TOWING, Fuji Mi Kogyo, and Nichino Ryokuka Launch Joint Demonstration Project for Environmentally Sustainable Turfgrass Using High-Performance Biochar "Soratan"

TOWING Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture; CEO: Kohei Nishida; hereinafter "TOWING") has initiated a joint development and cultivation demonstration project for environmentally sustainable turfgrass using the high-performance biochar "Soratan (Soratan)," in collaboration with Fuji Mi Kogyo Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture; President: Masanobu Yamamoto; hereinafter "Fuji Mi Kogyo"), a leading landscaping and greening company, and Nichino Ryokuka Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo Ward, Tokyo; President: Nobuhiko Nagai; hereinafter "Nichino Ryokuka"), a turfgrass manufacturer.

This initiative aims to respond to growing decarbonization demands across the landscaping and greening supply chain by applying the J-Credit scheme methodology "AG004 Application of Biochar to Farmland" to greening materials, thereby generating carbon credits. Additionally, the project seeks not only carbon sequestration in farmland through the application of high-performance biochar "Soratan" but also improvements in turfgrass quality and productivity via soil enhancement, along with an economic evaluation of the overall initiative.

The three companies are collaborating to build a new model that creates added value for both agriculture and the environment, targeting the first-ever※ application of the J-Credit system to greening turfgrass in Japan.

Turfgrass cultivation site

1. Background

Rising Demand for Decarbonization in the Greening Materials Industry

In recent years, demand for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (carbon footprint) over the entire lifecycle of materials used in construction, landscaping, and urban greening has rapidly increased. Even in public and private construction projects, the adoption of decarbonization-conscious materials is increasingly becoming a key criterion in bidding and evaluation processes.

In response to this trend, Fuji Mi Kogyo and Nichino Ryokuka have formulated a strategy to reduce GHG emissions across their entire landscaping and greening supply chains and have been exploring ways to leverage turfgrass—a key material—in this effort.

Current Status and Potential Expansion of the J-Credit Scheme "Application of Biochar to Farmland"

The J-Credit methodology "AG004 Application of Biochar to Farmland" is a recognized method for carbon sequestration in farmland. To date, domestic applications of this methodology have primarily focused on farmland producing food crops or ornamental plants for consumption, with no publicly confirmed cases in greening material production.

However, while the methodology imposes strict requirements on eligible farmland, it does not restrict crop types. Since turfgrass for greening purposes is cultivated and managed as a "crop" on farmland prior to shipment, it potentially meets the eligibility criteria. Recognizing this opportunity, the three companies have initiated a demonstration project to verify a new value-creation scheme combining biochar application to farmland-grown turfgrass and J-Credit generation—believed to be the first of its kind in Japan.

※As of June 2026, according to TOWING research

2. Project Details

Overview of the Demonstration Scheme

Under this demonstration, TOWING supplies the biochar products "Soratan" and standard biochar through Fuji Mi Kogyo, which are then applied and mixed into the soil at contracted turfgrass cultivation fields operated by Nichino Ryokuka, where turfgrass is subsequently planted.

The verification will focus on three main areas:

Evaluation of growth and quality effects: Quantitative assessment of the impact of Soratan and biochar application on turfgrass growth, root development, and quality

Verification of J-Credit generation potential: Measurement of carbon sequestration from biochar application to farmland and establishment of a J-Credit generation framework

Economic evaluation: Assessment of project viability based on application costs, quality improvements, and credit revenue

TOWING Co., Ltd.

Fuji Mi Kogyo Co., Ltd.

Nichino Ryokuka Co., Ltd.

◆ Supply of Soratan and biochar

◆ Provision of soil microbial technologies

◆ Leadership in J-Credit scheme implementation

◆ Supply and distribution of Soratan and biochar to the landscaping and greening industry

◆ Overall project coordination

◆ Provision of contracted turfgrass cultivation farmland

◆ Cultivation management and growth monitoring

Roles of each company

Biochar

This demonstration will field-test the performance of "Soratan," a high-performance biochar developed by TOWING using proprietary pretreatment and microbial cultivation technologies.

