Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, MUFG Bank, Ltd., Integrated Design & Engineering Holdings Co., Ltd. (ID&E), Kokusai Kogyo Co., Ltd., and ZENRIN Co., Ltd. announced today that they invested in Satellite Data Services Co., Ltd. (SDS) on February 27. Mitsubishi Electric, MUFG Bank, and ID&E increased their existing stakes through a third-party allotment of shares, while Kokusai Kogyo and ZENRIN invested in SDS for the first time. As a result, SDS has now transitioned into a fully operating company. The Government of Japan is promoting the use of satellite data in public-sector operations through a task force that developed a basic policy for the future utilization of satellite data. This policy encourages ministries and agencies to proactively use satellite data for purposes including the strengthening of infrastructure and addressing global challenges. In addition, as part of a goal to establish a planned Disaster Management Agency within the fiscal year ending March 2027, the Cabinet approved a basic policy to strengthen Japan’s disaster resilience through measures that include the use of satellite observation data to rapidly assess disaster-stricken areas. SDS was established on a non-operating basis in June 2021 by a group of companies spanning the satellite-data value chain, including satellite development, operation, data analysis, and consulting. SDS has been conducting studies and demonstrations in various areas, such as land and infrastructure management, rapid disaster assessment, and farmland and building management, aiming to develop and grow a market for satellite data utilization. This latest round of SDS investment includes two new investors: Kokusai Kogyo and ZENRIN. Kokusai Kogyo uses geospatial information technologies to provide technical services for land management, disaster prevention and mitigation, infrastructure development, and environment and energy. ZENRIN uses high‑precision geospatial information to develop various solutions. Having transitioned to an operating company, SDS will now commercialize the studies and demonstrations it has undertaken to date. In collaboration with SDS, the five investing companies, which represent a wide range of satellite‑related businesses, expect to accelerate the real-world deployment of satellite data solutions, aiming to contribute to safety and stability by solving global problems through the use of satellite data. Re-disseminated by The Asian Banker
