Japan’s Digital Agency research unit learns from overseas peers to drive change

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For nearly three years, Japan’s government fought a tireless war against floppy disks – finally declaring victory in June 2024, when they were eliminated from the civil service.

Referred to in nearly 2,000 regulations, the pesky storage device had grown to symbolise an unavoidable contradiction between a country known for its large tech companies and a surprisingly analogue government landscape.

Today, Japan’s Digital Agency is at the forefront of supporting digital transformation and standardising IT systems across the government, having declared a “government-as-a-startup” vision in 2021. In doing so, it joined a large group of countries that introduced a coordinating body for digital transformation, such as Singapore, Estonia, and the United Kingdom (UK).

To learn more about how the Agency draws inspiration from global efforts while charting its own path, GovInsider spoke to Head of Intelligence Research, Chikako Masuda, who oversees international strategy and communications with counterparts.

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Conducting inclusive research

Today, the unit conducts research into a wide range of topics to support the Agency’s numerous objectives. One of the topics the unit is recently exploring is global artificial intelligence (AI) efforts, to support the various agencies in the Japanese government looking into AI procurement, development, and governance.

The unit is keen on strengthening its inclusive research approach across a variety of topics. It has recently worked with university students in the United States and the UK to not only explore novel research methods, but to also understand the younger generation’s perspectives on topics such as evidence-based policymaking and the digital divide.

They plan on continuing this initiative with universities and organisations around the world on a variety of topics which will contribute to policymaking.

Other topics the research unit studies include strategic areas of concern for Japan, such as disaster management and education.

They are also conducting future-oriented research and forecasting scenarios to understand how the Agency can adapt to future trends and include public concerns into policymaking.

In 2023, the Agency released a policy document noting the need to use AI to reimagine business processes within the government, according to a recent paper co-authored by Masuda.

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Tailoring digital government

IT connects computers to computers – but digital connects people to people. This is one lesson that former Minister of Digital Affairs of Taiwan, Audrey Tang, shared with Masuda.

This is why digital transformation needs to be attentive to Japanese culture, she shares.

“When you compare Japan to other countries, we are not drastically embracing digital transformation.”

“Local officials work hard to patch the gaps and inconveniences that may be created from how public services have been traditionally designed. Digital technologies should be used to overcome these problems and improve general satisfaction.”

However, as demographics change and the talent pool shrinks, Japan must use digital technologies wisely and ensure that digital can be as warm as public servants, Masuda notes.

The Agency aims to embrace “people-friendly digital transformation” and listen to people of different backgrounds to understand their expectations, she adds.

They also actively collaborate with local governments and highlight success stories for other municipalities to learn from, she says. To connect efforts, they have set up a Slack channel titled “Co-Creation Platform”, which connects over 10,000 civil servants around the country, for better knowledge exchange.

“When it comes to digitalisation, we have to work as a collaborator and co-create with local government.”

Innovation through diversity

Amidst the famously bureaucratic Japanese government, the Agency stands out for its willingness to bring in engineering and design talent from the private sector – without the need to take the country’s highly competitive civil servant test.

This creates a “unique environment” where private sector specialists work together with civil servants to drive change, says Masuda – thus fostering a collaborative culture where public and private sector attitudes complement each other.

Many officers at the Agency also come from other parts of the government overseeing matters such as financial services, trade and industry, as well as internal affairs. This means that they come in with differing perspectives and the Agency has to coordinate these perspectives into a clear vision, she explains.

The Agency has also sought to improve communications with other agencies, the private sector, and the public since its inception. Managing diverse viewpoints internally has meant that one of the Agency’s greatest achievements has been becoming more open and communicative, Masuda shares proudly.

Driving gender diversity

Her research on digital government units elsewhere has also shown her that diversity plays a key role in contributing to service improvement. This is why the team emphasises the importance of diversity in their work.

Before the Agency began, Masuda recalls there were not many women researchers in the Institute of Administrative Information Systems, where she is still a senior researcher. The overall percentage of women is increasing at the Agency, though there is room for improvement, particularly in comparison to other countries, she notes.

When she first moved to the public sector, she had to deal with sexism, she says.

“The first conference I participated in within the government, someone asked me seriously, ‘You’re a woman. Do you really understand digital technology?’ I realised the situation was very dire.”

Now, the environment is becoming more open to tackling gender inequality, she adds, in part due to the Agency’s efforts in hiring specialists from the private sector.

Building ties

Now, the team actively aims to communicate what the Agency is working on, having recently published a history of Japan’s government digitalisation efforts with the Oxford Internet Institute.

The paper traces the government’s efforts to digitalise over time, the effect of the pandemic on digital government efforts, and the current role of the Agency in creating a “digital society” in Japan.

They also plan on working more closely with other Asian countries to learn from them and share their own experiences, as well as connect with counterparts, she says.

Traditionally, Japan has not always shared its perspective due to language barriers, but the team aspires to change that with its diverse members and its approach to research which can foster trust, she adds.

The views expressed in this article are those of the interviewee and do not reflect the official views of Japan’s Digital Agency.