3. Future Plans

The demonstration began in spring 2026 and will continue through autumn 2026, with ongoing monitoring of turfgrass growth and soil conditions. Based on the findings, the companies aim to explore issuing J-Credits under the "AG004 Application of Biochar to Farmland" methodology through TOWING by fiscal year 2027.

Specifically, the following initiatives are envisioned:

Establishing a system to sell J-Credits generated from turfgrass cultivation fields to clients and stakeholders in landscaping and greening projects, offering decarbonization value in green material procurement

Developing and marketing differentiated, low-carbon, high-quality turfgrass products under the provisional name "Soratan Turfgrass"

Investigating the applicability of this approach to other greening materials, such as ground cover plants and saplings

Expanding this scheme to landscaping and greening industry associations and contributing to industry standardization

TOWING's mission is to realize a hyper-circular society starting with sustainable next-generation agriculture. This initiative represents a new environmentally regenerative business model connecting agriculture, landscaping, and urban greening, with plans to accelerate broader societal implementation.

About the High-Performance Biochar "Soratan (Soratan)"

An innovative agricultural material developed by integrating TOWING's proprietary biochar pretreatment and microbial cultivation technologies with those of the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO). Soratan enhances soil health, reduces reliance on chemical fertilizers, and promotes organic conversion. It also improves crop quality and yield, contributing to farm profitability, while supporting greenhouse gas reduction through the upcycling of local unused biomass and carbon sequestration in farmland.

About TOWING Co., Ltd.

Founded in February 2020, TOWING is a Nagoya University-originated green and agri-tech startup with the mission of realizing a hyper-circular society through sustainable next-generation agriculture. The company manufactures and sells the high-performance biochar "Soratan," developed by applying its proprietary technology for efficiently selecting and cultivating soil-derived microbial communities onto carbonized local unused biomass. TOWING also provides related technical services. The company participates in the Space Development Acceleration Program (STARDUST Program) and conducts R&D toward lunar agriculture. TOWING is certified under the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' Green Food Systems Law Foundation Establishment Program and was selected for the 2024 MAFF Small and Medium Enterprise Innovation Promotion Fund (SBIR Phase 3: Technology Demonstration) program.

d81010-70-ec59fae15e76da7deb75dba786579c0c.pdf

Company Profiles

<TOWING>

Address: 1 Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601 (Nagoya University Incubation Facility)

Representative: Kohei Nishida

Business Activities: Manufacturing and sales of Soratan, support for its implementation, agency acquisition and sales of carbon credits based on Soratan usage volume, and sales of crops produced using Soratan

Founded: February 27, 2020

URL: https://towing.co.jp/

Contact: Public Relations Team, TOWING Co., Ltd.

Contact Form: https://forms.gle/K3KxyC4WAGPbqu7M9

<Fuji Mi Kogyo>

Address: 1-21-22 Fuji-midai, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka 422-8026

Representative: Masanobu Yamamoto

Business Activities: Manufacturing and sales of organic fertilizers and greening materials, rental storage business, and real estate utilization

Founded: January 14, 1946

URL: http://www.fujimi-ryokuka.co.jp/

Contact: Environmental Greening Headquarters, Fuji Mi Kogyo Co., Ltd.

Contact Form: https://fujimi-group.co.jp/contact.php

<Nichino Ryokuka>

Address: 6th Floor, Okadani Building, 14-4 Kodenmacho, Nihombashi, Chuo Ward, Tokyo 103-0001

Representative: Nobuhiko Nagai

Business Activities: Contracting, design, construction, and management of landscaping, turf, and green space projects; sales of pesticides, fertilizers, and materials for non-agricultural land, etc.

Founded: June 1, 1974

URL: https://www.nichino-ryokka.co.jp/

Contact: Environmental Greening Department, Nichino Ryokuka Co., Ltd.

Contact Form: https://www.nichino-ryokka.co.jp/contact/