Supporting the 19th Nippon Scout Jamboree

Icom supported the 19th Nippon Scout Jamboree, hosted by the Scout Association of Japan, by lending wireless equipment and through an amateur radio event.

The Nippon Scout Jamboree is a large-scale camping event held once every four years by the Association. The 19th Nippon Scout Jamboree was held in Jinsekikogen Town, Hiroshima Prefecture, from August 4–10, 2026, bringing together roughly 8,000 Scouts, including leaders, from across Japan and around the world. During the event, participants took part in various programs and deepened their connections with one another through camp life.

As an official supplier for the 19th Nippon Scout Jamboree, Icom provided support with hybrid transceivers. Anticipating that communication networks would become strained when 8,000 people—a number exceeding the population* of Jinsekikogen Town—gathered at once, Icom selected the IP700, a hybrid device combining IP radio (LTE line) and digital radio, and lent out 150 units. These were used by staff at headquarters and at guide posts throughout the venue, helping share information for guiding personnel and vehicles.

In particular, at the "Jamboree Grand Assembly" held on the 8th, about 6,000 Scouts gathered at the venue to enjoy performances and other activities. Although LTE-based calls between staff became difficult to connect, switching to digital radio mode allowed communication to be maintained—an occasion where the true value of the IP700 was demonstrated.

One member of the Association's headquarters public relations staff highly praised the device, saying: "Being able to switch between IP radio and digital radio was extremely helpful. On a day-to-day basis, the IP radio let us communicate between headquarters and even the far edges of the campsite where the Scouts were staying. On the other hand, when the cellular network became congested due to crowds gathering, such as at the grand assembly, we could switch to digital radio, which met our need to reliably maintain communication."

The town's population as of August 2026 (see the "Jinsekikogen Town Population Summary Table")

Additionally, on August 5, 2026, ahead of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Day, Icom co-hosted an event with the Scout Association of Japan using amateur radio to send messages of peace. The event also aimed to make contact with 100 amateur radio stations across the country, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of amateur radio.

For this event, Icom provided operational support through the Japan Amateur Radio Industies Association (JAIA), using devices such as the ID-5200 and IC-7300MK2.

The event brought together 28 Scouts from elementary school through university age from all over the country to participate.

During the radio contacts, participants exchanged "RS reports" indicating signal quality and readability, adding the word "PEACE" to their exchanges, and shared their thoughts on peace, such as "peace is a world where everyone can live smiling." Including trial operation sessions, participants achieved contact with roughly 120 radio stations, exceeding their original goal.

Participants reflected, saying things like, "Unlike social media, voice-only communication felt fresh. It was a good opportunity to think about peace again," suggesting that the radio contacts became a chance to enjoy communicating while also reflecting on peace.

In addition, the Nippon Boy Scout Amateur Radio Club simultaneously ran programs including "Morse Code Experience," "FM Radio Building," "Radio Communication for Shelter Operations," and "Search for Disaster Victims by Radio Waves." Throughout the event, a total of 395 people took part in all programs, including the "Wireless Communication Experience."

Icom will continue to support Scout activities going forward.