A growing number of local governments in Japan have adopted digital technology for over-the-counter services to allow residents to carry out procedures, such as submitting notifications on change of address and receiving certificates, without having to fill out application forms.
The introduction of "no writing, no waiting, no being sent around" counters has brought change to the time-consuming, cumbersome administrative procedures, helping improve services for residents, such as reducing waiting times and burden on visitors.
Such a "no writing" counter service was first introduced by the city government of Kitami, Hokkaido, to solve problems faced by residents, such as not understanding how to fill out forms and having to go through the bureaucratic maze of multiple counters.