Press Releases

Right:KIMURA Yasushi, Director, Government Industry Lead of Microsoft Japan
Left:ARAI Kazuhisa, CDO of JICA

On August 31, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) concluded a comprehensive partnership agreement with Microsoft Japan Co., Ltd (Microsoft Japan). The signing took place between ARAI Kazuhisa, Chief Digital Officer (CDO) of JICA, and SATO Ryota, Executive Managing Director, Public Sector Lead of Microsoft Japan. The purpose of this agreement is for JICA and Microsoft Japan to mutually collaborate and cooperate to promote digital transformation (DX) initiatives and contribute to the creation of a resilient and sustainable society in which everyone can achieve diverse well-being.

JICA promotes DX across its business, organizational, and human resource aspects under its "DX Vision," which aims to create a society that ensures safety, diverse opportunities, and well-being for everyone by utilizing digital technology and data. JICA will continue to make a greater development impact by using digital technology to address the increasingly diverse, complex, and pervasive challenges facing developing countries.

Microsoft Japan, using their extensive DX expertise with Microsoft cloud services, cooperates with many partners to support customers’ DX, which in turn helps solve issues within the society and markets of Japan.

Through collaboration and cooperation based on this agreement, the two parties aim to realize prompt and more effective projects that better meet the needs of developing countries. They will do so by using JICA's project data as a starting point, utilizing the latest technologies such as artificial intelligence. Specifically, the following initiatives will be pursued.

【Data-driven Management in Organizations and Businesses】
-Visualizing trends and development issues in developing countries and regions, the implementation status and outcomes of JICA projects, and accumulated knowledge and networks from previous projects.
-Increasing synergy through collaboration and co-creation by sharing information with partners and stakeholders involved in JICA projects.
-Speeding up business launches by streamlining business processes.

【Modernization of Workplaces】
-Creating a work environment that allows flexible and efficient work styles that are not restricted by location or time, etc.

【Development of Digital Skills of Staff】
-Promoting the utilization of digital technology by improving the digital skills and literacy of staff to address business needs and operational issues