Delivered on August 18, 2025
Surprisingly Little-Known Introduction to Real-Time People Flow Measurement by Kokusai Kogyo Co., Ltd.
Takashi Watanabe, People Flow Analysis Team Leader, Platform Group, Location Services Department, Business Management Headquarters
Affiliation and position information is as of the time of distribution
The Joetsu Anniversary Year Location Information Utilization Seminar @ Joetsu Myoko, hosted by LBMA Japan on June 26, 2024, had the theme ""Data Connects the Regional Future."" The seminar delved deep into the potential for regional revitalization using location data.
We will be sharing the content of each seminar in several installments.
Did you know? The potential of real-time people flow measurement and its use cases. Mr. Watanabe, a member of Kokusai Kogyo's people flow analysis team, explains the hidden potential of real-time people flow measurement and its diverse use cases. We'll explore how Kokusai Kogyo, a long-established mapping company, transforms people flow data into "valuable information" and contributes to society.
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Kokusai Kogyo's People Flow Data Utilization
Kokusai Kogyo engages in a wide range of spatial information-related businesses, including aerial surveying and 3D city modeling. Within these businesses, the company is working to utilize people flow data as part of its "sensing" technology, which captures the state of the earth and people.
Watanabe emphasizes that people flow data itself is not a business; "there is a goal we want to achieve, and people flow data is one of the research tools to achieve that goal." Kokusai Kogyo's people flow analysis team collaborates with data providers like Blogwatcher and companies with IoT sensor technology to propose optimal people flow measurement methods tailored to specific objectives and conditions.
For example, people flow data is not necessarily the optimal solution for surveys targeting small numbers of people, such as at event venues. The strength of people flow data is its ability to collect data on large numbers of people while respecting privacy.
Types of People Flow Data and Their Appropriate Use
People flow data can be broadly divided into three types.
① People flow measurement data: Data obtained by directly counting people using cameras or sensors.
② People flow data (smartphone-based): Data obtained from smartphone apps (provided by blog watchers, etc.).
③ Mobile base station data: Data obtained from mobile phone base station information.
In addition to these, Watanabe points out that depending on the purpose, it is also important to directly ask "people who know the correct answer," such as event attendee lists. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has also published guidelines for the use of people flow data, and Kokusai Kogyo is involved in writing these guidelines, promoting the appropriate use of people flow data.
People flow data acquisition methods can be broadly divided into "direct measurement of people (cameras, visual inspection)" and "measurement using alternative means (smartphone apps, mobile base stations, etc.)." Survey subjects can also be divided into "known people (specific targets wearing tags, etc.)" and "an unspecified number of people (smartphone data, etc.)." It is important to select the optimal method, taking into account the time of acquisition, such as whether the data is historical or real-time.
At the forefront of real-time people flow measurement
Kokusai Kogyo is particularly focused on real-time people flow measurement, primarily utilizing the following two methods.
Wi-Fi packet sensors: Taking advantage of the fact that smartphones are constantly searching for Wi-Fi signals, sensors installed at Wi-Fi access points detect smartphone MAC addresses to count people and analyze their behavior. While MAC addresses are not considered personal information, we thoroughly protect privacy by hashing them immediately after acquisition. We partner with railway companies and other organizations to provide real-time visualization of people flow and congestion within stations. By combining this with visual measurements, we verify the accuracy of sensor data and enable continuous monitoring 24/7.
High-precision positioning system "Quuppa": This system determines the location of specific subjects with high precision (approximately 10-centimeter accuracy). Developed by a Finnish company, it utilizes the angle of arrival (AOA) method to measure location using a combination of a locator and a tag (a device held by the person).
・Use in Factories and Warehouses: Attaching tags to parts and materials allows for progress management of production
processes and real-time location tracking of specific items, contributing to improved work efficiency.
・Safety Management: Employee tags help ensure worker safety by detecting falls in dangerous locations, such as factories at night, and by detecting the proximity of heavy machinery to people.
・Sports: Attaching tags to racehorses allows for highly accurate measurement of their running positions, which is used for race analysis.
・Entertainment: It is also used to create new experiences at museums and attractions, for example, by controlling performances based on visitor movements.
Summary
Real-time people flow measurement does not simply provide data on the presence of people; it also converts this data into information such as "danger" and demonstrates its true value when used in conjunction with alerts. While sensor data is highly accurate, people flow data also includes statistical estimates, making it essential to understand the characteristics of each data source.
Watanabe said, "People flow data isn't just for crowds," and pointed out that its applications are limitless, including traffic congestion mitigation, urban planning, disaster prevention, safety management to protect important people and things, and even entertainment creation. In the future, it is expected that diverse data from all over Japan will be integrated to contribute to solving social issues and creating new value in the form of "people flow warnings" and "customer attraction boosts."