Yesterday was the final judging session and awards ceremony for the Platinum Grand Prize. It was even featured on the evening news. The Platinum Grand Prize is an award that honors initiatives by local governments, companies, and other organizations that solve social and regional challenges through innovation—such as the creation of new industries or creative solutions—and embody the vision of a “Platinum Society.” I serve as a judge for this award.We evaluate entries based on six criteria: “Response to Social Needs,” “Creativity and Innovation,” “Effectiveness,” “Feasibility of Collaboration,” “Sustainability,” and “Scalability.”

　The event began with opening remarks by Hiroshi Komiyama, Chairman of the Platinum Initiative Network. “It has been nine years since the Platinum Initiative began. We are now entering the third phase. The first three years were devoted to establishing the philosophy of building a society that enables a sustainable Earth and the self-actualization of every individual.The next phase focused on incorporating best practices. And now, we are actively working on implementing these initiatives in society.The Platinum Grand Prize is now in its seventh year. To date, we have received approximately 350 entries, with about 70 cases nominated for the Grand Prize. If we scale up these initiatives, Japan will become a better place. And we will be able to build a model that can be exported to the world.”
The theme of my future activities is “social.” The Platinum Grand Prize is full of valuable insights, so I would like to introduce some of the winning cases.

　The Platinum Grand Prize is an award that recognizes initiatives by local governments, companies, and other organizations that solve social and regional challenges through innovation—such as the creation of new industries or creative solutions—and embody the vision of a “Platinum Society.” I serve as a member of the judging panel for this award.Entries are evaluated based on six criteria: “Response to Social Needs,” “Creativity and Innovation,” “Effectiveness,” “Feasibility of Collaboration,” “Sustainability,” and “Scalability.” The event began with
opening remarks by Hiroshi Komiyama, Chairman of the Platinum Initiative Network.“It has been nine years since the Platinum Initiative began. We are now entering the third phase. The first three years were dedicated to establishing the philosophy of building a society that enables a sustainable Earth and the self-actualization of every individual. The next phase focused on incorporating best practices. And now, we are actively working on implementing these initiatives in society ourselves.The Platinum Grand Prize is now in its seventh year. To date, we have received approximately 350 entries, with about 70 cases nominated for the Grand Prize. If we can replicate these initiatives across the board, Japan will become a better place. And we will be able to build a model that can be exported to the world.”
The theme of my future activities is “Social.” The Platinum Grand Prize is full of valuable insights, so I would like to introduce some of the winning cases.

　The Grand Prize (Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Award) was awarded to the “Aomori Health Innovation Creation Project: An Integrated Industry-Academia-Government-Community Initiative Aiming to Simultaneously Overcome the Prefecture’s Short Life Expectancy and Revitalize the Local Economy Through Health Big Data,” a collaboration between Hirosaki University, Aomori Prefecture, and Hirosaki City.Aomori Prefecture has consistently ranked last nationwide in average life expectancy for both men and women, making it the prefecture with the shortest life expectancy in Japan. This is a 15-year, ambitious project aimed at solving this social issue.By establishing an open innovation platform involving industry, academia, government, and the private sector, the project has garnered participation from a total of 61 organizations—including companies, national research institutes, and universities—as well as more than 3,000 citizen health leaders. Additionally, all 40 municipalities have issued health declarations, and health education activities are being conducted at approximately 100 elementary and junior high schools.Furthermore, the prefecture established a “Health Management Certification System” that grants a 5-point incentive in prefectural bidding processes; currently, 200 companies have received certification. The cornerstone of this project is the accumulation of health big data comprising 2,000 items × 1,000 people × 15 years.This data is being jointly analyzed by nearly all of Hirosaki University’s medical departments and faculties, along with experts in AI and biostatistics from universities such as the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University, as well as private companies, leading to the development of innovative methods for detecting early signs of disease and preventing illness.This is truly what a “Meta University” is all about. Furthermore, approximately 300 to 400 million yen in private-sector funding is invested annually in this research.It is reported that the realization of this project will generate an economic impact of approximately 24.2 billion yen, create 1,812 jobs, and reduce medical costs by about 52.7 billion yen. Above all, the results are already evident: Hirosaki University reportedly ranked third nationwide in terms of the increase in average life expectancy for men. My, this is truly a “lifespan revolution.”

