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Hachinohe City Seeks Participants for Pilot Projects on Four Themes: 'Fastest Bear Detection,' 'Digital Visualization of Fish Market Catches,' Parking, and Signboard Management

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Published Jul 3, 2026 10:17 PM ・ Updated Jul 7, 2026 8:55 AM ・ 11 min read ・ Source: PR TIMES

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Hachinohe City Seeks Participants for Pilot Projects on Four Themes: 'Fastest Bear Detection,' 'Digital Visualization of Fish Market Catches,' Parking, and Signboard Management — Image: PR TIMES

⚡ Key Points

Hachinohe City, in collaboration with Urban Innovation JAPAN (UIJ), has announced a call for startups and companies to participate in pilot projects addressing four key challenges: early bear detection, unified parking information, AI-powered signboard management, and real-time fish market data sharing.
Applications are open until July 31, with selected projects receiving up to 500,000 JPY (tax included) in funding.

Hachinohe City, in collaboration with Urban Innovation JAPAN (UIJ), has announced a call for startups and companies to participate in pilot projects addressing four key challenges: early bear detection, unified parking information, AI-powered signboard management, and real-time fish market data sharing. Applications are open until July 31, with selected projects receiving up to 500,000 JPY (tax included) in funding.

PRIMARY SOURCE PR TIMES View source Distributor: PR TIMES
Published: Jul 3, 2026

Urban Innovation JAPAN (UIJ) (Secretariat: Community Link, a nonprofit organization based in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture; Representative: Masayuki Nakanishi) has announced four collaborative pilot challenges launched by Hachinohe City (Aomori Prefecture) and opened applications for startups and other companies (https://urban-innovation-japan.com/city/hachinohe-city). Applications will close on Friday, July 31, with selected participants to be announced in August. The collaborative implementation period is scheduled from September this year to the end of January next year. The maximum payment for pilot project expenses is 500,000 JPY (tax included) per project.

What is 'Hachinohe X-Tech Innovation'?

UIJ is a project that addresses social challenges faced by local governments through collaboration and pilot experiments with startups. Since its launch in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture in 2018, UIJ has partnered with municipalities across Japan. This year marks the third iteration of Hachinohe City’s pilot program, 'Hachinohe X-Tech Innovation' (Hachinohe Cross-Tech Innovation, nicknamed 'Hachikuro'). Once again, Community Link, a nonprofit organization, will serve as the secretariat to support operations.

Hachinohe City, a leading industrial city in the Tohoku region, is undergoing unprecedented transformation due to population decline, aging society, rapid digitalization, and accelerated efforts toward a green and circular society. The city now stands at a pivotal moment of change. To shape a brighter future, Hachinohe is advancing initiatives such as industrial park development and improving the convenience of Hachinohe Port, an international logistics hub, while also promoting growth sectors like automotive, aerospace, healthcare, and digital industries. 'Hachinohe X-Tech Innovation' is a key part of these efforts.

Up to three of the four proposed challenges will be selected through review. Selected companies will receive pilot project funding of up to 500,000 JPY (tax included) per project. The effectiveness of solutions will be evaluated through development and pilot testing this fiscal year, with potential for future expansion.

▼ Online Information Session (Thursday, July 9, 2026, 15:00–16:15)

An online session will cover the program overview, challenge themes, and Q&A with responsible departments. Participation is free, and same-day registration is allowed. We welcome your active participation!

This Year’s Four Challenge Themes (Up to 3 to be selected). Applications due by July 31 (Fri)

Detect bears before they reach the city! Create a system for the 'fastest possible detection'!

Develop a system using digital detection technology to identify and notify early intrusions of bears and other wildlife into human habitats. The goal is to shorten lead time for public alerts and verify the effectiveness of proactive countermeasures. (Details here)

Responsible Department: Hachinohe City Livestock and Forestry Division

Integrate fragmented parking data! Create a system to instantly show available parking!

Develop a centralized system to unify real-time availability data from municipal and private parking lots around Hachinohe Station. By providing this information in advance to drivers, the project aims to reduce congestion and enable better pre-arrival destination decisions. (Details here)

Responsible Department: Hachinohe City Urban Policy Division

Fully automate all signboard management tasks with AI agents!

Introduce AI technology to automate signboard application reviews and violation detection during patrols. The goal is to reduce administrative burdens on staff and explore the feasibility of sustainable landscape and safety management. (Details here)

Responsible Department: Hachinohe City Urban Policy Division

Digitally connect fish markets to eliminate the morning uncertainty of 'you won’t know until you come'!

