Government as a Service
The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the shortcomings of governments around the world.In Japan’s case, management of the health crisis was hampered by an outdated and cumbersome administrative system. While the country may be famed for its futuristic technology, some aspects of government appeared to still be operating in the last millennium.
As social media was being used to conduct widespread surveys and provide support for people with the disease, many healthcare providers were faxing information about infections to public healthcare centers, where data was aggregated manually. When the government tried to send out nearly $1,000 to each resident, the process was significantly delayed by paper-based administrative procedures. People were told to submit applications online, but an unprepared system forced some local governments to accept mailin requests only.
Looking to distance himself from his predecessor and address this glaring problem, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga made the digitalization
