Establishing Businesses that Coexist with AI – Creating Reliable Systems, Monthly 'Project Design' August 2026 Issue Released

The Publishing Department of the Graduate School of Project Design, Advanced Education Institute (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Risa Tanaka) released the August 2026 issue of "Monthly Project Design," a specialized magazine for corporate revitalization, regional development, and innovation, on July 1 (Wed). https://www.projectdesign.jp/202608

[Main Feature] Establishing Businesses that Coexist with AI – Creating Reliable Systems

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become widely used in society since the advent of large language models (LLMs) capable of understanding and generating human language with high sophistication. The "secure, rapid, and efficient deployment of AI" was also on the agenda at the G7 Evian Summit in June.

Japan's approach, based on the AI Act fully enforced in 2025, is to "promote AI research and development and utilization, ensure safety and transparency, and build a trustworthy AI society." This issue introduces various businesses exploring the creation of future ventures by leveraging their strengths and AI, as well as the initiatives of the government, academia, and others supporting them.

● Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's Challenge to 'AI for Science' / Takashi Toyoda, Director for Strategic Planning, Research Promotion Bureau, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

● Supporting AI Implementation in Fields with Significant Social Impact / Tatsuhiko Miyata, General Manager, AI Transformation Promotion Department, Telecom & Utility Solutions Division, Hitachi Systems & Services, Ltd.

● Supporting AI Implementation with Robust Guardrails / Yosuke Okada, Representative Director, CEO & Founder, ABEJA Inc.

● AI Manages Risks Based on Abundant Data / Yudai Tsuda, Representative Director, CEO, Resilire Inc.

● Japan's Soft Power Depicted Through RPG Technology / Hajime Tabata, Representative Director, JP UNIVERSE Inc.

And more

[Regional Feature] Toyama Prefecture – Towards a "Region Where Challenges Become the Norm" Attracting Entrepreneurs for the Next Generation

Toyama Prefecture has developed as a manufacturing prefecture with a concentration of diverse local industries, led by the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry, which inherits traditions dating back to the Edo period. In fisheries, it is blessed with seafood from Toyama Bay, known as a "natural fish tank," and in agriculture, rice cultivation thrives by utilizing the abundant water resources from the Tateyama Mountain Range. Toyama Prefecture is currently pursuing multifaceted policies, including expanding "related population = happy population" to 10 million, branding local industries, forming a startup ecosystem, and strengthening the prefecture's resilience based on lessons learned from the Noto Peninsula earthquake.

Interview with Hachiro Nitta, Governor of Toyama Prefecture / Towards 10 Million Happy People – Aiming to be a Leading Region in Well-being

In December 2025, Toyama Prefecture formulated a new comprehensive plan aiming to expand "related population = happy population" to 10 million, promoting industrial development, branding of local industries, and the formation of a startup ecosystem. What is the vision for Toyama Prefecture, where citizens can feel happiness, in this era of rapid change?

Interview with Keiko Nishi, Vice Governor of Toyama Prefecture / Communicating Toyama's Charm to the World Through Food

Keiko Nishi, who was appointed Vice Governor in April 2026, has extensive experience in food culture and regional development at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Cabinet Office. She aims to promote the charm of Toyama Prefecture starting from its agriculture, forestry, and fisheries industries, nurtured by its rich natural environment.

Interviews with Noteworthy Businesses in Toyama Prefecture

● Construction x Robotics Achieved Through a Dual Approach / Tadahiro Kawata, Representative Director and President, Kawada Technologies, Inc.

Tabegawa Bridge (Nanto City) constructed by a JV of Kawada Kensetsu and Kawada Construction; the humanoid robot "NEXTAGE" developed by Kawada Robotics.

● Creating a Future Nature Park in Toyama – New Challenges in "Creating Experiences" and "Creating Environments"/

Takao Watanabe, Representative Director, President & CEO, Goldwin Inc.

● Transforming into a Comprehensive Financial Group Leveraging a Solid Financial Foundation

– Challenging Backcasting Management with a 10-Year Horizon / Mitsuru Nomura, Director and President, The Toyama第一 Bank, Ltd.

● Connecting Toyama's Charms for "Regional Awakening" – Strategy and Vision for Regional Revitalization by the Third Generation of the Marui Founding Family / Shigeru Aoi, Representative Director, TOYAMATO Inc.

● Delivering New Value to the Region Beyond Broadcasting – A Creative Company Growing with the Region/

Ken Hosokawa, Representative Director and President, Toyama Television Broadcasting Co., Ltd.

Children playing at the all-weather indoor park "BBT Park," which opened in June 2026. A class using "Toyama Job Guidebook" for 5th graders.

And more

Top's Philosophy and Inspirations

● Pioneering New Fields with Integrity and a Spirit of Challenge/

Makoto Ueda, Representative Director and President, Kumagai Gumi Co., Ltd.

Kumagai Gumi, founded in 1898, will soon celebrate its 130th anniversary. It was also known as "Kumagai組 of Tunnels" for penetrating the Omachi Tunnel, the theme of the movie "The Kurobe Sun." The company has grown into a comprehensive construction company, expanding from civil engineering to architecture and related businesses. We asked about the unchanging philosophy passed down through its long history and its challenges for the new era.

