This paper examines how local governments (LGs) have been addressing interpreting needs in assisting Ukrainian evacuees in Japan, focusing on the use of speech machine translation (SMT) systems. Survey responses from 115 LGs and interviews with 26 LGs indicate that: (1) 57% of the respondents have used SMT systems; (2) respondents chose the systems mainly because they were free of charge and easy to use; (3) the systems worked inconsistently with administrative terms and long sentences; and (4) some respondents were concerned about security related to their use. These responses reveal a gap between LGs’ experiences with SMT use and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications’ (MIC) guidance promoting SMT. This paper discusses structural factors contributing to this mismatch and suggests the establishment of a mechanism for LGs to communicate with the MIC and other LGs to reach a closer understanding of applications of SMT.