Toyama Prefecture Official Spot Work Platform "Toyama Matchbox" to Launch on July 1 (Wed)

Matchbox Technologies Inc. (Headquarters: Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture; President: Hiroaki Sato; hereinafter referred to as "our company") has introduced the "Municipal Official Matchbox" to Toyama Prefecture (Governor: Hachiro Nitta) to support their "Human Resource Matching Platform Establishment Project." Toyama Prefecture will launch its official spot work platform, "Toyama Matchbox," with services commencing on July 1 (Wed). Toyama Prefecture will operate this project, while our company will be responsible for platform construction, maintenance, and operational support.

Toyama Matchbox: https://matchbox.jp/toyama/top

On "Toyama Matchbox," businesses in Toyama Prefecture can post spot work job openings free of charge, and job seekers nationwide can apply for positions located in the prefecture on a daily or hourly basis.

Toyama Prefecture has been operating "Toyama Agri Matchbox," a spot work matching service specializing in the agricultural sector, since November 1, 2024 (Fri). This service has already created over 8,400 hours of employment and contributed to securing long-term farmers by leading to over 20 full-time employment opportunities. Building on these achievements, this new project will expand the scope from agriculture to all industries.

Through this project, our company and Toyama Prefecture aim to support local businesses in securing human resources while simultaneously promoting flexible employment opportunities through the spread of spot work, thereby realizing a sustainable regional society where diverse talent can thrive.

About "Toyama Matchbox"

"Toyama Matchbox" is an official, all-industry human resource matching platform for Toyama Prefecture, where jobs within the prefecture can be found on a daily or hourly basis. Job seekers can search for openings via smartphone and apply for jobs according to their own schedules and preferences. It is characterized by its ability to accommodate a wide range of individuals, including students, those balancing work with childcare or eldercare, seniors after retirement, and those seeking side jobs, allowing them to engage with local work opportunities in line with their respective lifestyles. The entire process, from job search to application and post-work procedures, can be managed via smartphone. Since resumes and interviews are not required, it is designed to be easily accessible even for first-time users.

Furthermore, as it is implemented as an official project of Toyama Prefecture, it includes mechanisms for worker protection and support systems for troubleshooting. This allows job seekers to participate in local work with peace of mind, and prefecture businesses can utilize it as a new option for securing personnel during busy periods or temporary labor shortages.

By expanding options for workers to find fulfilling employment and creating opportunities for local businesses to connect with diverse talent, we aim to secure labor, increase local residents' income, and foster sustainable regional economic development.

Human Resource Challenges in Toyama Prefecture and the Background of This Project

In Toyama Prefecture, securing human resources across all local industries has become a significant challenge due to population decline and a shortage of workers. A labor supply and demand simulation conducted by the prefecture indicated a potential labor shortage of approximately 100,000 people by 2040. Notably, shortages exceeding 20% are anticipated in essential sectors vital for maintaining the lives of prefectural residents, such as manufacturing, which is a key industry for the prefecture, as well as healthcare, welfare, and construction.

On the other hand, there is also a need among workers to utilize their free time to work while balancing childcare, eldercare, primary employment, or studies. Even if working full shifts or fixed schedules is difficult, individuals who might have previously had limited employment opportunities can engage in local work on a daily or hourly basis.

Against this backdrop, Toyama Prefecture, through this project, aims to create an environment where diverse human resources, both within and outside the prefecture, can work at times that suit them, offering new employment opportunities for workers and new recruitment options for local businesses.

Furthermore, the healthcare, welfare, nursing, and construction sectors, which face particularly severe labor shortages and have high potential for spot work utilization, will be designated as priority support areas. Measures such as support for task segmentation and reduction of recruitment fee burdens are planned to provide focused promotion and deployment support.

Participation from a Wide Range of Industries Including Healthcare, Welfare, Nursing, Construction, Manufacturing, Retail, and Service Sectors; Approximately 200 Businesses and Over 200 Job Openings Expected on "Toyama Matchbox"

Prior to the service launch, information sessions for businesses held in May and June received a total of approximately 200 applications. The information session for specific industries held in May saw applications primarily from businesses in priority support fields with severe labor shortages, such as healthcare, welfare, and construction. The information session for all industries held in June attracted applications from businesses across a broad spectrum of sectors, including manufacturing and industry, civil engineering and construction, medical care, nursing, and welfare, retail and wholesale, services, and hospitality.

