Nihon Nogyo Begins Fundraising Through Individual Investor Fund to Tackle Agricultural Structural Transformation Together
Nihon Nogyo Co., Ltd. has commenced fundraising through "eCrowd NEXT," a fund for individual investors, starting April 27, 2026. This initiative aims to address the declining agricultural workforce and farmland loss due to an aging population, striving for a sustainable agricultural model and structural transformation of the industry.
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- 📰 Published: April 27, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 27, 2026 at 10:31
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Nihon Nogyo Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director CEO: Shohei Naito; hereinafter "Nihon Nogyo"), which operates an integrated system from production to sales of Japanese agricultural products and creates new industrial structures, will begin fundraising from April 27, 2026, through "eCrowd NEXT," a private equity fund exclusively for individual investor members of eCrowd Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Naohiko Hatae; hereinafter "eCrowd"), a platform connecting startups and individual investors. A basic agreement (MOU) has been signed regarding eCrowd's handling of "eCrowd NEXT" and Nihon Nogyo's planned investment.
■ About Fundraising Through the Private Equity Fund "eCrowd NEXT"
・Background and Purpose
Recently, the number of agricultural workers has been declining due to an aging population and population decrease. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries estimates*1 that approximately 30% of agricultural land will be lost by 2030 compared to 2020. In Aomori Prefecture, a major apple producing region, the production of Aomori apples is predicted to halve to 200,000 tons by 2040 if the scale of operations and yield remain at current levels*2. In this situation where the sustainability of Japan's agricultural industry is being questioned, there is a need to expand scale, improve productivity, reduce costs, and transform it into an industry competitive even overseas.
Nihon Nogyo's mission is "To surprise the world with Japanese agriculture." We aim to transform the industry structure by taking on an integrated role from production to sales. We are promoting the realization of sustainable agriculture that improves profitability by increasing productivity and reducing costs, leading to stable income for those involved in agriculture.
Since our establishment in 2016, we have been exporting Japanese apples mainly to Asia, including Taiwan and Hong Kong. Utilizing our experience in apple production using high-density planting*3 in Aomori Prefecture, sorting/packaging, export, and sales throughout Japan, we are expanding into other product categories and regions. In addition to our own fruit tree production, we provide the agricultural entry support service "Nichinou Pack," supporting the realization of "profitable agriculture."
To date, many investors have participated, and we have worked on optimizing the value chain and building a sustainable agricultural model, striving to transform agriculture into a "profitable" one. This time, for the first time as Nihon Nogyo, we will expand our partners who will work with us to transform the structure of the agricultural industry, which supports Japan's food, through a member-exclusive fund for individual investors. With this support, we will further accelerate the sophistication of the value chain from production to sales and export, and the expansion of scale through the participation of diverse stakeholders, to solve the challenges facing agriculture.
eCrowd NEXT: https://next.ecrowd.co.jp/
[Press Release Related to Recent Fundraising]
Nihon Nogyo Raises 1.3 Billion Yen. Cumulative Equity Finance Reaches 5.7 Billion Yen (February 5, 2026)
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000054.000024854.html
*1: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries "Perspectives for Consideration Towards the Formulation of a Basic Plan: Japan's Food Supply (Farmland, People, Technology)" (https://www.maff.go.jp/j/council/seisaku/kikaku/bukai/attach/pdf/241106-3.pdf)
*2: Aomori Prefecture "Aomori Apple Comprehensive Strategy" (https://www.pref.aomori.lg.jp/soshiki/nourin/ringo/files/aomori_ringo_senryaku.pdf)
*3: A cultivation method that is becoming globally mainstream, seeking profitability and efficiency. It is expected to yield three times more harvest compared to the widely adopted cultivation method in Japan (Maruba cultivation). By training each tree thinly to increase the number of planted trees per area, and by planting trees in a straight line (aligned tree shape), it is suitable for mechanization and labor saving.
View of a high-density apple orchard (Aomori Prefecture)
■ About Agricultural Entry Support Service "Nichinou Pack"
The agricultural entry support service "Nichinou Pack" provides total support to companies considering entering agriculture and existing producers, from business launch to post-opening operations and sales support for harvested agricultural products.
