Japan’s Local Governments Use NFTs for Regional Revival & Tourism

Native Japanese governments are more and more working with corporations to make use of non-bungible tokens (NFTs) for regional revitalization and to draw worldwide guests. This development, which can shortly speed up in 2025, marks an necessary turning level within the integration of web3 expertise within the financial core technique of the nation.

Immediately there have been necessary developments: Toda Company, JTB and Fujitsu launched a take a look at program in Echizen Metropolis, within the Fukui prefecture, the place NFTs have been used to enhance the digital transformation (DX) in tourism and to stimulate the incoming site visitors. As well as, SFG Advertising and marketing, established in Shizuoka, introduced its entry into the NFT enterprise after profitable early exams.

This enhance is supported by the deployment of the federal government for “Regional Revitalization 2.0” and coincides with a vital shift in incoming tourism, the place overseas guests discover increasingly locations which might be exterior the massive city areas.

The rise of ‘Authorities NFTs’: from digital residence to vacationer passes

NFTs issued by native governments-often known as ‘government-NFTs’-have advanced additional than easy digital accumulating objects. They now function highly effective devices for reaching a trifecta of targets: securing native financing, selling ‘relationship populations’ and metropolis promotion.

Since August 2025, greater than 17 native authorities have printed NFTs all through Japan. These initiatives are very various. Fukaya Metropolis supplied the “Fukkachan NFT” as a Furusato Nozei return reward. Kumakogen City collaborated with a manga artist for a ‘Digital Resident NFT’. These NFTs operate as loyalty or digital multi-pass techniques. Particularly, they provide holders tangible advantages, equivalent to native reductions or precedence entry to occasions. This creates a transparent expertise worth.

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Kumakogen City, with a price range capability index of 0.21, is confronted with alerts from an approaching monetary collapse. Photograph: Photograph AC

It was essential that the enlargement acquired a substantial enhance after the Ministry of the Inside and Communication had designated this monetary yr native NFT initiatives as eligible for the “native financial system and dwelling setting creation subsidy”.

NFTs as a catalyst for incoming tourism to regional Japan

The introduction of NFTs is strategically tailor-made to the nationwide vacationer targets of Japan. In recent times, incoming vacationers have proven a transparent desire for locations exterior the massive cities, in order that their focus has been prolonged to regional Japan. In response to information from the Japan Tourism Company, the consumption by overseas guests reached a report excessive in 2024 of 53 billion {dollars} (8 trillion JPY).

NFTs function a robust instrument to hurry up this development of vacationer unfold:

1. Digital stimulans: Worldwide NFT fanatics have an interest. The acquisition of distinctive digital certificates or unique native advantages creates a robust journey stimulus. These advantages are solely accessible by visiting particular Japanese areas.
2. Promote native circulation: The Echizen Metropolis pilot exhibits one path. By linking NFTs to native transport, Tourism DX turns into attainable. This encourages vacationers to discover areas deeper. Jal and JTB additionally carry out exams. They mix “Oshikatsu” (fan actions) with NFTs to generate new customer flows in Kansai.
3. International showcase: Throughout the “Cool Japan Showcase” of the Cupboard Workplace on the Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025 in April, 26 areas have been current that introduced regional tourism through NFTs and compelling applied sciences. This emphasizes a transparent effort guided by the federal government to venture regional property on the worldwide web3 stage.

NFTs rework the expertise for overseas guests, whereby the main focus shifts from easy ‘editions’ within the large cities to ‘experiential consumption’ and coming into into ‘relationships’ with the agricultural areas of Japan.

The inheritance of Ishiba’s coverage: Web3 as cornerstone of revitalization

The accelerated proliferation of the federal government’s NFTs in 2025 is usually seen because the spotlight of the double urge of the ISHIBA authorities to a nationwide web3 technique and regional revitalization.

Throughout his speech on WebX 2025 on 25 August, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba confirmed the federal government’s place on selling web3 as a nationwide technique. Furthermore, he emphasised the potential of Web3 for regional revitalization. For instance, he talked about profitable web3-driven initiatives in Ama City on the Oki Islands for instance.

As a former Minister of Regional Revitalization, Ishiba was in favor of ‘Regional Revitalization 2.0’, wherein he positioned digital transformation (DX) as indispensable for regional renewal.

On Webx, the Prime Minister said that “the 2020s shall be registered as an enormous turning level in historical past”, in comparison with the economic revolution, and he promised the federal government to actively use new expertise with the spirit of “Let the individual appearing are the primary to do it”.

The Eishiba authorities is coming to an finish. Nonetheless, the NFT implementations of native authorities are quickly increasing. This occurred solely two months after his keynote. It exhibits that his ultimate coverage deployment is getting on the bottom. The objective is to anchor web3 within the areas. This NFT collaboration extends its position. It isn’t only a development. It’s a new digital infrastructure that is able to essentially change the Japanese financial construction.

The Japanese native authorities message use NFTs for regional revival and tourism first appeared on Beincrypto.