● Unleashing the Potential of Rice and Creating Value / Masanori Takagi, Representative Director and President, Kameda Seika Co., Ltd.

● Effective Utilization of Idle Assets with Real Estate x IT / Yoji Sugata, Representative Director, President & CEO, e-ZONe Inc.

● Developing IT Services Specialized in Niche Areas / Yasuyuki AisU, Representative Director and President, Segue Group Inc.

And more

Other Noteworthy Articles and Series

● New President's Vision for Leap Forward: Redesigning Growth Models for the AI Era to Create Value – The "Gen.2 Transformation" of the New Fujisoft / Mitsuhiro Murooka, Representative Director and President, Fujisoft Inc.

The new Fujisoft, which became a privately held company in May 2025 following the successful tender offer by a US investment fund.

Mitsuhiro Murooka, CEO invited from NEC, is promoting internal system reforms. While engaging in dialogue with employees and executives towards a shift to an offering-based business, the company aims to be a company that demonstrates value in the era of generative AI.

● [Special Project] The Current State and Future of DX in Local Governments

– Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Revises the Local Government DX Promotion Plan to Support Cross-Domain Transformation Through Environmental Improvement

– Full-Scale DX Starting with Travel Expense Management: Reducing the Burden of Expense Reporting and Moving Towards Further Management Reform / Ryosei Hashimoto, Representative Director and President, Concur Japan

– The Key to Maximizing Cloud Value is "Operation" – Ensuring Stable Operation Through Rules x Data x People / NTT Nexx Co., Ltd.

– NTT Data-Win's BPS and AI Utilization: On-site Support That Brings Out the True Value of SaaS

– Corporate Cards Revolutionizing Local Government Payment Operations: Simultaneously Achieving Operational Efficiency and Cost Reduction / Sumitomo Mitsui Card Company, Limited

– Transforming Local Government Travel Expense Reporting with Corporate Cards: Turning the Shift to Actual Expense Reporting into an Opportunity for "System Transformation" / Visa Worldwide Japan Co., Ltd.

● New Series: Starting PLAT, Ethical Town Development: "Ethical-tainment" Experiences Delivered from Urban Parks in Osaka/

Ran Nomura, Harch Inc.; Toshiyuki Sakai, Account Planner, CINRA, Inc.; Mayu Narukawa, Director, "PLATUMEKITA Planning and Editing Office," TOPPAN Inc.

● Pioneer's Breakthrough Power: Creating Unseen Entertainment – The Resolve of Hit Makers and the Future of Creation/

Saori Kida, Creative Director and Producer, Experiential Entertainment

● Tackling Ocean Issues Through Co-creation: The Challenge of a University of Tokyo-born Bio-venture Changing Oceans and Lives/

Tomohiro Nakanotate, Green Bio Business Group Leader, Algarbio Inc.

And more

Also includes articles related to keywords such as "New Business," "Regional Revitalization," "Ideas," "Innovation," "AI," "DX," "Healthcare," and "Local Governments."

All photo materials in this press release are quoted from the August 2026 issue of Monthly Project Design.

Magazine Overview: Monthly 'Project Design' August 2026 Issue

Publisher: Publishing Department, Graduate School of Project Design, Advanced Education Institute

Price: 1,300 yen (tax included)

ASIN: B0GTZ62F8V

Available at bookstores nationwide and on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0GTZ62F8V

About Monthly Project Design

Founded in September 2012, this specialized magazine focuses on corporate revitalization, regional development, and innovation. It introduces case studies that provide hints for new business and organizational management, targeting business owners, new business managers, and local government executives nationwide seeking new business ideas. https://www.projectdesign.jp/

About Graduate School of Project Design

Opened in Minami-Aoyama, Tokyo, in April 2012, this graduate school for working professionals focuses on building and implementing project designs. It offers a diverse curriculum aimed at generating ideas from the fundamentals of business, envisioning ideal business concepts, weaving together ideas for realization, and constructing project plans. Through discussions with faculty and students active in various industries, students earn a professional degree of "Master of Project Design" (MPD) upon submission of a project design plan after two years. The school has five campuses in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka, and Sendai. The 14th cohort has completed their studies, with a total of 967 graduates. Numerous new businesses that have become innovations have been created. Furthermore, the "Project Design Research Institute," an affiliated research institution of the university, actively conducts research on a project basis for companies and businesses, with over 4,500 individuals having completed its courses. It also publishes the "Monthly Project Design" magazine and research books. For more details, please visit the graduate school's website (https://www.mpd.ac.jp/). *Received "Accredited" status in the University Accreditation by the Japan University Accreditation Association (Specialized Field and Institutional Accreditation). *Designated for the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's Training Benefit System (Professional Training Program), eligible for up to 1.28 million yen in government subsidies.

Outline of the Advanced Education Institute

Name: Advanced Education Institute

Chairman: Yuya Higashi

Location: 3-13-16 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Institutions: Graduate School of Project Design (Headquarters: 3-13-16 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo)

(Campuses: Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka, Sendai)

Graduate School of Social Design (3-13-18 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo)

Affiliated Institutions: Project Design Research Institute, Advanced Education Research Institute

Publications: Monthly Project Design, Monthly Advanced Education, Books, etc.