[NEWS] Yamanashi Prefecture launches "Digital Citizen" System Study Group, using NFTs to create a connected population

On the 12th, Yamanashi Prefecture announced that it would be the first in the country to launch the Digital Prefectural Citizen System Study Group as part of its measures to combat population decline.

Yamanashi Prefecture's population decline is accelerating. Last year, the social increase/decrease was the second consecutive year of in-migration, but the natural increase/decrease saw the total fertility rate, which had shown signs of increasing, decline again, and the number of births fell below 5,000. Furthermore, as of February 1, the resident population fell below 800,000 for the first time in 43 years.

Now that we have overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, we are on the verge of whether we can reverse the downward population trend into an upward one. In June, we announced the nation's first "Declaration to Break Through the Population Decline Crisis." In July, we announced the "Yamanashi Joint Declaration to Break Through the Population Decline Crisis" together with municipalities, companies, and organizations, and began drastic and intensive efforts. The launch of the Digital Prefectural Citizen System Study Group is part of that effort.

As the population decline accelerates and there is a shortage of regional leaders, the importance of creating a connected population that can have diverse relationships with the region, including dual residence, is increasing. Yamanashi Prefecture is the first in the country to launch a study group aimed at building a model city/town/village project to create a new region through the interaction of "real citizens" and "digital citizens" using NFTs.

The Digital Prefectural Citizen System Study Group is composed of about 90 members from organizations within the prefecture, including prefectural and municipal officials. A total of six sessions are scheduled, including a site visit to the former Yamakoshi Village in Niigata Prefecture, a pioneering area, and an NFT demonstration experiment among study group members. The first study group was held on October 2nd, where participants learned about basic courses on NFTs and DAOs and examples of their use, with the theme of a basic course on the latest digital technology.

Under the Digital Prefectural Citizen System, local governments and organizations working to revitalize the region will issue "digital prefectural citizen cards (resident cards)" using NFTs. Purchasers can enjoy services provided by local governments, such as discounts at local facilities, and can acquire the right to participate in a community exclusive to "digital prefectural citizen card" holders.

NFTs can be used to create a system whereby money goes to local governments when "digital prefectural ID cards" are bought and sold (including secondary circulation), and they can also be circulated on international marketplaces. This will also lead to opportunities for the appeal of the region to be known worldwide.

Through this study group, Yamanashi Prefecture plans to build a system that converts the appeal of the region into money, and to learn and work with local governments and private businesses to create a system that reflects the voices of digital prefectural ID card holders in the region.

Reference:Announcement
Image: Quoted from the announcement