2 Tokyo Ward Offices Trial ‘Avatar Robot’ System, with Remote Operators Providing Multilingual Support

By Michiko Otsuka / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

13:48 JST, December 4, 2025

Tokyo’s Arakawa and Ota ward offices have begun a joint pilot test where a single operator is able to remotely assist visitors via so-called avatar robots.

This is one example of how local governments in Tokyo are focusing on digital transformation to improve the efficiency of administrative services, as securing staff has become an issue.

A woman stood in front of an avatar robot and asked, in English, about procedures for moving to the ward and applying for nursery school, at the Arakawa Ward office on the evening of Nov. 17. The ward office had already closed for the day, but the operator visible on the monitor responded in English.

The pilot test uses a system called newme developed by avatarin Inc., a Chuo Ward-based startup spun off from ANA Holdings Inc.

Two avatar screens will be installed at each of the two ward offices. The operators will be able to ask visitors what they need and direct them to the appropriate desks for conducting various procedures.

The startup says that, in another pilot test conducted at the Ota Ward office from September to December last year, its system handled a total of 2,601 queries, with a success rate of 93%.

The avatar robot system provides support not only in Japanese, but also in English and Chinese. Arakawa Ward has the third highest proportion of foreign residents among Tokyo’s 23 wards, after Shinjuku and Toshima. In March and April, the busiest months for ward staff, large numbers of foreigners visit the office to conduct procedures, and staff are struggling to cope.

“It’s very useful that the system can handle visitors before they speak to the ward staff, including through providing support in foreign languages,” said an Arakawa Ward official in charge of resident registration.

“Sometimes foreigners just sit there because they are unsure of what procedures they should follow. Thanks to the newme system, we see fewer people waiting,” said an Ota Ward official. “We can then more easily help such people, as they have already received a preliminary explanation, which reduces our burden.”

Digitalization to reduce burden

As competition with the private sector for talent is intensifying, local governments see securing personnel and improving operational efficiency to be major challenges.

According to a committee secretariat that administers the recruitment examinations for Tokyo’s 23 ward offices, the number of applicants for the spring exams was 6.6 times the number of available positions in fiscal 2016, but that ratio dropped to 2.4 in the current fiscal year.

“More and more employees are looking to switch careers, and fewer young people are choosing to become civil servants and thinking of working there until retirement,” said a secretariat official.

These circumstances are prompting local governments to undertake digital transformation in order to reduce the burden on their employees and improve efficiency.

Adachi Ward in fiscal 2021 introduced a system that allows applications for enrollment at childcare facilities to be submitted online. Not only does this allow users to apply outside office opening hours, but it also significantly reduces the amount of data processing work for staff.

Nerima Ward has been operating a system that utilizes artificial intelligence since fiscal 2024 to support measures related to those who have not paid their resident tax or other taxes. The AI has been trained on relevant data so it can ascertain the assets and living conditions of nonpayers, allowing even inexperienced employees to perform the same level of work as veteran employees.

“Digital transformation technology will become increasingly important,” said Junichi Sakata, a professor at J. F. Oberlin University and an information and communications specialist. “With limited human resources, it is important to separate tasks that can be left to AI, such as tedious administrative tasks, from tasks that require human focus.”