What AppleWeather does

AppleWeather is a private Japanese weather forecasting company founded in 1999 and headquartered in Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture. Founded by Kudo Jun, a certified weather forecaster with 27 prior years at the Japan Weather Association, the company operates as a 有限会社 (limited company) with ¥26.5 million in registered capital and a small core staff of dual-certified weather forecasters and disaster prevention specialists. The company holds Forecast Business License No. 64 from the Japan Meteorological Agency (May 1999) and was the second firm in Japan to obtain a 1-month forecast permit (January 2001). AppleWeather operates exclusively within Aomori Prefecture, delivering point-specific forecasts, weekly forecasts, and real-time Amedas-derived observation data across the Tsugaru, Shimokita, and Sanpachi/Kamikita regions, supported by three bases — the Aomori headquarters, the Hirosaki Weather Information Center (opened April 1, 2024), and the Towada Center.

The company generates revenue through four primary streams: customized meteorological consulting and point forecasts for B2B clients, weather commentary services supplied to all five major Aomori broadcasters (NHK Aomori, RAB, ATV, ABA, FM Aomori) and three newspapers (Toho Daily, Daily Tohoku, Tsugaru Shimbun), fee-based weather lectures (¥70,000-150,000 per session) for schools and community groups, and content distribution via its appleweather.jp website and mobile platform. Its customer base spans JA Group agricultural cooperatives (Tsugaru Mirai, Towada Oirase, and others), the Aomori Prefectural Government and MLIT, broadcasters, and general consumers. Go-to-market combines direct B2B sales with high-frequency earned-media exposure that doubles as both a consumer brand channel and an enterprise lead-generation surface.

The underlying technology consists of JMA-licensed meteorological forecasting and observation systems tailored to Aomori's distinctive microclimates — including Tsugaru winter snowfall, Yamase wind patterns, and regional precipitation variance — aggregated from approximately 23 Amedas stations. Service offerings include point forecasting, cedar pollen dispersion tracking, lifestyle indices (laundry forecasts, UV index, weather sickness predictions), and weather lecture programs. The company's competitive position rests on regulatory licensing, accumulated local observation history, embedded media relationships, and credentialed staff rather than proprietary AI or advanced data science capabilities.

Name

AppleWeather

Legal name

有限]<]video[>[WENT{{%，全都 мере웨저}}

Website

https://appleweather.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AppleWeather is a private Japanese weather forecasting company founded in 1999 that delivers point-specific forecasts, consulting, and media commentary exclusively for Aomori Prefecture, serving agricultural cooperatives, government agencies, broadcasters, and general consumers via three regional offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Weather Forecasting Services

NAICS

Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (54136)

SIC

Measuring & Controlling Devices, Nec (3829)

akta.pro primary industry

Early Warning, Event Monitoring & Forecasting (Extreme Weather Alerts, Nowcasting) (EUABALAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Environmental Data, Monitoring, Remote Sensing & Early Warning (BPADALAN)

Keywords

• Local weather forecasting
• Meteorological consulting services
• Agricultural weather information
• Disaster prevention services
• Point weather forecasts

Headquarters

HQ city

Aomori-shi

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Meteorological Consulting Services: Customized point weather forecasts and meteorological consulting for agricultural cooperatives, construction companies, government agencies, and businesses. Includes weather statistics research and analysis.
2. Media Services: Weather forecast commentary on TV and radio programs for NHK Aomori, RAB Aomori Broadcasting, ATV Aomori TV, FM Aomori, ABA Aomori Asahi Broadcasting. Includes information provision for sports events and broadcasting programs.
3. Weather Lectures and Seminars: Weather and disaster prevention lectures for various organizations. Fee-based service with rates from ¥70,000-150,000 depending on audience size and duration.
4. Information Provision to Media: Weather forecasts and life weather information provided to newspapers including Toho Daily, Daily Tohoku, and Tsugaru Shimbun. Also provides content for websites and mobile platforms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

AppleWeather provides customized point weather forecasts and meteorological consulting services for Aomori Prefecture, Japan. Its core offerings include short-term and weekly forecasts, real-time AMEDAS weather observation data, cedar pollen dispersion information, lifestyle weather indices (laundry, UV, etc.), and weather lectures delivered by certified forecasters and disaster prevention specialists. The company also provides daily weather commentary to local TV and radio broadcasters and contributes content to regional newspapers.

