TOKYO, Feb 21, 2025 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. became the first automobile manufacturer to partner with the United Nations Road Safety Fund (UNRSF) to contribute to global initiatives to reduce fatalities from traffic collisions, including a previously announced commitment of US$3 million over 5 years. Honda and UNRSF revealed the direction of the joint initiatives of their partnership at the UNRSF High-Level Pledging Forum(1), held on February 17, 2025 in Marrakech, Morocco.By combining the knowledge and know-how Honda has amassed through its long history of developing safety technologies and promoting safe driving/riding with the global network of the UNRSF, Honda and UNRSF will support traffic collision analysis and the road safety policies of various countries.Striving to realize a collision-free society for everyone sharing the road, Honda has been committed to pursuing safety initiatives from both hardware and software perspectives, under the Honda global safety slogan of “Safety for Everyone.” Honda is striving to achieve zero traffic collision fatalities involving Honda motorcycles and automobiles worldwide by 2050, with a milestone to reduce fatalities by 50% by 2030(2).In this partnership, Honda and UNRSF will focus on two key areas – traffic collision analysis and support for road safety policies – and contribute to the reduction of fatalities from traffic collisions by working together with various countries around the world. Moreover, striving to reduce traffic collision fatalities involving motorcycles in emerging countries, which account for a significant portion of worldwide traffic collision fatalities, Honda and UNRSF have made emerging nations, particularly in Asia, as a focus area.(1) A concurrent event of the 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety held from February 18 through 20, 2025 in Marrakech, Morocco.(2) Reduce traffic collision fatalities involving Honda motorcycles and automobiles per 10,000 units sold by 50% by 2030 compared to 2020.Focus of Honda-UNRSF Partnership1. Traffic collision analysis in each country(Understanding the actual situations of traffic collisions and strengthening the monitoring of the effects of road safety measures)To enhance the effectiveness of initiatives taken to reduce traffic collision fatalities, Honda and UNRSF will strive to establish a system for understanding the actual situations of traffic collisions and monitoring the effectiveness of road safety measures in each country. In emerging countries, there is a lack of data necessary for the analysis of traffic collisions, making it difficult to analyze the causes of such incidents. To address this issue, Honda and UNRSF will clarify the types of data that should be collected and encourage each country to gather such data. Moreover, by leveraging the know-how in traffic collision analysis Honda has amassed over many years, monitoring of the effects of road safety measures will be strengthened to enhance the practical effectiveness of the measures. 2. Support for road safety policies in each country (Supporting the institutionalization of traffic rules, proposing infrastructure improvements, and strengthening road safety awareness activities)By leveraging the extensive experience of Honda in developing safety technologies and promoting safe driving/riding, Honda and UNRSF will provide support for emerging countries, particularly in Asia. This will include advocating for legislation of appropriate speed limits, mandatory protective gear (helmets, seat belt use) and licensing systems, as well as assisting in strengthening the enforcement of traffic rules, proposing infrastructure improvements, and enhancing road safety awareness activities.Furthermore, Honda will donate a total of US$3 million to the UNRSF over five years from 2025 to 2030 for the Honda-UNRSF collaboration in road safety initiatives.Comments by Hideaki Takaishi, General Manager of Safety Planning Division, Corporate Planning Unit, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.“Honda has set a clear safety goal to strive for zero traffic collision fatalities involving Honda motorcycles and automobiles worldwide by 2050. Toward this goal, Honda is continuing its initiatives to enhance safety and reduce traffic collision fatalities worldwide. For many years, Honda has been committed to safety initiatives not only from the hardware perspective such as the development of safety technologies, but also from software perspectives including the promotion of traffic safety awareness among everyone sharing the road. Through our partnership with the UNRSF, we will integrate the knowledge, know-how and network of both parties and strengthen outreach and engagement with various countries with an aim to achieve the milestone of halving worldwide traffic collision fatalities by 2030.”Comments by Nneka Henry, Head of the UN Road Safety Fund“We welcome Honda as the first vehicle manufacturer to join the UNRSF and its governing body. Their contribution through sharing the knowledge and know-how of a mobility company is one of the largest we have received and will help us direct vital resources to high-impact projects that save lives in developing countries. Honda’s leadership sets an important example for the private sector’s role in tackling the global road safety crisis.”For reference:Honda Report 2024 (Integrated report):https://global.honda/en/sustainability/integratedreport/Honda ESG Data Book 2024:https://global.honda/en/sustainability/report.html Copyright 2025 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.

