Government as a platform
As we look at the global perspective, until the 1990s, Public Service and Public utility were mainly handled by the government. However, since the 2000s, there has been an increase in involvement from Private Companies and Nonprofit Organizations, including initiatives like PFI.
In Japan, Local Governments in particular have seen significant development in Outsourcing to the private sector and the Third Sector. This is due to the imbalance between the number of Civil Servants and the amount of work they have to handle. Even Public Works, such as Electricity and Gas, have been provided by private businesses.
Since the 1990s, there has been a rise in the provision of services through the private sector. This includes the emergence of specialized private sectors like Nonprofit Organizations and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). Additionally, there has been Outsourcing to the private sector in areas that were previously not open to the private sector, as seen in the Division of Public and Private Sectors. This approach views the government as representing Publicness, while the private sector represents Private interests.
Kengo Soga raises the question of the significance of the existence of administration if it withdraws from the selection of solutions to public problems and from the standpoint of policy implementation. The problem lies in determining what constitutes a public problem and seeking cooperation from the private sector to solve it. This highlights the concept of Government as a platform.
Efforts as a Government as a Platform can be seen in various initiatives. For example, the city of San Francisco uses an online platform to solicit input from citizens regarding necessary repairs for public facilities and roads. They also engage in collaborative activities with citizens through contests like Ideathon and Hackathon.
Urban Innovation Japan is another example that openly presents challenges and lowers barriers for individuals and organizations to tackle them. Kengo Soga questions the necessity of public involvement in such initiatives, asking "What would happen if the government doesn't take part in these efforts?"
In the tech field, Japan also has initiatives like Code for Japan, which organizes hackathons such as Social Hack Day and CCCu22 for young people. On a national level, there is the Regional Economy Analysis System (RESAS), which visualizes Government and Private Big Data related to the economy, population, industry, tourism, and healthcare through an open API.
For further reading, you can refer to Amazon.co.jp: The Reality and Issues of Local Governments in Japan (Chūkō Shinsho) by Kengo Soga.