Our initiatives in Amakusa City, Kumamoto Prefecture have been featured in Jichitai Works. 

“From Corporate Attraction to Settlement: A Collaboration Between Local Governments and Private Sector.”

Since July 2021, efforts to address population decline in Amakusa City, Kumamoto Prefecture have intensified. Centered around the coworking space “AmaSta★Farol,” we tackle the issue of “lack of jobs,” which accounts for about 60% of population decline in rural areas, through two main pillars: corporate attraction and outsourcing businesses. 

▼ Corporate Attraction Business

Although Amakusa is a remote island located at the westernmost point of Kumamoto Prefecture, recently many cutting-edge technology companies, including CG and game development firms from urban areas such as Tokyo, have been steadily relocating here, creating an environment where you can do the work you want without difference from the city. 

There are various reasons for these relocations. By discovering the needs of urban companies and carefully linking them with the hopes and challenges of local people, we promote corporate attraction activities where companies, towns, and governments all benefit and smile together. 

By widely raising awareness among citizens that many companies have chosen our town, we aim to foster “civic pride” and connect this with “creation of new industries and employment” through cooperation with local companies. We also hope to create a model for the Digital Garden City Nation Initiative by reducing the “information and skill gap” with urban areas. 

▼ Outsourcing Business (Farol Online)

In rural areas where desk work was originally scarce, we hold seminars and skill-up courses to spread telework. To provide opportunities for those who have learned, and also to support those with time and location restrictions such as childcare or nursing care, we accept outsourcing work from urban companies and public organizations and develop this business. 

As of May 2023, over 200 Pharol members are active as online assistants, handling SNS management, PowerPoint creation, writing, design, web production, call center tasks, and more. 

*Farol Online: https://go-mirai.jp/outsourcing/ 

There are many other regions nationwide facing the issue of population decline similar to Amakusa. While deepening our efforts in Amakusa, we also aim to foster human resources who can connect urban and local areas to expand similar initiatives in other regions.