TOKYO, Feb 21, 2025 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Mitsubishi Logistics Corporation (Head Office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo, President: Hidechika Saito), Mitsubishi Corporation, and Yourstand Inc. will introduce medium-size EV truck from March 2025 to reduce CO2 emissions in pharmaceutical transportation and delivery operations conducted by Mitsubishi Logistics Corporation Group company DP Network Co., Ltd., aiming for completely CO2-free electrification of logistics.In this case, an EV charger has been installed at Mitsubishi Logistics Corporation’s base in the Misato area of Saitama, and an “eCanter” manufactured by Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation will be introduced to start transportation and delivery operations to customers in March. Various data related to the vehicle's range and temperature management will be collected for future developments.Mitsubishi Corporation, in collaboration with Yourstand provided a one-stop charging service to Mitsubishi Logistics Corporation, including the proposal of charging location, charger selection, and charging equipment installation. Yourstand’s charging station management system for corporate clients, named “Yourstand for Business” (hereinafter YS4B) will be used for charging management, enabling integrated management of charging times, Real-time monitoring or charging status and CO2 reduction, ensuring a highly convenient operation for customers. Additionally, by using YS4B's charging schedule management function, charging times can be shifted to periods when electricity prices are lower, achieving cost-effective charging.The EV truck will be leased by Mitsubishi Auto Leasing Corporation and MC Retail Energy Co., Ltd. will provide a renewable energy plan exclusively for EV charging. As a result, all CO2 emissions from charging to driving will be virtually zero, and this will contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) Scope 3 emissions from logistics for pharmaceutical manufacturers.In addition to the introduction of EV trucks, Mitsubishi Logistics Corporation Group is working to reduce GHG emissions throughout the supply chain using “MLC Green Action”, a CO2 visualization and reduction service that provides “Emission Monitoring Cargo Route Finder”, an international route search and GHG calculation system, and proposes CO2 emission reduction solutions.Mitsubishi Corporation is targeting the commercial mobility sectors such as logistics and taxis, which require decarbonization, and is advancing the realization of electrification and decarbonization of commercial mobility through cross-sectoral solution development in the mobility x energy field, utilizing Mitsubishi Corporation's comprehensive capabilities, including energy management, fleet management (auto leasing), battery management, and renewable energy.Since its founding in 2018, Yourstand has been engaged in the EV charging infrastructure business with the mission of "enabling cleaner mobility," focusing on "Base charging." Since 2023, Yourstand has been offering corporate EV charging solutions, providing one-stop services from multifunctional charging management through software to the design and installation of charging infrastructure tailored to customer needs.For inquiries regarding this news release contact:Mitsubishi Logistics Corporation Corporate Communications Chamber TEL: +81-3-3278-6652Mitsubishi Corporation Press Relations Team TEL: +81-3-3210-2171Yourstand Inc. Public Relations Contact: pr@yourstand-ev.comInquiry Recipient:Mitsubishi CorporationTelephone:+81-3-3210-2171 Copyright 2025 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.

TOKYO, Feb 21, 2025 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE: 6701) today announced the results of the latest NEC Innovation Challenge, a global accelerator program sponsored by NEC and partner companies that invites startup companies across the globe to apply and submit innovative solutions under the four key themes of Healthcare, Sustainability, Digital Operational Excellence, and Media/Entertainment. The first program was held in 2022, making the NEC Innovation Challenge 2024 the organization’s third event. During the application period from August 22 to October 4, 2024, 708 applications were submitted.Eight startup companies passed through the primary screening, interviewing and mentoring phases, then participated in a final screening held online on February 14, 2025. As a result of the final judging after each company's pitch, the winners of the NEC Award, NOFF Award (NOFF: NEC Orchestrating Future Fund), and DNP Award (DNP: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.) were decided.1. NEC AwardThe winning company may select one of the following options.First option:Provided with opportunities to collaborate with NEC and a 2.2 million yen prize to accelerate collaboration.Second option:Opportunity to explore business development in Japan with support from NEC. Travel expenses up to 2.2 million yen and collaboration assistance with internal teams, partners, and stakeholders.Winning startupCompany name (country): new windowPrevu3D Inc. (Canada)Theme: Digital Operational ExcellenceOverview: Converts point cloud data from factories and plants into high-resolution, lightweight 3D digital twin spaces2. NOFF AwardOpportunity to discuss investment from the NEC Orchestrating Future Fund (NOFF) which is an ecosystem-type corporate venture capital (CVC) fund managed by Translink Capital.Winning startupCompany name (country): Prevu3D Inc. (Canada)Theme: Digital Operational ExcellenceOverview: Converts point cloud data from factories and plants into high-resolution, lightweight 3D digital twin spaces3. DNP AwardProviding opportunities to collaborate with DNP for POC implementation and/or be able to discuss potential funding support for developing the business.Winning startupCompany name (country): new windowAlgae Scope Ltd. (Italy)Theme: SustainabilityOverview: Develops 100% seaweed-based bio-coating materials as an alternative to increasingly regulated PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances)“Congratulations to all the startups awarded at the NEC Innovation Challenge 2024. DNP is honored to have participated in this wonderful program as a Platinum Partner. We were deeply moved by the passion and creativity of those who proposed innovative solutions in various fields. Leveraging our unique strengths in ‘Printing and Information’ DNP will continue to create new value and contribute to society in collaboration with NEC and startups,” said Ryota Chiba, Senior Corporate Officer, DNP.“NEC regards collaboration with startups around the world as an important strategy, and we received many applications for the 2024 program. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all those who applied. We are delighted to have been able to work with DNP and other sponsoring companies to create new value. We are confident that we can create innovative solutions by combining the cutting-edge products of the winning startups with DNP's advanced technological capabilities and business base, and NEC's expertise. Going forward, NEC will continue to promote collaboration and create innovation,” said Shigeki Wada, Corporate Senior Vice President, NEC Corporation.NEC Innovation Challenge 2024 siteURL: https://nec.agorize.com/en/challenges/nec-innovation-challenge-2024/ About NEC CorporationNEC Corporation has established itself as a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies while promoting the brand statement of “Orchestrating a brighter world.” NEC enables businesses and communities to adapt to rapid changes taking place in both society and the market as it provides for the social values of safety, security, fairness and efficiency to promote a more sustainable world where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential. For more information, visit NEC at https://www.nec.com. Copyright 2025 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.

