Farmers, Universities, and Experts Collaborate to Regenerate the Future from the Soil: Launch of the Co-creation Hub 'Ethical Terroir Japan'

Ethical Terroir Japan was established on February 17, 2026, in Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture. This organization begins its activities as a co-creation hub to reconnect soil, ecosystems, and regional life, aiming for a society where people and nature thrive together. Currently, many regions in Japan face difficulties in managing farmland and forests due to population decline and aging, leading to soil degradation and ecosystem collapse. This is not just a regional issue, but a structural problem caused by the 'interruption of the cycle between people and nature.' We believe we must change the social system itself, not just solve these issues individually. This is 'systemic change.' We define our core activity as 'Bio-reconnection'—reconnecting the broken cycle with wisdom and technology. As a hub connecting farmers, universities, researchers, experts, and local residents, we integrate practice, research, technology, and education to redesign the cycle itself. Specifically, we are building a data infrastructure to visualize soil and environmental conditions, creating mechanisms to record and share regional practices, and operating a platform that connects education, research, and practice. Additionally, we provide guidance on biochar production and utilization, practical regenerative agriculture training, and educational programs on soil regeneration. We collaborate with institutions like Ibaraki University, Takatsuki Biochar Energy Research Institute, Sumisodachi Inc., Human Environment University, and Ehime University. We also propose the concept of 'Ethical Terroir,' which adds new meaning and value to agricultural products by including the process of how they were grown and what kind of cycle they are part of. Representative Maki Ohashi states, 'We have faced nature for human convenience, causing the cycles of soil, forests, and regions to break. We need to reconnect them. We hope this initiative becomes a new model for society starting from marginalized villages.'