Nihon Nogyo has experts who are well-versed in agricultural business launch and production to sales for each product category. We also research and develop highly profitable and efficient cultivation methods, introducing overseas agricultural machinery and materials to improve productivity and reduce costs. Utilizing our accumulated knowledge and know-how, we can offer integrated proposals from production to sales.
Agricultural Entry Support Service "Nichinou Pack" service site: https://service.
■ About Fundraising Through the Private Equity Fund "eCrowd NEXT"
・Background and Purpose
Recently, the number of agricultural workers has been declining due to an aging population and population decrease. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries estimates*1 that approximately 30% of agricultural land will be lost by 2030 compared to 2020. In Aomori Prefecture, a major apple producing region, the production of Aomori apples is predicted to halve to 200,000 tons by 2040 if the scale of operations and yield remain at current levels*2. In this situation where the sustainability of Japan's agricultural industry is being questioned, there is a need to expand scale, improve productivity, reduce costs, and transform it into an industry competitive even overseas.
Nihon Nogyo's mission is "To surprise the world with Japanese agriculture." We aim to transform the industry structure by taking on an integrated role from production to sales. We are promoting the realization of sustainable agriculture that improves profitability by increasing productivity and reducing costs, leading to stable income for those involved in agriculture.
Since our establishment in 2016, we have been exporting Japanese apples mainly to Asia, including Taiwan and Hong Kong. Utilizing our experience in apple production using high-density planting*3 in Aomori Prefecture, sorting/packaging, export, and sales throughout Japan, we are expanding into other product categories and regions. In addition to our own fruit tree production, we provide the agricultural entry support service "Nichinou Pack," supporting the realization of "profitable agriculture."
To date, many investors have participated, and we have worked on optimizing the value chain and building a sustainable agricultural model, striving to transform agriculture into a "profitable" one. This time, for the first time as Nihon Nogyo, we will expand our partners who will work with us to transform the structure of the agricultural industry, which supports Japan's food, through a member-exclusive fund for individual investors. With this support, we will further accelerate the sophistication of the value chain from production to sales and export, and the expansion of scale through the participation of diverse stakeholders, to solve the challenges facing agriculture.
eCrowd NEXT: https://next.ecrowd.co.jp/
[Press Release Related to Recent Fundraising]
Nihon Nogyo Raises 1.3 Billion Yen. Cumulative Equity Finance Reaches 5.7 Billion Yen (February 5, 2026)
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000054.000024854.html
*1: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries "Perspectives for Consideration Towards the Formulation of a Basic Plan: Japan's Food Supply (Farmland, People, Technology)" (https://www.maff.go.jp/j/council/seisaku/kikaku/bukai/attach/pdf/241106-3.pdf)
*2: Aomori Prefecture "Aomori Apple Comprehensive Strategy" (https://www.pref.aomori.lg.jp/soshiki/nourin/ringo/files/aomori_ringo_senryaku.pdf)
*3: A cultivation method that is becoming globally mainstream, seeking profitability and efficiency. It is expected to yield three times more harvest compared to the widely adopted cultivation method in Japan (Maruba cultivation). By training each tree thinly to increase the number of planted trees per area, and by planting trees in a straight line (aligned tree shape), it is suitable for mechanization and labor saving.
View of a high-density apple orchard (Aomori Prefecture)
■ About Agricultural Entry Support Service "Nichinou Pack"
The agricultural entry support service "Nichinou Pack" provides total support to companies considering entering agriculture and existing producers, from business launch to post-opening operations and sales support for harvested agricultural products.
Nihon Nogyo has experts who are well-versed in agricultural business launch and production to sales for each product category. We also research and develop highly profitable and efficient cultivation methods, introducing overseas agricultural machinery and materials to improve productivity and reduce costs. Utilizing our accumulated knowledge and know-how, we can offer integrated proposals from production to sales.
Agricultural Entry Support Service "Nichinou Pack" service site: https://service.