Miyakonojo City Advances Municipal DX by Digitizing Remaining 'Paper Notifications' [GMO GlobalSign HD]

The service 'GMO Sign Administrative DX Electronic Seal' (hereinafter, GMO Sign Electronic Official Seal), provided by GMO GlobalSign Holdings Co., Ltd. (President and CEO: Mitsuru Aoyama; hereinafter, GMO GlobalSign HD), has been introduced in Miyakonojo City, Miyazaki Prefecture (Mayor: Yoshihisa Ikeda; hereinafter, Miyakonojo City) as of June 2026. This enables end-to-end online processing for administrative dispositions, orders, cancellations, and other official documents requiring a seal, from application to notification delivery.

[Background of Introduction]

Miyakonojo City has been advancing municipal digital transformation (DX) at a national top-tier level, with Mayor Yoshihisa Ikeda himself serving as Chief Digital Officer (CDO), under the philosophy of 'digitalization that leaves no one behind and is human-friendly.' The city has promoted resident-centric digitalization initiatives such as the 'no-writing one-stop counter,' and by December 2024, completed online migration for all administrative procedures eligible for online applications. (※1) These efforts were recognized with the Grand Prize in the Internal DX category at the 'Japan DX Award 2025,' achieving Hall of Fame status—the first in the award's history—by winning the Grand Prize for three consecutive years.

However, delivery of official notices such as decision notifications and permits from the city to citizens and businesses remained on paper, failing to fully meet the needs of applicants who wished to receive documents online. To achieve end-to-end digital completion of administrative procedures from application to notification, Miyakonojo City decided to introduce the 'GMO Sign Electronic Official Seal.' In the selection process, priority was given to the ability to operate securely within the Local Government Wide Area Network (LGWAN) environment used in municipal operations, as well as support for principal-responsibility electronic signatures that document the mayor's official responsibility.

(※1) Excludes certain exceptions where face-to-face interaction or original document submission is required by national laws and regulations.

[Overview of Implementation]

Target Documents

Administrative disposition documents requiring an official seal, such as dispositions, orders, and cancellations

Target Recipients

Applicants who have requested online delivery at the time of application

Start Date

June 2026

Expected Benefits

Improved citizen convenience and further advancement of digitalization in administrative procedures

[Comment from the Responsible Official]

Kazuki Ohbara, General Affairs Division, General Affairs Department, Miyakonojo City, Miyazaki Prefecture

So far, our city has completed the transition to online processing for all administrative procedures eligible for online applications. However, even after accepting applications online, disposition notices such as decision notifications and permits were still delivered on paper, leaving us unable to fully meet the needs of applicants who wished to complete the entire process—from application to notification receipt—online. For this introduction, we set mandatory requirements for municipal systems: operation within the LGWAN environment from a security standpoint, and support for principal-responsibility electronic signatures. With the introduction of the 'GMO Sign Electronic Official Seal,' we have established a system enabling end-to-end digital completion from application to receipt of disposition notices, further advancing our city's DX.

[About 'GMO Sign Administrative DX Electronic Seal']

(URL: https://www.gmosign.com/e_delivery/)

The 'GMO Sign Electronic Official Seal' is a service that replaces the official seals previously used in government disposition notices with remote digital signatures using certificates with documented responsibilities. This enables digitalization of the approval, signing, delivery, and management of disposition notices. While maintaining high security and reliability, it significantly reduces the time and cost associated with delivering disposition notices.

The service complies with the 'Basic Concept for Digitalization of Disposition Notices' issued by the Digital Agency in Reiwa 5, and has obtained international security certifications from third-party organizations (ISMAP, SOC2 Type2, ISO27001, ISO27017), earning high recognition for its security. Additionally, it is registered in LGWAN-ASP, enabling integration with core systems used by municipalities, allowing local governments to confidently begin digitalizing disposition notices.

Currently, 25 municipalities, including 13 prefectures and designated cities, have adopted the service. (※2)

(※2) As of May 2026

[About GMO GlobalSign Holdings Co., Ltd.]

GMO GlobalSign HD is an IT security company that provides 'security' and 'trust' for the internet and digital transactions.

It operates Japan's top-tier certification authority 'GlobalSign' and provides electronic certification and digital signature technologies to government agencies and enterprises in 11 countries worldwide. Furthermore, it delivers Japan's No.1 market share electronic contract service (※3) 'GMO Sign Electronic Seal' to corporations and municipalities, supporting secure social infrastructure.

In the future, the company plans to globally expand safer and more user-friendly services by developing and providing authentication technologies compatible with advanced technologies such as AI, IoT, and blockchain, as well as the quantum computing era. It aims to become a key player supporting the growth of the digital society by combining 'trusted authentication' with 'high cost-performance.'

(※3) Cumulative number of contracts sent with electronic signatures and timestamps under the Electronic Signature Law (excluding timestamp-only contracts; targeting major witness-type electronic signature services), as surveyed by GMO Research & AI Co., Ltd. (December 2024)

End

[Inquiries about the service]

● GMO GlobalSign Holdings Co., Ltd.

Digital Government Support Office

Inquiry: https://www.gmosign.com/form/go_dx/

[GMO GlobalSign Holdings Co., Ltd.] (URL: https://www.gmogshd.com/)

Company Name: GMO GlobalSign Holdings Co., Ltd.

(Tokyo Prime Market, Stock Code: 3788)

Headquarters: Cerulean Tower, 26-1 Sakuragaokacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Representative: President and CEO Mitsuru Aoyama

Business: ■ Electronic Certification & Seal Business ■ Cloud Infrastructure Business ■ DX Business

Capital: 916.9 million JPY

[GMO Internet Group Co., Ltd.] (URL: https://group.gmo/)

Company Name: GMO Internet Group Co., Ltd.

(Tokyo Prime Market, Stock Code: 9449)

Headquarters: Cerulean Tower, 26-1 Sakuragaokacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Representative: Group Representative and CEO Masatoshi Kumagai

Business: Holding company (group management functions)

Group Business Areas

Internet Infrastructure

Internet Security

Internet Advertising & Media

Internet Finance

Cryptocurrency

Capital: 5 billion JPY

*Company and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Copyright (C) 2026 GMO GlobalSign Holdings K.K. All Rights Reserved.