Volunteer Team Including Graffer Govtech Strategist Wins Grand Prize at Digital Agency's "Laws" x "Digital" Hackathon
Graffer Inc. announced that a volunteer team featuring their Govtech Strategist, Hirokazu Suzuki, won the Grand Prize at the Digital Agency's "Laws" x "Digital" Hackathon. The team developed "Lawsy Alerts," an AI-driven intelligence engine that translates complex legal amendments into actionable information for businesses and government agencies. This initiative highlights Graffer's commitment to supporting expert-led innovation that bridges the gap between public and private sectors.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: March 31, 2026 at 22:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 1, 2026 at 13:39 (15h 39m after Published)
Graffer Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Daichi Ishii; hereinafter "Graffer") is pleased to announce that a volunteer team, which included our Govtech Strategist Hirokazu Suzuki as a member, has won the Grand Prize at the "Laws" x "Digital" Hackathon hosted by the Digital Agency. This hackathon aims to streamline legislative processes and foster the creation of new private-sector services by utilizing "legal data" and "legal APIs" provided by the Digital Agency in combination with advanced technologies such as AI. At the presentation and awards ceremony held on March 10, 2026, Govtech Strategist Hirokazu Suzuki represented the team in the presentation, ultimately winning the Grand Prize among the finalists who passed the preliminary rounds. This participation was a challenge undertaken by a volunteer team of individuals who share a common vision. Our company respects the proactive initiatives of highly specialized personnel who work across public and private boundaries, and we will continue to support them so that their expertise can be returned to the development of a digital society in the public sector.
## What is the "Laws" x "Digital" Hackathon?
This is an event that challenges participants to develop services by utilizing "legal data" and "legal APIs" provided by the Digital Agency, combined with technologies such as AI. The hackathon aims to improve the efficiency of legislative drafting and review tasks for national civil servants, enhance legal data as a base registry, and create new businesses in the private sector.
## Overview of the Winning Solution: "Lawsy Alerts"
"Lawsy Alerts," developed by the volunteer team that included Suzuki, is a legal intelligence engine designed to support businesses and government agencies in responding to legal amendments by converting amendment details into "information directly linked to judgment and action" and providing it on a daily basis. Starting with legal data from e-Gov, it cross-integrates differences between old and new provisions, legislative backgrounds, deliberation materials, and guidelines to organize the key points of amendments and their impact on practical operations. This allows personnel to understand the changes in a short time and take prompt, appropriate action. Furthermore, through analysis based on generative AI and domain knowledge, it automates amendment detection, difference analysis, and report generation, contributing to the reduction of legal compliance costs and improved understanding of institutional changes.
## Event Period
December 9, 2025 (Tuesday) – March 10, 2026 (Tuesday)
## Comment from Hirokazu Suzuki, Graffer Inc.
While many legal amendments are made, there is an issue where that information is not sufficiently organized or shared, and does not fully reach businesses or the public. For this hackathon, together with my volunteer team members, I addressed this issue by combining the domain knowledge of legislative practice I gained as a former bureaucrat with AI technology to develop the prototype "Lawsy Alerts," which delivers amendment details as information directly linked to judgment and action. By transforming laws from something to be "read" into something that "reaches" the user, I feel there is potential to create an environment where businesses and government agencies can respond quickly to institutional changes. I intend to continue working on solving problems in the public sector through the fusion of technology and domain knowledge.
## About Graffer Inc.
Graffer is a startup company that works on the digital transformation of operations in companies and government agencies under the mission "We Remove Steps." We provide "Graffer AI Solution," which realizes operational transformation based on generative AI, and a digital government platform that pursues convenience for citizens and government officials. Our digital government platform has been introduced by over 250 municipalities nationwide, with a 70% adoption rate among government-designated cities. In October 2021, we were selected for "J-Startup 2021," a startup support program led by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
## Corporate Information
Address: 1-5-8 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Representative: Daichi Ishii
Established: July 18, 2017
Capital: 1,544,977,927 yen (including capital reserve)
URL: https://graffer.jp
Media Inquiries: https://form.run/@graffer-contact
## What is the "Laws" x "Digital" Hackathon?
This is an event that challenges participants to develop services by utilizing "legal data" and "legal APIs" provided by the Digital Agency, combined with technologies such as AI. The hackathon aims to improve the efficiency of legislative drafting and review tasks for national civil servants, enhance legal data as a base registry, and create new businesses in the private sector.
## Overview of the Winning Solution: "Lawsy Alerts"
"Lawsy Alerts," developed by the volunteer team that included Suzuki, is a legal intelligence engine designed to support businesses and government agencies in responding to legal amendments by converting amendment details into "information directly linked to judgment and action" and providing it on a daily basis. Starting with legal data from e-Gov, it cross-integrates differences between old and new provisions, legislative backgrounds, deliberation materials, and guidelines to organize the key points of amendments and their impact on practical operations. This allows personnel to understand the changes in a short time and take prompt, appropriate action. Furthermore, through analysis based on generative AI and domain knowledge, it automates amendment detection, difference analysis, and report generation, contributing to the reduction of legal compliance costs and improved understanding of institutional changes.
## Event Period
December 9, 2025 (Tuesday) – March 10, 2026 (Tuesday)
## Comment from Hirokazu Suzuki, Graffer Inc.
While many legal amendments are made, there is an issue where that information is not sufficiently organized or shared, and does not fully reach businesses or the public. For this hackathon, together with my volunteer team members, I addressed this issue by combining the domain knowledge of legislative practice I gained as a former bureaucrat with AI technology to develop the prototype "Lawsy Alerts," which delivers amendment details as information directly linked to judgment and action. By transforming laws from something to be "read" into something that "reaches" the user, I feel there is potential to create an environment where businesses and government agencies can respond quickly to institutional changes. I intend to continue working on solving problems in the public sector through the fusion of technology and domain knowledge.
## About Graffer Inc.
Graffer is a startup company that works on the digital transformation of operations in companies and government agencies under the mission "We Remove Steps." We provide "Graffer AI Solution," which realizes operational transformation based on generative AI, and a digital government platform that pursues convenience for citizens and government officials. Our digital government platform has been introduced by over 250 municipalities nationwide, with a 70% adoption rate among government-designated cities. In October 2021, we were selected for "J-Startup 2021," a startup support program led by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
## Corporate Information
Address: 1-5-8 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Representative: Daichi Ishii
Established: July 18, 2017
Capital: 1,544,977,927 yen (including capital reserve)
URL: https://graffer.jp
Media Inquiries: https://form.run/@graffer-contact