Wesco and Space Shift Joint Project Selected for JAXA Space Strategy Fund (Phase 2)
A joint project proposed by Wesco Inc. and Space Shift, Inc. has been selected for the JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Space Strategy Fund (Phase 2). The project aims to develop a system utilizing multimodal AI to detect illegal or improper embankments (landfills) and evaluate landslide risks. Following the 2021 landslide disaster in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture, local governments across Japan are now mandated to conduct embankment surveys, but limited personnel and budgets remain significant challenges. The developed system will combine multiple satellite data sources with AI technology to achieve wide-area automated detection and quantitative risk assessment, with future plans for local government support services and international expansion.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 14, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 14, 2026 at 10:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 16, 2026 at 18:08 (55h 36m after Collected)
Wesco Inc. (Headquarters: Okayama City; President: Akihide Kitamura), a general construction consultant, is pleased to announce that its joint proposal has been selected for the "Satellite Data Utilization System Implementation Acceleration Project" under the JAXA Space Strategy Fund (Phase 2). The project, titled "Illegal/Improper Embankment Detection and Landslide Risk Evaluation via Multimodal AI," was submitted with Wesco as the lead organization and Space Shift, Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Naruo Kanemoto) as the partner organization.
■ Roles and Strengths in This Project
As the lead organization, Wesco will oversee the entire project. Leveraging its long-standing civil engineering expertise, surveying/investigation technologies, and extensive practical experience as a general construction consultant, Wesco will handle the preparation of training data and the study of risk evaluation factors in the disaster prevention and infrastructure sectors.
Space Shift, the partner organization, 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 landslide risk calculation models. By combining Wesco’s domain expertise with Space Shift’s deep learning model development, the project aims to improve the accuracy of embankment detection and accelerate its social implementation.
*Reference: JAXA Selection Results List: https://fund.jaxa.jp/content/uploads/kekka2_22.pdf*
■ Background and Challenges
Triggered by the 2021 embankment collapse disaster in Atami, Shizuoka, the Embankment Regulation Act was enacted in May 2023. This law mandates local governments nationwide to conduct embankment surveys approximately every five years. However, monitoring and identifying illegal embankments across hundreds of thousands of locations with limited personnel and budgets has become a major social challenge.
■ System Overview and Goals
This project will develop a system that combines multiple satellite data sources and AI technology to automatically detect embankments over wide areas and quantitatively evaluate the risk of landslides. The system will feature multiple detection modes tailored to the survey needs of local governments, aiming to establish a stable monitoring system that is not affected by weather conditions.
■ Future Outlook
Following the completion of technical development, the companies aim to launch survey support services for local governments, followed by expansion into infrastructure management, insurance, and finance sectors. Furthermore, the project will promote business development with an eye toward international expansion into Asian countries.
■ About Wesco Inc.
As a general construction consultant dedicated to a "society in harmony with nature for the future," Wesco addresses social issues across a wide range of fields, including spatial information, disaster prevention/environment, and social infrastructure design.
* Company Name: Wesco Inc.
* Representative: Akihide Kitamura, President
* Headquarters: 2-5-35 Shimada-honmachi, Kita-ku, Okayama City, Okayama
* Established: September 21, 1970
* Capital: 100,000,000 Yen
* URL: https://www.wesco.co.jp/
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■ Roles and Strengths in This Project
As the lead organization, Wesco will oversee the entire project. Leveraging its long-standing civil engineering expertise, surveying/investigation technologies, and extensive practical experience as a general construction consultant, Wesco will handle the preparation of training data and the study of risk evaluation factors in the disaster prevention and infrastructure sectors.
Space Shift, the partner organization, 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 landslide risk calculation models. By combining Wesco’s domain expertise with Space Shift’s deep learning model development, the project aims to improve the accuracy of embankment detection and accelerate its social implementation.
*Reference: JAXA Selection Results List: https://fund.jaxa.jp/content/uploads/kekka2_22.pdf*
■ Background and Challenges
Triggered by the 2021 embankment collapse disaster in Atami, Shizuoka, the Embankment Regulation Act was enacted in May 2023. This law mandates local governments nationwide to conduct embankment surveys approximately every five years. However, monitoring and identifying illegal embankments across hundreds of thousands of locations with limited personnel and budgets has become a major social challenge.
■ System Overview and Goals
This project will develop a system that combines multiple satellite data sources and AI technology to automatically detect embankments over wide areas and quantitatively evaluate the risk of landslides. The system will feature multiple detection modes tailored to the survey needs of local governments, aiming to establish a stable monitoring system that is not affected by weather conditions.
■ Future Outlook
Following the completion of technical development, the companies aim to launch survey support services for local governments, followed by expansion into infrastructure management, insurance, and finance sectors. Furthermore, the project will promote business development with an eye toward international expansion into Asian countries.
■ About Wesco Inc.
As a general construction consultant dedicated to a "society in harmony with nature for the future," Wesco addresses social issues across a wide range of fields, including spatial information, disaster prevention/environment, and social infrastructure design.
* Company Name: Wesco Inc.
* Representative: Akihide Kitamura, President
* Headquarters: 2-5-35 Shimada-honmachi, Kita-ku, Okayama City, Okayama
* Established: September 21, 1970
* Capital: 100,000,000 Yen
* URL: https://www.wesco.co.jp/
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FAQ
What is the purpose of this project?
The purpose of this project is to develop a system that utilizes multimodal AI to detect illegal/improper embankments and evaluate landslide risks, contributing to the resolution of social issues.
What technologies will be used?
A system combining multiple satellite data sources (SAR satellite data, optical satellite data) and AI technologies (deep learning models) will be developed.