News | September 2023　Tokyo, Japan

Japanese(PR times)

Japan's first public-private partnership

to attract worldwide digital nomads

to be held in Fukuoka in October 2023

■30 and more digital nomads registered from 22 countries and regions

yugyo inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, CEO: Ryo Osera) aims to make Fukuoka City a new destination for worldwide digital nomads, attracting attention as a new inbound market and startups. "COLIVE FUKUOKA" will be implemented under a public-private partnership. yugyo inc. was entrusted with the "Overseas Digital Nomad Attraction Promotion Project" promoted by Fukuoka City and the Fukuoka Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Japan's first public-private partnership is launching a co-living program for digital nomads from October 1 to 31, 2023. The program is open to both domestic and international participants who live a location-independent lifestyle. Over 30 people from 22 different countries and regions have already signed up for the program (as of August 21, 2023). During this period, various exchange events will be held in collaboration with local businesses and communities.

The market for digital nomads is growing each year. The Japanese government announced the "New Era Inbound Expansion Action Plan" in June 2023 at the Tourism Nation Promotion Ministerial Conference. The plan aims to expand business exchanges in Japan, and there are high expectations for the creation and transmission of new value in new markets. The plan also mentions the institutionalization of visas and status of residence to attract digital nomads this year. (*3).

Fukuoka City has long been a city of exchange that has grown by accepting diverse cultures. Its open-mindedness, decadent cuisine, unique history and culture, and, most importantly, its geographical access to Asia is one of the most convenient in the world. It is a compact city where nature and the city coexist. In addition, Fukuoka is an attractive place with high potential for digital nomads (*4), who account for 16% of startup founders, as it promotes entrepreneurship and support globally as "Startup City Fukuoka." yugyo inc. aims to co-create a future where Fukuoka City leads Japan as a base for digital nomads in Japan and to create new economic and social impacts on local communities throughout Japan, including Kyushu.

This program is commissioned by the Fukuoka Convention & Visitors Bureau as a promotion and needs survey project to attract digital nomads, a new inbound market who prefer medium- to long-term stays of one month or longer, to Fukuoka City. In addition to inviting overseas digital nomads active as influencers and rule-makers, 22 countries such as South Korea, Southeast Asia, Europe, and America will visit. After this program, Fukuoka City and the Fukuoka Convention and Visitors Bureau will promote the "Fukuoka Style Workation" initiative by increasing local consumption by attracting digital nomads and growing opportunities for business matching with startups. We aim to expand overseas from business and vacation fields through public-private partnerships.

■Overview

• Date: October 1 (Sunday) to 31 (Tuesday), 2023
  
• Location: Various locations in Fukuoka City and in Kyushu
  
• Cooperation: lyf Fukuoka Tenjin as the main co-living facility
  
• Content example (partially subject to change)
  
• October 1: Check-in
  
• October 2 : Opening Ceremony, Open Top Bus Tour
  
• October 3 : Local coworking space experience
  
• October 5 : WORLD WORKATION Conference in Fukuoka
  
• (Organizer) Fukuoka City, Fukuoka City/Fukuoka Convention and Visitors Bureau
  
• Colive Fukuoka participants will also be on the stage
  
• (Reference) From October 5 to 22, various official events will be held in Fukuoka City as "Fukuoka Workation Week".
  
• From the 2nd week of October, we are planning a sake brewery tour and tour around Kyushu.
  

■Overseas digital nomad participants (example)

Nicolás Germen / Argentina

Entrepreneur. Founder of Argentina's first digital nomad community. The pioneer in introducing digital nomad visas in Argentina..

John Ho / Hong Kong

Operates “Alt_ChiangMai”, a popular co-living and co-working space in the famous city of Chiang Mai, Thailand, which is said to be a sacred place for digital nomads.

Sergio Sala / Mexico

YouTube video creator with 17,000 subscribers. With over ten years of experience as a digital nomad and over 40 countries, he introduces his lifestyle on YouTube. We are also active with a sponsor from Nomadlist, a portal site that provides real, local information to digital nomads worldwide.

Jeong Cho / Korea

Urban designer and sustainability consultant. Founder of Hoppers, which operates a community “Digital Nomad Korea,” aiming for a sustainable digital nomad lifestyle in Seoul, South Korea.

Daniel Beck / Israel

Entrepreneur. The owner of "The Digital Nomad Asia," a media specializing in digital nomads, and the founder of "The Digital Nomad Japan".

In addition, more than 30 people from 21 countries are scheduled to participate

(as of August 21, 2023)

Application is open for general participants from September 1st

We are looking for general participants for this program. Please join the Discord community, review the application requirements, and apply (in English).

We look forward to receiving applications from everyone, including digital nomads and those interested in the lifestyle of digital nomads in Japan and overseas.

■How to apply

1. Join the online exchange space Discord community at the bottom of the official website (Colive Fukuoka, Japan)
   
2. You can apply from the form after checking the "recruitment requirements" in the community.
• About participation plan
  
• We have one day, one week, two weeks, and one month (from $39) options
  

Please check the details in Discord.

• Examples of programs included in the cost
  
• Welcome and farewell parties, city bus tours, sake brewery tours, use of city co-working spaces, local startup networking events, networking events with local communities, food stall tours, etc.
  

This program does not include accommodation arrangements.

Please make your arrangements.

• Application deadline
  
• 2-week / 1-month plan: Until Thursday, August 31, 2023, 23:59 Japan time
  
• 1 day / 1 week plan: Apply up to 3 days in advance
  

Only those who have confirmed payment can join.

Please check the application guidelines for the details.

• Contact information
  

nomad_fuk(at)yugyo.work

• *1 Digital nomad: People who use IT to live a lifestyle that works regardless of location. In Japan, the number of remote workers who can work irrespective of location is increasing due to the evolution of work styles during the covid-19 crisis. The "workcation" market, which allows people to travel while working, is expected to expand to 100 billion yen in 2023 (approximately 65 billion yen in 2020). There are signs of market expansion overseas, with about 35 million digital nomads as of 2021 and a market size of about 110 trillion yen. It is expected to expand to a market of 1 billion people by 2035. As of January 2023, countries worldwide have started issuing "digital nomad visas" to attract the digital nomad market, and more than 40 countries have already introduced them.
  
• *2 In-house research. This project was entrusted by yugyo inc. as part of the "promotion of attracting overseas digital nomads and grasping their needs" promoted by Fukuoka City and the Fukuoka Convention & Visitors Bureau. And conduct surveys to identify needs.
  
• *3　『新時代のインバウンド拡大アクションプラン』の決定について
  
• *4　2023 State of Digital Nomads (nomadlist.com)
  

■About yugyo inc.

yugyo inc. is Japan's first marketing firm specializing in the digital nomad market.

By attracting "digital nomads" who work regardless of location, we will collaborate with all stakeholders and create new economic and social impacts in the region.

For more information, please visit our website:https://yugyo.work/

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