Tsunami Countermeasures for the Nankai Trough Mega-Earthquake: Realizing a Safe and Secure Society for People and Pets through "Drone Laser Search"!
The NPO Hikari Search Association is promoting a "Drone Laser Search" system using "Retroreflective Variable QR Codes" to enable rapid, day-or-night rescue operations for people and pets during disasters. By leveraging existing drone laser measurement technology, the organization aims to create a nationwide search network to improve survival rates in emergencies.
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- 📰 Published: April 1, 2026 at 18:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 1, 2026 at 09:36
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Our association supports "April Dream," an initiative that encourages people to share their dreams on April 1st. This press release represents the dream of the "NPO Hikari Search Association" (Osaka City, Board Chairman: Yoshinobu Maeda). In collaboration with our East Japan coordinating company, APEX Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, Representative: Yusuke Shimodo), and our West Japan coordinating company, SMG Consultant Co., Ltd. (Yamaguchi City, Representative: Fumiyoshi Okamura), we will organize a "National Drone Laser Search Team" to implement green laser search capabilities across the country. Unfortunately, in the event of a disaster, the current only available method for search is visual observation. However, visual searching is only effective during the day, and nighttime searches are prohibited due to the risk of secondary accidents. If someone is left in the sea on a cold night, the probability of survival becomes infinitely low. By having both people and pets wear "Retroreflective Variable QR Codes," we can realize a safe and secure society through rapid search operations, regardless of day or night. This system will also become an essential item for passengers of "flying cars and taxis," which are planned for commercial operation as early as next year. The technology for "Drone Laser Search" already exists; let us all spread this to society and create a world where both people and pets can live with peace of mind!
■ What is "Drone Laser Search using Retroreflective Variable QR Codes"?
"Retroreflective Variable QR Codes" are advanced disaster prevention and safety support tools that combine retroreflective materials with variable QR codes, revolutionizing the concept of "ease of discovery" using light. Because the special retroreflective material responds with high sensitivity to laser light, it enables rapid and wide-area searching via drone-based laser scanning, even in environments where wireless communication is difficult, such as in mountains or at sea. Furthermore, the reason for using retroreflective material as a QR code is to enable individual identification and reduce search time.
It is estimated that tens of thousands of victims and pets could be swept away by tsunamis caused by mega-earthquakes in the Nankai Trough or the Tohoku region. When swept into the sea, visual searching is currently the only effective method because radio waves cannot physically penetrate the water. On the other hand, the green laser search we propose can search up to 10 meters underwater, and by irradiating the laser like a carpet, it can semi-automatically analyze the strong reflected light from the retroreflective material. This has a clear advantage over visual searching. In particular, visual searches are not conducted at night because visibility is poor. Furthermore, nighttime searches are prohibited due to the risk of secondary accidents. We want to prevent victims and pets from drifting in the sea on cold nights. Conversely, unmanned drones have no risk of secondary accidents, and because they are less affected by sunlight, nighttime searches are even more effective. Therefore, we aim to equip people and their beloved pets with "laser search" capabilities during normal times.
In recent years, many drone laser measurement companies have been operating across the country. For example, even in densely forested mountainous areas, it is possible to accurately survey the terrain by irradiating lasers from drones and measuring the laser light reflected from the ground that passes between the leaves. Additionally, by using green lasers that penetrate water, it is possible to survey coastlines and riverbeds up to several meters deep. There is an abundance of laser irradiation equipment, costing tens of millions of yen per unit, and highly skilled personnel capable of analyzing the reflected light within these drone laser measurement companies nationwide. We will utilize this network of drone laser measurement companies across the country.
■ Retroreflective Variable QR Code Items
Our association is promoting the use of clothing, keychains, and other items equipped with retroreflective variable QR code emblems. Anyone can encounter a disaster like a tsunami. Even those who say, "I was raised in the mountains and don't go to the coast," may pass along the coastline during an annual trip. I believe it is important to be prepared for this at all times. By wearing a "Retroreflective Variable QR Code," you gain the option of being found via laser search.
The variable QR code section has the flexibility to allow photos and messages to be updated freely as many times as desired. It can be used not only during disasters but also as a tool for lost-child tags, monitoring the elderly, emergency response for pets and travelers, and even as a daily information-sharing item. It holds great potential as a next-generation "smart amulet" that balances disaster prevention with personalization and is useful in everyday city life.
We have started selling "Retroreflective Variable QR Code" items on the Amazon site.
■ Please search for "Retroreflective Variable QR Code Keychain or Iron-on Print (manufactured by Hikari Triode)" on the Amazon site to purchase.
■ Corporate Information
NPO Hikari Search Association (Osaka City, Board Chairman: Yoshinobu Maeda) is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting life-saving efforts during maritime and mountain accidents and disasters through the research, development, and promotion of "Light Search Systems" that utilize laser light and retroreflective materials. The association conducts demonstration experiments for search operations using laser-equipped drones and is advancing the development of products that combine retroreflective materials with variable QR codes. It also conducts reflection experiments in outer space, with the future goal of building a wide-area search infrastructure using laser-equipped artificial satellites.
