Digital Agency Action Plan for the Advancement of Female Employees and the Promotion of Work-Life Balance

Last Updated:: Jul 31, 2025

Basic Concept

As a control tower for the formation of a digital society, Digital Agency is an organization that brings together a diverse range of employees, including those with experience in government ministries and agencies, local governments, and the private sector, in order to boldly promote future-oriented Digital Transformation (DX) and build the public and private infrastructure for the digital age in one fell swoop. Therefore, it is extremely important to make efforts to promote a well-regulated work-life balance, as each person may have a different background, such as working style.
To date, we have implemented organization survey and started organizational reforms to improve engagements.
One component of the HR infrastructure is the consolidation of job rosters, the introduction of one-on-one meeting, and the visualization of staff skills. A communications policy is being developed to improve the communication process between senior management and staff and between staff.
In order to create a better workplace, in line with the "Action Guidelines for the Advancement of Women and the Promotion of Work-Life Balance in national government officer" (decided by the Council for the Advancement of Female Employees and the Promotion of Work-Life Balance on October 17, 2014 (2014), partially revised on January 29, 2021 (2021)), Digital Agency will continue to work on improving work efficiency and digitalisation, as well as management reform including appropriate management of work hours and optimization of work sharing during teleworking, as the main pillars of work style reform.
This Plan is positioned as a Specified Employers Action Plan based on Article 19 of the Act on the Promotion of Women's Participation and Advancement in the Workplace (Act No. 64 of 2015) and Article 19 of the Act on Measures to Support the Development of the Next Generation (Act No. 120 of 2003). The planning period of this Plan is from October 1, 2022 (2022) to March 31, 2026 (2026).

Work style reform to promote work-life balance

Digital Agency aims to be a "flexible organization that is not bound by conventional frameworks" and promotes an efficient, free, and work-study style.
In addition, each and every employee will act with awareness of "continuously evaluating our actions in pursuing our goals," which is also one of the values of Digital Agency: "We will actively adopt new methods and concepts with the aim of making our country proud of the world by positively questioning our assumptions and customs. We will take the continuously evaluating our actions in pursuing our goals approach, have the courage to decide to" quit "and work productively."

1. Efficient working style (promotion of operational efficiency and digitalisation, etc.)

(1) Working style with freedom (promotion of teleworking, etc.) [Priority items]

In Digital Agency, all employees are able to telework in a flexible manner. On top of that, we will work to implement telework more effectively while actively incorporating measures such as the introduction of chat tools to solve problems such as how to communicate unique to telework.
In addition, the Government will promote flexible and free working styles by introducing a flexible workspace and holding regular all-hands meetings in which all government officials, executives and employees participate.
In addition, efficient and open communication will be realized through asynchronous information sharing and open information sharing, such as the use of chat tools and joint document compilation functions. In addition, business efficiency will be improved by conducting meetings mainly remotely, including with government officials and executives.

(2) Review and streamline operations, including the abolition of operations

As a mechanism to ensure that the activities and initiatives of all employees lead to "target results," we will define "three pillars" as focus areas and promote operations systematically and efficiently. In addition, we will review and improve the efficiency of operations by developing a corporate planning function in collaboration with the government DX. In addition, we will promote the visualization of major items as dashboards so that targets and indicators can be shared within the agency and with related parties.

(3) Streamlining of Diet affairs

(1) Streamlining responses to the Diet through the effective use of telework
In Digital Agency, the following initiatives will be continued.

In charge of the Digital Agency National Assembly, teleworking and early and late attendance were introduced to reduce the burden on staff.
With the exception of cases where physical attendance at the office is essential, teleworking will be allowed for Diet affairs such as the preparation of answers. After the end of regular working hours, while taking into account the situation of the Diet the next day, efforts will be made to minimize the number of personnel who need to be on standby, in addition to limiting the standby for Diet affairs to cases where it is truly necessary.
We will continue to improve the operation based on the opinions of users and streamline the Diet response of the entire agency.

(ii) Improving the efficiency of the Diet reply writing process
In Digital Agency, all processes such as the coordination of the team in charge within the agency and the confirmation of the prepared answer draft are carried out on groupware without using e-mail.

Sharing of progress among parties involved in the answer-writing process, such as the answer-writer (including the team in charge as well as the main person in charge), the person in charge of the Diet, and the person confirming the prepared answer
Simultaneous editing of files related to prepared draft responses
The purpose of the present invention is to enable a person who confirms a prepared answer to participate in the preparation process from the stage of starting the preparation of a draft answer so as to determine the direction of the answer at an early stage, thereby reducing the time required for preparing the answer.

(4) Working styles learned through work

The NPA will develop an environment in which people from the private sector and those from the administration can perform the same mission through work that transcends their own specialized fields and acquire knowledge outside their respective specialized fields through work. The NPA will also develop an environment in which people from the private sector and those from the administration can learn while working, for example, by holding study meetings to share knowledge across the NPA.

