[14 Municipalities in Ehime Prefecture] Vacan's "Evacuee Management System" for Digitalizing Evacuation Shelter Entry/Exit Introduced

Vacan Inc. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Takeshi Kono; hereinafter "Vacan"), which visualizes congestion with AI technology and provides services utilizing platforms that support facilities and areas with the mission of "gently connecting people and spaces with technology," announced that it has begun supporting the introduction of its "Evacuee Management System" in 14 municipalities in Ehime Prefecture, including Matsuyama City, Imabari City, and Iyo City, in collaboration with Ehime Prefecture. This system digitally centralizes the reception and management of evacuee entry and exit at shelters.

This introduction marks the first initiative of its kind in Ehime Prefecture. The system, developed by incorporating diverse feedback from local governments and residents based on experiences from the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake and heavy rains, will now be utilized in actual evacuation shelter operations.

Background of Introduction

Ehime Prefecture faces concerns about the occurrence of devastating earthquakes, including the Nankai Trough mega-earthquake, earthquakes caused by the Median Tectonic Line fault zone, and intraplate earthquakes in the Aki-nada ~ Iyo-nada ~ Bungo Channel. The prefecture has set a disaster reduction target in its "Ehime Earthquake Countermeasure Action Plan" to "reduce the estimated number of fatalities by approximately 80% within the next 10 years," making the minimization of damage and the establishment of appropriate evacuation shelter environments an urgent task. Vacan has previously supported congestion visualization at over 200 evacuation shelters nationwide. This time, in collaboration with Ehime Prefecture, Vacan will provide the "Evacuee Management System" to many municipalities in Ehime Prefecture with the aim of reducing the operational burden of evacuation shelters and supporting smooth evacuations.

This Initiative

Vacan's "Evacuee Management System" has been adopted in 14 municipalities: Matsuyama City, Imabari City, Yawatahama City, Saijo City, Ozu City, Iyo City, Shikokuchuo City, Toon City, Kamijima Town, Kumakogen Town, Masaki Town, Tobe Town, Uchiko Town, and Ikata Town, in collaboration with Ehime Prefecture. Each municipality will proceed with initiatives to utilize the Evacuee Management System, digitally centralizing the management of evacuation shelter entry/exit and status, thereby significantly reducing the operational burden on local government and on-site staff during disasters and realizing smooth evacuation shelter operations.

About the Evacuee Management System

The newly introduced Evacuee Management System integrates multiple services and provides them on a common platform. The system includes a function to grasp the location and congestion status of evacuation shelters on a map, and for administrators, the "VACAN Console" function automatically visualizes the real-time congestion status of evacuation shelters based on entry/exit information received at the shelters. This function automatically reflects the number of evacuees and congestion status in real-time on the management screen and map, enabling staff and disaster response headquarters to grasp the situation and residents to select appropriate evacuation destinations.

Furthermore, Vacan's Evacuee Management System allows evacuees to freely choose their entry method according to their situation: input via a web form, using their My Number Card, or manual input by staff from traditionally filled-out paper forms. Those accustomed to digital methods or carrying their My Number Card can complete registration smoothly, while those unfamiliar with smartphone operations or who feel more secure with traditional methods can continue to register using paper. This design aims to achieve both improved efficiency through digitalization and a system where all citizens can be reliably accepted.

【Function Details】

・Evacuation Shelter Entry Procedure

Entry procedures are possible via My Number Card reading, information registration via smartphone using a WEB form, and manual input into the management screen by staff, accommodating all evacuees.

・Evacuation Shelter Congestion Visualization

Displays the location of nearby evacuation shelters, their opening status, and congestion status on a map, along with the user's current location. Information on reopened restaurants during the recovery phase can also be posted.

*Some functions may not be available depending on the environment of municipalities within the prefecture.

Future Outlook

Going forward, based on the entry/exit information received through this system, we will proceed with functional enhancements such as creating evacuee lists, predicting and managing necessary supplies, and linking with external systems. Furthermore, we aim for phase-free utilization, such as public facility reservations and tourism/event information distribution during normal times, to support safe and smooth evacuations.

About Vacan Inc.

Company Name: Vacan Inc.

Representative: Takeshi Kono

Location: Nakarin Auto Building 3F, 2-8-4 Shinkawa, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0033

Established: June 2016

URL: https://corp.vacan.com/

Vacan is a company selected for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's "J-Startup" program. With the mission of "gently connecting people and spaces with technology," Vacan visualizes congestion with AI and contributes to cities and daily life.