in the case of Machida City, one of the ``success factors'' was that the parties involved were able to align to a certain extent. I think.
　The other is "governance." In the case of Machida City, the Digital Strategy Office has the authority and funding to implement the entire information system. Therefore, I think that the structure of the organization makes it easier to make governance effective.
　In addition, there is "cooperation with various system vendors." We need to combine various services and applications, rather than creating systems from scratch like traditional information systems departments. I think it's important to have conversations with various system vendors.

Secretariat: What do you think about "human resources" when utilizing digital technology?

(I.e.:In the case of the Digital Strategy Office, people who have experience in digital-related projects often transfer. For me, when I get into a project, I try to make sure that people find it interesting.
　However, I think the most important thing is whether you want to change the current situation. The system is a "tool". I don't think you should just introduce a system because you like it. If you don't have the core of wanting to change and improve the current situation, you won't be able to move on to the next step, and you won't be driven as a whole.

Expansion within the agency and horizontal expansion to other local governments

Secretariat：Is it possible to horizontally expand Machida City's efforts and knowledge to other local governments?

(I.e.:I think the good thing about digital is that it can be copied. I think Machida City's efforts can also be copied. For example, Machida City makes extensive use of the ``Government Cloud,'' but it would not be that difficult and would be cost-effective if ``server virtualization'' had been done to some extent.
　However, various local governments come to Machida City for inspections, and some of the local governments that come may end up saying, ``It looks like it's going to be difficult,'' after the visit. yeah. In the end, I think it's just a matter of whether you do it or not, and whether you want to do it or not.

Secretariat: How is it spreading within the agency?

(I.e.:In Machida City, there was a message from the mayor, and I don't think there will be any resistance within the city to making the change itself. For example, the ``school collection management system initiative'' that won the ``Tokyo Ward Municipality DXaward 2023'' last year was proposed by the relevant department. It's not that we, the Digital Strategy Office, are the only ones working hard; I think the Digital Strategy Office is able to work together with the departments in charge of the users.

Kuriyama: Machida City is proceeding with initiatives as "Administrative Service Reform Equals DX." The Digital Strategy Office works in collaboration with the administrative reform department called the Management Reform Office, and from fiscal 2023, we will also serve as the Management Reform Office, promoting DX in the context of management reform.
　In fiscal 2023, we held 56 "Digital Tool Utilization Consultation Meetings (commonly known as DigiLab)" for each department within the agency. We hold many meetings with each department, keeping in mind that we can use various digital tools and apps to change our operations depending on how we invent them. We hope to further bring about administrative service reform that originates from the field using digital technology.

Wada: I think that by continuing to work on it, I was able to change my mind so that it was normal for me to do it. We would like to steadily continue our efforts to increase the number of people who do things as a matter of course.

(I.e.:When you don't want to do something, you tend to look for reasons why you can't do it or why you shouldn't do it. I think it's important to not only ``demonstrate'' things, but also to demonstrate that ``things are changing'' and ``things have changed,'' including cost-effectiveness and outcomes.

Expectations for “next generation communications” from the perspective of local governments

Secretariat：How do you view "5G" as a local government?

(I.e.: I'm not particularly conscious of the "communications standards" themselves, but I think speeds will become faster and the use of heavy data such as videos will become commonplace. Currently, text-based systems are often used in local government operations, but even if the systems are dynamic and handle heavy data, performance can be guaranteed. However, with the current 5G, there are uneven locations where communication is available, and depending on the location, communication is often based on 4G. Next-generation communications such as 6G are expected to expand in area, including the use of low-orbit satellites.

Secretariat:What are your thoughts on "investing" in communication networks?

(I.e.: Machida City has been promoting "virtualization" on the server and terminal sides. What remained in the end was an ``administrative network made up of dedicated lines.'' We view the "carrier 2024G introduction" we are working on in fiscal 5 as a kind of network "virtualization" that eliminates equipment such as machine rooms and communication servers.
　Comparing the costs up until now and the costs after the carrier's 5G introduction, we can see that 5G is expected to be cheaper. With the introduction of carrier 5G, there will be no need for maintenance of communication equipment. We also believe that the 5G closed network will ensure security, and that communication speeds will be faster than now, making it easier to carry devices and other conveniences.

Secretariat：As a local government, what expectations do you have for "next generation communications"?

(I.e.:The development of the Internet has become richer and richer, from text to video. I believe that it has developed based on both "communications" and "devices." Also, without good communication, you will not be able to take advantage of the benefits of the cloud. I don't think the digital world will improve unless we have three things: ``good cloud services,'' ``stable, fast, and secure communications,'' and ``good devices.'' In that sense, I believe that "communication" occupies an important position.
　In addition, we must also think about communication in the event of a large-scale disaster. If communications are not available during a disaster, rescue operations may be hindered. I hope that communication networks will advance and be resilient against disasters.

Secretariat: I really understood Machida City's digitalization efforts and the mindset behind them. Mr. Takahashi, Mr. Kuriyama, and Mr. Wada, thank you very much for speaking with us today.