JAXA-Certified Venture Tenchijin Wins Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award at the 10th Monodzukuri Nippon Grand Award
JAXA-certified space venture Tenchijin, Inc. has won the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award at the 10th Monodzukuri Nippon Grand Award for its 'Space Water Bureau,' a system that uses satellite data and AI to assess water leak risks. In a pilot municipality, the system improved leak detection efficiency by six times and reduced survey costs by 79%.
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- 📰 Published: March 30, 2026 at 05:11
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 26, 2026 at 21:27 (1384h 15m after Published)
JAXA-certified space venture Tenchijin, Inc. (Chuo-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Yasuhito Sakuraba) is pleased to announce that it has received the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award at the 10th Monodzukuri Nippon Grand Award, an event co-hosted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
About the Monodzukuri Nippon Grand Award
The "Monodzukuri Nippon Grand Award" recognizes individuals deemed particularly outstanding among those involved in "monodzukuri" (manufacturing), including mid-career professionals who are central to manufacturing and production sites, skilled veterans who have supported traditional and cultural techniques, and young talent who will lead the future.
This award, now in its 10th iteration, has been held since 2005 in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
For this occasion, the four collaborating ministries have selected 8 winners (25 individuals) for the Prime Minister's Award. Additionally, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has selected 13 winners (58 individuals, 1 organization) for the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award.
Quote: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry News Release｜10th "Monodzukuri Nippon Grand Award" Prime Minister's Award and Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award Winners Announced
Award Overview
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Awarded Project
Development of a Water Leak Risk Assessment and Management System (Space Water Bureau) Using Satellite Data and AI Analysis
Project Summary
To address the societal challenge of aging water infrastructure, we developed the "Space Water Bureau," a leak risk assessment management system that allows for easy identification of high-risk areas even without specialized knowledge of water pipes. The system evaluates water pipe leakage risk by using AI to investigate and analyze surface temperature, climate, and ground data from over 500 satellites owned by domestic and international space agencies like JAXA, NASA, and ESA, along with water pipe data held by water utilities. An example from an implementing municipality shows a six-fold increase in leak discovery efficiency and a 79% reduction in survey costs.
Award Recipient's Comment:
On this occasion...