Space Shift Participates in JAXA Space Strategy Fund Project with Wesco for Multimodal AI Embankment Detection
Space Shift Inc. announced its participation as a collaborating organization in a technology development project led by Wesco Co., Ltd., which was selected for JAXA's Space Strategy Fund (Phase 2). The project, titled "Illegal/Improper Embankment Detection and Landslide Risk Assessment using Multimodal AI," aims to develop a system for automatic wide-area embankment detection and quantitative landslide risk assessment by combining multiple satellite data and AI technology. Space Shift will develop AI algorithms using SAR and optical satellite data and landslide risk calculation models, while Wesco will prepare training data and evaluate risk assessment elements. The project targets future expansion into survey support services for local governments, infrastructure management, insurance/finance sectors, and overseas markets in Asian countries.
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- 📰 Published: April 14, 2026 at 19:00
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Space Shift Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Naruo Kanemoto) announced its participation as a collaborating organization in a technology development project led by Wesco Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture; Representative Director: Akihide Kitamura). This project was selected under the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)'s Space Strategy Fund (Phase 2) technology development theme, "Satellite Data Utilization System Implementation Acceleration Project." The specific challenge is "Illegal/Improper Embankment Detection and Landslide Risk Assessment using Multimodal AI."
In this project, Wesco, a partner in Space Shift's "SateBiz" business co-creation program, will lead the overall project. Wesco will leverage its expertise in disaster prevention and infrastructure as a general construction consultant to prepare training data and evaluate risk assessment elements. Space Shift will be responsible for developing and verifying AI algorithms for embankment detection using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and optical satellite data, as well as developing and verifying landslide risk calculation models.
Space Shift will contribute to improving the accuracy of embankment detection and accelerating its social implementation by developing deep learning models that integrate and analyze multiple satellite data, utilizing its accumulated knowledge in AI analysis technology for diverse satellite data such as optical and SAR.
The project is a response to the 2021 Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture embankment collapse disaster and the subsequent enactment of the Embankment Regulation Law in May 2023, which mandates local governments to survey embankments approximately every five years. The challenge lies in monitoring hundreds of thousands of embankments nationwide with limited personnel and budget.
The developed system will combine multiple satellite data and AI technology to automatically detect embankments over wide areas and quantitatively assess their landslide risk. It aims to establish a stable monitoring system that is not affected by weather conditions, offering multiple detection modes tailored to local government survey needs.
After completing technology development, the project aims for commercialization, starting with embankment survey support services for local governments, expanding to infrastructure management operators, insurance and finance sectors, and considering overseas expansion to Asian countries.
Space Shift Inc. was established on December 11, 2009, with a capital of 703,990,750 JPY. Its theme is "Sense the Unseen from Orbit," developing AI for analyzing data from Earth observation satellites. It offers "SateAIs," a satellite data analysis package for various fields, and promotes a sustainable society through its "SateBiz" program.
In this project, Wesco, a partner in Space Shift's "SateBiz" business co-creation program, will lead the overall project. Wesco will leverage its expertise in disaster prevention and infrastructure as a general construction consultant to prepare training data and evaluate risk assessment elements. Space Shift will be responsible for developing and verifying AI algorithms for embankment detection using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and optical satellite data, as well as developing and verifying landslide risk calculation models.
Space Shift will contribute to improving the accuracy of embankment detection and accelerating its social implementation by developing deep learning models that integrate and analyze multiple satellite data, utilizing its accumulated knowledge in AI analysis technology for diverse satellite data such as optical and SAR.
The project is a response to the 2021 Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture embankment collapse disaster and the subsequent enactment of the Embankment Regulation Law in May 2023, which mandates local governments to survey embankments approximately every five years. The challenge lies in monitoring hundreds of thousands of embankments nationwide with limited personnel and budget.
The developed system will combine multiple satellite data and AI technology to automatically detect embankments over wide areas and quantitatively assess their landslide risk. It aims to establish a stable monitoring system that is not affected by weather conditions, offering multiple detection modes tailored to local government survey needs.
After completing technology development, the project aims for commercialization, starting with embankment survey support services for local governments, expanding to infrastructure management operators, insurance and finance sectors, and considering overseas expansion to Asian countries.
Space Shift Inc. was established on December 11, 2009, with a capital of 703,990,750 JPY. Its theme is "Sense the Unseen from Orbit," developing AI for analyzing data from Earth observation satellites. It offers "SateAIs," a satellite data analysis package for various fields, and promotes a sustainable society through its "SateBiz" program.