Innovation Strategies
Realizing the Creation of Value
For the sustainable development of the JR East Group, it is
essential that we actively adopt the latest digital technologies.
We aim to provide high-quality digital services by collaborating
with diverse partners and utilizing the Group’s know-how and
accumulated data to transform our operations. In addition, we
believe that creating new value through innovation will lead to
long-term growth for the Group.
The Digital & Data Innovation Center (DICe) is conducting
in-house development and data analysis, and will begin
developing a “railway-focused generative AI” from 2024
onwards. Generative AI will support employees’ work, enabling
employees to use the time saved to develop new businesses
and revitalize local communities. Moreover, we will apply the
latest technologies to promote system modernization, which
will revamp bloated systems into an overall optimized structure,
thereby strengthening security across the entire Group while
creating a system platform that supports management.
In response to the declining working-age population,
environmental issues, and natural disasters, we will use open
innovation to advance technological innovation for sustainable
railway business operations.
Intellectual property is important to ensure that the
abovementioned innovations generate revenues. All employees
should be mindful of intellectual property and promote value
creation in accordance with the Intellectual Property Activities
Guidelines.
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Digital Transformation Strategies
Digital & Data Innovation Center Initiatives
In-house Development
In order to quickly respond to diversifying needs from a user perspective, the Digital & Data Innovation Center (commonly referred to as DICe), established in October 2023, is using agile development to develop, implement, and improve systems and applications. DICe promotes speedy responses and the accumulation of development know-how through in-house development by employees who are deeply familiar with the company’s operations. Specifically, DICe is developing a travel planning support app for foreign visitors to Japan that utilizes generative AI, a phone automated voice assistant for service information, and a dashboard that visualizes equipment risks.
Utilizing Generative AI
To date, we have been promoting business transformation through digital transformation by introducing generative AI chat tools and generative AI document search systems. We are now developing a new “railway-focused generative AI” that will enable generative AI to support employees in carrying out their daily work. The time saved by this will be used to allow employees to focus on creative roles that can only be performed by people, such as developing new businesses, revitalizing local communities, and improving customer services.
Data Utilization
We are working to strengthen data governance across the entire Group in order to utilize data from a company-wide perspective. We are building a system to provide users with data in an easy-tounderstand and easy-to-use way, including through the collection and provision of data through the Enterprise Data Platform “KAI-TAK,” the portal site “JRE DATA STATION” that allows comprehensive searches of internal data, a data catalog that manages data types, attributes, and acquisition methods, the establishment of a BI tool environment, and the development of data management guidelines.
System Modernization Initiative
We will restructure our systems, which have become large and
complex due to the cumulative effect of incremental modifications
carried out over many years, by applying the latest technologies
and architecture based on a systematic approach that achieves
overall optimization. The entire Group is working together to promote
system modernization as a medium- to long-term initiative that will
enable us to flexibly respond to changes in our businesses.
By forming working groups from
business and systems operations
and ensuring consistency between
management and IT, we will strongly
support the realization of our medium- to long-term business growth strategy
Beyond the Border, the provision of
sustainable transportation services,
and the creation of new added value
through our systems, which are the
source of our competitiveness.
Intellectual Property Strategy
Philosophy, Policies and Basic Principles of Intellectual Property Activities
Philosophy
For the JR East Group, intellectual properties are important intangible assets. In accordance with the JR East Group Philosophy, we manage them appropriately and on an integrated Groupwide basis and advance intellectual property activities that create value in the form of lifestyle transformation (LX).
Policy
- 1.We will implement intellectual property activities that support the utilization of information (data), technologies, and brands in initiatives aimed at enhancing the power of our network and which thereby enable innovation and the offering of new lifestyles to our customers.
- 2.We will earn the trust of all stakeholders, local communities, and the international community by respecting the intellectual properties (intangible assets) of third parties.
Basic Principles
Everyone should carry out their work with an awareness of intellectual properties.
Intellectual Property Management Structure
Regarding intellectual properties related to the Company (patents, designs, trademarks, copyrights, and technical information), the Intellectual Property Center of the Innovation Strategy Department formulates and implements intellectual property strategies for the purpose of business co-creation, etc., and is also engaged in the acquisition, utilization, and management of intellectual property rights.
Specific Intellectual Property Activities
In businesses related to Mobility and Lifestyle Solutions, the Intellectual
Property Center is engaged in activities such as intellectual property
education and training, the building of intellectual property portfolios
through the acquisition of patent rights and trademarks, and the
development of personnel with expertise in intellectual property
matters.
With respect to education and training on intellectual property, in
accordance with the Intellectual Property Activities Guidelines that set
out the aforementioned philosophy, we conduct regular training
sessions to ensure that all employees are aware of the proper handling
of intellectual properties and to improve intellectual property literacy so
that employees are cognizant of intellectual properties while working.
In building intellectual property portfolios, the Company determines
whether or not to apply for and keep patents and other rights based
on its policy of enhancing the quality of patents and other rights.
Examples of intellectual property rights that JR East has acquired in
the process of building portfolios are given below.
Design of new model to be introduced for the first time on the Senseki Line (Design registration No. 1792649)
An ID logo that allows seamless use of various JR East Group digital services (Trademark registration No. 6867408)
In this way, we protect our business activities by actively acquiring intellectual property rights related to our businesses. As we develop intellectual properties, we will remain committed to helping our customers and people in communities realize enriched lifestyles.