Nihon Agriculture has raised approximately US$8.7 million in a Series C extension round through a third-party allotment of new shares. Investors in the round include Suzuyo & Co., Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, and DG Resona Ventures, alongside Aizawa Investments, Pegasus Tech Ventures, Awa Bank Capital, Sala Corporation, Hokuyo SDGs Promotion Fund, and Meister Engineering. Following this round, total Series C equity financing amounts to around US$25.8 million, while cumulative equity financing reaches approximately US$38.2 million.
Founded in 2016, Nihon Agriculture is engaged in the export of Japanese agricultural products, primarily to Asian markets such as Taiwan and Hong Kong. The company's core activity has been the production, sorting, packaging, and export of apples from Aomori Prefecture using high-density planting systems. This method delivers average yields of around 6 tons per 0.1 hectare, compared with roughly 2 tons achieved under conventional planting methods. Based on this model, Nihon Agriculture is expanding into additional crops and production regions.
In parallel with its own fruit tree production, the company operates an agricultural entry support service called "Nichinou Pack." This service supports companies entering agriculture by proposing operational models designed to improve profitability, providing assistance from business launch through post-opening operations and sales channels for harvested produce.
Export volumes have continued to increase. Aomori apple exports for the 2024 Lunar New Year exceeded 2,000 tons for the first time, reaching approximately 2,761 tons. Export value also reached a record level of around US$10.6 million. During the same period, the number of directly contracted apple growers in Aomori Prefecture expanded to approximately 700, about 2.3 times the previous year, while intake volumes from these growers increased by roughly 2.2 times.
The newly raised capital will be used for working capital and capital investment, with the objective of further optimising the value chain. Nihon Agriculture plans to allocate funds toward expanding overseas market access for Aomori apples and further developing its "Nichinou Pack" agricultural entry support business.
By combining high-density planting, integrated post-harvest handling, and export-oriented sales channels, Nihon Agriculture continues to position its operations around scalable production and export models for Japanese fruit in international markets.
Source: PR TIMES / The Bridge
