nat (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: 劉 栄駿; hereinafter nat ) is pleased to announce that it will serve as a special sponsor of the “54th National Fire and Rescue Skills Competition,” to be held in Niigata City on Saturday, August 22, 2026.
Organized by the National Fire Association (a public interest incorporated foundation) and supported by the Fire and Disaster Management Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and the National Association of Fire Chiefs, this is Japan’s premier firefighting and rescue skills competition.The 54th edition marks a historic milestone as the first time the competition, with a history spanning over half a century, will be held on the Sea of Japan side of Honshu. With an expected attendance of approximately 22,000 people—including participating firefighters, event staff, and the general public—from across the country, the event is drawing significant attention as a platform for disseminating information on firefighting and disaster prevention, as well as for corporate promotion.
Background and Purpose of the Sponsorship
nat has developed and provides " Scanat," an iOS app that uses a single smartphone to automatically process high-precision 3D data of spaces and structures, enabling on-site measurement. While Scanat has primarily been adopted in the construction, real estate, and manufacturing industries, its use in the firefighting and disaster prevention sectors has been steadily growing in recent years, driven by the need for rapid spatial documentation, structural assessment, and digital asset creation at disaster sites.
Through our special sponsorship of this event, we aim to deepen our dialogue with firefighters and disaster prevention experts engaged in cutting-edge rescue technologies, and explore how Scanat can contribute to disaster prevention, mitigation, and rescue operations on the ground. We also plan to utilize demonstration opportunities at disaster prevention events to allow attendees to experience Scanat firsthand.
Tournament Overview
| Event Name | The 54th National Fire and Rescue Skills Competition | |
| Date | Saturday, August 22, 2026, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Cancelled in case of inclement weather) | |
| Venue (Track and Field Events) | Toriayano-gata Southwest Temporary Parking Lot (257-7 Kanagi, Chuo Ward, Niigata City) | |
| Venue (Water Events) | Nishikaigan Park Municipal Swimming Pool (1-93 Sekiya, Chuo Ward, Niigata City) | |
| Venue for concurrent events | Fire Department Festival 119 | Niigata City Fire Department (257-1 Kanagi, Chuo Ward, Niigata City) |
| Community Engagement Event | Niigata City Industrial Promotion Center (185-10 Kanagi, Chuo Ward, Niigata City) | |
| Organizer | National Fire Association (Public Interest Incorporated Foundation) | |
| Director | Niigata City Fire Department | |
| Sponsored by | Fire and Disaster Management Agency, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications; National Association of Fire Chiefs | |
| Collaboration | National Association for the Promotion of Municipalities (Public Interest Incorporated Foundation) | |
Comment from Bruce Liu, President and 劉 栄駿
"Fire cause investigations are a critical function that serves as the foundation for fire prevention. However, fire departments across the country face a common challenge: investigative expertise relies heavily on the experience of veteran personnel, and this knowledge is effectively lost every time staff are reassigned. Field tests at actual fire investigation sites have demonstrated that Scanat allows a single person to complete on-site surveying and photography—tasks that previously required two people and three hours—in approximately 25 minutes, while also significantly reducing the time required to create drawings.By recording and storing the scene as 3D digital data, we can transform the insights of veterans from “individual experience” into “organizational knowledge.” We aim to bring this system to the front lines of fire administration.“We are deeply honored to be a special sponsor of this landmark event, the first of its kind to be held on the Sea of Japan side of Honshu. Through this gathering of approximately 22,000 attendees, we look forward to engaging in active dialogue with fire and rescue experts working on the front lines, with the goal of evolving Scanat into a vital component of our social safety infrastructure.”
