Mirai Machi Keikaku Kiko (Secretariat: COMMON Inc.) is pleased to announce that Nobuyuki Kobayashi, Mayor of Manazuru Town, Kanagawa Prefecture, will be a speaker at the "Public-Private Partnership Forum Kanagawa" to be held on July 14, 2026.

The theme for this forum is:

"Decentralization or Centralization? The Limits of the Municipal Full-Set Principle and Vertical Complementarity / Wide-Area Cooperation"

The moderator will be Kazuya Yamashita, former Mayor of Katsuragi City, Nara Prefecture, and representative of the New Era Creation Research Organization.

Local governments nationwide face increasingly complex challenges, including declining populations, staff shortages, financial constraints, aging public facilities, and a lack of community leaders.

In this context, the "municipal full-set principle," which aims to provide all administrative services within a single municipality, is reaching its limits.

This lecture and discussion will address the challenges seen from the front lines of local government and explore the future of local government management, focusing on vertical complementarity, wide-area cooperation, and public-private partnerships.

Public-Private Partnership Forum Kanagawa Details Page

Thinking About Future Administrative Operations from the Reality of Small Municipalities

Manazuru Town, located in western Kanagawa Prefecture, is a town surrounded by the sea and greenery. However, it also grapples with challenges faced by small municipalities nationwide, such as population decline, aging, financial constraints, and a shortage of human resources.

Mayor Kobayashi is working to address issues in the region that are difficult to solve through administrative means alone, by fostering collaboration with residents, businesses, organizations, neighboring municipalities, and the national and prefectural governments.

Based on the actual situation in Manazuru Town, this forum will cover:

- What are the challenges that small municipalities cannot handle alone? - Where are the limits of the municipal full-set principle? - What should be the vertical complementarity by prefectural and national governments? - How should wide-area cooperation between municipalities proceed? - How can public-private partnerships with private companies and local organizations be leveraged?

These topics will be discussed from the perspective of practitioners.

Manazuru Town Official Website

Towards a Role Allocation Suited to the Region, Rather Than "Decentralization or Centralization"

In future local government management, it will be crucial not simply to choose between "decentralization is good" or "centralization is good," but to determine how to combine administrative functions and private sector capabilities according to the region's size and challenges.

For example, new mechanisms suited to each region are needed, such as:

- Sharing specialized personnel among multiple municipalities - Streamlining administrative tasks through digitalization - Wide-area cooperation in welfare, education, and housing - Complementarity of national and prefectural governments for small municipalities - Private companies and local organizations taking on public roles - Solving local issues through resident participation

This discussion will delve into the realities of administrative operations and future possibilities, offering insights that only those with experience as heads of local governments can provide.

Moderator: Kazuya Yamashita, Former Mayor of Katsuragi City, Nara Prefecture

Kazuya Yamashita, former Mayor of Katsuragi City, Nara Prefecture, and representative of the New Era Creation Research Organization, will serve as moderator. With his experience in local government management, Mr. Yamashita will draw out Mayor Kobayashi's initiatives and concerns, leading a discussion that offers practical hints for participants.

Because it is a dialogue between former heads of local governments, the discussion is expected to go beyond mere policy theory and delve into:

- What are the real difficulties encountered on the ground? - Issues that cannot be resolved solely within the administration. - What can be expected from companies and external personnel? - Obstacles in promoting inter-municipal cooperation. - What is necessary to implement public-private partnerships?

A Crucial Theme for Both Local Governments and Corporations

This theme is important not only for local government officials but also for companies engaged in solving regional issues.

As the sustainability of administrative services is questioned, private companies are expected to act not just as contractors but as co-creation partners in addressing regional challenges.

The possibilities for public-private partnerships are expanding in various fields, including welfare, education, housing, disaster prevention, transportation, community building, digitalization, tourism, and the creation of related populations.

Understanding the challenges faced by local governments is the first step for companies to contribute to their regions while creating new business opportunities.

Public-Private Partnership Forum Kanagawa Overview

The Public-Private Partnership Forum Kanagawa will bring together local governments, companies, universities, and local organizations to create new collaborations for solving regional issues, with themes of welfare, education, housing, and community co-creation.

In addition to Mr. Fukumoto, practitioners and heads of local governments active on the front lines of welfare, education, housing, and public-private partnerships are scheduled to speak. Information on speakers will be announced sequentially.

Event Name: Public-Private Partnership Forum Kanagawa Details & Registration Page: https://common.or.jp/kanagawa/

Date and Time

July 14, 2026 (Tuesday) Forum: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Reception opens at 1:30 PM)

Location

At Business Center Yokohama Nishiguchi Ekimae, Room 501

Content

A future-oriented space for seamless connection between government and private sectors / Solving "regional issues" through "connections"

Organizers

Mirai Machi Keikaku Kiko (COMMON Inc.), Bullet Group Inc.

Sponsorship/Cooperation

Nihon no Chikara Inc., Itto-kai Social Welfare Corporation, Education Net Inc., NPO Corporation Elderly Housing Promotion Organization

Participation Fee

Free

Capacity

First 80 participants (Reservation required, invitation only)

Target Audience (Invitation Only)

- COMMON Inc. Members - Chamber of Commerce and Industry Members - Individuals introduced by members (please enter the introducer's name when applying) - Government officials, public institution representatives such as social welfare councils (including invitations from the organizers)

Regarding Sponsorship and Partner Recruitment

This forum is seeking sponsors and partners from companies wishing to expand collaboration opportunities with local governments, businesses, and educational institutions. It can be utilized not just for advertising but as a "co-creation space," offering opportunities for presentations, booth exhibitions, and matchmaking with local governments. Companies interested in this opportunity are encouraged to inquire via the link below.

We also accept consultations regarding participation from members and supporting members. "I just want to hear more" is also welcome, so please inquire via the link below.

Inquiries

Regarding Events and Forums

We plan and operate events and co-creation projects that connect local governments, companies, community groups, producers, and residents, starting from the region's attractions and challenges.

Please feel free to consult us about initiatives related to regional revitalization, town development, promotion of regional products, tourism promotion, corporate partnerships, public-private partnerships, disaster prevention, welfare, health, education, and other regional initiatives.

Inquiries regarding event planning and operation

Company/Organization

<COMMON Inc.>

Location: 170-2 Yakushin-cho, Kushi-ge Nishi-iru, Hanayacho-dori, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture

Representative Director: Yuki Masuda

Official Website: https://common.or.jp

Inquiry Contact: https://common.or.jp/general_counter/

Initiatives with Local Governments

Case Studies: https://common.or.jp/category/town-dev/

Organization Introduction: COMMON Inc. is a social business company that plans and operates town development, disaster prevention, tourism, and education projects in a public-private co-creation model in collaboration with local governments, companies, and citizen groups nationwide, with the mission of "creating sustainable value for regions and companies through co-creation." It addresses regional issues by leveraging private sector expertise, such as through its membership-based platform business for public-private partnerships, regional revitalization utilizing the corporate version of Furusato Nozei (hometown tax donation), and the mobile antenna shop "Commons Marche." Through disaster preparedness agreements with local governments and the planning of disaster prevention events and forums, it also promotes the creation of disaster response networks through inter-corporate collaboration. It aims for a future-oriented co-creation society by building a system where regions, companies, and individuals can "connect with each other."

FACT BOX

  • Source: PR TIMES
  • Category: Event