News | Disaster Relief and Medical Support

Disaster Relief and Medical Support

New Details Emerge on Japan Coast Guard’s Uncrewed Gas Dete…

New details have emerged regarding an uncrewed craft designed for remote detection of poisonous gases and other hazardous substances that has been undergoing verification testing with the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) since April. In an on-site report covering the tests, the Nikkei[1] has confirmed that Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd., the Osaka-based agricultural and heavy machinery manufacturer, is behind t…

09/11/2026 NSBT Japan Editorial Department

Maritime Drone East Asia

Japan’s SpaceData Releases Asteroid and Missile Impact Simu…

On July 9, SpaceData Inc., a Japanese developer of space and defense simulations, announced the release of “GROUND IMPACT SIMULATOR”, a digital twin that is designed to visualise on a 3D map the effects of impacts on the Earth’s surface by various space-borne objects, including asteroids and man-made missiles.In a press release,[1] SpaceData explains that the system provides a range of impact s…

08/17/2026 NSBT Japan Editorial Department

Space Missile Disaster Prevention East Asia

Terra Drone Conducts Medical Logistics in Saudi Arabia, Expa…

On June 8, Japan’s Terra Drone Corporation announced that its Saudi Arabia-based subsidiary successfully carried out drone-based deliveries of key medical supplies to support worshippers performing the Hajj, the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca.In a press release,[1] the Tokyo-based drone developer explained that, during this year’s Hajj season, which ran from May 25 to 29, Terra Drone Arabia led the …

07/13/2026 NSBT Japan Editorial Department

Drone East Asia Europe Middle East Business

Japan Eyes Overseas Expansion of Disaster Prevention Technol…

The Japanese government is seeking to connect Japan’s high-tech companies in the disaster prevention sector with the needs of overseas countries. One possible tool is “offer-type” official development assistance (ODA). This is a grant aid framework introduced in 2023 under which the government identifies partner-country needs and presents a menu of tailored technological solutions from Japanese…

05/18/2026 NSBT Japan Editorial Department

Disaster Prevention East Asia Government

JSDF Set to Launch New Medical Information-Sharing System fo…

The Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) is reportedly planning to introduce a new medical information system in fiscal 2028 to enable the timely sharing of information on injured personnel’s condition and treatment details from frontline medics to rear-area JSDF hospitals.According to local Japanese reports,[1] this prospective rapid information-sharing system is designed for emergency scenarios on …

02/27/2026 NSBT Japan Editorial Department

East Asia Government

Japanese Drone Developers Enhancing Regional Disaster Respon…

Japan’s drone developers are strengthening public-private collaboration with prefectural governments and regional commands of the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) to address the challenge of implementing effective disaster management measures across the country.On February 5, Nagoya-based developer Prodrone Co., Ltd. announced[1] that it had used rotary-wing drones last month to support firefight…

02/23/2026 NSBT Japan Editorial Department

Drone East Asia Business

Japan’s Aerosense Trials VTOL Drone for Railway Slope Inspe…

Last month, Japanese drone developer Aerosense Inc. announced a successful test demonstration of a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) drone for inspecting the safety of slopes along railway lines in snowy winter environments and in mountainous areas prone to avalanches.In a press release,[1] Aerosense, which specializes in inspection and disaster relief drones, stated that the company had conduct…

01/15/2026 NSBT Japan Editorial Department

Drone Disaster Prevention East Asia Business

JGSDF Details Latest “Nankai Rescue” Set for January 2026,…

On December 9, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) Middle Army revealed details for “Nankai Rescue 2025”, the force’s latest edition of a large-scale simulation training exercise for a megaquake that is predicted to occur within the next 30 years along the Nankai Trough, a fault line that lies off the Pacific coast of central to southwestern Japan.The JGSDF drill scheduled for January 1…

12/24/2025 NSBT Japan Editorial Department

Land Drone East Asia Government

Aichi Prefecture Launches Drone Delivery Project with Disast…

In November, Aichi Prefecture launched a month-long investigative project to implement a drone-based last-mile delivery service as part of the prefectural government’s mobility innovation programme, which aims to integrate drone-based aerial systems with ground-based transport by 2030.　The Aichi project is outsourced to Next Delivery Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of the Tokyo-based drone technology co…

12/02/2025 NSBT Japan Editorial Department

Land Air Drone East Asia Government

Japan to Establish Regional Bureaus for New Disaster Managem…

In recent weeks, the Japanese press has extensively discussed the government’s plans to establish regional bureaus in support of the proposed Disaster Management Agency (防災庁), which is scheduled to be established in fiscal 2026 and is set to comprehensively manage all phases of disaster response, from preparation and initial response to recovery and reconstruction.[1]On August 19, the Sankei S…

09/12/2025 NSBT Japan Editorial Department

Disaster Prevention East Asia Government

Japan’s Spectee Rolls Out Nationwide AI-Driven River Flood …

Spectee Inc., a Tokyo-based disaster management technology startup, has announced the nationwide rollout of an AI-powered flood forecasting service designed to provide real-time analytics and predictions for water levels in Japan’s small and medium-sized rivers, many of which are vulnerable due to insufficient flood resilience measures. The company’s AI-driven system is designed to analyze water…

07/23/2025 NSBT Japan Editorial Department

AI Disaster Prevention East Asia Business

Japan UAS Industrial Development Association Forges Drone Di…

On June 24, the Japan UAS Industrial Development Association (JUIDA), the Tokyo-based drone industrial promotion council which works with government agencies, businesses, and academic institutions to promote the country’s unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) industry, announced that it had signed an agreement with the Middle Army of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) to provide drone-based su…

07/11/2025 NSBT Japan Editorial Department

Land Drone Disaster Prevention East Asia

Weathernews Partners with JAXA to Advance Drone Flight Forec…

On April 3, Weathernews Inc., a Chiba-based meteorological information technology company specializing in artificial intelligence (AI)-powered weather risk assessments, was selected for a project under the Japanese government’s 'K Program' (Key and Advanced Technology R&D through Cross-Community Collaboration Program).[1] The company will support the development of a ‘Flight Weather Subsystem' f…

04/10/2025 NSBT Japan Editorial Department

Drone East Asia Business Air Disaster Prevention

Japanese Startup “Spectee Inc.” Unveils AI-Driven Snow-Jam…

On February 3, Japanese disaster prevention technology startup Spectee Inc. announced the development of a new AI-driven data analytics technology designed to detect and map vehicles stuck in traffic jams caused by heavy snowfall events. The company anticipates that the technology will enhance transportation safety by enabling local governments and road authorities to implement early response meas…

02/10/2025 NSBT Japan Editorial Department

East Asia

Japanese Drone Technology Showcased on Awaji Island during …

From January 13 to 17, Japan’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developers demonstrated the disaster relief capabilities of their drones on Awaji Island during “Nankai Rescue 2024”. This was the largest disaster response training exercise ever conducted by the Middle Army of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF), aimed at preparing for a potential earthquake along the Nankai Trough, located …

01/29/2025 NSBT Japan Editorial Department

Drone East Asia

Japan Infra Waymark Unveils "Waymark Note" App for On-Site I…

On January 10, Japan Infra Waymark (JIW), a drone-based infrastructure inspection company founded by NTT West Corporation in 2019, announced the launch of beta trials for its infrastructure inspection record-keeping app, “Waymark Note”. Available to companies that sign up for the beta, the app is designed to improve the efficiency of on-site infrastructure inspections, addressing the pressing ch…

01/24/2025 NSBT Japan Editorial Department

East Asia

KHI Demonstrates Unmanned Helicopter for Ground Self-Defense…

On January 14, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. (KHI) announced that, in collaboration with the Japan UAS Industry Development Association (JUIDA) [1], it had demonstrated the supply transport capabilities of its unmanned helicopter, the “K-RACER-X2,” to the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF). The demonstration was conducted as part of the JGSDF Middle Army’s “Nankai Rescue 2024” simulati…

01/22/2025 NSBT Japan Editorial Department

Drone East Asia

Japanese SMEs Integrate “Starlink” into Innovative Disaste…

Companies and regional organizations in Japan are increasingly adopting “Starlink,” the mobile broadband internet service powered by a constellation of low Earth orbit satellites developed by the American aerospace company SpaceX, as part of their implementation of innovative disaster management solutions for Japan’s remote areas.This November and December, Japan’s telecommunications giant, NT…

12/17/2024 NSBT Japan Editorial Department

Satellite Drone East Asia

Japan’s NTT Conducts Nighttime Search Using Autonomous Dron…

On December 4, NTT Communications Corporation (NTT Com) announced Japan’s first successful demonstration of the nighttime search-and-rescue capabilities of the autonomous drone "Skydio X10," developed by the U.S.-based company Skydio, Inc., specializing in AI-driven autonomous flight and advanced collision avoidance, in the challenging environment of Showa Village, Fukushima Prefecture. Last wee…

12/12/2024 NSBT Japan Editorial Department

Satellite Drone North America East Asia

Japan Coast Guard Reviewing Unmanned Vehicles for Volcanic H…

On November 15, the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) announced that it will conduct this month a flight demonstration of the multi-rotor drone “FAZER R G2” produced by Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. as part of the agency’s plan to acquire unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that are capable of monitoring volcanic hazards. The JCG currently conducts surveillance of volcanic islands in Japan’s southwest Nanpo and N…

11/22/2024 NSBT Japan Editorial Department

Drone East Asia Government

Ranking

JMOD Announces Contracts for Satellite Inspection and Protection Demonstration Project

Czech–Japan DefenseTech Forum to Connect Japanese Industry with Czech Defence Innovators

Tokyo Delivers Six Additional Mitsubishi Type 73 Light Trucks to Ukraine

Takaichi Prepares Japan for Threats on Three Fronts

ATLA Calls for Private Companies to Establish Premises on Kure Integrated Defense Base

Prodrone To “Promote Stable Supply of Domestic Drones” as Japan Aims to Mass Produce UAVs

– Event Report– NSBT Strategy Forum 2026 in Tokyo

Defense Startup “JISDA” Advances Drone Services based on Ukraine Lessons

Subaru Delivers Experimental UAV to Japan’s ATLA for Manned-Unmanned Teaming Research

U.S. Navy Weighs Foreign Frigate Designs: Assessing Japanese and South Korean Options

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