The is an agency of the

Japanese government The Government of Japan is the central government of Japan. It consists of legislative, executive and judiciary branches and functions under the framework established by the Constitution of Japan. Japan is a unitary state, containing forty- ...

established on September 1, 2021, aimed at strengthening digitalization in Japan. The slogan is “Government as a Startup”.

Overview

Even before the Digital Agency establishment bill was passed, the Cabinet Secretariat's Information Technology (IT) Comprehensive Strategy Office and Social Security and Tax Number System promotion office were active in their respective fields. The Cabinet of Yoshihide Suga has set up a signboard policy of promoting digitalization by establishing a new Digital Agency and eliminating vertically divided administrative functions. The Digital Agency is responsible for the IT field for the purpose of promoting IT and DX (

digital transformation Digital transformation (DT) is the process of adoption and implementation of digital technology by an organization in order to create new or modify existing products, services and operations by the means of translating business processes into a d ...

) of national and local governments. In addition, about 130 out of about 600 employees at the time of inauguration are appointed from the private sector such as IT companies.

Takuya Hirai Takuya Hirai is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Takamatsu, Kagawa and graduate of Sophia University he was elected to the House ...

was appointed as the first Digital Minister, and Yoko Ishikura, an emeritus professor at

Hitotsubashi University , formerly known as , is a national university, national research university in Tokyo, Japan. Often regarded as Japan’s foremost institution for the study of the social sciences, particularly commerce, economics, law, political science, sociolog ...

, was appointed as the first Chief Digital Officer. Karen Makishima was appointed as the Minister in the next cabinet. In April 2022, it was reported that Yoko Ishikura will step down as chief of the Digital Agency due to health issues. Ishikura’s replacement has not yet been selected but the government plans to consider electing someone from the private sector. Ishikura was replaced by Takashi Asanuma.

Main mission

* National government information system same as below ** Eliminate the harmful effects of vertically divided administration, promote the integration and integration of government information systems, and facilitate cooperation with private sector systems * Digital infrastructure common to all regions ** standardization of information systems of local governments * Individual Number (the Social Security and Tax Number System) ** Realization of a society where the people can carry out administrative procedures online in a one-stop manner by utilizing the Individual Number ** The Suga Cabinet is committed to having all citizens possess an Individual Number personal identification card by the end of 2022. * "Semi-public" field ** Promotion of digitalization in fields closely related to daily life such as medical care, education, and disaster prevention * Data utilization ** Development of a "base registry" that serves as basic data for society ** Achievement of administrative procedures "once only" (the principle that information once sent does not need to be resent)

Criticism

Entertainment coverage by NTT presidents

After

became 1st Digital Minister, it was reported that Hirai was suspected of being entertained by The Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) President

Jun Sawada Jun Sawada (澤田純, Sawada Jun, born 30 July 1955) is a Japanese businessmanof Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT), the third largest telecommunications company in the world in terms of revenue, since June 2022. Early life and education Ju ...

twice, on October 2 and December 4, 2020. On September 24, 2021, Digital Deputy Director General Koichi Akaishi was disciplined for a one-tenth (one month) reduction in salary for receiving excessive entertainment.

References

External links

Monteccy Digital Agency

Digital Agency
*
Global Site of the Digital Agency
with information such as origin and the message of the Minister
Outline of the Basic Bill on the Formation of a Digital Society, the Bill on the Establishment of the Digital Agency, and bill on the arrangement of related laws for the formation of a digital society (summary information)
{{authority control Cabinet Office (Japan) Government ministries of Japan Government agencies of Japan Ministries established in 2021 2021 establishments in Japan