Green Carbon Co., Ltd. (CEO: Jun Okita, hereinafter "Green Carbon"), which operates Japan's largest nature-based carbon credit creation and sales business, has partnered with Tokyu Corporation (President and CEO: Masahiro Horie, hereinafter "Tokyu") to launch a demonstration of a regional circular agriculture ecosystem combining "reclaimed water x biochar" in Miyakojima, Okinawa Prefecture. This initiative, supervised by Professor Takeki Toyoda of the Department of Biological System Science, Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, began at the end of April 2026.

Miyakojima faces a serious issue of groundwater and ocean pollution caused by chemical fertilizers. In this demonstration, reclaimed water, purified from the wastewater of "Maipari," a tropical fruit orchard operated by the Tokyu Group in Miyakojima, will be combined with biochar, produced by carbonizing agricultural residue at high temperatures, and applied to sugarcane fields as agricultural material. Through this initiative, we aim to prevent groundwater and ocean pollution by reducing the use of chemical fertilizers, while also contributing to the environment through carbon fixation and carbon credit creation by utilizing biochar. Additionally, improvements in soil quality are expected to increase yields.

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◆ Background - Water Cycle Challenges in Miyakojima -

Miyakojima is Okinawa Prefecture's largest sugarcane producing area, boasting the highest production volume in Japan at over 330,000 tons annually. However, due to the island's unique geology (Ryukyu limestone), chemical fertilizers and agricultural chemicals easily penetrate the ground, leading to serious groundwater and ocean pollution. Miyakojima accounts for approximately 24% of the total pesticide supply in Okinawa Prefecture, about 520 tons annually, making the reduction of chemical fertilizer and pesticide use crucial.

In this demonstration, reclaimed water purified from the wastewater of "Maipari," a tropical fruit orchard operated by Miyako Kanko Kaihatsu Co., Ltd., a consolidated subsidiary of Tokyu, in Miyakojima, will be combined with biochar, produced by carbonizing agricultural residue at high temperatures, and applied to sugarcane fields as agricultural material. The reclaimed water activates microorganisms in the soil, and biochar serves as a habitat for these microorganisms, retaining nutrients. This synergistic effect aims to improve yields while reducing reliance on chemical fertilizers. By decreasing the use of fertilizers and pesticides, it will help prevent the outflow of substances into groundwater and the sea, thereby protecting Miyakojima's unique aquatic environment.

◯ Sugarcane fields in Miyakojima. While boasting production exceeding 330,000 tons, environmental impact on groundwater and the ocean due to pesticides and chemical fertilizers is a challenge.

◆ Overall Scheme of This Demonstration

This demonstration aims to build a regional circular agriculture ecosystem that combines the "water cycle" and "carbon cycle" by utilizing regional resources generated within Miyakojima in a circular manner. By combining and utilizing reclaimed water and biochar, we aim to improve the soil microbial environment, achieving both reduced reliance on chemical fertilizers and increased agricultural productivity. Furthermore, through the biochar production of sugarcane residue and its return to farmland, we will form a sustainable system where resources circulate within the region.

In addition, we are considering the creation of carbon credits through carbon fixation by biochar, in addition to reducing the environmental load on groundwater and the ocean. We aim to develop this as a new regional model that balances environmental and economic value. This demonstration, which began at the end of April 2026 and will continue until June 2027, will be conducted in sugarcane fields in Miyakojima. With a view to expanding to approximately 6,000 hectares of sugarcane fields across Miyakojima, the goal is to realize a sustainable agricultural ecosystem that protects the sea and groundwater by simultaneously reducing environmental impact and improving agricultural productivity.

〇 Overall Scheme of the Demonstration

This demonstration will be conducted under the supervision of Professor Takeki Toyoda of the Department of Biological System Science, Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, with six experimental plots set up in sugarcane fields in the Ueno Nohara area of Miyakojima City. We will compare and verify the individual effects of reclaimed water and biochar, as well as their combined effects, and also confirm the effects of reduced fertilization. Soil samples will be collected and analyzed regularly to quantitatively evaluate microbial activity, yield, and the degree of soil improvement. A total of six experimental plots, including biochar, reclaimed water, mixed, and reduced fertilization plots, with varying application rates, will be established to quantitatively verify the effects of different conditions on soil characteristics and crop growth.

〇 Demonstration Image

◆ Expected Effects

1: Reduction of Environmental Load

[Realization of Water Cycle]: Purification and reuse of wastewater through microbial activity without the use of any chemical agents, reducing the load on groundwater.