2. Systematization of work hour management and thorough work hour management

(1) Systematization of working hours management

With regard to the management of employees' daily work performance, the "Attendance Management Application" created by the Cabinet Secretariat Office of Information and Communications Technology (IT) in FY 2019 has been inherited and is currently used for attendance management in Digital Agency. In the future, the Attendance Management Application will be a simple and general-purpose application utilizing a low-code platform, and its functions will be modified based on the government's guidelines for systematization of attendance management. In addition to promoting the understanding of employees' working hours in an objective manner, managers will promote efforts to properly understand the working hours of their subordinates, as well as the status and reasons for overtime.

(2) Reduction of overtime work and maintenance of intervals between working hours through accurate management of working hours

(1) Reduction of overtime work
Implement the following measures to reduce overtime

Setting no-overtime day days
Thorough reporting of overtime work
Thorough understanding and management of overtime hours by managers and supervisors
Analysis of factors related to overtime work exceeding the upper limit
Messages from senior management
Promoting the use of monthly annual leave to the extent possible
Restrictions on meetings (meetings) held outside working hours and restrictions on time

(ii) Ensuring intervals between shifts
In order to make working hours flexible in light of the nature and circumstances of each employee's work, the Government will introduce a flextime system and an early and late attendance system, and continue to promote flexible working styles.

(3) Appropriate operation of the system regarding the upper limit of overtime work

Based on the national government officer's measures regarding the upper limit of overtime work, we will appropriately operate the systems, steadily organize, analyze, and verify the cases where overtime work exceeding the upper limit is ordered, and make necessary improvements.

(4) Assignment of personnel

With the goal of "linking strategies and resource management," resource management will be carried out in conjunction with the overall strategies of the Digital Agency, which clarify major targets and areas of focus. At the same time, the necessary personnel on the ground will be managed, and the required organization, capacity, and budget will be requested.
In addition, the Government will promote the recruitment of new graduates, including those in the digital category, and professional staff in the hiring of experienced personnel. In addition, the Government will continue to actively recruit part-time staff as a business-ready private administrative personnel (including public-private exchange) and private sector specialists. In the recruitment of private sector personnel, the Government will establish an job type recruitment method, and build an organizational structure and resource management system that can flexibly allocate personnel according to changes in project priorities and fully demonstrate individual performance.

3. Management Reform

In a workplace where there are many employees with different backgrounds, appropriate management by superiors is essential.
Efforts will be made to improve the management skills of managerial personnel, including the enhancement of employee motivation and promotion of employee growth, to strengthen the role of executives in management, and to strengthen the support provided by the personnel authorities. In order to steadily implement these efforts, a system will be established to understand the management of executives and managerial personnel and the situation of employees and workplaces, and to lead to improvements.

(1) Improvement of management of managers, etc., taking into account the improvement of motivation of employees [Priority items]

(I) Management actions to be taken by managers, etc.
Managers shall appropriately understand the status of work including working hours of their subordinates, and shall engage in organizational management with cost awareness, such as appropriate and flexible allocation of work and prioritization of work.
In addition, the NPA conducts regular one-on-one meeting, actively communicates with subordinate officials, and provides appropriate follow-ups so that subordinate officials can enhance their performance in public service by being motivated to work and grow in their daily work.
It is important for not only managerial staff but also Deputy Director and Chief staff to work on the management of their subordinates. For this reason, in their daily work, they will work on the practice of management required for their respective positions, such as guidance and development of their subordinates.

(ii) Improvement of management skills of managers, etc.
All managers assigned to Digital Agency will receive training to improve their management skills. Follow-up and feedback will be provided through multi-faceted observation of the implementation of management by each executive and manager to encourage management improvement.
In addition, the Company will work to ensure that senior managers understand and appropriately evaluate the status of management by their subordinate managers, and actively provide advice and guidance by utilizing the results of personnel evaluation interviews and multi-faceted observations.

(2) Role of the Personnel Authority for Human Resource Development

(1) Human resource development and career development through personnel changes

By introducing HR SaaS, the company will promote the placement of the right person in the right place by visualizing personnel information and organizational structure.
Conduct regular one-on-one meeting with superiors to encourage personal growth through dialogue on appropriate feedback and assignments.

② Providing opportunities for self-growth

In order to enable employees to acquire skills as high-level IT personnel, the GOJ will establish a system for taking courses for passing national examinations, such as the Basic Information Engineer Examination (FE) and the Applied Information Engineer Examination (AP), and will support employees' independent career development while showing them their career paths.

(3) Fostering an organizational culture

In order to build an organizational culture in which all employees work together to achieve their goals, we have established and shared a common goal called a mission vision, and have clarified the code of conduct for employees as a value.
In addition, in order to create a good organization, it is essential to accurately reflect the voices of all employees. Therefore, we aim to become an organization that serves as a model for creating an organization in the digital society by regularly conducting organization survey (employee satisfaction surveys) and repeating the cycle of data-driven concrete improvement actions.
In addition, regular all-hands meetings will be held as a forum for interactive communication with top management for the across the position and all staff.
Then, we will formulate a communication policy to eliminate the gap between individual employees, such as how they work and how they communicate, and aim to create a workplace where teams work together organically and maintain constant communication to improve performance.

