NX Wanbishi Archives Supports Survey Report on Municipal Digitalization of Public Documents

NX Wanbishi Archives Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Yutaka Takahashi), a group company of NIPPON EXPRESS Holdings, Inc. engaged in data and solutions business, has collaborated on a digitalization survey of public document management conducted by the Japan Management Association and Professor Naoki Shimojima of the Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Archives Program, Gakushuin University. The survey report has now been published.

▲ For details, please refer to the 'Survey Report on Digitalization of Public Document Management in Local Governments 2025' (URL: https://www.noma.or.jp/keiei/).

【Survey Scope】 The survey targeted local governments nationwide and was conducted from November 12, 2025, to January 8 of the following year, receiving valid responses from 934 municipalities (response rate: 52.2%). The purpose of this survey was to understand the current status and challenges of digitalizing public document management and to grasp the actual conditions across municipalities. It specifically examined the burden and effectiveness of system introduction and operation in small municipalities facing constraints such as staffing and budget. The survey also included whether initiatives such as joint procurement, common platform development, and administrative collaboration contribute to solving these challenges.

【Overview of Survey Results】 The results revealed that approximately half of the municipalities do not track their document storage volumes, indicating insufficient awareness of what needs to be managed. The adoption rate of document management systems is around 70%. While prefectures and designated cities adopted systems early, towns and villages have seen recent progress in implementation. Additionally, large municipalities such as prefectures tend to adopt customized systems, confirming a disparity in available investment compared to towns and villages. Digitalization is more advanced in larger municipalities, leading to reduced storage needs and improved information sharing. However, the coexistence of paper and digital documents remains a challenge for overall digital transformation of operations. Many municipalities face shortages in physical storage space for paper documents, and nearly half have not yet implemented scanning as a countermeasure. Key barriers include securing staff time and the cost of outsourcing. ▲ For a more detailed overview, please see the Japan Management Association’s PRTIMES release: "[934 Municipalities Respond] Digitalization Progresses, but Nearly 90% Report Challenges with Paper Document Storage – Survey Report on Digitalization of Public Document Management Published" (URL: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000347.000078820.html).

【About NX Wanbishi Archives Co., Ltd.】 Since its establishment in 1966, the company has consistently pursued the 'security and efficient management of corporate information.' Under a robust security framework, it provides comprehensive services covering the entire lifecycle of critical information—from creation and utilization to storage and disposal—including confidential documents, pharmaceutical development materials, historical records requiring permanent preservation, recording media such as tapes, digital data, and biological samples, clinical specimens, investigational drugs, and active pharmaceutical ingredients. Today, the company operates business hubs in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, and Kyushu, serving over 4,600 clients, including government agencies, financial institutions, medical facilities, and pharmaceutical companies. In 2019, it launched 'WAN-Sign,' an electronic contract and contract management service supporting both paper and digital formats. In 2022, it introduced 'WAN-CASE,' a document storage service available within five days of online application. In 2024, it released 'WAN-Scan,' an affordable digitization plan requiring minimal preparation, and 'WAN-RECORD Plus®,' a fully customizable records banking system, offering services that support transformative changes in clients’ workstyles.

For inquiries regarding this release: NX Wanbishi Archives Co., Ltd. Public Relations, Strategic Planning Department: Ikeda, Kandori, Satomura TEL: 03-5425-5400 Email: koho@wanbishi.co.jp