Inside Otowa Electric’s Cutting-Edge Lightning Protection

By Daniel De Bomford, Bernard Thompson and Cian O Neill

When witnessing lightning, it is easy to see why cultures ascribed the power to gods and powerful entities across the world for thousands of years. From Zeus in Greek mythology to Japan’s Raijin, lightning has long captivated humanity and birthed stories of awe and terror.

As lightning strikes increase due to changing global weather, predicting lightning storms and mitigating the damage caused by strikes is becoming increasingly important around the globe. Founded in 1946, Otowa Electric is a leading lightning and electrical safety provider. It leverages decades of expertise and research to manage the risks of lightning strikes through advanced detection and surge protection. President Atsushi Yoshida says that as global temperatures rise, so does the frequency of lightning strikes, which increases risks to people and infrastructure. He uses the Ise Shrine as an example, which is fitted with lightning rods to protect the wooden structures, which he describes as preserving history. “Given its cultural and religious significance, safety measures are essential to preserving such heritage sites,” he explains.

With the company’s specialization in lightning, it has amassed vast amounts of know-how and has built its expertise around a holistic understanding of lightning. “As a manufacturer, we don’t just sell a product—we analyze the entire path of a lightning strike, from entry to exit, and select the appropriate solution for each specific scenario,” Yoshida says. Otowa Electric established its newest research center in 2008 with a custom tester capable of generating artificial lightning, which it uses to test its own products and on its clients' behalf.  He emphasizes, “One of our unique strengths is the ability to design and build one-of-a-kind, handmade testers.” That strength is built from the holistic understanding of lightning, integrating research on electrical engineering, meteorology, atmospheric sciences and geography. “This ability to coordinate across disciplines and translate that research into real-world solutions is, I believe, one of our company’s greatest strengths,” Yoshida says.

Otowa’s guiding principle isn’t to battle against the lightning, but rather, as its company motto states, to “Live with Lightning.” This comprehensive and considered approach allows it to provide products and consulting services for its clients. It offers unmatched reliability as it doesn’t rely solely on simulations; its testing facility reproduces artificial lightning with 99.9 percent accuracy. Yoshida says, “This level of testing builds strong trust with our customers, as they can see firsthand how our products perform under actual lightning conditions.” Another key strength is the company’s ability to detect lightning activity in the atmosphere and electrical fields in clouds before lightning even forms and strikes. Otowa’s goal is to reduce the size of the detection systems and expand its usability to improve detection accuracy, which Yoshida says will advance alongside AI.

Critical infrastructure, such as robotics in manufacturing and data centers in IT, are particularly at risk from strikes caused by surges. “We anticipate continued growth in demand for surge protection within this sector as well, as automation becomes more widespread,” Yoshida explains. The company’s involvement with Expo 2025 in Osaka gives it valuable insights into identifying optimal locations for surge protection equipment and devices.

Otowa Electric is also leading with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in environmentally friendly products and partnerships with developing communities. Through the African Education Initiative for Youth, the company supplies lightning alert systems and surge protection devices in rural communities in Rwanda. Furthermore, it is providing educational programs for Rwandan schools and internships for individuals. Yoshida shares a story of a Rwandan intern who returned home and established his own company, which now partners with Otowa Electric. “What started as a challenge has evolved into a meaningful opportunity for us to contribute to the local community.”

Research from organizations like Otowa Electric has pushed humanity to abandon the myths of lightning-throwing entities and facilitate the coexistence of people with the force of nature. Yoshida emphasizes the importance of adapting and embracing change, and Otowa Electric is set to continue to enable humanity to increase its understanding and safety. “Our main—and only real—mission is to protect the lives of people and society from lightning.”

To hear more from President Atsushi Yoshida of Otowa Electric, check out this interview with him.