– The Initiative Aiming for Sustainable Town Development has been Highly Evaluated for its Collaboration Between Industry, Government, and Academia –
Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. (hereinafter ”JAL”), Amami Island Drone Co., Ltd. (hereinafter ”AID”), Setouchi Town in Oshima District, Kagoshima Prefecture (hereinafter “Setouchi Town”), the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience (hereinafter “NIED”), and the University of Tsukuba have jointly undertaken the initiative “Resident Services Utilizing Drones for Normal and Emergency Situations in Setouchi Town, Amami Oshima” (hereinafter “this initiative”). On February 5, 2025, this initiative was awarded the “Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Award” at the 7th Japan Open Innovation Awards hosted by the Cabinet Office.
The Japan Open Innovation Prize recognizes initiatives with high leadership and originality that are expected to serve as role models to further promote open innovation in Japan. It honors exemplary initiatives with significant social impact and sustainability, with minister’s awards and other awards presented in various fields.
This initiative has been highly evaluated for its pioneering efforts in addressing regional issues such as disaster response and logistics on remote islands, contributing to the sustainable town development that Setouchi Town aims for, where . It has also been recognized for its potential to serve as a model for other remote islands, aging regions, and isolated areas during disasters.