The internal affairs ministry is ramping up its public outreach efforts to promote the administrative consultation system designed to help citizens resolve issues related to central and local government operations and procedures.

Usage of the system, which will mark its 70th anniversary next year, has been in decline.

"The system is intended to be a helpful resource for those in need. First and foremost, we want people to know about it and take advantage of the service," a ministry official said.

Requests for free administrative consultation services are accepted at 50 centers nationwide. At counters regularly set up in community halls and shopping centers, administrative consultants the internal affairs minister appoints offer support on various issues.

Currently, around 5,000 consultants nationwide, mainly former local government officials and lawyers, serve in the role without pay. Many consultations involve real estate registration and tax procedures, along with requests for advice on more everyday issues.

For example, consultants conducted an on-site investigation after receiving a report about the risk of serious accidents on an unlit road. After confirming the hazard, they requested corrective action from the local national road office, which led to lighting being installed near a pedestrian crossing.

In another case, consultants were alerted that kindergarten children were running onto a road to avoid a fence blocking the sidewalk on their route. They urged the local police and government to take action, resulting in the fence's removal.

Still, the number of consultation requests has declined. In fiscal 1992, the system logged a peak of 233,334 consultations, but by fiscal 2023, the annual total had decreased to 135,545. A 2021 government survey revealed that only 13.8% of 1,655 respondents were aware of administrative consultants, and just 17.2% knew that citizens could seek advice at administrative consultation centers.

From the current fiscal year, the internal affairs ministry has designated September and October "administrative consultation months" to boost public awareness of the system. During the period, the ministry launched intensive public relations efforts, including displaying posters on public transportation and setting up one-day joint administrative consultation centers across the country to address a range of issues in a single location.

In October, a man in his 60s from the city of Saitama visited a joint consultation center set up on the premises of JR Shinjuku Station in the capital. He said he had not known about the administrative consultation system. "This is useful, and it's a shame (it's not more widely known). They should make it more familiar to the general public," he said.

To raise awareness of the system among children, the internal affairs ministry set up a consultation booth and held a panel exhibition during its summer tour days for children. Additionally, administrative consultants visit elementary and junior high schools at various locations to offer classes.

The ministry has also launched "Govbot," a national and local government consultation chatbot that can be easily accessed online. The chatbot includes around 1,300 frequently asked questions and answers across nine fields, such as taxes and the My Number personal ID system, which often generate inquiries to local governments.

Using artificial intelligence, the chatbot analyzes inquiries and provides the most relevant answers. The ministry plans to explore the use of generative AI to enhance the chatbot's accuracy.