Press Releases 2026

Mobile Battery Manufacturers and Japan's
Telecommunications Carriers Conclude Cooperative
Agreement to Secure Power Supply for
Areas Affected by Large-Scale Disasters

Companies collaborate to deliver portable power supply to evacuation centers
and other sites during large-scale disasters

May 18, 2026
Mobile Battery Manufacturers
Anker Japan Co., Ltd., INFORICH Inc.,
EcoFlow Technology Japan Co., Ltd., Elecom Co., Ltd.,
Owltech Corporation, CIO Co., Ltd., Ugreen Japan Co., Ltd.

Telecommunications Carriers Participating
in the "Connect to Change" Project
NTT Group, KDDI Corporation,
SoftBank Corp., Rakuten Mobile, Inc.

Tokyo, May 18, 2026 — Seven mobile battery manufacturers — Anker Japan Co., Ltd., INFORICH Inc., EcoFlow Technology Japan Co., Ltd., Elecom Co., Ltd., Owltech Corporation, CIO Co., Ltd., and Ugreen Japan Co., Ltd. ("mobile battery manufacturers") — and Japan's telecommunications carriers participating in the "Connect to Change" project*1 — NTT Group,*2 KDDI Corporation, SoftBank Corp. and Rakuten Mobile, Inc. ("telecommunications carriers") — today announced they concluded a cooperative agreement to secure power supply for areas affected by large-scale disasters.

Under this Agreement, starting June 1, 2026, the mobile battery manufacturers will procure and provide mobile batteries, charging cables and other equipment, which the telecommunications carriers will then deliver to evacuation centers and other sites based on local needs and the severity of conditions in affected disaster areas.

Mobile Battery Manufacturers and Japan's Telecommunications Carriers Conclude Cooperative Agreement to Secure Power Supply for Areas Affected by Large-Scale Disasters

Objective of the Agreement

As society becomes increasingly digital, ensuring access to power in disaster-affected areas has become increasingly critical. Mobile battery manufacturers have long supported disaster victims by supplying portable chargers and other power equipment, but providing support on their own at affected areas has been a challenge.

Telecommunications carriers, by contrast, are widely active across disaster zones, supporting the provision of telecommunications infrastructure at evacuation centers and other locations. This agreement builds on that support structure, enabling the telecommunications carriers to deliver power supply equipment provided by the mobile battery manufacturers to improve access to power in the disaster-affected areas. With access to reliable power, evacuees will be able to charge their smartphones and other devices, allowing them to contact family and friends, and access essential information with greater peace of mind.

Overview of the Agreement

(1) Start Date:

June 1, 2026

(2) Scope of Collaboration

In the event of a large-scale disaster, mobile battery manufacturers will procure and provide power equipment, which the telecommunication carriers will deliver to evacuation centers and other sites based on local needs and damage conditions.

Mobile Battery Manufacturers

  • Provision of power equipment*3
    Equipment to be provided: portable battery packs and charging cables
  • Provision of informational flyers
    Content of flyers: equipment usage instructions, contact helpdesk and return procedures
  • Standardized communication of disaster-area support information across all participating manufacturers

Telecommunications Carriers

  • Delivery of power equipment to evacuation centers and other sites in disaster-affected areas

(3) Standardization of Information Sharing for Evacuation Center Support

Comprehensive support details from all participating mobile battery manufacturers will be published on each company's website using a common, standardized format.

Standardized format for information sharing.
Standardized format for information sharing.
[Note]
  1. *
    Details are subject to change based on the status of support efforts.

Future Plans

Under this agreement, the participating companies will conduct joint training exercises while also expanding the number of participating organizations, with the goal of delivering reliable, swift support to disaster-affected areas and contributing to the realization of a sustainable society.

[Notes]
  1. *1
    Related press release: https://www.softbank.jp/en/corp/news/press/sbkk/2024/20241218_01/
  2. *2
    NTT, Inc., NTT East, Inc., NTT West, Inc., NTT DOCOMO, Inc. and NTT DOCOMO BUSINESS, Inc.
  3. *3
    Equipment to be provided will be determined based on needs and conditions in affected areas, as well as the inventory status of each company.
  • SoftBank, the SoftBank name and logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of SoftBank Group Corp. in Japan and other countries.
  • Other company, product and service names in this press release are registered trademarks or trademarks of the respective companies.