[Shima City, Mie Prefecture] Full support for demonstration experiments by companies and startups aiming to commercialize industrial technology. "Shima City Marine Tech etc. Demonstration One-Stop Center" to be established in April 2026.
Shima City establishes a demonstration experiment one-stop center to support companies.
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- 📰 Published: March 30, 2026 at 05:11
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 26, 2026 at 21:27 (1384h 16m after Published)
Ago Bay, which has a history of innovation as the birthplace of pearl cultivation.
"We have the technology, but no place to test it." "Local coordination takes too much time."
To resolve these bottlenecks in advanced technology development, Shima City, Mie Prefecture (Mayor: Masayoshi Hashizume) will open a dedicated window from April 1, 2026, to fully back up technology demonstrations by companies: the **"Shima City Marine Tech etc. Demonstration One-Stop Center"**.
Shima City has a high-quality demonstration field in Ago Bay, a calm inland sea. With the establishment of this center, we will provide support for companies with next-generation technologies such as underwater robots, autonomous vessels, drones, and smart aquaculture to take steps toward social implementation with minimal resources.
## Reasons to choose Shima City as a "demonstration experiment location"
To succeed in demonstration experiments, "on-site consensus building" is more important than the technology itself. Shima City provides the following three types of support to companies.
1. **City supports coordination with complex stakeholders**
Coordination with various stakeholders is the biggest hurdle in demonstrations. The center will fully support these efforts.
2. **Support for deregulation**
If existing regulations become a barrier, the city will work together with companies to consult and coordinate with national agencies such as the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry for deregulation. By having the local government as a partner, the reliability and transparency of the demonstration are ensured.
3. **Ago Bay, a unique environment**
The calm waters characteristic of rias coasts are ideal for testing underwater robots and ship navigation. Furthermore, the geographical conditions, including inhabited remote islands, provide an excellent location for building social implementation models for drone logistics and disaster prevention technologies.
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## Main Technology Examples Supported
"We have the technology, but no place to test it." "Local coordination takes too much time."
To resolve these bottlenecks in advanced technology development, Shima City, Mie Prefecture (Mayor: Masayoshi Hashizume) will open a dedicated window from April 1, 2026, to fully back up technology demonstrations by companies: the **"Shima City Marine Tech etc. Demonstration One-Stop Center"**.
Shima City has a high-quality demonstration field in Ago Bay, a calm inland sea. With the establishment of this center, we will provide support for companies with next-generation technologies such as underwater robots, autonomous vessels, drones, and smart aquaculture to take steps toward social implementation with minimal resources.
## Reasons to choose Shima City as a "demonstration experiment location"
To succeed in demonstration experiments, "on-site consensus building" is more important than the technology itself. Shima City provides the following three types of support to companies.
1. **City supports coordination with complex stakeholders**
Coordination with various stakeholders is the biggest hurdle in demonstrations. The center will fully support these efforts.
2. **Support for deregulation**
If existing regulations become a barrier, the city will work together with companies to consult and coordinate with national agencies such as the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry for deregulation. By having the local government as a partner, the reliability and transparency of the demonstration are ensured.
3. **Ago Bay, a unique environment**
The calm waters characteristic of rias coasts are ideal for testing underwater robots and ship navigation. Furthermore, the geographical conditions, including inhabited remote islands, provide an excellent location for building social implementation models for drone logistics and disaster prevention technologies.
---
## Main Technology Examples Supported