Regional Planning Institute

Regional Planning Institute (株式会社アールピーアイ, commonly abbreviated RPI) is a Japanese research and consulting company headquartered in Tokyo. According to its corporate profile, it was founded in August of the 54th year of the Showa era (1979) and has spent close to fifty years conducting surveys and research aimed at building vibrant, "energetic" regions across Japan. Its stated mission is captured in the phrase "地域を元気に" — roughly, "make regions lively" — and it describes itself as an "open platform for energizing regions." The firm organizes its work into four business domains: research and marketing; regional development management; local business management; and a general operations secretariat that leverages regional assets. Through these domains it carries out investigations, studies and verification projects spanning smart-technology implementation, social inclusion, and the renewal of public infrastructure such as public facilities. Its project areas range from remote islands and peninsulas to urban districts, reflecting a nationwide footprint. RPI is a small, specialist organization: its profile states that it operates with roughly 30 staff members who combine enthusiasm for regional revitalization with a range of professional expertise. The company publishes research reports and hosts public events; its news feed includes items such as a fiscal-year program for women in Tokyo agriculture, a library-forum report on libraries that energize communities, and a research report on creating new value through agriculture-welfare collaboration. It also conducts a proprietary "Regional Vitality Index" survey. As of the profile dated July 1 of the eighth year of Reiwa (2026), the representative director is Hajime Oshima (大島 肇). The company maintains an official website at rpi.co.jp, a Facebook presence, and recruitment information. It is a private company and does not appear to be listed on a stock exchange. Wikidata records it simply as a company in Tokyo, Japan.

Regional Planning Institute was founded in August 1979 (Showa 54), according to its corporate profile. Over the decades that followed, it built its identity around survey and research work intended to support the revitalization of Japanese regions, accumulating experience through projects across the country. The company describes having spent close to fifty years learning and gaining experience through a wide variety of surveys and research, and applying that to comprehensive regional revitalization efforts. Its work has covered diverse geographies — remote islands, peninsulas and urban areas — and diverse themes, including the implementation of smart technologies, verification projects aimed at achieving social inclusion, and the regeneration of public infrastructure such as public facilities. By the time of its profile dated July 1, 2026 (Reiwa 8), the firm was led by Representative Director Hajime Oshima and employed roughly 30 staff. It had organized its activities into four business domains — research and marketing; regional development management; local business management; and a general operations secretariat — and articulated seven action guidelines centered on contributing to society through expertise, providing optimal solutions from field experience, respecting diversity and co-creating with regions, acting as if regional issues were one's own, becoming an open platform, taking on the challenge of shaping regions' futures, and maintaining trust and credibility. The company also runs recurring public-facing activities, such as the Regional Vitality Index survey and events and reports on topics like libraries that energize communities, women in Tokyo agriculture, and agriculture-welfare collaboration. Its news feed in 2026 shows a mix of operational notices and research outputs, indicating an active, ongoing practice.

• 2026

  Corporate profile dated July 1 lists Representative Director Hajime Oshima and roughly 30 staff.

• 2026

  Published research report on agriculture-welfare collaboration (March 19).

• 2026

  Published library forum report on libraries that energize regions (April 1).

• 2026

  Held Tokyo Agriculture Women's Course (June 4).

• 1979

  Founded in August (Showa 54).

An "open platform for energizing regions," combining research expertise with partnerships across experts, companies, academic institutions, NPOs and local actors.

• Research and marketing

  Survey and research services forming one of RPI's four business domains.

• Regional development management

  Management services supporting regional development projects.

• Local business management

  Management support for local businesses.

• General operations secretariat

  A secretariat function that leverages regional assets.

• Regional Vitality Index survey

  A proprietary survey highlighted on RPI's website.

1. 1株式会社アールピーアイ (official website)rpi.co.jp
2. 2RPIについて | 株式会社アールピーアイrpi.co.jp
3. 3Regional Planning Institute (Japan) — Wikidatawikidata.org