4. Support for Balancing Work and Life

(1) Promotion of male employees' participation in childcare

Based on the "Policies on the Promotion of the Use of Leave for Childcare Leave by Male Employees in national government officer" (decided by the Council for the Promotion of Female Employees' Advancement and Work-Life Balance on December 27, 2019 (2019)), the Government aims to ensure that all eligible male employees take leave for childcare leave of at least one month.
In addition, the Government will promote the utilization of the work-life balance support system for male employees and managers, and aim to achieve the following goals for male employees' childcare leave, based on the goals set out in the "Children's Future Strategy" formulated on December 22, 2023 (2023).

85% of employees took at least one week of leave by 2025 (2025)
85% of employees took at least two weeks of leave by 2030 (2030)
With respect to male Employees' maternity leave for spouse (2 days) and special leave to participate in childcare (5 days), all eligible Employees have taken a total of at least 5 days of both types of leave.

(2) Creating an environment in which employees can be active while balancing work and personal life

(1) Flexible working hours
In order to achieve a work-life balance and ensure the physical and mental health of employees, we will promote flexible working styles that utilize flexible working hours and early and late attendance.

(ii) Securing substitute personnel
In the case where an Employee takes Childcare Leave, etc., the Company shall ensure the continuity of work while reviewing work, assigning substitute Employees, or transferring personnel, taking into consideration individual circumstances.

(iii) Encouraging employees to take leave
The government will work to create an environment in which summer holidays can be taken and encourage people to take a large number of holidays at turning points such as the year-end and New Year holidays.
In addition, Employees shall endeavor to take at least one day of annual leave per month (one day off per month) to the extent possible, and Managerial Employees shall give consideration so that Employees may, in principle, take one day off per month. In addition, at the request of the Employee, flexible measures shall be implemented, such as allowing the Employee to carry over the leave to the following month or later, or allow the Employee to take leave in installments, depending on the circumstances of the Employee's work and family.

(3) Use of the Work-Life Balance Support System and Support during and after Childcare Leave

Create a work environment that facilitates the use of work-life balance support systems, such as childcare leave and nursing care leave.

Reform to promote the active participation of female employees

Digital Agency is an organization established in September 2021, and its current staff consists of full-time and part-time staff seconded from the Cabinet Office and each Ministry, etc. Therefore, it is difficult to set targets for the promotion of female staff in Digital Agency and work on them systematically due to the special circumstances that the promotion to each post largely depends on the promotion status of the Ministry to which they are seconded. However, the Government will promote efforts to expand the recruitment and promotion of women in consultation and cooperation with the Cabinet Office and each Ministry to which they are seconded.
Since FY 2021, the Government has been promoting the recruitment of new graduates and hiring of experienced personnel. With regard to the recruitment targets for female employees, in light of the government-wide targets set in the Basic Plan, the Government will set the ratio of women employed in the national government officer Recruitment Examination for Comprehensive Service and the Regular Service Examination at 35% or more, and the ratio of women employed in the national government officer Recruitment Examination (Technical Service Category) at 30% or more each fiscal year.
With regard to the targets for the promotion of female employees, based on the government-wide targets set in the Basic Plan, the Government will strive to expand the promotion of female employees in consultation and cooperation with the Cabinet Office and each Ministry to which they are seconded, while setting the ratio of female employees in Director and Director for Policy Planning at 10%, the ratio of female employees in Deputy Director at 17%, and the ratio of female employees in Chief at 30% as of the end of fiscal 2025.

1. Expansion of employment of women

(1) Promotion of effective public relations activities

The Government will continue to hold explanatory meetings for students, etc., in cooperation with Cabinet Bureau of Personnel Affairs, National Personnel Authority and other relevant organizations, in order to recruit a wide range of excellent women who have the abilities expected of public service.

(2) Mid-career recruitment of female employees

Actively utilize hiring of experienced personnel tests, etc., and strive to recruit motivated and capable personnel.

2. Systematic development of female staff to achieve promotion targets

(1) Systematic development of female employees through expansion of their job categories, flexibility in personnel management, etc.

With regard to the recruitment targets for female employees, the Government will actively recruit them based on the government-wide targets set in the Basic Plan. In addition, the Government will promote the systematic development of Digital Agency professional employees by providing them with opportunities to learn in a timely and appropriate manner and providing them with opportunities to be seconded to other organizations.
In addition, even in the case of leaving the workplace for a long period of time due to childcare, support will be provided to facilitate catch-up when returning to work, while listening to the voices of staff members.

(2) Support for career development of female employees

Efforts will be made to enhance the motivation of young female staff through the introduction of examples of career paths taken by female staff who serve as role models.
In addition, even if the timing of promotion is missed due to childcare, the Government will actively provide necessary support, such as providing various job opportunities and training, to female employees with excellent potential to enhance their motivation, skills, etc., and accelerate the speed of promotion.

(3) Creation of a system in which female employees can consult on their concerns and worries

In order to secure appropriate consultation opportunities for female employees who are concerned about balancing work and family life and their future careers, the Government will improve the one-on-one meeting and establish a consultation desk staffed by female employees to provide them with easy access to consultation services.

*The numerical targets in this plan are based on the number of full-time employees.