Japan Develops GPS App to Locate Citizens Abroad

Japan’s Foreign Ministry is developing a smartphone application that could help the government locate Japanese citizens overseas when war or a major disaster makes ordinary communication difficult.

The app would access a user’s location after receiving consent. It is designed to identify users even in places with weak connectivity, where embassy staff may struggle to confirm people’s safety by telephone. The ministry is also considering a feature that would send messages asking users whether they are safe and receive their replies directly.

Japan hopes to put the application into operation in fiscal 2027. Beyond emergencies, it could allow citizens staying abroad for three months or longer to submit required documents and apply for certificates of residence.

The system would also incorporate functions from Tabi-Regi, a service launched by the Foreign Ministry in 2014 that sends Japanese citizens overseas local safety information by email or the Line messaging app. The ministry is developing the new application partly because awareness of Tabi-Regi remains low.

A ministry survey found that fewer than 20% of respondents knew about Tabi-Regi, while awareness among people who had traveled abroad stood at about 30%. By contrast, about 80% of respondents said they would agree to let the Japanese government use their location information in an emergency.