Production of "Natural Disaster Experience VR" Through Industry-Government-Academia Collaboration

NeoRealX Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Masayasu Ando), in collaboration with Nankai Broadcasting Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture; President and Representative Director: Yasushi Onishi) and the Ehime Prefectural Government, is promoting the "Disaster Prevention Capability Improvement Project Utilizing Natural Disaster Experience VR Videos" aimed at enhancing the disaster preparedness of local residents.

This project is being implemented through an industry-government-academia collaboration involving the Ehime Prefectural Government, NeoRealX, Nankai Broadcasting, and experts from Ehime University. Its purpose is to deepen understanding of increasingly severe disaster risks, such as the Nankai Trough Megathrust Earthquake, which is feared to occur in the near future, and to promote the adoption of digital experiential disaster prevention training within the region.

■ Three Features of This Project

1. "Ehime-Specific" VR Experience Simulation Covering Four Disasters

Set in various locations across Ehime Prefecture (such as Matsuyama Castle, Dogo Onsen, and the Nanyo region), we have produced four VR experience contents: "Earthquake," "Tsunami," "Wind and Flood Damage," and "Fire."

Earthquake Edition: Recreates the intense shaking of a Nankai Trough Megathrust Earthquake (assumed to last 1–2 minutes).

Tsunami Edition: Set in the Nanyo region, this simulates the threat of tsunamis at different heights: 30cm, 1m, and up to 8m. Users can experience how a 1m flood can wash away cars, and how an 8m surge creates a "wall-like muddy torrent" that destroys buildings.

Wind and Flood Damage Edition: Fuses actual footage from the 2018 Japan floods (Yoshida-cho, Uwajima City) with CG. It visualizes the terror of rising water speeds and the risks of landslides.

Fire Edition: Recreates fires caused by secondary disasters following an earthquake, such as kitchen fires or electrical shorts from overturned furniture. It also includes a quiz to teach evacuation postures to avoid smoke inhalation.

2. No Controller Required: Intuitive Operation for Everyone

To ensure that even those experiencing VR for the first time, as well as the elderly and children, can participate without confusion, we have developed 8K VR video playback software that does not use a controller at all.

The design is simple: users put on the head-mounted display and scan a dedicated QR code to start or switch videos.

3. "Practical Disaster Prevention Experience" Supervised by Experts

Supervised by the Ehime University Research Center for Disaster Reduction (Deputy Director Toru Futagami and Specially Appointed Professor Koji Yamamoto), the project pursues accuracy in reproducing the shaking of a Nankai Trough Megathrust Earthquake and the behavior of tsunamis. Beyond mere visual experience, the Earthquake and Fire editions emphasize the "emergency bag at the entrance," presenting a message that connects to concrete preparation by highlighting that "keeping it at the entrance allows for immediate evacuation."

Furthermore, the Tsunami and Wind and Flood Damage editions combine actual archival footage with AI-generated recreations to create a composition that leaves a strong impression of real-world threats.

■ Future Outlook

In addition to being utilized in disaster prevention drills and educational settings within the prefecture, this VR content has been released on the official Ehime Prefecture YouTube channel. Public experience sessions are also planned for events such as the Nankai Broadcasting "Disaster Prevention Fes" scheduled for May 2026.

Connecting to the Future: Ehime Disaster Prevention VR (Official Ehime Prefecture Channel)

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7j3ty0tRXnzCcp72855BAMRGBX5Qb8JZ