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Message from the Commissioner

Beyond Digital

Commissioner Yutaka Saitou

Thomas Edison is remembered as one of our history’s greatest inventors. Yet his legacy does not simply lie in the invention of the light bulb or generator. Rather, it was his vision to help architect a society powered by electricity, supported by an interconnected infrastructure of generation, transmission, and distribution that delivers reliable power to businesses and households alike.

Innovation is not merely about invention or technology; it is about translating them into real-world impact. Even the most groundbreaking technology creates no lasting value without the platforms, talent, processes, and culture needed to sustain its adoption and effective use.

Embracing the same belief, the Innovation Platform Agency, Japan (IPA) fulfills its responsibilities through three roles:

Innovation

Driving transformation across society and industries.

Platform

Providing a shared foundation that enables diverse stakeholders to create value together.

Agency

Supporting the practical implementation of innovation with a strong public mission and the capability to deliver meaningful outcomes.

Since its establishment, IPA has advanced the adoption of information technology through various initiatives to ensure information and cyber security, nurture digital talent, and drive software engineering excellence. As digital technologies have become fundamental to the functioning of society and the economy, however, our role has evolved from promoting digital adoption to supporting the design and implementation of the digital society itself.

Building on its existing efforts, IPA today is committed to:

  • Architecting the social and digital foundations needed to realize Society 5.0.

  • Developing and fostering digital talent capable of driving Digital Transformation.

  • Ensuring cybersecurity in increasingly interconnected cyber-physical environments as cyber threats continue to grow in scale and sophistication.

Digital is a means, not an end. Our focus must be on creating the conditions in which innovation can continuously generate value for society. Just as power grids transformed electricity into a force for societal progress, we seek to build the foundations that enable innovation to address the challenges of our time.

Harnessing the collective wisdom and strengths of industry, academia, government, and local communities, we will shape a prosperous and sustainable digital future through the development of talent, trust, shared platforms, security, and strategic capabilities. We invite you to join us in this endeavor as we turn this vision into reality and build a trusted, innovative, and sustainable digital society for generations to come.