Web3 technologies help revitalize Japan’s rural regions: Prime Minister Fumio Kishida

Blockchain-based technologies are becoming tools to revitalize the economy and improve the quality of life in rural regions, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told a parliamentary meeting earlier.

Speaking at a Budget Committee meeting of the House of Representatives on January 30, Kishida said that Web3 technologies enable activities and connections that transcend geographical constraints, creating new possibilities of human exchanges. “The impact of such exchanges is expected to improve the ease of living in the region,” he said.

His remarks were made in response to a question from Liberal Democratic Party Lower House Representative Junichi Kanda regarding the Kishida administration’s vision for a “Digital Garden City Nation” and Web3 policies. 

In his policy speech on January 23, the prime minister listed GX (Green Transformation), DX (Digital Transformation), innovation and startups as keys to his efforts toward a decarbonized society. 

Kanda noted that in the former Yamakoshi Village (now Nagaoka City) in Niigata Prefecture, Yoichi Town in Hokkaido, and Shiwa Town in Iwate Prefecture, startups and local governments are collaborating to solve regional issues using Web3. Kanda urged that similar efforts should expand to more locations and that the government should encourage such moves by a bold revision of taxation and regulations.

Kishida stated that “digital technology has evolved so dramatically that even rural areas are becoming comparable to urban areas in terms of convenience.” He said the use of new technology is an opportunity to improve the quality of life and industry, and to enhance the attractiveness of local communities.

The prime minister also highlighted the importance of Japan taking the lead in the diffusion and development of new technologies and promoting policies, such as holding international events, to improve the literacy of the Japanese people in these aspects.