Japan Developing GPS-Based App to Locate Nationals Overseas
Tokyo, Sept. 2 (Jiji Press)--Japan's Foreign Ministry is developing a smartphone app that uses GPS data to identify the locations of Japanese nationals either living or traveling overseas, it was learned Wednesday. The app, which will access users' location information with their consent, is expected to help verify the safety of Japanese citizens swiftly in the event of an armed conflict or...
Tokyo, September 2 - Japan's Foreign Ministry is in the process of creating a smartphone application that utilizes GPS data to pinpoint the whereabouts of Japanese citizens who are either residing or traveling abroad, according to recent reports. This innovative app, which would solicit users' permission to access their location information, is anticipated to facilitate the rapid assessment of the well-being of Japanese nationals in perilous situations overseas, such as armed conflicts or catastrophic disasters.
The ministry's objective is to launch the application during the fiscal year of 2027, according to informed sources. Previously, embassy personnel had to rely on telephone conversations to confirm the safety of Japanese nationals following conflicts and disasters abroad, a task that proved challenging in regions characterized by weak or absent mobile network coverage.
The forthcoming app aims to circumvent this limitation by monitoring users' locations even in areas with suboptimal signal reception. Additionally, the ministry is contemplating utilizing the app to dispatch a message inquiring about the safety of users and documenting their responses.
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