Delivered on November 10, 2025
"Zenrin Changes the World! Digital Twin Made Possible with Geospatial Information" by Zenrin
Speaker: Risa Shigetani
Zenrin Co., Ltd. Product Solutions Business Division
Affiliation and position information is as of the time of distribution
Founded shortly after the war, Zenrin has expanded its business from residential maps to car navigation systems, GIS, and high-precision maps for autonomous driving and drones, centering on its core business of thoroughly researching each and every building and providing geospatial information. In 2024, the company will see its first change of president in 17 years, driving its transformation from a map material provider to a geospatial information service company, with the aim of building a digital twin infrastructure utilizing the thousands of elements (land features) that make up maps. Zenrin is currently building a socially implemented geospatial information infrastructure by improving the accuracy of 3D information, including the Z axis, updating in real time through change detection, and linking with AI and drones. We spoke to Zenrin about its outlook.
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A 77-Year-Old Company Takes on Innovation: Zenrin Today
Mr. Tani of Zenrin Co., Ltd.'s Product Solutions Division appeared as a guest on "Location Weekly Japan." He discussed Zenrin's transformation from a simple "residential map and navigation company" into a new geospatial information service company.
The company was founded 77 years ago, shortly after the end of World War II. The business originated with residential maps featuring the names of each building, which became popular as supplements to travel magazines. Since then, the company has evolved into digitizing maps in the 1980s and developing map data for car navigation systems in the 1990s.
The company is currently driving a paradigm shift from "maps for people" to "maps for machines." They are developing high-precision maps for use in autonomous driving and drones, and further evolving them into "advanced geospatial information." In April of this year, Zenrin's top management changed for the first time in 17 years, and under the new structure, the company is driving further transformation under the theme of "co-creation."
From a "Map Material Provider" to a "Geospatial Information Service Company"
Zenrin's goal is to transform from a "map material provider" to a "geospatial information service company."
In addition to traditional map information, we are utilizing information on the thousands of "features" that make up maps to fundamentally support the creation of "digital twins" (technology that recreates the real world in virtual space).
This evolution is particularly important in an age where machines (AI) are increasingly used to interpret information. We aim to realize a world in which machines can accurately process vast amounts of detailed data that are difficult for humans to grasp visually, and in which more people can use it intelligently.
The Potential of Digital Twins and the "Z-Axis"
Tani emphasized the importance of building a digital twin foundation as the future direction of map evolution.
For example, when operating drones, accurate information on not only X (longitude) and Y (latitude) but also Z (height) is essential. ZENRIN has previously possessed height information based on building floor counts and other data, but going forward, we will work to further improve the accuracy of the Z-axis, contributing to the establishment of safe drone flight routes (cools) and the efficient optimization of logistics routes.
Furthermore, with regard to the rules of the sky (legislation for drone operation), we have demonstrated our commitment to contributing to societal implementation toward a more convenient society, while working with the national government.
Pursuing Safety and Real-Time Performance in Autonomous Driving
The current mainstream approach to implementing autonomous driving is the combination of map information and sensors. Even in Japan's complex weather conditions, such as fog and sudden heavy rain, which are difficult to handle with sensors alone, high-precision map information enables safer and more efficient route selection. ZENRIN provides important value that supports this safety.
We are also working to improve the real-time performance (freshness) of our maps. In the future, we will transition from periodic on-site surveys to a method of using change information as a trigger to focus on updating areas that have changed, thereby streamlining the maintenance of information freshness. Furthermore, in addition to basic map information, the company aims to build a true digital twin by incorporating dynamic information on current usage, such as activity information and semantic information, into its digital infrastructure through collaboration with alliance partners.
Summary: Next-generation geospatial information realized through a co-creation society
Zenrin's founding spirit of "Zenrin Yukou" (getting along with neighbors) is based on the theme of "co-creation (creating together)."
By providing the basic geospatial information layer it has cultivated to date as a foundation and linking it with status information and knowledge information held by other companies, the company aims to build a true digital twin and ultimately realize a next-generation geospatial information society.