　The Grand Prize (Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award) went to an agricultural reform project led by Arida City and Recruit. The mandarin orange industry in Arida City has been facing issues such as an increase in abandoned farmland and a labor shortage; reportedly, more than half of the farmers already have no successors, and it is predicted that the cultivated area will shrink to two-thirds of its current size by 2030.In response, the project has focused on “creating opportunities to discover local talent,” “establishing a brand for agricultural products,” “strengthening producers’ sales capabilities,” and “testing measures to improve productivity.” Although the initiative has been underway for only two years, it has already achieved notable results, such as a 360% increase in mikan donations through the “Hometown Tax” program compared to 2016.Based on two years of pilot testing, the city has developed “AGRI-LINK,” a win-win-win farming model that creates a database of the needs of three parties—new farmers, farmland providers, and host farms—to facilitate optimal matching.While the scale of mandarin orange production nationwide has shrunk to one-quarter of its peak, Arida City has maintained approximately 70 percent of that scale.Expectations for AGRI-LINK are high; reportedly, 52% of mandarin orange farmers in Arida City have expressed a willingness to cooperate and are interested in providing farmland and accepting new farmers.
The initiative has garnered attention as a model for supporting problem-solving in the primary sector.

　The Special Award (Kirari Initiative Award) was presented to Netsu Gakuen in collaboration with Sarubetsu Village, Takamori Town, Kotoura Town, Ochi Town, and Kobayashi City. This initiative involved students from Netsu Gakuen designing “scenic postmarks” (postmarks featuring local landscapes) to be displayed at over 10,000 post offices nationwide.As the initiative expanded, various ideas were incorporated, leading to the creation of stamps featuring QR codes. Recipients of mail can simply hold their smartphones over the scenic postmark to access information on local tourism and events, making it a useful tool for disseminating regional information. The initiative itself, spearheaded by Atsu-chu Elementary and Junior High School and spreading
nationwide, is truly fascinating.

The Special Award (Award for Building a Society Where Everyone Participates) went to Shimizu Corporation and IBM Japan for their “Voice Navigation System for Realizing an Inclusive Society.”This initiative aims to guarantee “freedom of movement” for people with disabilities by providing appropriate route planning and travel guidance via voice navigation. Pilot projects are already underway in several public spaces and have reportedly received high praise. It will be interesting to see how this initiative is rolled out more widely.

　The Special Award (New Era Urban Development Award) went to the “Smart City Saitama Model,” a problem-solving model city developed by Saitama City, Chuo Housing, Takasago Construction, and Acura Home.Using the Misono District as its testing ground, the project actively incorporates cutting-edge technologies such as IoT and AI to promote urban development aimed at creating a decarbonized, circular local community that embodies a fulfilling lifestyle and strong sense of community.The project comprehensively covers all aspects of citizens’ daily lives, including ultra-compact mobility, autonomous bus demonstrations, web lockers, local currency, smart homes, food mileage, healthcare, local information dissemination, and shared child-rearing.In implementing these initiatives, the project places a strong emphasis on smart city development through cutting-edge technology and the fostering of human connections within the community. Additionally, a shared platform has reportedly been established to effectively utilize data gathered through the operation of these services to enhance the value of the area.

　The Special Award (Community Development Award for Universal Participation) went to “Universal Agriculture,” a project by Hamamatsu City, Kyomaru-en, and Hinari. By “breaking down” agricultural tasks into smaller steps, they designed the work so that anyone—including people with disabilities and the elderly—could participate, thereby realizing “Universal Agriculture” that engages a diverse range of workers.As a result, this has led to agricultural management reforms—such as improved efficiency and expanded scale—and established a model that benefits all three parties: agriculture, the company, and people with disabilities. The statement that “it is agriculture that must change, not people with disabilities,” and the desire to “create a workplace where people with disabilities and the elderly can work together, rather than relying on welfare to support them,” left a strong impression.Hamamatsu City reportedly ranks first in happiness surveys.

