Rakuten and Six Municipalities Begin Collaboration for Social Implementation of "Furusato Resident Registration System"

URL: https://event.rakuten.co.jp/area/japan/furusatoresidents/

Rakuten Group, Inc. ("Rakuten") has newly commenced collaboration with Kamishihoro Town (Hokkaido), Joetsu City (Niigata Prefecture), Koshu City (Yamanashi Prefecture), Iizuna Town (Nagano Prefecture), Takahama Town (Fukui Prefecture), and Kyotango City (Kyoto Prefecture) to promote the social implementation of the "Furusato Resident Registration System" (Note 1), which the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications aims to establish (Note 2).

This collaboration is part of the initiatives of the "Furusato Resident Support Consortium" (Note 3) established by Rakuten, and the participating municipalities are being sequentially expanded. Rakuten and the six municipalities aim to expand the base of related population and secure human resources for regional industries such as accommodation providers, through Rakuten's travel reservation service "Rakuten Travel" and its internet shopping mall "Rakuten Ichiba," to address challenges such as labor shortages in key industries and the expansion of related populations in each region.

Specifically, the special page "Gather! Future Furusato Residents 2026" on "Rakuten Ichiba" related to the "Furusato Resident Registration System" has been renewed to provide information on the appeal of municipalities and spot work in primary industries. Users who become interested in municipalities through this special page and contribute to the region through local activities and labor as "Furusato Residents" will receive coupons of 3,000 yen off or more for "Rakuten Travel," which can be used as a subsidy for accommodation costs at eligible facilities (Note 4). Furthermore, official web antenna shops for each municipality will be opened on "Rakuten Ichiba" to introduce the appeal and specialty products of the regions, providing a mechanism to easily support the regional economy even from afar.

*Image is for illustrative purposes.

Rakuten and the municipalities in each region will continue to undertake various initiatives to create related populations and will collaborate for the further growth of regional industries.

(Note 1) The "Furusato Resident Registration System" is a system that allows individuals to choose and register for a region they wish to be continuously involved with voluntarily, even if they do not actually reside there. It is being considered that those registered as "Furusato Residents" in municipalities other than their place of residence may receive information and administrative services from that region.

https://www.soumu.go.jp/main_sosiki/jichi_gyousei/c-gyousei/kankeijinkou.html

(Note 2) Kamishihoro Town (Hokkaido) and Iizuna Town (Nagano Prefecture) have been selected for the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' "Furusato Resident Registration System Model Project." Additionally, Rakuten has been designated as a "Specified Resident Support Corporation" by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to promote "dual residency" for Kamishihoro Town (Hokkaido) and Kyotango City (Kyoto Prefecture).

(Note 3) This is a joint venture comprising companies and municipalities, established in September 2025 by Rakuten, which serves as the secretariat, to promote the social implementation of the "Furusato Resident Registration System" that the government aims to establish.

https://corp.rakuten.co.jp/news/press/2025/0912_03.html

(Note 4) The maximum number of coupons and usage conditions vary by municipality. Details can be confirmed on the special page.

Overview of Special Page "Gather! Future Furusato Residents 2026"

URL: https://event.rakuten.co.jp/area/japan/furusatoresidents/

Overview: Introduces the appeal and detailed information regarding spot work in regional primary industries, coupons of 3,000 yen off or more for "Rakuten Travel" that can be used as a subsidy for accommodation costs for users who contribute to the region locally as "Furusato Residents," and specialty products that can be purchased from official web antenna shops opened by each municipality on "Rakuten Ichiba."

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