TOKYO, Feb 21, 2025 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE: 6701) has developed a Near Real-time RAN Intelligent Controller (Near-RT RIC) platform and RIC applications that enable flexible and intelligent network control that is compliant with the O-RAN Alliance (*1) specifications for virtualized Radio Access Networks (vRAN).In recent years, as the spread of cutting-edge technologies such as generative AI has progressed rapidly, there are high expectations for the provision of new user experiences that utilize these technologies. As the infrastructure that supports these experiences, 5G networks require high scalability and flexibility to effectively support new services, as well as mechanisms to efficiently operate existing services.In order to provide an advanced 5G network that meets these requirements, NEC has developed a Near-RT RIC platform that enables flexible and intelligent network control in accordance with O-RAN Alliance specifications for vRAN and runs on general-purpose hardware. This makes it possible to dynamically customize RAN (base station) settings according to service requirements and network conditions. Furthermore, as RIC applications that run on this platform, NEC has implemented functions for load balancing between cells, guaranteeing the Service Level Agreement (SLA) for slices, and achieving high reliability with acceptable latency (*2).Features of NEC's Near-RT RIC:The Near-RT RIC developed by NEC can flexibly support functional enhancements such as quality improvement, SLA guarantees, and power saving by dynamically customizing RAN operations in response to diversifying service requirements by adding RIC applications, including the following:RIC Application Examples:1. Load balancing between cellsThe application can quickly resolve load imbalances between adjacent cells, and in environments where network load fluctuates depending on time of day and location, it can improve the throughput of terminals connected to cells with high load.2. SLA guarantee for slicesBy dynamically optimizing the radio resources for each slice, it is possible to provide quality of service (QoS) in accordance with the SLA to the terminals connected to the slice, even in a congested network environment.3. High reliability with acceptable latencyBy using AI to analyze acceptable latency and fluctuations in radio quality, and dynamically optimizing radio control for each terminal, it is possible to increase the satisfaction rate of acceptable latency in environments where there is a high demand for reliability in the arrival of data within an acceptable latency.Moreover, since RIC control is separated from conventional RAN functions and operates on a virtualized platform via an interface that complies with O-RAN Alliance specifications, it is possible to quickly incorporate hardware and software innovations related to AI.By utilizing these mechanisms to automate and make RAN operations more autonomous, it is possible to continuously improve the value of vRAN while keeping Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) down.NEC has also demonstrated the effectiveness of its high-reliability function for achieving acceptable latency in an indoor test environment using 5G vRAN.Overview and Results of the Technical Verification:Using 5G vRAN, NEC built a network for remotely controlling mobile robots (*3) in an indoor environment and conducted a demonstration experiment of an RIC application that achieves high reliability in terms of acceptable latency. By dynamically optimizing radio control for each mobile robot terminal, NEC demonstrated that the frequency of packets exceeding the acceptable latency could be reduced to less than 1/6 of the frequency when RIC was not used.Future Developments:NEC will continue to contribute to improving service quality in the mobile network market, from corporate digital transformation (DX) to general users, by expanding Near-RT RIC applications that improve network quality, save power, and improve operational autonomy using AI, in order to achieve the advancement of vRAN with an eye on Beyond 5G/6G.*Part of the results of this news release is based on results obtained from the "Research and Development Project of the Enhanced Infrastructures for Post-5G Information and Communication Systems" (JPNP20017), commissioned by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).(1) O-RAN AllianceAn international industry organization that promotes standardization with the aim of realizing open and scalable next-generation radio access networks, including 5G.(2) Acceptable latencyThe communication latency that users and/or applications can tolerate.(3) Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR)About NEC CorporationNEC Corporation has established itself as a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies while promoting the brand statement of “Orchestrating a brighter world.” NEC enables businesses and communities to adapt to rapid changes taking place in both society and the market as it provides for the social values of safety, security, fairness and efficiency to promote a more sustainable world where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential. For more information, visit NEC at https://www.nec.com. Copyright 2025 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.