　The Special Award (Leading Award) went to “Kamakura Living Lab,” a collaboration between Itoki, Kamakura City, Town Support Kamakura Imaizumidai, and the Center for Co-creation in an Aging Society. This initiative enhances the city’s appeal and fosters open innovation through collaboration among the community, government, industry, and academia. It has garnered attention as a model for Japan’s version of a living lab.The initiative focuses on developing products that enable residents to solve local issues themselves and drive change. For example, desks designed to facilitate comfortable remote work have already been developed and commercialized. As a result, the number of vacant homes has decreased from 96 to 82, and the number of elementary school students has increased from 423 to 470—indicating that this approach is creating new value through the resolution of social challenges.

　The Special Award (Community Appeal Award) went to Miyakonojo City for its “Regional Revitalization Strategy for the Era of Smart Municipalities.”The city has adopted the “Miyakonojo Digitalization Promotion Declaration,” which aims to build a convenient and prosperous city while improving citizen services through the active use of digital technology. For example, the city centralizes and publicizes its events using an AI-powered automated collection program. This initiative has reportedly led to the discovery of over 100 events per month.Furthermore, by utilizing an electronic maternal and child health handbook—which leverages the My Number Card, which has the highest issuance rate among all municipalities in Japan—the city disseminates information to support outings for families with children. Additionally, for new residents, the city credits their My Number accounts with regional points that can be used as local currency at hot springs, museums, and other venues, thereby creating opportunities for them to experience the region’s attractions.

　The Special Award (Regional Partnership Award) went to Mine City. The city has positioned the “Mine Reintegration Promotion Center”—Japan’s first PFI prison—as a key resource for regional revitalization and is promoting community development based on coexistence.Through vocational training programs focused on learning how to set up and operate online stores, inmates have created a website to sell local products from Mine City. The center is contributing not only to the prevention of recidivism but also to regional revitalization.

　The Special Award (Award for Building a Society Where Everyone Participates) went to the Refine Employment Support Center. This organization supports the reintegration into society of business professionals who have suffered from mental health issues. In Japan, one in four people with a disability experiences mental health issues at least once in their lifetime. Furthermore, despite high relapse rates, the current reality is that people are reintegrating into society without any measures in place to prevent relapse.Refin is a support center specializing in business professionals experiencing the rapidly increasing incidence of mental health issues. It has established group therapy in an environment similar to that of a corporate workplace and supports participants so they can live richer, more authentic lives than they did before their illness.

　The Special Award (Technical Innovation Award) went to SomenQ Technology. The company developed the world’s first “coating reinforcement” technology—a method that uses coatings to reinforce and repair structures weakened by rust on steel or the deterioration of concrete. This technology is said to help prevent levee breaches and the collapse of steel towers.

　The Special Award (Infrastructure for a New Era Award) went to Toyama City’s low-carbon hydrogen project. Toyama City, a post town that celebrated the 400th anniversary of its founding in 2020, has reportedly seen its population grow continuously for 60 years. With the goal of becoming “Japan’s No. 1 city to live in”—a title it aims to maintain as its population continues to grow—the city is working to develop a community based on local energy production and consumption.In collaboration with Hitachi, Ltd., Marubeni Corporation, and the Miyagi Consumers’ Co-operative Union, the city is implementing initiatives to build a supply chain for the utilization of low-carbon hydrogen. By promoting hydrogen projects in partnership with local high school students, the city is also working to nurture the next generation.

　The Special Award (Regional Human Resources Development Award) went to Stripe International’s “SDGs Okayama Model.” Guided by the philosophy of “Leaving no region behind.“We will not leave any region behind. We will foster talent capable of driving innovation from rural areas,” the company said. Guided by this philosophy, it has partnered with Okayama University and Silicon Valley to develop a practical continuing education program. The company is committed to nurturing entrepreneurs who will spread their wings from rural areas to the world. Furthermore, by fostering a process where university research findings and new technologies are commercialized and brought to market through industry-academia collaboration, the company is also playing a role in university reform.

We hope that the success stories from each region will spread throughout the country.