Atsugi City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Fully Renews Official LINE Account with AI Utilization and Multilingual Support as Core Principles, Redesigning Public Relations Information Dissemination Operations

Bot Express Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Kazuki Nakajima; hereinafter "Bot Express"), which provides "GovTech Express," a smartphone city hall that most residents can use immediately, announced that Atsugi City fully renewed its official LINE account on April 1, 2026.

With AI utilization and multilingual support as core principles, the rich menu and message delivery have been redesigned, expanding information dissemination on LINE to be available in multiple languages. Concurrently, the internal message delivery workflow has been reviewed, and a system for efficient operation has been established.

1. Overview of the Municipality

Population: 222,035 (as of March 1, 2026. From Atsugi City Homepage) Number of Friends Added: 38,925 (as of April 1, 2026) Main Functions: Course reservation system, waste separation search, waste collection day notification, My Timeline, disaster preparedness checklist, etc. LINE ID: @atsugi_city

2. Initiatives

Atsugi City opened its official LINE account in August 2020 and, after reviewing its approach to information dissemination, implemented a full renewal on April 1, 2026.

The renewed official LINE account is structured with AI utilization and multilingual support as core principles. It implements AI chatbots and a waste photo identification function, and also multilingualizes the rich menu, message delivery, and message history confirmation function, making information dissemination on LINE available in multiple languages.

Concurrently, the internal message delivery workflow has been reviewed. Delivery requests from within the city hall are centrally managed, and delivery schedules are visually grasped with a calendar. Furthermore, a mechanism has been established to easily reserve deliveries from a button on the management screen, aiming for a system that can be operated systematically and efficiently.

3. Features

3-1. Information Dissemination Supporting 5 Languages

The rich menu and message delivery are multilingual. It supports 5 languages: English, Korean, Chinese (Traditional), Chinese (Simplified), and Vietnamese, and is displayed in the language set by the user.

The rich menu is created by Atsugi City for each language, and message delivery utilizes automatic translation.

3-2. Automation of Inquiry Handling with AI

AI chatbots and AI waste photo identification functions have been implemented, establishing a system where AI can immediately answer residents' questions.

The AI chatbot automatically answers based on information from the homepage, and the AI waste photo identification guides users on waste types and disposal methods by sending a photo. By having AI handle some inquiries, the burden on staff is reduced.

3-3. Automatic Multilingual Disaster Information Delivery

In cooperation with the Japan Meteorological Agency's disaster information, automatic delivery of earthquake and weather warning information has been implemented. This information is delivered to residents via LINE, and by linking its content via email to the homepage management system, automatic updates of the homepage have also been realized.

Furthermore, it supports multilingual delivery, designed to deliver disaster information to foreign residents as well.

Disaster information delivery sample

3-4. Function to Check Past Delivery History

A function to check the most recent 30 message delivery histories on the official LINE account has been implemented. While messages usually flow chronologically on LINE, this function allows users to look back and check past messages. The delivery history also supports multiple languages. This design assumes a state where information can not only be received but also reviewed when needed.

3-5. Redesign of Delivery Operations Supporting the Renewal

Delivery requests from within the city hall are received electronically and imported as reservation records into GovTech Express, redesigning the system to allow for schedule management and delivery settings to be completed on a single screen.

Delivery schedules can be visually managed with a calendar, and a function called "screen flow" allows for test deliveries and delivery reservations with a single button. This enables operation without complex procedures, aiming for a state where adjustments can be made while overseeing the entire process even when delivery requests are concentrated.

Delivery schedules are visually managed with a calendar.

Detail screen of the record. Delivery reservations and test deliveries can be performed with a single button on the top right.

4. Comment from Atsugi City

From left: Mr. Nagai and Mr. Nakajima from Public Relations City Promotion Division

Mr. Nagai, Public Relations City Promotion Division:

There are two main points to this renewal.

The first is "improved searchability using AI." Site searches on homepages sometimes fail to hit if keywords don't exactly match the content on the page, or prioritize older information over newer information. It is stressful for users when information cannot be found immediately.

By using AI, users can input what they want to know in free-form text, making it easier to find the target information. The same applies to waste photo identification.

The second is "comprehensive information dissemination." In our city, the number of foreign residents is increasing year by year, and delivering information in multiple languages has become a challenge. Also, depending on the timing of adding friends or setting reception, users may not be able to see previously delivered information, ultimately having to search for it themselves on the city's homepage.

The "language setting" and "delivery history" functions implemented this time can supplement such situations. By making it easy for anyone to check important announcements currently being sent by the city and what kind of information is being disseminated in their own language from the menu button, no one will be left behind in terms of information, and necessary information can be found.

We will continue to strengthen our dissemination capabilities so that we can "deliver necessary information to necessary people," which is the original purpose of SNS.

Furthermore, the operations of the city's official LINE account will be transferred to the DX Promotion Division from fiscal year 2026, and I, who have been involved in building the official LINE account in the Public Relations City Promotion Division, will also be assigned to the DX Promotion Division. We aim to further strengthen citizen services such as applications and reservations, and promote Atsugi-style DX so that people think, "Atsugi City's LINE is convenient."

5. Finally

I am Niikura, the Partner Success Manager at Bot Express in charge of Atsugi City.

Mr. Nagai, the person in charge, gave a lightning talk at the offline exchange meeting held in January 2026 and also introduced initiatives for a course reservation system that values user experience.

This renewal, led by Mr. Nagai with such a perspective, not only incorporates AI utilization and multilingual support but also features like the message delivery history confirmation function. I feel that the entire renewal reflects the unique perspective of the public relations department: "How can information reach residents?"

We hear that LINE's functions will be further expanded. I look forward to Atsugi City's continued evolution.

Do you also feel challenges in information dissemination in your municipality? It is not uncommon for necessary information to not reach residents through homepages or public relations magazines alone.

By utilizing LINE, necessary information can be delivered in a push-type manner. By reviewing everything, including AI utilization, multilingual support, and the design of delivery operations, as Atsugi City has done, it is possible to build an information dissemination system that operates smoothly within the city hall.

If you are struggling with how to disseminate information, please consult your Partner Success Manager. Let's work together to design information dissemination that suits each municipality.

Bot Express will continue to aim for the realization of administrative services that are continuously used by both residents and staff, with the mission of "Let's create beloved administrative services" as an AI-centric GovTech Company.

【Company Name】Bot Express Inc.

【Establishment Date】February 1, 2019

【Capital】100 million yen

【Address】Kamiyacho Trust Tower 23F, 4-1-1 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-6923

【Representative】Kazuki Nakajima, Representative Director

【Business Activities】Provision of "GovTech Express," a conversational application exclusively for government agencies

【Official Website】<a target="_bla