Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Project "Furusato Mirai College" Launches Nationwide Matching Site

NTT DX Partner Co., Ltd. (hereinafter "NTT DX Partner"), together with NTT East Corporation, was selected in fiscal year 2025 for the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications project "Regional Issue Resolution Projects in Collaboration with Universities and Regions (hereinafter, 'Furusato Mirai College')"*1. In collaboration with the University of Tokyo's Urban Planning Laboratory and Etic. (hereinafter "ETIC."), we have been engaged in activities aimed at resolving regional issues, creating relationships with people who have connections to the region, and enhancing the attractiveness of regions. We supported demonstration projects in 15 municipalities nationwide and held a final report meeting on March 12, 2026, to share the results. On the same day, we launched a website*2 to support matching between local governments and universities. This matching site serves as a platform for local governments, regions, universities, and student organizations interested in "Furusato Mirai College" to learn about each other's initiatives and promote collaboration for regional issue resolution. It provides information on members, regional challenges and initiatives, case studies of regional issue resolution, and seminar information.

*1 Furusato Mirai College: https://www.soumu.go.jp/main_sosiki/jichi_gyousei/c-gyousei/furusatomiraikarejji.html *2 Furusato Mirai College Matching Site: https://furusato-mirai-college.go.jp/

Image of the "Furusato Mirai College" Matching Site

1. Overview Regional challenges, such as population decline and shrinking regional economies, are becoming increasingly diverse and complex. In recent years, there has been a growing demand to leverage the perspectives of young people, including students, in regional initiatives to foster sustainable regional development. "Furusato Mirai College" is a project aimed at resolving regional issues, creating relationships with people who have connections to the region, and enhancing regional attractiveness by creating programs that collaborate between universities and regions to address regional challenges. In this project, 15 local governments eager to solve issues in collaboration with universities were selected as model municipalities, and support has been provided for initiatives to resolve the specific challenges faced by each region. In addition, research and analysis were conducted on the content, results, operational methods, and collaboration approaches with universities for the initiatives in each model municipality. This was compiled into a research report, including other advanced case studies, to disseminate and share know-how on regional issue resolution in collaboration with universities and regions nationwide, thereby promoting initiatives in various locations. 2. Main Implementation Details for Fiscal Year 2025 ① Operation of Model Demonstration Projects We provided hands-on support for the regional issue resolution initiatives by the 15 selected model municipalities. We also established "Mutual Learning Sessions" to share the content, knowledge, and know-how of each municipality's efforts, fostering insights and learning for local governments and universities, and creating horizontal connections among model municipalities. In Obuse Town, Nagano Prefecture, and Ama Town, Shimane Prefecture, stronger partnerships were built, leading to further project promotion. Furthermore, the participation of advisors such as the University of Tokyo's Urban Planning Laboratory, ETIC., the General Incorporated Association Smart City Institute, and experts from the SSPP*3 program contributed to improving the quality of the model demonstration projects. *3 Sustainable Smart City Partner Program: A program promoted by NTT to support future town development, aiming to maximize the happiness of regions and residents. Scene from a Mutual Learning Session

Scene from the Final Report Meeting

② Investigation and Analysis of Advanced Case Studies We comprehensively collected 450 cases nationwide of universities and local governments collaborating to resolve regional issues, forming a long list*4. Through multifaceted investigation and analysis of outcomes, challenges, and mechanisms for continuation, we extracted 10 advanced case studies. Common characteristics of these cases, from the perspective of "co-creation town development," were identified as: "① Multi-sectoral involvement," "② Shared vision," "③ Chain of innovation," "④ Process of entity formation," and "⑤ Opportunities for mutual learning." It was found that these elements foster people, strengthen networks, re-evaluate existing regional resources, and generate new daily innovations through mutual influence. In "Furusato Mirai College," many points were observed in these advanced cases where not only students but also various involved entities continue to engage sustainably as "co-creation populations"*5. *4 Long List: A list broadly and comprehensively extracted from candidate sites based on certain conditions (e.g., projects for regional issue resolution implemented in collaboration between universities headquartered in metropolitan areas and local governments). *5 Co-creation Population: In this survey, defined as individuals who create innovation through engagement with diverse entities such as local residents, administration, NPOs/companies, and related populations. ③ Matching Support and Launch of the Matching Site In matching support for local governments and universities to resolve regional issues, we initiated approaches to approximately 560 local governments and universities, steadily advancing cases from initial meetings to verbal agreements and tripartite meetings, resulting in 49 matched pairs and 10 project agreements. Furthermore, on March 12, 2026, we launched a website to support new matching. By registering on the matching site, municipalities facing regional challenges and universities wishing to collaborate can find effective matching opportunities. The matching site also features collaboration achievements that have led to project agreements and the content of the advanced case study research (②). It aims to provide information support for municipalities and universities seeking matching, as well as those implementing "Furusato Mirai College." (See "3. Overview of the 'Furusato Mirai College' Matching Site"). ④ Fostering Momentum for Participation We held seminars featuring expert lectures, case study presentations, and policy explanations, as well as matching events*6 where stakeholders from local governments and universities participated, in a hybrid format combining in-person and online participation. NTT DX Partner managed and executed the entire process, from planning and speaker coordination to on-site operations and report creation, thereby promoting participation from local governments and universities and fostering momentum for the expanded use of this project. *6 Overview of Matching Events: https://www.soumu.go.jp/main_sosiki/jichi_gyousei/c-gyousei/r711furusatomiraicollegeevent_00001.html Lecture by local journalist Terumi Tanaka

Scene from a Talk Session

Scene from a Dialogue Session

3. Overview of the "Furusato Mirai College" Matching Site Municipalities wishing to incorporate young people's perspectives into resolving regional issues, universities aiming to foster students' problem-finding and problem-solving skills, and students who want to utilize their abilities for regional revitalization can register on this site to receive matching support for collaboration between universities and regions.

◆ Target Audience: Local governments, higher education institutions (universities, etc.), students ◆ Cost: Free registration and usage ◆ What you can do on the matching site: ・"Learn: Gain insights from cases and events in other regions": You can view case studies of regional issue resolution projects implemented in collaboration between local governments and universities, as well as information on related events. ・"Search: Find collaboration partners that match your desired conditions": You can search for contact information by field of regional challenge. By entering search criteria, compatible partners can be automatically displayed. ・"Connect: Shape concrete collaborations through direct communication": Through direct messaging (DM) and public inquiry functions, representatives can communicate directly, allowing for the coordination of specific requirements and schedules. ◆ URL: https://furusato-mirai-college.go.jp/ 4. Results of the Fiscal Year 2025 Model Demonstration Project and Future Initiatives In fiscal year 2025, the first year of this project, we not only addressed individual regional issues but also promoted sustainable initiatives and created model cases for developing attractive regions in Japan and nurturing/retaining human resources for regional development by sharing efforts and progress through mutual information sharing aimed at sustainable development of each region. In the next fiscal year, measures such as the "Furusato Resident Registration System" are expected to be implemented, further accelerating initiatives to create relationships with people connected to regions. In this context, the importance of "Furusato Mirai College," which creates opportunities for young people to engage with regions, is increasing. Furthermore, the matching site is expected to expand its role and develop as an important platform. NTT DX Partner, the University of Tokyo's Urban Planning Laboratory, and ETIC. are also considering mechanisms for creating relationships with people connected to regions and will continue to work towards the further development of this project and the promotion of regional co-creation.