### d. Pushing IT adoption in internal government processes (electronic approvals)

Currently, there are some ministries and agencies that have been slow to adopt electronic approvals. Because of this situation, the Ministry CIO Liaison Committee approved the Action Plan to Promote Electronic Approvals on April 25, 2014. The Action Plan revises provisions pertaining to approvals, approval processes, and approval rules as well as stipulates focused measures for tardy departments and bureaus.

### e. Other initiatives

There are many other initiatives underway to promote e-government. MIC, for its part, organized policies to realize the mission to “become the world’s most advanced ICT nation” in a document entitled Government ICT Adoption: Becoming the World’s Most Advanced ICT Nation at the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy on May 27, 2014.

## (3) Promoting e-local government

### a. Accelerating initiatives to deploy cloud-based local government services

The Basic Policies for Economic and Fiscal Management and Reform: Ending Deflation and Revitalizing the Economy, decided by the Cabinet on June 14, 2013, called for the acceleration of initiatives pertaining to cloud-based local government services. The Declaration to be the World's Most Advanced IT Nation, decided on the same day by the Cabinet, also pushed for accelerated local government initiatives concerning cloud-based local government services as part of "upgrading government information systems on the national and local levels." Furthermore, the Basic Guidelines for Reconstruction in Response to the Great East Japan Earthquake (approved by the Reconstruction Headquarters in July 2011), which incorporates "promoting the introduction of cloud services in a wide range of areas including local governments," made it a priority to construct e-local governments that are resilient against accidents and disasters.

### b. Establishment of Ten Guidelines to Accelerate E-Local Government Initiatives

MIC announced the Ten Guidelines to Accelerate E-Local Government Initiatives, which was based on the Declaration to be the World's Most Advanced IT Nation, in March 2014. The Guidelines called for: (1) taking the opportunity presented by the number system's introduction to make information systems more efficient, starting with deploying cloud-based local government services; (2) working to improve the convenience for residents through the use and application of open data and other new ICT; and (3) establishing systems to promote e-local government, such as ensuring the security of systems and constructing PDCA cycles. The Guidelines placed deploying cloud-based local government services in tandem with the number system's introduction as a top priority, particularly emphasizing initiatives related to (1) above.

### c. Promoting the widespread provision of regional information platforms

In partnership with the Association for Promotion of Public Local Information and Communication (APPLIC), MIC is taking the opportunity afforded by the introduction of the My Number system and the migration to cloud-based local government services to assist the provision of information and other tools so as to advance regional information platforms—infrastructure that connects and coordinates various information from different sources—by local governments across the country. As of January 2014, approximately 1,600 local governments were working on deploying systems that make use of regional information platforms. APPLIC is currently drawing up a Standard Specification for Regional Information Platforms targeting 26 internal operational systems that local governments use. APPLIC plans to add rules needed for standards between the systems of multiple local governments in order to support the My Number system.

## (4) Local government awareness and initiatives

The awareness of local governments concerning the My Number system and the state of their initiatives was examined through the results from a survey given to local governments. The service most wanted by local governments once the My Number system is introduced is “general information services” (74.6 percent), which was followed, in order, by “implement general services that span multiple organizations and institutions to reduce workloads for users and administration” (73.3 percent) and “centralized information and procedures for various systems” (72.2 percent) (Figure 4-2-1-1).

As for issues with the future expansion of My Number applications, “no clear images of specific uses or applications” (53.5 percent) overtook “tough public financial conditions” (48.7 percent) as the No. 1 answer in this year’s survey. This was followed, in order, by “don’t know how to move forward with applications (systems, etc.)” (44.6 percent), “difficult to construct systems that can be used by all departments or throughout the region” (35.9 percent), and “tough staffing conditions” (35.9 percent) (Figure 4-2-1-2).

### 2. ICT use and application in town development

## (1) Initiatives to promote ICT town development

a. Survey of local governments on inclinations to use and apply ICT in all aspects of town development

We conducted a survey of local governments (prefectural and municipal governments) to get a picture of the state of regional ICT use and application.

When asked a multiple-answer question about particular current issues or perceptions from the standpoint of town development, the local governments' responses followed the same pattern as the previous year's survey: