{
  "id": 3922736,
  "title": "Japan May Build New Phone App for Locating Nationals Overseas During Emergencies",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/japan-may-build-new-phone-app-for-locating-nationals-overseas-during",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-08-28T08:10:46.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun",
    "slug": "the-japan-news-by-the-yomiuri-shimbun",
    "url": "https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/politics-government/20260828-345989/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Japanese Foreign Ministry is planning to develop a new smartphone application aimed at locating Japanese nationals living overseas and traveling abroad. According to sources, the app will utilize GPS technology to assist in confirming the safety of Japanese nationals during emergencies overseas, such as conflicts and natural disasters, even in areas without cell phone service. The ministry intends to incorporate related costs into its budget request for the fiscal year 2027, with the app expected to launch next fiscal year.\n\nLast year, there were 12,239 instances where diplomatic missions overseas provided assistance to Japanese nationals, a 3% increase from the previous year, as reported by the ministry. In such situations, embassy staff typically confirm the safety of Japanese nationals through phone calls, but this becomes challenging when individuals are unreachable due to poor cell signal, posing a concern for the ministry's ability to protect its citizens.\n\nTo address this issue, the new app will allow those residing abroad for three months or longer to register their information, as well as register for Tabi-Regi, a service providing travel destination information to tourists. While respecting privacy, the app will only allow the ministry to locate registered users via GPS if they have consented to location data collection, as confirmed by the sources.\n\nA ministry survey conducted this year found that 80% of Japanese nationals would consent to the government using their GPS location data in emergencies overseas. The new app is also expected to include features allowing users to apply for residence certificates and other documents, alongside providing local safety information based on their registered stay and Tabi-Regi data. Currently, the ministry offers a separate app for accessing overseas safety information like evacuation advisories and travel warnings, which it may replace with the new app, as per the sources.",
  "summary": "The Foreign Ministry plans to begin developing a smartphone app that will locate Japanese nationals living overseas and traveling abroad via GPS, according to sources.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}