Develop a system to broadcast real-time fish market catch data, enabling wholesalers to check availability before arriving. This aims to reduce phone inquiries and improve efficiency in attendance decisions. (Details here)

Responsible Department: Hachinohe City Fisheries Office

What is 'Urban Innovation JAPAN'?

Urban Innovation JAPAN (UIJ) originated in Kobe City and serves as an open innovation platform that matches challenges from municipalities across Japan with startups and businesses.

UIJ has earned high praise for effectively connecting the needs of municipalities pursuing digital transformation (DX) with the right problem-solvers, accelerating meaningful collaborations. In 2021, UIJ received the Good Design Award.

▼ Past Projects (24 municipalities as of July 3, 2026)

https://urban-innovation-japan.com/past/

[Population Decline] A former employee reveals the future of municipal services

▼ Official Website / Social Accounts

・Official Website: https://urban-innovation-japan.com/

・YouTube 'UIJ CHANNEL' (top left photo): https://bit.ly/UIJ_CHANNEL

・Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UrbanInnovationJapan/

・X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/UIJ_info

<Event Report> 'Government Innovation Gathering' held — aiming to solve social challenges

・note (bottom left photo): https://note.com/uij_info

FACT BOX

Source: PR TIMES
Category: Event

AI 圖像理解（模型對圖片的判讀，非新聞原文事實） / AI image understanding / AI 画像理解

模型對圖片的判讀，非新聞原文事實 / Model interpretation of images, not source-article facts / モデルによる画像判読で、ニュース原文の事実ではありません

以下為AI對圖片的理解非新聞原文事實

The images illustrate the "Hachinohe X-Tech Innovation" project, showing the city's coastal landscape, project leaders, and visual representations of the four challenge themes: bear detection, parking management, signboard automation, and fish market digitalization. The visuals support the article's call for participants.

An aerial view of a coastal town with green hills and the text "HACHINOHE X-Tech Innovation" and a squid logo, representing the project.
Five men, including Hachinohe Mayor Kumagai, are shown with icons representing the four project themes: bear countermeasures, parking, signboard management, and fish market.
A promotional image for the Hachinohe City challenge briefing, featuring the project logo and small images illustrating the four themes: bear detection, parking, fish market, and signboard management.
A person in an orange vest holds a rifle, with a yellow warning sign for bears in Japanese, indicating a focus on bear detection.
An exterior view of Hachinohe Station with a parking lot in front, showing cars and a '満' (Full) sign, illustrating the parking challenge.

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Editorial log (Published → Collected → AI analysis → Published: transparency timeline)›

Announced　Jul 3, 2026 10:17 PM — Distributor PR TIMES
Collected　Jul 3, 2026 6:33 PM
AI structured & analyzed　Jul 7, 2026 8:55 AM
Desk-reviewed & published　Jul 3, 2026 10:17 PM

FAQ

What is the goal of Hachinohe City's pilot program?

To solve local challenges like bear intrusions, parking congestion, signboard management, and fish market data using AI and digital tech.

How much funding is provided?

Selected projects receive up to 500,000 JPY (tax included) per project for pilot expenses.

Who can apply?

Startups and tech companies from anywhere in Japan are eligible to apply.

Cite this article — HOW TO CITE

Washin AI News Desk“Hachinohe City Seeks Participants for Pilot Projects on Four Themes: 'Fastest Bear Detection,' 'Digital Visualization of Fish Market Catches,' Parking, and Signboard Management”AI News by Washin Village（和心村）, Jul 3, 2026. https://aeo.washinmura.jp/ai/npo%E6%B3%95%E4%BA%BA%E3%82%B3%E3%83%9F%E3%83%A5%E3%83%8B%E3%83%86%E3%82%A3%E3%83%AA%E3%83%B3%E3%82%AF/en/news/2026-07-03-%E3%82%AF%E3%83%9E%E5%87%BA%E6%B2%A1%E3%81%AE%E6%9C%80%E9%80%9F%E6%A4%9C%E7%9F%A5-%E3%82%84-%E9%AD%9A%E5%B8%82%E5%A0%B4%E3%81%AE%E6%B0%B4%E6%8F%9A%E3%81%92%E6%83%85%E5%A0%B1%E5%8F%AF%E8%A6%96%E5%8C%96-%E9%A7%90%E8%BB%8A%E5%A0%B4-%E7%9C%8B%E6%9D%BF%E7%AE%A1%E7%90%86%E3%81%AE4%E3%83%86%E3%83%BC%E3%83%9E%E3%81%A7

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