We are grateful to have been selected for the PR TIMES non-profit organization support project.
■ Corporate Overview
Corporate Name: NPO Hikari Search Association
Representative: Board Chairman Yoshinobu Maeda
Address: ZEN203, 1-2-4 Sakuragawa, Naniwa-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture 556-0022
Established: October 2019
Business Content: Promotion and advancement of light search systems, life-saving business using light search systems
URL: https://www7b.biglobe.ne.jp/~hikari-search/index.html
URL: Amazon.co.jp: Retroreflective Variable QR Code Iron-on Print, rewritable photos and messages, lost-child tag, mountaineering equipment, drone laser searchable
■ What is "Drone Laser Search using Retroreflective Variable QR Codes"?
"Retroreflective Variable QR Codes" are advanced disaster prevention and safety support tools that combine retroreflective materials with variable QR codes, revolutionizing the concept of "ease of discovery" using light. Because the special retroreflective material responds with high sensitivity to laser light, it enables rapid and wide-area searching via drone-based laser scanning, even in environments where wireless communication is difficult, such as in mountains or at sea. Furthermore, the reason for using retroreflective material as a QR code is to enable individual identification and reduce search time.
It is estimated that tens of thousands of victims and pets could be swept away by tsunamis caused by mega-earthquakes in the Nankai Trough or the Tohoku region. When swept into the sea, visual searching is currently the only effective method because radio waves cannot physically penetrate the water. On the other hand, the green laser search we propose can search up to 10 meters underwater, and by irradiating the laser like a carpet, it can semi-automatically analyze the strong reflected light from the retroreflective material. This has a clear advantage over visual searching. In particular, visual searches are not conducted at night because visibility is poor. Furthermore, nighttime searches are prohibited due to the risk of secondary accidents. We want to prevent victims and pets from drifting in the sea on cold nights. Conversely, unmanned drones have no risk of secondary accidents, and because they are less affected by sunlight, nighttime searches are even more effective. Therefore, we aim to equip people and their beloved pets with "laser search" capabilities during normal times.
In recent years, many drone laser measurement companies have been operating across the country. For example, even in densely forested mountainous areas, it is possible to accurately survey the terrain by irradiating lasers from drones and measuring the laser light reflected from the ground that passes between the leaves. Additionally, by using green lasers that penetrate water, it is possible to survey coastlines and riverbeds up to several meters deep. There is an abundance of laser irradiation equipment, costing tens of millions of yen per unit, and highly skilled personnel capable of analyzing the reflected light within these drone laser measurement companies nationwide. We will utilize this network of drone laser measurement companies across the country.
■ Retroreflective Variable QR Code Items
Our association is promoting the use of clothing, keychains, and other items equipped with retroreflective variable QR code emblems. Anyone can encounter a disaster like a tsunami. Even those who say, "I was raised in the mountains and don't go to the coast," may pass along the coastline during an annual trip. I believe it is important to be prepared for this at all times. By wearing a "Retroreflective Variable QR Code," you gain the option of being found via laser search.
The variable QR code section has the flexibility to allow photos and messages to be updated freely as many times as desired. It can be used not only during disasters but also as a tool for lost-child tags, monitoring the elderly, emergency response for pets and travelers, and even as a daily information-sharing item. It holds great potential as a next-generation "smart amulet" that balances disaster prevention with personalization and is useful in everyday city life.
We have started selling "Retroreflective Variable QR Code" items on the Amazon site.
■ Please search for "Retroreflective Variable QR Code Keychain or Iron-on Print (manufactured by Hikari Triode)" on the Amazon site to purchase.
■ Corporate Information
NPO Hikari Search Association (Osaka City, Board Chairman: Yoshinobu Maeda) is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting life-saving efforts during maritime and mountain accidents and disasters through the research, development, and promotion of "Light Search Systems" that utilize laser light and retroreflective materials. The association conducts demonstration experiments for search operations using laser-equipped drones and is advancing the development of products that combine retroreflective materials with variable QR codes. It also conducts reflection experiments in outer space, with the future goal of building a wide-area search infrastructure using laser-equipped artificial satellites.
We are grateful to have been selected for the PR TIMES non-profit organization support project.
■ Corporate Overview
Corporate Name: NPO Hikari Search Association
Representative: Board Chairman Yoshinobu Maeda
Address: ZEN203, 1-2-4 Sakuragawa, Naniwa-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture 556-0022
Established: October 2019
Business Content: Promotion and advancement of light search systems, life-saving business using light search systems
URL: https://www7b.biglobe.ne.jp/~hikari-search/index.html
URL: Amazon.co.jp: Retroreflective Variable QR Code Iron-on Print, rewritable photos and messages, lost-child tag, mountaineering equipment, drone laser searchable