The Okayama Municipal Government launched an "e-government" trial service Thursday that allows residents to apply for and receive official forms via the Internet.
It is the first time a local government has issued official certificates online. The city's move is in line with the national government's "e-project," in which Japan aims to lead the world in information technology by 2005.
The new service is provided through a high-speed fiber-optic network the city government built along its sewer system.
About 220 residents have applied for the trial project that runs until the end of March, city officials said. Residents will access the Internet using the IPv6 next-generation Web format, they said.
The public forms available under the service include certificates for tax payments and income, among others. Certificates of residence or copies of family registers, however, cannot be obtained online, they said.