Promoting a Strategic Business Alliance with Zenrin Datacom, Provider of Highly Accurate Map Data
Arealink, operator of 'Hello Storage', and Zenrin Datacom have entered a strategic partnership. They will co-develop a data-driven 'Land Selection Application' using AI and map data to optimize trunk room expansion.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 24, 2026 at 23:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 24, 2026 at 14:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 24, 2026 at 20:02 (5h 30m after Collected)
Arealink Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Takayoshi Suzuki; hereinafter 'Arealink'), which operates 'Hello Storage', one of Japan's largest rental storage room services, announces that it has signed a basic agreement for building a strategic partnership in the storage business and launched a joint project with Zenrin Datacom Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Tatsuhiko Shimizu; hereinafter 'Zenrin Datacom'), which develops ITS businesses and various map/navigation services utilizing highly accurate map data.
■ Background and Purpose of the Agreement
Our company has expanded 'Hello Storage', a rental storage space with one of the industry's largest market shares, nationwide, accumulating operational expertise from over 2,900 properties and 120,000 rooms. The demand for the trunk room market is expanding alongside improvements in convenience. To further accelerate the speed of our future business development, we believe it is essential to shift from relying on 'person-dependent experience' to 'data-driven decision-making' based on objective data.
To solve this challenge, we explored the possibility of collaboration with Zenrin Datacom, which possesses advanced information processing capabilities and technological prowess. We reached this agreement aiming to develop new business deployments that combine the strengths of both companies.
■ Future Developments
We will begin discussions toward the joint development of a next-generation 'Land Selection Application'. This application will integrate Arealink's expertise in store openings and operations with Zenrin Datacom's human mobility data, statistical information, and advanced AI analysis technology, enabling a more efficient and highly accurate extraction of candidate store locations.
Through this initiative, we aim to achieve highly accurate demand forecasting based on data and the rapid extraction of candidate sites, aiming for further business expansion. Additionally, by sharing feedback on the new services, we will proceed with specific discussions on building an innovative business model that maximizes the synergy between both companies.
■ Comment from Takayoshi Suzuki, President and CEO of Arealink Co., Ltd.
With the start of consideration for this partnership, we expect that 'land selection', which is the foundation of our trunk room development, will become dramatically more sophisticated. By borrowing the power of Zenrin Datacom's technology, we will proceed with business development that meets our customers' needs more speedily and accurately.
■ Comment from Tatsuhiko Shimizu, President and CEO of Zenrin Datacom Co., Ltd.
Based on the various data possessed by our company, we aim to utilize AI analysis in the selection of Arealink's trunk room installation locations, enabling the efficient and appropriate extraction of candidate sites. Moving forward, utilizing the expertise we have cultivated thus far, we will sequentially provide new services under the concept of 'creating better services by making full use of AI'.
◆ Company Profile: Arealink Co., Ltd.
Company Name: Arealink Co., Ltd.
Location: 20F Akihabara UDX Building North Wing, 4-14-1 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Established: April 1995
Representative Director: Takayoshi Suzuki
Capital: 6,111 million yen (as of December 31, 2025)
Listing Market: TSE Standard Market
Number of Employees: 81 (as of December 31, 2025)
Business Description: Storage business, land rights arrangement (leasehold land) business, office business, asset business
Website: https://www.arealink.co.jp/
◆ Company Profile: Zenrin Datacom Co., Ltd.
We develop future-advanced businesses, including telematics business utilizing highly accurate map data, value-added corporate information services based on maps, consumer map and navigation services (such as 'Zenrin Chizu Navi', 'Itsumo NAVI', 'GODOOR'), as well as highly accurate maps and 3D maps using real-time sensing technology.
Company Name: Zenrin Datacom Co., Ltd.
