On Saturday, October 17, 2026, the international academic conference on local government law—co-hosted by the Korean Association of Local Government Law and the Graduate School of Governance Studies—was held under the theme "Local Government in a Period of Transition: AI, Decentralization, and Legal/Institutional Challenges."
The event featured a special lecture by Katsuya Uga, a former Justice of the Supreme Court of Japan (and Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo). This was followed by a keynote address from Hironobu Narisawa, Mayor of Bunkyo Ward, who discussed the use of AI within the Bunkyo Ward Office—covering the objectives behind its implementation, specific use cases, and the internal regulations established for its application. Mayor Narisawa is a graduate of the first cohort of the Graduate School of Governance Studies.
The session continued with presentations and discussions by researchers from both Japan and South Korea. While the proceedings were conducted in Japanese, Korean, and English, participants were provided with real-time AI-powered translation—a feature that highlighted the immense utility of AI in facilitating academic exchange.
Although local governments in Japan and South Korea face many common challenges regarding the use of AI, there are also significant differences in how these technologies are positioned within their respective legal and institutional frameworks. Participants engaged in a lively exchange, raising questions and comments on topics such as the necessity for technical oversight and the importance of accountability to local residents.
