Case Overview: Minamiboso City
"We want to ease the burden on district heads (neighborhood association leaders), even just a little": A municipal DX initiative born from that wish
Minamiboso City operates an "Administrative District Request System" in which 116 district heads across 7 areas compile requests from local residents and submit them to the city. In fiscal 2025, the city received 455 requests over the year.
The city has taken this system, which had relied mainly on paper, online using kintone and Kanal-WEB.
District heads can now submit requests from a smartphone or computer and check their progress at any time.
The system is currently in trial operation with some district heads, and operation for all district heads is scheduled to begin around October to November 2026.
At the root of this initiative was not the idea of "let's push municipal DX forward," but the strong wish of the Minamiboso City Citizens Division to "ease the burden on district heads, even just a little."
What Is the Administrative District Request System?
The Administrative District Request System is a mechanism in which the head of each administrative district compiles requests from local residents, such as those concerning roads, drainage, and security lights, and submits them to the city. While it is an important system that connects communities with the local government, its operation depended on the hard work of district heads and city staff.
Challenges Before Implementation
"We wanted a system that makes it easier for district heads to do their work"
In recent years, more people have been serving as district heads while also holding down jobs, and it is often difficult for them to bring request forms to city hall during weekday working hours. Through their daily interactions with district heads, Citizens Division staff began to wonder, "Couldn't we create a system that is easier for district heads to use?" The goal was not DX for its own sake, but an environment where district heads could focus on their core community activities. That wish was the starting point for this initiative.
Paper- and Excel-based operations burdened both district heads and staff
Minamiboso City has 116 district heads across 7 areas, and it received 455 requests in fiscal 2025.
Previously, district heads took photos on site, prepared a request form, printed maps, gathered the required documents, and brought them to city hall or a community center. The staff who received them then had to do a great deal of manual work, such as printing and transcribing data into Excel.
In addition, progress was shared with district heads only once a year, at the end of the fiscal year. As a result, there were many inquiries asking, "What is the status now?" District heads found it hard to explain the situation to residents, and city staff had to spend time responding to inquiries.
Paper-based operations had become a heavy burden for district heads and staff alike.
Workflow before implementation
Background to Implementation
Discovering kintone was the first step toward making it happen
Minamiboso City Hall had already been working to improve its operations using Cybozu's Jichitai Marugoto DX Box (an all-in-one DX package for local governments).
However, building the system they envisioned involved ongoing trial and error, and progress was slower than they had hoped.
Wondering, "Isn't there a better way?", the staff attended the "kintone Maruwakari Day" event.
There, they were introduced to Kanal-WEB and received a product demonstration at the booth.
Learning that it could deliver not only request intake but also a dedicated user portal and progress tracking, they became convinced: "This will reduce the burden on district heads." This encounter became the catalyst for a major step toward building the district head portal.
First time using kintone: nine months of trial and error
The Citizens Division staff member in charge of administrative districts had never used kintone before. Consulting with the information systems department along the way, they researched, tested, and refined each element one by one. It took about nine months to complete. Looking back on why they never gave up, the staff member says:
"I had the district heads counting on me, so I couldn't give up." These words reflect a strong sense of responsibility toward the district heads and a deep desire to "ease their burden, even just a little."
The System
What Is the District Head Portal?
The district head portal is a dedicated site where everything from submitting administrative district requests to checking their progress can be done online. From a smartphone or computer, district heads can:
- Submit request forms
- Attach photos
- Check progress
City staff manage all request details centrally in kintone, sharing information with the responsible departments and updating the response status.
System Architecture
Screen Images
(Request submission screen)
(Progress tracking screen)
(Announcements screen)
Expected Benefits
Benefits expected from taking administrative district requests online
Responsible departments (project divisions)
Responsible departments will also be able to check information, including photos and location data, right away. Since they can start work without waiting for paper documents to arrive, this is expected to lead to faster responses.
The most appreciated feature was progress tracking
After the prototype was completed, the administrative district staff member gave presentations at the administrative liaison councils of all 7 areas.
At first, they expected that "being able to submit requests from a smartphone" would be the most appreciated feature. In practice, however, what resonated most with district heads was "being able to see the current status at any time." When residents ask about the status, district heads can check it on the spot.
There is also less need to contact the city. This feature is expected to reduce the burden not only on district heads but also on city staff who handle inquiries.
(Progress tracking screen)
Future Outlook
From request intake to a portal that supports district heads in all their activities
Minamiboso City Hall's goals go beyond request intake.
Going forward, the city envisions bringing together features such as:
- Distribution of meeting materials
- Posting of announcements
- Information sharing for each area
- Various applications
- Attendance confirmation
and developing the portal into one that supports district heads in all their activities, a place where "everything you need is right there as soon as you open it."
(Future concept image)
To Fellow Local Government Staff Taking On DX
The administrative district staff member at Minamiboso City Hall does not claim to be an IT expert.
Even so, driven by the wish to "ease the burden on district heads, even just a little," they have turned the idea into reality step by step.
Finally, the staff member shared this message with other local government staff taking on DX:
"Start with a small task that is causing you trouble."
There is no need to start with a major system overhaul. The desire to ease the burden on the people right in front of you, even just a little, gives rise to new systems and becomes the driving force that moves municipal DX forward.
Key Points of This Case
- Municipality: Minamiboso City
- Use: Intake and progress management of administrative district requests
- Users: 116 district heads
- Annual requests: 455 (fiscal 2025)
- Improvements: Online request intake, progress tracking, and more efficient information sharing
- Future vision: Developing it into a portal that supports district heads in all their activities