CloudSign Implemented and Supported in Five Municipalities in Fukushima Prefecture

　Bengo4.com (Minato-ku, Tokyo; Taichiro Motoe, Representative Director, President and CEO, Lawyer; hereinafter, “the Company”) announces that its contract management platform CloudSign has been implemented and is supported at five municipalities—Tamura, Aizubange, Aizumisato, Kawauchi, and Namie—in Fukushima Prefecture. CloudSign has an implementation share of about 70% among municipalities across Japan and continues to promote contract digitalization as the e-contract servicer that is the most popular*1 among provincial municipalities.
*1: Comparison based on in-house survey of the number of municipalities deciding on implementation following a value contract from information on public solicitations, tenders and proposals released by municipalities nationwide. Data as of May 1, 2025. 

　There are now five municipalities that have implemented CloudSign in Fukushima Prefecture, with a total of ten using e-contracts when counting other companies’ services as well. This amounts to 16.9% of the municipalities in the prefecture, marking a steady increase in the implementation rate.

■ Fukushima municipalities where CloudSign has been implemented and is supported
Tamura, Aizubange, Aizumisato, Kawauchi, and Namie

■ Background behind the implementation by municipal and prefectural governments and the support agreements
　Multiple factors have converged to accelerate the implementation of e-contracts in municipalities. In addition to the 2021 revision of the Enforcement Regulations of the Local Autonomy Act, which made implementation easier, the concrete effects demonstrated in earlier cases of implementations by some prefectures and municipalities have been a major driving force, with attention garnered by the obvious quantifiable benefits, including time savings, labor cost reductions, lower costs for stamps, shipping and printing, and less need for storage space. Another factor is that more prefectures and municipalities are feeling the benefits of using e-contracts thanks to accelerated implementation in some areas. 

■ Future outlook
　At present, e-contracts are used in about 20%*1 of municipalities, but an accelerated spread in some areas is expected to facilitate further growth this year. This development will promote digital transformation in the regions and will further improve convenience for administration and residents. It is expected that integration and efficiency will increase in order to provide more effective administrative management and services for residents.

■ CloudSign implementation plan for municipal and prefectural governments:　https://www.cloudsign.jp/government/

■ About CloudSign: 　https://www.cloudsign.jp/
　CloudSign is a contract management platform that enables digitization of everything from contract execution to management and AI review. The electronic signatures and timestamps are compliant with the Act on Electronic Signatures and Certification Business, ensuring smooth and secure contract execution. CloudSign also began offering Japan’s first ever My Number Card (individual number card) signature capability as part of its general-purpose contracting service in 2023. The platform also shortens the time required for the entire contracting process through the active adoption of AI technology including an AI contract management capability and an AI-powered contract review service, CloudSign Review. CloudSign has become the No. 1 service in the electronic contract market*2, and is widely adopted by companies and local governments.
*2: Market share in “New Markets of Software Business 2024” (2023 result of e-contract tools) by Fuji Chimera Research Institute, Inc.