TOKYO, Japan, June 24, 2026 — Federal Express Corporation, one of the world’s largest express transportation companies, announced the six winners of the 2026 FedEx/Junior Achievement International Trade Challenge (FedEx/JA ITC) Japan Finals. The winning students have been invited to participate in the FedEx/JA ITC Asia Pacific regional finals, scheduled to take place in Singapore in August 2026.
During the competition, students developed and presented market entry strategy for AI-powered warehouse drones targeted in Vietnam. Their innovative solutions are designed to streamline warehouse operations and support the rapid growth of Vietnam’s e-commerce sector, highlighting new and expanded roles for drone technology in logistics.
The six students who will represent Japan at the regionals are:
Names of students: Emma Miyamoto, Rei Kasuya
Location: Tokyo
Business idea: Verola, an autonomous AI-powered drone system designed specifically for GDP-certified pharmaceutical cold chain warehouses in Vietnam. Each drone carries 3 sensing systems, including temperature and humidity, an electrical nose, and AI processing. If a dead zone is found, an anomaly is detected, or a spillage occurs, the app sends an instant alert to the warehouse manager’s phone and automatically generates a timestamped log for GDP audit documentation.
Names of students: Emmaly Isobe, Masato Hirozane
Location: Tokyo
Business idea: Pyroscan, an autonomous AI-powered fire risk intelligence drone designed specifically for e-commerce fulfillment centers and warehouse environments. The product’s core function is to systematically scan warehouse environments to detect fire risks before ignition occurs, and it conducts a single patrol flight autonomously every night.
Names of students: Yuto Hashimoto, I Unhou
Location: Chiba
Business idea: V-Fresh, an autonomous, industrial-grade indoor drone designed for deep-freeze and cold-chain warehouse environments. It is equipped with anti-freeze carbon-fiber rotors and features a dual-camera system (Optical RGB + Thermal IR). It serves as a digital immune system for the cold chain, going beyond simple barcode scanning to provide the validation of freshness by using thermal and optical sensors to detect spoilage risks.
At the regional finals in Singapore, students from Japan will join finalists from across the region, including Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. It provides a valuable platform for cross-border collaboration, enabling students to exchange ideas, broaden perspectives, and engage in meaningful dialogue with peers from diverse cultural backgrounds.
“The FedEx/JA ITC program equips young entrepreneurs with the skills and confidence to transform new ideas into impactful solutions,” said Ken McMahon, managing director, Asia-Pacific Customer Solutions & Special Services, FedEx and an external board member of JA Japan and alumnus of the JA Program. “It was inspiring to see how this year’s participants applied that creative energy to a challenge that combined emerging technology with fast-growing market needs in Asia. We look forward to seeing these students embrace new technology breakthroughs, continue growing as lifelong learners, and drive new value through their future careers in the business world.”
Since its introduction in Japan in 2008, FedEx has collaborated with JA Japan to help develop the next generation of business leaders in Japan. Through the ITC program, students engage in team-based activities and focused workshops on global trade led by FedEx and JA Japan, gaining practical skills to support their future endeavors. To date, the program has reached over 2,700 high school students, further strengthening awareness and understanding of international trade.
More information about the 2026 FedEx/JA ITC can be found on the JA Japan website https://www.ja-japan.org/contests/ITC.html.