SHIZUOKA, Japan (November 4, 2026) — Woven by Toyota Inc. (“WbyT”), the cities of Mishima, Susono and Numazu, the towns of Nagaizumi and Shimizu, and Zoshinkai Holdings Inc. (“Z-kai Group”) have launched a mobility proof-of-concept (“POC”) trial in eastern Shizuoka Prefecture. The “Connecting Greater Mishima Area” project runs from November 2, 2026 to March 31, 2027.

The POC trial is focused on the area around Mishima Station. A shortage of bus and taxi drivers is putting the sustainability of public transportation in the area at risk and leading to congestion as people increasingly rely on private cars. Drop-offs and pick-ups during commuting hours have also been contributing to the problem. Through the “Connecting Greater Mishima Area” project, the partners aim to build a sustainable public transportation network by making it easier for people to commute together through shared mobility services.

The project has set up four mobility hubs, called Connected Stations, that serve as transit connection points. The stations offer mobility services for commuting and child care drop-off and pick-up, along with retail, food and beverage services.

Each partner plays a distinct role. WbyT, as a member of the Toyota Group, aims to enhance community well-being through technology. Mishima and its neighboring municipalities are supporting the POC trial as the region’s local governments. Z-kai Group is creating an environment where children, who will shape the region’s future, can learn and grow.

Through Kakezan, the multiplication of diverse strengths and expertise across industries, the partners will address the area’s transportation challenges and aim to improve well-being.

Project Background

The area around Mishima Station in Shizuoka Prefecture faces challenges in sustaining its public transportation due to a shortage of bus and taxi drivers. The driver shortage is leading to traffic congestion due to it pushing people to rely more on private cars. Around Mishima Station, congestion from drop-off and pick-up vehicles has also been contributing to the congestion problem, especially during commuting hours.

Through the “Connecting Greater Mishima Area” project, the partners aim to consolidate trips around the stations to improve accessibility in the Greater Mishima Area.

Details

1. Duration
Monday, November 2, 2026 - Wednesday, March 31, 2027
(Operating for 5 months, excluding weekends, holidays and the year-end and New Year period)

2. Trial area and Connected Station locations
Greater Mishima area (Mishima city, Susono city, Numazu city, Nagaizumi town and Shimizu town)

Note*¹: Welpia Nagaizumi hosts the Work Shuttle, and the Nagaizumi Town Welfare Center hosts the Child Care shuttle and the After-School Activity Shuttle. The two facilities together count as one Connected Station.

Connected Stations Map

3. Eligibility
Greater Mishima area residents and workers (Registration is required)

4. Cost
Free (Some services provided at the stations are paid)

5. Services (as of November 4, 2026, with plans for expansion)

5-A. Work Shuttle (commuter service)
Riders can travel to the nearest station on foot, by bicycle, by private car or by other means, then take a shuttle bus to their workplace or to Mishima station. Because riders no longer need to drive the whole way, the service eases the stress of rush-hour traffic and frees up people’s time.

Participating employers:
Toyota Motor Corporation Higashi-Fuji Technical Center
Toyota Motor East Japan, Inc. Fuji-Susono Technical Center
Yazaki Corporation Y-CITY
Canon Medical Diagnostics Inc.
Koito Electrci Industries, Ltd.
Shizuoka Cancer Center
Beckman Coulter, Inc.
Meidensha Corporation

5-B. Child Care Shuttle (includes child care transport and day care services)
Provided by Z-kai Group, riders can use a shuttle service to and from participating daycare centers and kindergartens. Before drop-off or while waiting for pickup, children can also be looked after temporarily at a station.
Participating facilities: Angel Kindergarten and Kita Kodomo-en (both in Nagaizumi)*²

5-C. After-School Activity Shuttle (includes transportation to after-school activities and day care service)
Provided by Z-kai Group, the shuttle picks up local elementary school students from their schools and drops them off at their after-school activities, stopping at designated stations along the way.
Participating facilities: A-1 Kids School Nagaizumi, Mishima City Gymnasium

5-D. Food and retail vendors
Each station offers “lifestyle services connecting mobility and living,” which riders can use between shuttle trips. These include food trucks and mobile vendors selling food and household items.

5-E. Woven City Inventors
The project will work with Toyota Woven City Inventors to provide services and run POC trials. At some stations, the project will install HAKU, a new vending machine from DyDo DRINCO, INC. that is designed to blend into its surroundings.

Note*²: Child care transport and temporary care services are also planned to roll out in phases during the trial period at Kitaue Cultural Plaza, Toyota United Shizuoka Numazu Midorigaoka Store, Numazukko Fureai Center Poppo and Suntomoon Kakitagawa.

6. How to use
Applications are accepted on the project website. Work Shuttle riders can download a dedicated app and make reservations in advance. Families using the Child Care Shuttle and After-School Activity Shuttle must first meet with Z-kai Group staff.

Website: https://www.woven-city.global/koikimishima-project/*³

Note*³: Only mobile website available as of November 4, 2026.

7. Project structure

Note*⁴: Official Partners are co-participants in the POC trial. Project Collaborators are companies that cooperate with the trial. Project Supporters are companies that provide facilities, vehicles, equipment and other resources.

The POC trial will also test technologies and services developed by WbyT. Working with local municipalities, the company will use the Woven City AI Vision Engine*⁵, to anonymize and analyze video of the area around Mishima Station, with the goal of identifying local problems and studying potential solutions. It will also trial the Woven City Integrated ANZEN System, in which people, mobility technologies and infrastructure work together to support safety. Data from devices installed on the shuttle buses will be analyzed by WbyT to make operations safer and more secure.

Alongside Woven City Inventors, local Toyota dealerships and other partners, the POC trial aims to take on the Greater Mishima Area’s transportation challenges. Through Kakezan, WbyT, the cities of Mishima, Susono and Numazu, the towns of Nagaizumi and Shimizu, and Z-kai Group, will work to build a more convenient and more livable community.

Note*⁵: The Woven City AI Vision Engine is a large-scale foundation AI model developed by Woven by Toyota. It starts with visual information such as camera footage and combines it with data on how people and vehicles move and on the conditions of the surrounding area. This lets it describe real-world events in words, understand them, make decisions and turn those decisions into action.