【Event Report】"Commons Connect Hyogo" Held in Kobe with Hyogo Prefecture and Pasona Group

The public-private partnership network "Commons Connect," organized by COMMON Inc. (Representative Director: Yuki Masuda, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto), held "Commons Connect Hyogo" at the Kobe Kokusai Hall on April 28, 2026.

On the day, Eiji Maeda, Chief of the Public-Private Partnership Section, Regional Revitalization Division, Hyogo Prefectural Government, and Masato Ito, Managing Executive Officer of Pasona Group Inc., took the stage to introduce public-private partnership initiatives in Hyogo Prefecture and case studies on regional revitalization centered on "Michi-no-Eki" (roadside stations) in Kyotango.

Participants from various backgrounds, including local government officials, companies, media, and community association representatives, attended. Through lectures, case studies, and networking, they exchanged opinions on solving regional issues and the possibilities for new collaborations.

This event is not just a seminar but an interactive public-private partnership program designed to facilitate meetings and consultations between municipalities, companies, local groups, media, and regional players, ultimately connecting them to the next action.

In the first part, Eiji Maeda from the Hyogo Prefectural Government shared initiatives on public-private partnerships in Hyogo. He emphasized the importance of solving regional issues and creating new value by collaborating with private companies, universities, organizations, and regional players, as local governments face diverse challenges such as declining birthrates, aging populations, and the increasing complexity of regional issues.

Following this, Masato Ito from Pasona Group shared a case study on regional revitalization starting from "Michi-no-Eki" in Kyotango. He explained that "Michi-no-Eki" can serve as a regional hub with diverse functions, such as promoting regional products, creating tourism traffic, facilitating cooperation among businesses, and building a "related population." He shared the perspective of how private companies can enter a region and work with local governments and businesses to utilize regional resources for sustainable business development.

Furthermore, members of the COMMONS NETWORK introduced their initiatives. Yasuhiro Taira from Romantis Co., Ltd. presented an initiative on disaster prevention for the visually impaired. Additionally, Mr. Kawabe from Percival Co., Ltd. discussed the potential of regional revitalization through crowdfunding.

In the final networking session, attendees engaged in discussions and business card exchanges, leading to talks of concrete collaborations. COMMON Inc. plans to continue hosting similar forums nationwide to promote regional co-creation.