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Remote Sensing Technology Center of Japan
Remote Sensing Technology Center of Japan (RESTEC), the Tokyo-based Earth observation think tank founded in 1975, processes satellite data for government…
Remote Sensing Technology Center of Japan
General information
Firm type
Family Office
Year founded
1975
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
Asia
Country
Japan
City
Tokyo
Corporate office
Tokyo, Japan
Additional offices
Jakarta, Indonesia · San Francisco, United States · Boulder, United States
Principals
Takahiro Mori
Chairman
Masayuki Yamamoto
President
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at RESTEC?
RESTEC is a general incorporated foundation, not an investment vehicle. Strategic leadership is provided by chairman Takahiro Mori and president Masayuki Yamamoto (per the firm website). The foundation does not make investment allocations in the traditional family-office sense.
How does RESTEC source proprietary data flow?
RESTEC receives Earth observation satellite data primarily through contracts with JAXA, including operation of JAXA's Earth Observation Center in Hatoyama since 2007. It also acquires data from commercial satellite operators and distributes both optical and SAR satellite products (per the firm website).
Is RESTEC structured as a single family office or does it operate more like a research institute?
RESTEC is legally a general incorporated foundation (ippan zaidan hojin) under Japanese law. It operates as a research and development institute and data-services provider, not as a family office. Its funding comes from government contracts, commercial sales, and grants, not from a single family's wealth.
Does RESTEC participate in external fund commitments or only direct operations?
RESTEC does not invest in external funds. Its activities are entirely operational: receiving, processing, and analyzing satellite data; developing software and services; and providing training and consulting. Any surplus is reinvested into the foundation's mission.
What investment stages does RESTEC typically target?
Not applicable — RESTEC is not an investment firm. It does not target investment stages. Instead, it develops and sells satellite data products and services for government and commercial applications.
Which sectors does RESTEC explicitly focus on or avoid?
RESTEC's published use cases include infrastructure, urban planning, disaster management, agriculture, water utilities, environmental monitoring, and entertainment. It does not publicly disclose any excluded sectors.
Does RESTEC maintain philanthropic structures, and how are they separated?
RESTEC operates a research grant program that funds external researchers (per the firm website 'research grant' contact form). This program is part of the foundation's public-interest mandate, not a separate philanthropic entity. The foundation itself is a non-profit incorporated foundation.
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