Mitsubishi Corporation is conducting a demonstration experiment of digital utilization in Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture. Starting with the smartphone tool “Digital Circular Board”, we plan to expand the business area of regional business.
Digital circulation board installed in Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture, where Mitsubishi Corporation has a partnership agreement (photographed by a reporter)
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“The city’s population is declining by about 1,000 people every year. The biggest issue facing rural areas is the slump in the regional economy that accompanies the declining population. We can’t ignore it.” Mr. Riichi Murakami, Deputy Director-General of the Policy Council of Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture, says:
Yatsushiro City is the second largest city in the prefecture after Kumamoto City, with a population of approximately 120,000. It boasts the largest production of tomatoes in Japan. The city has set a “Smart City Yatsushiro” in 2021 and is working on urban development that utilizes digital technology.
In February 2022, Yatsushiro City signed a comprehensive partnership agreement with Mitsubishi Corporation, and set a new goal of “revitalizing the local community and creating a safe and secure community through the use of digital technology.”
As part of the partnership agreement, Mitsubishi Corporation introduced a digital tool called the “Digital Circular Board.” It is a smart phone app that is based on a neighborhood association circular.
Can also be used as a safety confirmation tool
Residents who have registered with the app will receive notifications from the head of each district (town councilor), school, etc. all at once. It is often used for events in the ward, senior citizens’ associations, children’s associations, and communication with the fire brigade. When a resident reads a message, the message file will be marked as “read”, so it can also be used as a tool for confirming the safety of residents.
The demonstration experiment will start in November 2022, with the participation of six neighborhood associations, elementary and junior high school PTAs, and fire brigades.
“We received a call from the government office that ‘garbage trucks will suddenly be unable to come tomorrow,’ and three members of the residents’ association hurriedly went around the district and posted notices. If it penetrates, even in an emergency like this, all households can be notified in an instant.” Kiichi Okada, mayor of the Yatsushiro Kagami-machi outing district, said:
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