[Reduction of Chemical Fertilizers]: Reducing the amount of chemical fertilizers used by combining reclaimed water and biochar, preventing the penetration of substances into the ground and their outflow into the sea.

[Reduction of Atmospheric CO2]: Suppressing CO2 emissions into the atmosphere through the storage of carbon in the soil (carbon sequestration) by biochar. Consideration is also given to the creation of carbon credits.

2: Improvement of Agricultural Productivity

[Improvement of Soil Environment]: Diversifying and activating soil microorganisms through the application of biochar.

[Increased Yield]: Aiming to increase sugarcane yield through the improvement of the soil environment.

[Cost Reduction]: Achieving a reduction in agricultural costs by reducing the use of chemical fertilizers.

3: Establishment of a Circular System

[Utilization of Sugarcane Residue]:

Achieving circulation by carbonizing sugarcane residue after harvest and reapplying it to the fields.

[Effective Utilization of Regional Resources]: Establishing a sustainable agricultural model that utilizes Miyakojima's resources.

◆ Future Prospects

Based on the knowledge gained from this demonstration, we aim to expand to approximately 6,000 hectares of sugarcane fields across Miyakojima, with the goal of increasing sugarcane yields and reducing the environmental load on groundwater and the sea throughout the island. Furthermore, by creating biochar from sugarcane residue and applying it, we are moving towards the creation of carbon credits from biochar. By using the residue from sugarcane fields across Miyakojima, there is a potential to produce approximately 40,000 tons of biochar and generate approximately 60,000 tons of carbon credits.

First, we aim to establish a new regional circular agriculture ecosystem that realizes a water cycle and carbon cycle in Miyakojima through this demonstration. However, we are considering expanding this model not only in Miyakojima but also throughout Japan. In Miyakojima, we are conducting this demonstration focusing on sugarcane, a specialty product. However, issues related to the treatment of agricultural residue specific to each region exist throughout Japan, and we aim to build regional circular systems unique to each area by utilizing this model.

◆ Tokyu Corporation

Representative: Masahiro Horie, President and CEO

Location: 5-6, Minamidai-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Established: September 2, 1922

Business Activities: Transportation, Real Estate, Lifestyle Services, Hotel & Resort Business

URL: https://www.tokyu.co.jp/

◆ Green Carbon Co., Ltd.

Representative: Jun Okita, CEO

Location: Hanzomon PREX North 9F, 2-3-2 Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Established: December 12, 2019

Business Activities: Carbon credit creation and sales business, agriculture-related business, environment-related business, and other related businesses and ESG consulting services.

URL: https://green-carbon.co.jp/

◆ Green Carbon Business Introduction

Green Carbon is a climate tech company with the vision "Saving the Earth with the Power of Life," supporting the entire process from creation to registration and sales of nature-based carbon credits both domestically and internationally. In addition, we are engaged in R&D of plants and microorganisms, ESG/emissions trading consulting services, and various environment-related businesses.

Our business is deployed in over 10 countries, primarily in Japan and Southeast Asia, promoting diverse nature-based projects such as paddy fields (mid-season drainage, AWD), biochar, forest conservation, carbon farming, mangrove afforestation, livestock manure treatment, and reduction of livestock-derived methane. In domestic paddy fields (mid-season drainage), we created approximately 6,220 tons of credits in fiscal year 2023, the first and largest scale in Japan. We plan to expand to approximately 40,000 ha (approx. 65,000 tons) in fiscal year 2024, approximately 65,000 ha (approx. 65,000 tons) in fiscal year 2025, and approximately 90,000 ha (approx. 95,000 tons) in fiscal year 2026. In the dairy sector, we have implemented Japan's first program-based registration of J-Credits, creating 6,749 tons in fiscal year 2026.

Overseas, we are promoting large-scale project formation and credit creation, mainly in Southeast Asia. In the Philippines, investment projects utilizing JCM (Joint Crediting Mechanism) have been completely sold out. Furthermore, in Vietnam and Cambodia, we are collaborating with prefectures, local governments, and national governments towards the approval of JCM methodologies. We also provide "Agreen," a one-stop platform for credit application, registration, and sales, streamlining complex procedures and document preparation, thereby reducing the burden on creators and enabling scalable business promotion. In addition, we handle the distribution of agricultural products with environmental value (environmentally friendly rice), R&D, and ESG/emissions trading consulting, contributing to decarbonization centered on natural capital.

◆ Green Carbon Co., Ltd. Social Media Links

Carbon Credits Journal: https://biz-journal.jp/carboncredits/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-carbon-inc/

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  • Source: PR TIMES
  • Category: 事業開始