Fixing Japan’s digital stagnation means redefining who is invited to solve problems. We need open-access systems, portable data, and digital tools built for speed and clarity. But most of all, we need to stop trusting the same actors to fix what they built to protect themselves.
There are reasons for hope. locked-up value has begun consolidating databases. Floppy disks few cities are working with tech partners who actually understand user experience. And younger bureaucrats are increasingly vocal about their frustrations. But these remain exceptions, not the norm.