Continuous Selection in Collaboration with Citizens! Sayama City, Saitama Prefecture, Awarded for Migration and Settlement Promotion Project Supported by LOCUS BRiDGE!

LOCUS BRiDGE LLC (Headquarters: Kitamoto City, Saitama Prefecture; Representatives: Keisuke Kurose, Hiroshi Hayashi) supported Sayama City, Saitama Prefecture, with its "Migration and Settlement Promotion Project Support Services" in fiscal years 2023-2024. Sayama City has now received an award in the public relations planning category at the "2026 National Public Relations Contest" hosted by the Japan Association of Public Relations. LOCUS BRiDGE has supported these services in fiscal years 2023-2024 through activities such as creating Sayama City's brand logo/message, assisting with resident surveys, organizing workshops for citizens and staff, and conducting training sessions by experts. What is the National Public Relations Contest? The National Public Relations Contest targets public relations papers, photographs, and public relations videos published by over 1,700 local governments nationwide in the past year. Experts evaluate their expressiveness, planning ability, and design. In fiscal year 2026, entries were judged in 10 categories across 5 media types: public relations papers (prefectural/ordinance-designated city divisions / city divisions / town/village divisions), websites (prefectural/ordinance-designated city divisions / city divisions / town/village divisions), public relations photographs (single photo division / composite photo division), videos, and public relations planning. The Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Award is given to the special prize winner in each category, and the Prime Minister's Award is given to only one entry from among them. Sayama City's Initiatives Public Relations Planning Award "LINK SAYAMA" Project: Where citizens and staff alike engage and connect with the city Sayama City City Promotion "LINK SAYAMA Project" As a model project for Saitama Prefecture's "Strategic City Branding & Promotion," a migration and settlement promotion project was implemented. This project aimed to increase the desire to settle in the city and undertook the following initiatives: For ages 18-39: Citizen workshops, operation of the "Sayama Chokotto Navi" website, publication of promotional booklets, stamp rallies in collaboration with railway companies, market participation, SNS campaigns, etc. For staff: City staff workshops, staff training, etc. Staff's independent activities: Market participation, establishment of NPOs, events utilizing local resources, lecturer activities at citizen universities, etc. Through these activities, the expansion of citizen activities and the proactive movements of staff were linked, leading to outcomes such as the creation of new collaborations. [Comment from the person in charge] We are very pleased to be recognized for our efforts in collaboration with the citizens. This activity is ongoing and constantly evolving, but through this initiative, we have met many people who feel a deeper connection with Sayama City. As a citizen and a staff member myself, I am one of those who rediscovered the charm of Sayama through these activities. I will continue these activities so that even one more person feels the appeal of "living in Sayama City" in their daily life. Thank you very much for this award. [Review] This is a follow-up to a project that won an award last year. Last year, the plan was very well-structured, and the logical development of city promotion was outlined. Building on that, it has steadily progressed. We highly evaluate the continuous efforts made in various aspects for both citizens and staff to "engage and connect with the city," and how each initiative encourages "personal ownership" to foster civic pride through attachment to the city. The proposal document explaining the project content is also sufficient. It has clear objectives, appropriately sets personas as a prerequisite for each initiative, and sufficiently defines the customer journey map as a behavioral change model. The importance of targeting staff is also understood. Performance measurement is also thoroughly conducted, and the analysis is accurate. [Inquiries] Sayama City Hall Public Relations Division. Official website here. Phone: 04-2935-3765 (Email via the official website's "Inquiry Form") Features and Strengths of Our Services Our company, a professional team primarily composed of former public servants, provides consistent services from problem identification to strategy formulation and implementation support, all from a "local and municipal perspective." As a specialized company supporting local government problem-solving, we leverage our past achievements and expertise to promote public-private partnerships and propose and build new societal structures. Comprehensive support for Furusato Nozei operations (donor response, return gift management, system operation, etc.) Consulting services for local government public relations and city promotion Business planning and marketing support for regional industry revitalization Company Name: LOCUS BRiDGE LLC Location: Fine Life Kitamoto 103, 4-13-1 Chuo, Kitamoto City, Saitama Prefecture Representatives: Keisuke Kurose, Hiroshi Hayashi Business Description: Community-based Furusato Nozei support