Product overview

AppleWeather (アップルウェザー) is a private weather forecasting company established in 1999 in Aomori Prefecture, Japan, offering a comprehensive suite of meteorological services. The core offering consists of point-specific weather forecasts and meteorological consulting services, supplemented by short-term and weekly forecast products covering Aomori Prefecture regions. The company operates a network of approximately 23 Amedas weather stations providing real-time observation data, and offers lifestyle weather information including laundry forecasts, UV indexes, and weather-related illness forecasts. Additional services include cedar pollen dispersion information, weather lectures and educational programs, and daily radio weather commentary on RAB radio. Regional operations are supported through three weather information centers in Aomori city, Hirosaki city, and Towada city. All services are delivered by certified weather forecasters and disaster prevention specialists.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Point Weather Forecast and Meteorological Consulting Service (ポイント予報・気象コンサルティングサービス) Customized point weather forecasts and meteorological consulting services for specific locations across Aomori Prefecture. Includes point forecasts, weekly forecasts, and various meteorological statistics and surveys tailored to client requirements.
• Short-term and Weekly Forecast Service (短期予報・週間予報サービス) Short-term and weekly weather forecast services covering Aomori Prefecture regions including Tsugaru, Shimokita, and Sanpachi Kamikita, with detailed temperature and precipitation probability information for each region.
• Aomori Prefecture Latest Weather Observation (AMEDAS Data) (青森県内の最新気象状況)

Quantifiable outcome

• Weather forecasts delivered via multiple channels including web, mobile, radio, TV, and newspapers reaching all of Aomori Prefecture.

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Japan Meteorological Agency (気象庁)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 1999AppleWeather received Forecast Business License No. 64 from the Japan Meteorological Agency in May 1999, enabling the company to provide official weather forecasts. They later obtained additional permits for one-month forecasts in January 2001 (second nationally) and expanded service areas in April 2005.
• RAB Aomori Broadcasting (RAB青森放送)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary radio partner for daily weather broadcasts including 'RAB News & Weather' and the popular 'Aomori TODAY' and 'Sore Ike Weather Tracking Squad' programs since 1999.
• NHK Aomori, ATV Aomori TV, ABA Aomori Asahi Broadcasting, FM AomorimajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTelevision and FM radio partners providing weather forecasting commentary across all major broadcasters in Aomori Prefecture.
• Toho Daily (東奥日報)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor newspaper partner providing weather information, point forecasts, and life weather content for both morning and evening editions since 2000.
• Aomori Agricultural Cooperatives (JAグループ青森)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with various JA cooperatives in Aomori providing customized agricultural weather forecasts for apple farmers, rice growers, and vegetable producers.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Aeon Weather Service Co., Ltd. Japanese private weather company providing forecasting, AMEDAS data integration, and B2B consulting to broadcasting and business customers. Direct peer offering overlapping services in the Japanese regional weather market.
• HALEX Co., Ltd. Japanese weather forecasting and consulting firm serving broadcasting, road, and B2B customers with localized forecasts. Direct peer in the private Japanese weather services market, similar size profile to AppleWeather.

Broad incumbents

• Japan Weather Association (JWA): Non-profit general incorporated association providing meteorological data, forecasting, and consulting across Japan, and the former employer of AppleWeather's founder. Closely comparable business model (forecasting, consulting, environmental data), with much broader geographic and product scope.
• Weathernews Inc. Japan's largest private weather forecasting company, offering nationwide point forecasts, mobile apps, and B2B services across transportation, media, retail, and agriculture. Comparable as a Japanese private weather services provider, though it operates nationally and at vastly greater scale than AppleWeather's Aomori-only footprint.

Others

• SUNTORY Weather Forecast (regional broadcasters): Major Japanese beverage company that has historically sponsored branded weather segments on local TV stations. Adjacent ecosystem participant in the regional Japanese weather/media landscape where AppleWeather also operates.
• Reed Business Solutions (weather data services): Provides weather data feeds and B2B solutions in Japan, including broadcasting clients. Adjacent data and media services peer relevant to AppleWeather's B2B media and data positioning.

Regional players

• Biwako Broadcasting Weather Division: Regional Japanese broadcaster with in-house weather division producing localized forecasts for its prefecture. Comparable as a regional Japanese weather service organization, though serving a different geography (Kansai vs. Aomori).
• Tokai TV Weather Information Co., Ltd. Regional broadcaster-affiliated weather information provider serving the Tokai/Shizuoka region. Comparable as a regional Japanese weather media operation, though geographically distinct from AppleWeather's Aomori focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AppleWeather