Digital Nations 2026: building trusted digital ecosystems in Asia Pacific

Digital trust has become a strategic delivery mechanism for building digital nations. Countries that build confidence in digital infrastructure, services and institutions will be better placed to convert digitalisation into adoption, innovation, investment and socioeconomic impact. To explain how digital trust can be strengthened, this report introduces four interconnected foundations of digital trust. Traditionally viewed as connectivity providers, mobile operators are increasingly contributing to all four trust foundations, making them key enablers of digital trust. 

The government and private sector in Japan have intensified their efforts to make a decisive ‘digital leap’ – a shift away from the incremental modernisation of legacy systems towards a bold, comprehensive transformation aimed at establishing a fully integrated, human-centred digital nation. By examining Japan’s recent digital policies and initiatives, this research reveals the strategic pillars and underlying factors supporting the country’s accelerated 'digital leap'.

Digitalisation continues to be a top priority for nations seeking to drive economic growth and foster inclusive, resilient societies. Continued progress with digitalisation will require increased efforts to address the digital investment gap, as indicated by a mismatch between the demand and supply of digital services. Drawing insights from the Digital Nations Index, this report highlights the investment gap in key areas across Asia Pacific.