ICEYE Expands Satellite Offering in Japan, Makoto Higashi Joins as General Manager for Local Business Operations

June 23, 2021

ICEYE has partnered with Makoto Higashi to act as the General Manager of ICEYE's business operations in Japan. Mr. Higashi has over 40 years of experience in business operations, including previous positions as the CEO & President of Japan Space Imaging Corporation, and GM, GEOINT, at Hitachi Ltd. ICEYE's operations in Japan will be dedicated to services for the Japanese government and local commercial organizations. Within the first 12 months, ICEYE plans to open an office in Tokyo and expand to an initial 10-person team serving the Japanese market.

"What ICEYE has accomplished in satellite operations and services for its government customers is remarkable. My intent is to continue on that path to help provide crucial information and dedicated services with radar satellite data to the Japanese satellite data market," said Makoto Higashi, General Manager, ICEYE Japan. "Only those satellite data companies that have withstood the strict requirements of government customers have prospered. ICEYE is very well-respected in this regard worldwide. The Japanese market has an opportunity to access remarkable aerospace capabilities with the data products ICEYE has to offer."

The insurance organization Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance is among ICEYE's Japan-based customer base. The organization receives ICEYE's insights from its global flood monitoring solution to serve its insurance customers with significantly faster claims payments after natural catastrophes. 

"ICEYE's advanced technology in SAR image acquisition & near real-time data analysis brought our long-term business goals to reality and even has potential to transform beyond our claim service operation," said Hidenori Kobayashi, Deputy General Manager at Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire insurance.

ICEYE Japan offices are opening in Tokyo within the next 12 months, with initial recruitment focusing on local commercial operations. ICEYE has so far launched 10 radar satellite missions since early 2018, including dedicated satellites for customers. The company has gathered $152 million in financing to date, with offices in Finland, Poland, US, UK, Spain, and Japan. For 2020, ICEYE has reported $50 million in signed contracts for the year.

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