AUTHENTIC JAPAN to Provide "Kokoheli Marine" for Two Sea Races in Zamami Village, Signing Partnership Agreement for Enhanced Safety and Tourism Promotion

AUTHENTIC JAPAN Inc. (Headquarters: Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, President and CEO: Kazusou Kuga, hereinafter referred to as AUTHENTIC JAPAN), which operates "Kokoheli," a membership-based search service for locating missing persons in mountains and at sea, will provide "Kokoheli Marine" transmitters, utilized for maritime location tracking and search support, to all boats participating in the "27th Savani Sailing Race" and the "49th Zamami Yacht Race" held in Zamami Village, Okinawa Prefecture. In connection with this, AUTHENTIC JAPAN is scheduled to sign a partnership agreement with Zamami Village and the General Incorporated Association Zamami Village Tourism Association on Friday, June 19, 2026, aimed at strengthening the safety management system and promoting tourism in the waters surrounding Zamami Village. Supporting Safety Measures for Two Races in the Waters Around Zamami Village Zamami Village consists of islands in the Kerama Islands, located west of the main island of Okinawa, and is a region where tourism and marine activities are thriving, leveraging its beautiful waters. While many visitors come from both domestic and international locations, for maritime activities, preparedness for safety management is crucial, considering sudden changes in weather and sea conditions, and the difficulty of tracking locations in vast sea areas. AUTHENTIC JAPAN is also working on safety measures for marine activities, based on its expertise in location tracking technology using transmitters and receivers, and search support utilizing helicopters and drones, cultivated through its mountain search and rescue service "Kokoheli." By providing "Kokoheli Marine" transmitters to the two sea races held in Zamami Village this time, the company aims to support location tracking in case of emergencies and contribute to strengthening the safety measures of the events. "Kokoheli Marine" dedicated transmitter: A compact portable device, approximately 5 cm in width and height, and 1 cm in thickness. "Kokoheli Marine" dedicated receiver. Providing "Kokoheli Marine" Transmitters to All Boats in the 27th Savani Sailing Race AUTHENTIC JAPAN will participate as a special sponsor in the "27th Savani Sailing Race," to be held on June 20 (Saturday) and 21 (Sunday), 2026, and will provide "Kokoheli Marine" transmitters to all participating boats in the main race on Sunday, June 21. The Savani Sailing Race is a race from Zamami Island to the waters off Naha Port, using traditional Okinawan wooden sailing boats called "Savani." Due to the nature of the competition, which relies on wind and human power, safety management in a wide sea area is important. By equipping each boat with a "Kokoheli Marine" transmitter, it will support location tracking in case of emergencies and contribute to strengthening the safety measures of the event. Date: June 20 (Saturday) and 21 (Sunday), 2026 Main Race: June 21 (Sunday), 2026 Course: Kōzamaami Beach, Zamami Island to off Naha Port breakwater Cooperation Details: Provide "Kokoheli Marine" transmitters to all boats in the main race. Providing "Kokoheli Marine" Transmitters to All Boats in the 49th Zamami Yacht Race, Dispatching Drone Team On-site In addition, AUTHENTIC JAPAN will provide "Kokoheli Marine" transmitters to all boats in the "49th Zamami Yacht Race," to be held on Saturday, June 27, 2026. The company will also dispatch a drone team to the site to support safety measures in cooperation with event officials. The Zamami Yacht Race is a race sailed by large yachts from off Ginowan Port Marina on the main island of Okinawa to off Zamami Port. As it is a competition that involves long-distance travel over the sea, participant boat location tracking and initial response in case of emergencies are crucial. Date: June 27 (Saturday), 2026 Course: Off Ginowan Port Marina to off Zamami Port Distance: 28 nautical miles Cooperation Details: Provide "Kokoheli Marine" transmitters to all boats, dispatch drone team on-site. Partnership Agreement to be Signed with Zamami Village and Zamami Village Tourism Association on June 19 In relation to its cooperation in these two races, AUTHENTIC JAPAN is scheduled to sign a partnership agreement with Zamami Village and the General Incorporated Association Zamami Village Tourism Association on Friday, June 19, 2026. The agreement aims to strengthen the safety management system and promote tourism in the waters surrounding Zamami Village. This agreement is intended to foster close cooperation and collaboration in a wide range of fields by leveraging the resources and expertise of Zamami Village, the General Incorporated Association Zamami Village Tourism Association, and AUTHENTIC JAPAN. Date and Time: Friday, June 19, 2026, 17:30 - 18:00 Location: Zamami Village Hall Scheduled Attendees: Satoshi Miyazato, Mayor of Zamami Village Yuji Miyazato, Chairman of the General Incorporated Association Zamami Village Tourism Association Kazusou Kuga, President and CEO of AUTHENTIC JAPAN Inc. Scheduled Signing Date: Friday, June 19, 2026 Signatories: Zamami Village, General Incorporated Association Zamami Village Tourism Association, AUTHENTIC JAPAN Inc. Objective: To foster close cooperation and collaboration in a wide range of fields by leveraging the resources and expertise of each party. *To members of the press:* If you wish to cover the agreement signing ceremony, please contact the inquiry contact listed in this press release. About "Kokoheli" "Kokoheli" is a membership-based "private helicopter search service" that is the only one in Japan capable of searching for mountain accident victims by helicopter. Unlike "mountain insurance" which pays insurance money for rescue activity costs by private organizations such as mountain lodges or for private search costs conducted after public agencies have called off their search, "Kokoheli" functions as a search service that can increase the survival rate of accident victims. By utilizing radio waves from transmitters and helicopters/drones, "Kokoheli" significantly reduces search time compared to conventional "visual searches," pinpointing the victim's location to within 0 meters, or "right here." A key feature is that it prevents searches from being prolonged. Kokoheli members are loaned dedicated transmitters and are required to wear them when climbing. In the event of an accident, preparations are made to dispatch a helicopter to the mountain area specified in the climbing plan. By equipping helicopters and drones with receivers and establishing "direct communication" with the transmitters worn by members, rapid searches are possible even in areas where smartphones have no reception. The high performance in "saving lives" has earned strong support from climbers, with the membership exceeding 170,000. Company Profile AUTHENTIC JAPAN Inc. President and CEO: Kazusou Kuga Headquarters: 1-6-15-4F Akasaka, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture URL: https://www.authjapan.com/ Business Activities: Development of services such as the mountain search service "Kokoheli." Biography of President and CEO Kazusou Kuga Born in Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture in 1978. Graduated from Seinan Gakuin University, Faculty of Letters, Department of Foreign Languages, majoring in English. Joined Panasonic System Networks in 2002, and was seconded to a UK subsidiary as head of the SCM department. Returned to Japan after 10 years and moved to the product planning department. Founded AUTHENTIC JAPAN in 2011 and resigned from his previous company. Continues in his current role.