LY Communications

The second step in LINE Fukuoka’s role as JR Kyushu Official Communication Partner

LINE Fukuoka Corporation (“LINE Fukuoka”; Location: Hakata Ward, Fukuoka; Representative Director, President, and Chief Executive Officer: Noritaka Ochiai), Official Communication Partner for the Kyushu Railway Company (“JR Kyushu”; Location: Hakata Ward, Fukuoka; Representative Director and President: Toshihiko Aoyagi), is pleased to announce its support of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 during the “Shooting Star Shinkansen Viewing Event” which is a part of a promotion for the tenth anniversary of the Kyushu Shinkansen.

■ Initiatives Undertaken as Official Communication Partner
① One-stop event participation management on LINE for the Shooting Star Shinkansen Viewing Event
In order to create an environment that event participants can enjoy while continuing to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the JR Kyushu LINE official account will offer not just generalized event notifications but also the following three features for communication with each participant.

• Apply to join the event online
• Get a digital pass and use it to enter the venue on the day of the event¹
• Get up-to-date announcements about COVID-19

¹ The introduction of a digital event pass allows for contactless entry into the event, and should a participant be infected with COVID-19, steps will be taken to prevent its spread by sending notifications through LINE to individuals who may have been in close contact.

Overview of the Shooting Star Shinkansen Viewing Event
• Date and time: 6 pm – 8:20 pm on Sunday, March 14, 2021 (Venue opens at 5 pm)
• Location: Chikugo Regional Park Event Pavilion (a seven-minute walk from JR Chikugo-Funagoya Station)
• Event details:

• Live broadcast of the Shooting Star Shinkansen for special moments like its departure from Kagoshima-
• Chuo Station
• Live broadcast of a special event from the Nishinihon City Bank HKT48 Theater
• Movie broadcast looking back at the past ten years, including the “Congratulations Kyushu!” commercial
• Light show beginning when the Shooting Star Shinkansen stops at the event venue
  • Event host: Kyushu Railway Company (Support: Chikugo City)
  • How to apply to participate: Add the JR Kyushu LINE official account as a friend here.

■ Important event information
• You may only apply to participate once for a maximum of five people. In order to properly prevent the spread of infection, please understand that you will not be able to enter the event if you didn’t apply in advance, or if you are not the applicant listed on the entry pass.
• Depending on the number of applicants, the acceptance period may end early.
• Applicants will receive an entry pass from the JR Kyushu LINE official account at a later date. Please display this pass when you arrive at the event.
• Event seating will be designated in blocks, and participants seated on a first-come-first-served basis starting from the front.
• The first 1,000 applicants will be given a candle to write their wishes on. We hope that event participants will use their candle for the light show to welcome the Shooting Star Shinkansen.
• Changes may be made to the event based on the spread of COVID-19.
• The Shooting Star Shinkansen is not a passenger train.

② Submit your wishes to be published on a poster
On Wednesday, January 27, the JR Kyushu LINE official account began collecting wishes from all over Japan, ultimately gathering 8,350 heartfelt wishes. 777 of those wishes will be “wrapped” onto (i.e. displayed on the exterior of) the Shooting Star Shinkansen² and run for one night. Other wishes that weren’t chosen for the train will be made into posters.
² This Shinkansen will only run for one night. 777 wishes chosen from submissions sent to the JR Kyushu LINE official account will adorn the exterior of the train as well as its interior as posters. The Shooting Star Shinkansen, which is scheduled to run on the night of Sunday, March 14, will continue to run until Friday, May 28 as the “Kyushu Shinkansen for Everyone.”

• Submission period: Friday, March 12 – Friday, May 28, 2021
• Submission location: Kyushu Shinkansen stations (Details will be announced on JR Kyushu’s official Twitter account at the beginning of March)

LINE Fukuoka will continue to leverage its cutting-edge technologies in areas such as AI and FinTech in order to make a prosperous and convenient Smart City a reality through co-creation projects with the city and its residents.

In October 2020, nine companies from different fields established the “Fukuoka Smart City Community” joint venture in order to solve important issues for restaurants during the pandemic and co-create events. With LINE Fukuoka as its representative and Fukuoka City as an observer, the group has built a strong foundation for collaboration.

As LINE’s second location in Japan, LINE Fukuoka will continue to work together with the help of our partner companies, organizations, and the local government to bring WOW to users and grow LINE’s business with even more innovative ideas.

■ Related Articles
• Event website: https://www.jrkyushu.co.jp/train/kagayake_pj/ 
• Official communication partner press release: https://linefukuoka.line-rc.me/en/pr/news/2021/012716

[LINE Fukuoka Corporation]
Company name: LINE Fukuoka Corporation
Location: JRJP Hakata Bldg. 12F, 8-1 Hakataekichuogai, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture
Representative: Noritaka Ochiai, Representative Director, President, and CEO
Capital: JPY 490 million (As of January 2018)
Established: November 18, 2013
Business activities: All development, creation, operational, planning, and sales activities for LINE and related services.
https://linefukuoka.co.jp/en/

[Inquiries about this press release]
LINE Fukuoka Corporation　　
Phone: 092-292-3573 　E-mail: dl_lfk_pr@linecorp.com
Public Relations Department: Ms. Nishizono (Phone: 070-4355-0858), Ms. Ishiwata (Phone: 080-8715-2009)