Middle-Senior Talent Joins Urahoro Town's Regional DX as a "Regional Revitalization Entrepreneur" After a 3-Month "Adult Internship"

Dialogue for Everyone Inc. (Headquarters: Tokyo, Representative Director: Shiko Omomo, hereinafter "DfE") announces that Mr. Sekiguchi, a middle-senior talent from a major IT security company, has commenced participation as a Regional Revitalization Entrepreneur in regional society DX promotion and related population creation activities in Urahoro Town, Hokkaido, starting April 2026, utilizing the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' "Regional Revitalization Entrepreneur (Senior Type)" system. A distinctive feature of this initiative is that prior to the official start of activities as an entrepreneur, an approximately three-month unpaid "Adult Internship" program, provided by DfE, was conducted. This preliminary review period fostered trust and mutual understanding of the work between the local government and the talent, enabling smooth collaboration from day one. Through this case, DfE will propose the "Adult Internship" as a model for utilizing a "preparation and review period" for the entrepreneur system to local governments nationwide considering its introduction. 1. Background: The Senior Type Entrepreneur System and Hurdles Faced by Local Governments The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' "Regional Revitalization Entrepreneur" system dispatches corporate talent from urban areas to local governments to contribute to solving regional issues. In FY2024, a total of 871 individuals were active (780 company-dispatched, 91 side-job type), marking the highest number ever in a single fiscal year. From FY2025 (2025), a new "Senior Type" has been established, targeting senior talent who have retired from companies. For the side-job and senior types, the requirement is a minimum of 4 days or 20 hours per month, designed to allow flexible work styles including remote work. However, many local governments express concerns such as "I can't imagine what to entrust to external talent," "It's necessary to clarify job descriptions to secure a budget," and "I'm worried if a remote-centric involvement can truly function." Especially for the senior type, being the first year of the system, the lack of utilization実績 (track record) is a hurdle to its introduction. 2. DfE's Initiative: From "Adult Internship" to Entrepreneur For over five years, DfE has operated the "Adult Internship" cross-border learning program targeting middle-senior employees of large corporations. Host organizations include regional companies and intermediate support organizations, with a track record in Kobe City and Sagara Village. This time, an unpaid internship was conducted with Urahoro Town as the host, and based on that experience, the transition to official activities as an entrepreneur was made. 3. Effects Brought by the "Adult Internship" The approximately three-month internship prior to the official start of activities as an entrepreneur held significant meaning for both the local government and the participant. During the internship review, the following feedback was received: ▶ Local Government (Mr. Suda, Town Planning Division, Urahoro Town) "My main work was different, and honestly, I hadn't really focused on the DX field. It was significant that through the internship with Mr. Sekiguchi, we were able to find ways to utilize data and determine future directions." "It was good that he proceeded without being confined to a mold. Instead of proposing 'Why don't we introduce this system?', he started by understanding the town's current situation and thinking together with us." "Starting immediately as an entrepreneur is a high hurdle for many local governments, as it requires securing a budget when the scope of work is not yet clear. By building a relationship through the internship beforehand, we gained a sense of 'we can do this together with this person'." ▶ Participant (Mr. Sekiguchi, Regional Revitalization Entrepreneur) "It was my first time participating in a regional initiative after leaving the company, and I was a bit tense. The internship period allowed me to understand who Mr. Suda was and how the town operates before starting." "Initially, I deliberately threw out a wide range of information to see which areas Mr. Suda was interested in. It became a time to deepen my understanding of the town's actual situation through dialogue, not a questionnaire." "Over 20 years of corporate experience can be utilized in the region. However, I realized that a preparatory period to enter the field is indispensable to find value for the region." ▶ Main Effects of the "Adult Internship" (Summary) 4. Synergistic Effects with Related Population Measures and Other Policies This initiative is expected to have synergistic effects not only with the entrepreneur system but also with related population measures. In DfE's Adult Internship, over 40% become part of the region's related population, with examples of appointments to regional revitalization cooperation teams and migration cases. Connection to Dual-Location Living: Mr. Sekiguchi himself hopes for dual-location living in the near future and envisions deepening his involvement with the region step by step, using his remote entrepreneur activities as a foothold. This is an example of a career path where the entrepreneur system can evolve from related population to dual-location living, and even to future migration. Furusato Resident Registration Keywords: