News | Disaster Relief and Medical Support

Disaster Relief and Medical Support

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

SEECAT ‘24 Report: Japan’s Civil Protection Shelters on Pr…

On 9 October, SEECAT (= Special Equipment Exhibition & Conference for Anti-Terrorism), Japan’s only business trade show focused exclusively on counter-terrorism and civil protection measures, kicked off at Tokyo Big Sight and featured an impressive array of high-tech disaster prevention shelters from Japanese companies. The Government of Japan’s Policy on Evacuation Shelters Since 2004’s enac…

10/29/2024 NSBT Japan Editorial Department

Fukushima Hosts Disaster Relief Challenges to Test Japan’s …

On October 4 and 5, the Fukushima Institute for Research, Education and Innovation (F-REI) hosted a series of disaster challenges to vigorously test under harsh conditions cutting-edge robots and drones currently being developed by Japan’s private companies and universities. The competition conducted at the Fukushima Robot Test Field and co-hosted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (…

10/24/2024 NSBT Japan Editorial Department

Drone East Asia

Demonstrations Begin of Ventilation System Designed for Disa…

Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) has continued its progress on developing Japan’s first ventilation system designed to maintain the air quality inside civil-defense underground shelters. The initial prototype model has already been completed with the aim of bringing the final product to market in 2026. In demonstration tests that began this May, the company is using the prototype to verify basic f…

07/12/2024 NSBT Japan Editorial Department

East Asia Business

Use of Drones to Deliver Medicines to Cut-Off Communities af…

The use of drones at the disaster site affected by the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake this January is expanding. Drones have been used for research of disaster sites so far but this time drones have a role of delivering medicines and daily necessities to cut-off communities. If the performance of drones improves further, they have a potential to significantly change the way support is provided to …

04/03/2024 NSBT Japan Editorial Department

Drone East Asia

Ranking

AI Startup “Spakona” Wins ATLA Contract for UAV Teaming Technology

Japan to Promote Dual-Use Technologies for National Security

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

Japan Reveals New Details into Project for Collaborative UAVs Expected to Operate with Manned Fighter Jets

Tokyo Keiki Expands Defense-Related Operations with New Facility

[Now Open for Registration] NSBT Strategy Forum 2026 in Tokyo

Japan Exploring Export of Used Abukuma-Class Destroyers to Philippine Navy

Japan and the EU Hold First Defence Industry Dialogue, Pledge Dual-Use Collaboration

Fujitsu To Expand Defense Business in Europe as Japan Seeks Dual-Use Collaboration

MadeHere Inc. Enters Public-Private Partnership with U.S. Marine Corps’ Marine Depot Maintenance Command to Strengthen Indo-Pacific Sustainment

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