Tokyo, Japan – December 15, 2025 – NAVITIME JAPAN Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Keisuke Onishi) is proud to announce that its navigation application for foreign visitors to Japan, Japan Travel by NAVITIME, has been honored with the Prime Minister’s Award at the 5th Nihon Service Award (Organized by: Service Productivity & Innovation for Growth (SPRING), Japan Productivity Center). Japan Travel by NAVITIME was selected for the highest honor from a total of 768 submissions.
Japan Travel by NAVITIME is a dedicated navigation app for inbound foreign tourists, launched in October 2013. The service supports users seamlessly, covering everything from pre-trip planning and arrangements to in-trip route guidance and post-trip experience sharing, and is available in 13 languages. Key features include door-to-door route search, walking and car navigation, spot searches (e.g., free Wi-Fi, baggage storage), travel articles, itinerary planning, and booking services for hotels and activities.
Prize Name：Prime Minister’s Award
The selection committee specifically recognized the service for the following key points (Translation by NAVITIME JAPAN) :
1. Excellent One-Stop Value Proposition: The app offers comprehensive route search covering all modes of transportation (trains, planes, buses, ferries, etc.), coupled with one-stop booking capabilities for trains (including the Shinkansen), events, and accommodation. This provides an overwhelming amount of information, proposing unique travel experiences to tourists with diverse interests and needs.
2. Contribution to Discovering New Tourism Resources: The app provides dynamic data on inbound tourists, derived from usage history, to local governments, DMOs, and tourism operators. This helps promote the discovery of new tourist resources and ultimately enhances the appeal of various regions.
3. Co-creation Platform for New Experience Value: By effectively matching inbound visitors with diverse needs to excellent Japanese services, the platform contributes to enhancing the overall travel experience and vitalizing Japan’s inbound tourism market.
Keisuke Onishi, President & CEO of NAVITIME JAPAN Co., Ltd., offered the following comment on the recognition:
“We are deeply honored to receive the prestigious Prime Minister’s Award. Moving forward, we will continue refining our service to ensure safe and comfortable travel for inbound visitors, support regional tourism by disseminating Japan’s profound charms, and contribute to the development of the Japanese tourism industry.”
This marks the third major award for Japan Travel by NAVITIME, following the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award at the 8th Japan Tourism Awards and the Good Design Award 2024.
■Japan Travel by NAVITIME
https://www.navitime.co.jp/pcstorage/html/japan_travel/english
Download “Japan Travel by NAVITIME”
iOS：https://apps.apple.com/us/app/japan-travel-smart-transit/id686373726
Android OS：https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.navitime.inbound.walk&referre
Web：https://japantravel.navitime.com/en/
■About the Nihon Service Award
Held biennially since 2015, the Nihon Service Award broadly recognizes “innovative and excellent services” from all private Japanese sectors, regardless of industry, type, or organizational scale, that provide brilliant new value and lead the advancement and development of the service industry.
About NAVITIME JAPAN:
NAVITIME JAPAN was founded on March 1, 2000 and is headquartered in Minato Ward of Tokyo, Japan. The current CEO and President is Keisuke Onishi, PhD. The company is the leading provider of navigation technology and services, offering solutions such as navigation services and apps for both individual and corporate customers.
https://corporate.navitime.co.jp/en
The awards ceremony was held on December 9, 2025, where Prime Minister Takaichi personally presented the award to CEO Onishi.
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