However, many donors find the program difficult to navigate, given the sheer number of municipalities and the enormous catalog of thank-you gifts. To simplify the process and help donors compare options by region or theme, dedicated platforms have emerged. Furusato Choice, operated by TRUSTBANK, is one of Japan's largest Furusato Nozei platforms, with roughly 760,000 thank-you gifts listed. Its intuitive interface has helped municipalities connect with donors, and it has supported many platform users, especially those participating for the first time.

To further improve the experience, TRUSTBANK looked to AI, recognizing its potential to help users make decisions when the range of options feels overwhelming. Using the OpenAI API, the company developed the Choice AI feature, which helps users discover thank-you gifts that match their preferences.

More than 15 years after Furusato Nozei was introduced, many taxpayers still struggle to make the most of it. Yuki Tateyama, Product General Manager at Choice Business HQ, explains, Many people find the hometown tax donation system complicated or intimidating. To address this, we added AI powered features to our Furusato Choice app to make the process easier to navigate. TRUSTBANK's first step was to introduce AI powered search to help users explore thank-you gifts.

Tateyama adds, In the Furusato Nozei system, people are not simply shopping for products they need immediately, as they might on typical ecommerce platforms. Instead, they focus on how to make the best use of their donation limit. With a catalog of thank you gifts on par with major online marketplaces, finding the right option has always been challenging.