Val Laboratory Supports Equipment Introduction to Contribute to Local Koenji Town Development

Val Laboratory Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Suginami-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Takashi Kikuchi; hereinafter "Val Laboratory"), developer and operator of the route search service "Ekispert," has supported initiatives to create liveliness in the Koenji Junjo Shopping Street (organized by the Koenji Ginza Shopping Street Cooperative) as part of its contribution and gratitude to the Koenji area where its headquarters is located.

This initiative supports Suginami Ward's "Future-Creating Shopping District Support Project," providing assistance for the introduction of AI camera equipment to the "Awa Odori Monument" installed within the shopping district.

■ Background of Support

Founded in 1976, Val Laboratory has maintained its headquarters in Koenji while developing software that supports public transportation infrastructure. This support was realized out of a desire to "give back" to the community that has supported the company for many years by contributing to the creation of a more attractive town for the shopping district and visitors.

Koenji possesses a culture and vitality that attracts many people throughout the year, including the "Tokyo Koenji Awa Odori," one of Japan's representative festivals. As a partner for the sustainable development of this traditional town, our company will continue to walk alongside the local community.

■ Details of the Initiative

We supported the introduction of AI cameras attached to high-hanging lanterns placed between the Awa Odori monument statues, which symbolize the landscape of the shopping district. By analyzing human flow data, it becomes possible to objectively understand and visualize visitor trends during events and daily life, which were previously perceived only intuitively. The acquired data is expected to be used as basic information for creating a highly walkable town, such as ensuring pedestrian safety and planning more attractive store layouts and events.

In addition, our Representative Director, Kikuchi, attended the monument's unveiling ceremony held recently, praying for the future development of Koenji together with the local residents.

■ Future Outlook

Val Laboratory will continue to value its connection with local communities, including Koenji, and contribute to sustainable town planning by utilizing its expertise in public transportation and mobility. We will further deepen our collaboration with the government, shopping districts, and local residents to continue supporting Koenji as a town where people "want to live and visit."

■ About Val Laboratory Co., Ltd.

Since the release of the MS-DOS version of the route search system "Ekispert" in 1988, the company has developed various services for corporations and individuals based on highly reliable public transportation data nationwide, with a track record of over 120,000 business partners.

In recent years, in addition to public transportation, we have been promoting MaaS initiatives and the research and development of next-generation route search systems, such as responding to various new mobility services like bike-sharing.

Trade Name: Val Laboratory Co., Ltd.
Representative Director: Takashi Kikuchi
Location: 2-3-17 Koenjikita, Suginami-ku, Tokyo
Establishment Date: July 26, 1976
Capital: 41 million yen
Corporate Site: https://www.val.co.jp/

*Company names, product names, and service names mentioned are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective companies.