First time in Japan! Vending machines supporting international academic wireless LAN "eduroam" installed in city parks in Kyoto

News Release

May 1, 2020

Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Inc.

First time in Japan!

Vending machines supporting international academic wireless LAN "eduroam" installed in city parks in Kyoto

Collaboration with Kyoto University and National Institute of Informatics

Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Inc. (Headquarters in Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director & President Calin Dragan; hereafter “CCBJI”), in the undertaking of installing vending machines with limitless type Wi-Fi which had been entrusted through a public offering made by Kyoto City (City Mayor Daisaku Kadokawa), installed vending machines supporting the international academic wireless LAN roaming infrastructure service  “eduroam”, which is provided by the National Institute of Informatics (located in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Director General Masaru Kitsuregawa), an information system research institution, with technical cooperation from the Academic Center for Computing and Media Studies, Kyoto University (located in Kyoto City; Director Yasuo Okabe). The vending machines were installed in 10 parks which are under the jurisdiction of Kyoto City Construction Bureau.

"eduroam" is an academic Wi-Fi LAN service for education and research used by researchers, students and others who belong to universities, research laboratories, etc. Once users register to the service, free connections will be available. It is currently used in 106 countries and regions around the world. By installing the Japan's first eduroam-supported vending machines in parks in Kyoto City and enhancing eduroam access points, CCBJI will help improve the convenience of students and researchers around the world who visit Japan for academic conferences, study abroad programs, or travels. In addition, the increase in environments with an access to "eduroam" will provide school officials and students who can't go to schools due to the novel coronavirus outbreak a wider choice of network environments to learn in the same way as in schools.

Under its mission of delivering happy moments to everyone and creating value which is upheld as the corporate philosophy, CCBJI will continue to expand installation of its vending machines in a bid to back up initiatives for creating attractive towns.

■ Outline of "eduroam"

"eduroam" is an international mechanism to provide network roaming access which realizes mutual use of campus wireless LANs among elementary, secondary, and higher education institutions and research institutions. GÉANT, an education research network operator in Europe, undertakes the development and operation of eduroam, and in Japan, the National Institute of Informatics (NII) runs it under the name of "eduroam JP" for higher education institutions including universities and research institutions. NII engages in the institution enrollment procedure, as well as provides supports to create connection environments (IdP/SP). Currently (as of April 1, 2020), 282 institutions in Japan and 106 countries (regions) worldwide participate in eduroam.

* Local 24 Inc. provides network access as a connection environment (SP) related to this project. (https://www.local24.co.jp)

■"eduroam" installation place:

Kodaiji Park, Funaokayama Park, Ponto-cho Park, Maruyama Park, Shinkyogoku Park, Takaragaike Park North Garden, Higashi Shiokoji Park, Nijo Park, Okazaki Park, and Higashiyama Sancho Park

▲ Vending machine in Maruyama Park

● If you are interested in installing vending machines supporting "eduroam", please contact us from the link below.

https://en.ccbji.co.jp/business/

Please see here for the PDF version.