Iwate Prefecture advanced its consideration of electronic contract adoption and identified issues with the operating framework through a working group. It ultimately decided to adopt GMO Sign, and demonstration testing and the start of operations toward deployment across the prefectural government are underway.
Against the backdrop of expanding use of electronic signatures by local governments, Iwate Prefecture established working groups across multiple departments to consider digitizing contract operations. Issues concerning retroactivity and the organization of signing authority were identified as legal and operational challenges, and measures were required to remove psychological barriers among staff.
GMO GlobalSign Holdings supported demonstrations tailored to on-site operations by sharing legal counsel’s views, proposing signing workflows and providing a testing environment. Following verification in stages 1 through 3, the design of an operating framework to align practical operations with legal requirements progressed.
The demonstrations confirmed benefits including reduced workload, features to prevent missing entries and avoidance of risks during disasters. In FY2026, a public proposal process was conducted, and the adoption of GMO Sign was decided, with operations scheduled to begin in August.
Going forward, the scope will be expanded, beginning with goods procurement by the prefectural headquarters and the Morioka Regional Promotion Bureau. The policy is to continue providing on-site support while aiming to complete operations digitally across the prefectural government, including integration with the approval system.