Sodegaura City to Undergo Major Organizational Reform Starting April 1, 2026, to Enhance Citizen Services and Digital Transformation
Sodegaura City in Chiba Prefecture has announced a large-scale organizational restructuring effective April 2026. The reform focuses on strengthening policy planning, promoting DX, enhancing childcare support through a new department, and integrating welfare services to become a more accessible and reliable city hall.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 1, 2026 at 22:10
- 🔍 Collected: April 1, 2026 at 16:47
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 21, 2026 at 10:32 (473h 44m after Collected)
## Overview of Organizational Reform
### 1. Strengthening the Policy Planning System for Agile and Cross-Functional Business Development
We will establish a system to promptly advance the city's important projects across departmental boundaries. At the same time, we will strengthen the digitalization of administration (DX) and strategic public relations activities to deliver the city's charms to the outside world.
**Main Changes:**
- Establishment of 'Policy Secretary Division' and 'Planning Promotion Division'
- Renaming 'Administrative Management Division' to 'DX Promotion Division'
- Renaming 'Secretary and Public Relations Division' to 'City Promotion Promotion Division'
### 2. Revitalizing Local Communities and Providing a Wide Range of Administrative Services
By establishing the 'Civic Life Department' and gathering the 'Civic Division' and 'Insurance and Pension Division' (the main engines of administrative procedures) along with 'Exchange Centers' (local hubs) into the same department, we will smoothly provide a wide range of services as the front line of citizen service windows. Simultaneously, the 'Civic Collaboration Promotion Division' will be renamed the 'Local Community Division' to further revitalize local communities.
**Main Changes:**
- Establishment of the 'Civic Life Department'
- Renaming 'Civic Collaboration Promotion Division' to 'Local Community Division'
- Allocation of 'Exchange Centers', 'Insurance and Pension Division', and 'Civic Division'
### 3. Promoting Childcare Policies and Strengthening Health Promotion Systems
To respond effectively to the increasing number of childcare-focused households, we will establish the 'Health and Child Department' to comprehensively support children and families. Furthermore, we will set up a 'Child and Family Center' to create a system that integrally receives consultations regarding pregnancy, birth, and childcare. In addition, by transferring the 'Sports Promotion Division' to collaborate with the Health Promotion Division, we will support the health maintenance of all citizens.
**Main Changes:**
- Establishment of the 'Health and Child Department'
- Establishment of the 'Child and Family Center'
- Transfer of the 'Sports Promotion Division' from the Board of Education
### 4. Strengthening the Cross-Functional Multilayered Support System
To properly respond to the increasingly complex and multifaceted concerns (support needs) of citizens, we will establish a 'Life Consultation Team' within the Regional Welfare Division and place a 'Life Support Division' dedicated to public assistance tasks. Also, by integrating and unifying the service windows for nursing care and elderly support into the 'Elderly Support Division', we will simplify the consultation and procedure processes for elderly policies into a single, easy-to-understand channel.
**Main Changes:**
- Establishment of the 'Life Consultation Team' in the Regional Welfare Division
- Allocation of the 'Life Support Division' (dedicating public assistance tasks)
- Renaming 'Disabled Persons Support Division' to 'Disabled Persons Welfare Division'
- Integrating the Nursing Care Insurance Division and Elderly Support Division into the 'Elderly Support Division'
### Others
- The Assets Management Division of the Finance Department will be renamed the 'Public Facility Management Division'.
- The tasks of the Hirakawa and Nagaura Administrative Centers will be handled by the Hirakawa and Nagaura Exchange Centers.
### 1. Strengthening the Policy Planning System for Agile and Cross-Functional Business Development
We will establish a system to promptly advance the city's important projects across departmental boundaries. At the same time, we will strengthen the digitalization of administration (DX) and strategic public relations activities to deliver the city's charms to the outside world.
**Main Changes:**
- Establishment of 'Policy Secretary Division' and 'Planning Promotion Division'
- Renaming 'Administrative Management Division' to 'DX Promotion Division'
- Renaming 'Secretary and Public Relations Division' to 'City Promotion Promotion Division'
### 2. Revitalizing Local Communities and Providing a Wide Range of Administrative Services
By establishing the 'Civic Life Department' and gathering the 'Civic Division' and 'Insurance and Pension Division' (the main engines of administrative procedures) along with 'Exchange Centers' (local hubs) into the same department, we will smoothly provide a wide range of services as the front line of citizen service windows. Simultaneously, the 'Civic Collaboration Promotion Division' will be renamed the 'Local Community Division' to further revitalize local communities.
**Main Changes:**
- Establishment of the 'Civic Life Department'
- Renaming 'Civic Collaboration Promotion Division' to 'Local Community Division'
- Allocation of 'Exchange Centers', 'Insurance and Pension Division', and 'Civic Division'
### 3. Promoting Childcare Policies and Strengthening Health Promotion Systems
To respond effectively to the increasing number of childcare-focused households, we will establish the 'Health and Child Department' to comprehensively support children and families. Furthermore, we will set up a 'Child and Family Center' to create a system that integrally receives consultations regarding pregnancy, birth, and childcare. In addition, by transferring the 'Sports Promotion Division' to collaborate with the Health Promotion Division, we will support the health maintenance of all citizens.
**Main Changes:**
- Establishment of the 'Health and Child Department'
- Establishment of the 'Child and Family Center'
- Transfer of the 'Sports Promotion Division' from the Board of Education
### 4. Strengthening the Cross-Functional Multilayered Support System
To properly respond to the increasingly complex and multifaceted concerns (support needs) of citizens, we will establish a 'Life Consultation Team' within the Regional Welfare Division and place a 'Life Support Division' dedicated to public assistance tasks. Also, by integrating and unifying the service windows for nursing care and elderly support into the 'Elderly Support Division', we will simplify the consultation and procedure processes for elderly policies into a single, easy-to-understand channel.
**Main Changes:**
- Establishment of the 'Life Consultation Team' in the Regional Welfare Division
- Allocation of the 'Life Support Division' (dedicating public assistance tasks)
- Renaming 'Disabled Persons Support Division' to 'Disabled Persons Welfare Division'
- Integrating the Nursing Care Insurance Division and Elderly Support Division into the 'Elderly Support Division'
### Others
- The Assets Management Division of the Finance Department will be renamed the 'Public Facility Management Division'.
- The tasks of the Hirakawa and Nagaura Administrative Centers will be handled by the Hirakawa and Nagaura Exchange Centers.