Location: msb Tamachi Tamachi Station Tower N 22F, 3-1-1 Shibaura, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Established: April 13, 2000
Representative Director: Tatsuhiko Shimizu
Number of Employees: 423 (as of April 1, 2026)
Business Description: ITS business, internet service business
Website: https://www.zenrin-datacom.net/
◆ Reference: Overview of 'Hello Storage'
We operate rental storage spaces set up in containers and buildings under the 'Hello Storage' brand, with 2,966 properties and 129,143 rooms (as of March 2026). The storage business has been our core business since our founding, and the number of rooms is among the largest in the industry. We provide outdoor-type trunk rooms using shipping containers, indoor-type trunk rooms designed specifically on building floors or entire buildings, as well as motorcycle-specific trunk rooms.
■ Background and Purpose of the Agreement
Our company has expanded 'Hello Storage', a rental storage space with one of the industry's largest market shares, nationwide, accumulating operational expertise from over 2,900 properties and 120,000 rooms. The demand for the trunk room market is expanding alongside improvements in convenience. To further accelerate the speed of our future business development, we believe it is essential to shift from relying on 'person-dependent experience' to 'data-driven decision-making' based on objective data.
To solve this challenge, we explored the possibility of collaboration with Zenrin Datacom, which possesses advanced information processing capabilities and technological prowess. We reached this agreement aiming to develop new business deployments that combine the strengths of both companies.
■ Future Developments
We will begin discussions toward the joint development of a next-generation 'Land Selection Application'. This application will integrate Arealink's expertise in store openings and operations with Zenrin Datacom's human mobility data, statistical information, and advanced AI analysis technology, enabling a more efficient and highly accurate extraction of candidate store locations.
Through this initiative, we aim to achieve highly accurate demand forecasting based on data and the rapid extraction of candidate sites, aiming for further business expansion. Additionally, by sharing feedback on the new services, we will proceed with specific discussions on building an innovative business model that maximizes the synergy between both companies.
■ Comment from Takayoshi Suzuki, President and CEO of Arealink Co., Ltd.
With the start of consideration for this partnership, we expect that 'land selection', which is the foundation of our trunk room development, will become dramatically more sophisticated. By borrowing the power of Zenrin Datacom's technology, we will proceed with business development that meets our customers' needs more speedily and accurately.
■ Comment from Tatsuhiko Shimizu, President and CEO of Zenrin Datacom Co., Ltd.
Based on the various data possessed by our company, we aim to utilize AI analysis in the selection of Arealink's trunk room installation locations, enabling the efficient and appropriate extraction of candidate sites. Moving forward, utilizing the expertise we have cultivated thus far, we will sequentially provide new services under the concept of 'creating better services by making full use of AI'.
◆ Company Profile: Arealink Co., Ltd.
Company Name: Arealink Co., Ltd.
Location: 20F Akihabara UDX Building North Wing, 4-14-1 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Established: April 1995
Representative Director: Takayoshi Suzuki
Capital: 6,111 million yen (as of December 31, 2025)
Listing Market: TSE Standard Market
Number of Employees: 81 (as of December 31, 2025)
Business Description: Storage business, land rights arrangement (leasehold land) business, office business, asset business
Website: https://www.arealink.co.jp/
◆ Company Profile: Zenrin Datacom Co., Ltd.
We develop future-advanced businesses, including telematics business utilizing highly accurate map data, value-added corporate information services based on maps, consumer map and navigation services (such as 'Zenrin Chizu Navi', 'Itsumo NAVI', 'GODOOR'), as well as highly accurate maps and 3D maps using real-time sensing technology.
Company Name: Zenrin Datacom Co., Ltd.
Location: msb Tamachi Tamachi Station Tower N 22F, 3-1-1 Shibaura, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Established: April 13, 2000
Representative Director: Tatsuhiko Shimizu
Number of Employees: 423 (as of April 1, 2026)
Business Description: ITS business, internet service business
Website: https://www.zenrin-datacom.net/
◆ Reference: Overview of 'Hello Storage'
We operate rental storage spaces set up in containers and buildings under the 'Hello Storage' brand, with 2,966 properties and 129,143 rooms (as of March 2026). The storage business has been our core business since our founding, and the number of rooms is among the largest in the industry. We provide outdoor-type trunk rooms using shipping containers, indoor-type trunk rooms designed specifically on building floors or entire buildings, as well as motorcycle-specific trunk rooms.