Mitsui : partners with KDDI to develop Next-generation City Simulator – support for city planning leveraging big data and AI

Mitsui & Co., Ltd. ('Mitsui', President and CEO: Tatsuo Yasunaga) and KDDI Corporation ('KDDI', President and CEO: Makoto Takahashi) announced today that they have signed a basic agreement on March 15th, 2021 to develop their 'Next-generation City Simulator'. This platform combines big data such as location information and AI to digitally reproduce people's movements in a city with details including time, place, purpose, and method of transportation.

In recent years, there has been increasing demand for business that supports the development of smart cities using advanced digital technology to address challenges in areas including transportation, medical care, and disaster prevention. To implement effective measures in these areas, it is extremely important to accurately visualize and understand what is happening within a city, and to accurately simulate the effects of implementing such measures.

Mitsui - experts in infrastructure business, including the development of smart cities, and possessing global business development capabilities - and KDDI - with expertise in big data analysis developed via its mobile business - have partnered to develop a platform that uses advanced machine learning to enable the visualization and simulation analysis of data related to the flow of people. Through this platform, the two companies aim to create new business that will make cities 'smarter' in a range of areas.

One of the goals set out by Mitsui in its Medium-term Management Plan is to support social development by responding flexibly to a tumultuous business environment and to accelerating changes and customer demands. In addition, the company has determined the creation of new business using digital technology as a core business area. Through the Next-generation City Simulator business, Mitsui will support the development of social infrastructure essential for sustainable growth and development and contribute to the betterment of people's lives and the creation of a sustainable society.