Participating businesses expressed a sense of security and anticipation regarding the project being implemented as an official Toyama Prefecture initiative, with comments such as "Prefectural support is greatly appreciated" and "Collaboration with Toyama Prefecture is reassuring." There were also remarks like "The healthcare and welfare industry is struggling with labor shortages, so we hope this will be a breakthrough" and "The aspect of connecting with the community is good," along with hopes that "many businesses will participate," indicating high expectations for this new option to address labor shortages.

"Toyama Matchbox" anticipates posting job openings from approximately 200 businesses, with over 200 positions available from July 2026 onwards, including those in healthcare, welfare, nursing, and construction, among other industries.

Comments from Toyama Prefecture

In the face of deepening labor supply constraints, spot work, which enables flexible working styles, is an effective means of promoting the active participation of diverse individuals who have previously found it difficult to connect with employment. It also holds the potential to lead to continuous employment and medium-to-long-term job opportunities, starting with short-term work. However, over 90% of businesses in the prefecture have not yet utilized spot work, and its adoption has not spread sufficiently. Therefore, we have decided to launch "Toyama Matchbox," expanding the scope to all industries by building upon the achievements and framework of "Toyama Agri Matchbox," which was previously implemented in the agricultural sector. In particular, we will provide focused promotion and deployment support for the healthcare, welfare, nursing, and construction sectors, which face severe labor shortages and have high potential for spot work utilization, thereby addressing the prefecture's urgent policy challenges.

Through this service, the prefecture aims to promote the adoption of spot work throughout the prefecture, supporting local businesses in securing human resources and promoting flexible working styles for a diverse range of individuals.

We at Matchbox Technologies aim to realize a "society where everyone can work flexibly" by leveraging digital technology. We will continue to collaborate with local governments to contribute to solving regional human resource challenges.

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About "Matchbox"

"Matchbox" is a self-sourcing®︎ type HR product that enables in-house management of spot work. By registering current employees, alumni, registered part-time workers, and previously hired spot workers within a system developed to suit each company's needs, businesses can build their own unique talent pools, supporting reductions in recruitment time and costs. Furthermore, it is ideal for operational efficiency as it allows for simple, centralized management of all processes from recruitment to payroll and labor through the system. It enables businesses to select reliable personnel, and for job seekers, it aims to be a fair and safe service for both parties by automatically providing休業手当 (paid leave allowance) and conducting credit checks on companies, among other considerations. Matchbox realizes an environment where everyone can work flexibly by fostering communities based on trust between companies and workers.

"Matchbox" Service Page: https://business.matchbox.jp

About "Matchbox Technologies"

Our mission is to "realize a world where both employers and employees can work without strain and in their own way," and we support companies and local governments in solving their human resource challenges by "enabling flexible work environments through technology." Since 2020, we have been deploying "matchbox," a cloud-based system that allows companies and local governments to easily build their own spot work platforms and achieve flexible working styles on a daily or hourly basis, with over 13,945 businesses adopting it to date. We have also provided it as a unique spot work platform for municipalities to 8 prefectures and 54 municipalities, including Niigata Prefecture and Osaka Prefecture. We prioritize intellectual property strategy, driven by a desire to focus on "solving social issues," which should be our primary focus, rather than engaging in competition based on capital strength. We have filed over 50 patent applications, both domestically and internationally, related to spot work and self-sourcing, and have already obtained 19 patents, including core patents. Furthermore, our efforts and business growth have been recognized, and we have been selected as a promising next-generation startup in the Nikkei "NEXT Unicorn Survey" 2025 edition. We will continue to widely communicate the new standard of working styles that balances the flexibility of spot work with the creation of reliable talent communities, and as a leader in this field, we will continue to advance research and development of safe and secure services in compliance with regulations, striving to solve social issues.

Company Page: https://www.matchboxtech.co.jp/about-us

"Matchbox" Related Newsletter: https://b.mxbx.jp/matchbox_newsletter_ss