ASK’s international story began with an unconventional decision that set it apart from many Japanese food companies. Rather than simply exporting Japanese rice, the company chose to cultivate Japanese rice directly in India, entering a market where neither the agricultural infrastructure nor the technical knowledge for growing Japanese varieties already existed. What began as an agricultural experiment gradually evolved into something much larger, creating opportunities to introduce not only rice but also Japanese food culture, production expertise and quality standards into one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. Looking back over more than a decade since those first cultivation trials began in 2014, how has that experience shaped your philosophy toward international expansion, and how did a single rice cultivation project become the foundation for a much broader vision of connecting Japan’s food industry with India?
When we first began cultivating Japanese rice in India in 2014, our objective was very simple. We wanted to determine whether Japanese rice could actually be grown successfully under Indian agricultural conditions. There was no existing model that we could follow, so we introduced Japanese rice varieties into India and spent years learning through trial and error. Every stage required experimentation, from understanding local growing conditions to adapting cultivation techniques while maintaining the quality expected of Japanese rice. Through those efforts, we gradually established the basic foundation for cultivating Japanese rice in India.
At that stage, we were not thinking beyond rice itself. We did not have a broader international strategy or a plan to diversify into other products. Our goal was simply to prove that Japanese rice cultivation could succeed in India. However, as we continued working there and developed relationships within the local market, our perspective naturally began to evolve.
We realized that Japanese food companies export far more than physical products. They also export quality, production standards, technical expertise and, perhaps most importantly, the trust that consumers associate with Japanese food. Once we recognized that, rice became much more than a single agricultural product. It became the starting point for introducing other Japanese ingredients, processed foods, seafood and alcoholic beverages into India. In many ways, our rice business has become a platform through which Japanese food culture can gradually expand into the Indian market.
Asuku India 谷藤米（Tanifuji Rice)
Japan’s agricultural, forestry and fishery exports have reached record levels, and the government has established ambitious targets for further international expansion over the coming years. At the same time, Japanese restaurants continue to open across the world, international tourism is introducing millions of visitors to Japanese cuisine, and global consumers are becoming increasingly familiar with Japanese food products. Against that backdrop, companies throughout the industry are considering how best to balance commercial growth with the preservation of Japan’s reputation for quality and authenticity. From your perspective, how should Japanese food companies approach this new phase of international demand, what role do products such as sake play in that strategy, and where do you believe the greatest opportunities and challenges still remain?
This is an important question, although I can only answer from the perspective of our own company rather than speaking for the entire Japanese food industry.
If we look at Japan’s current agricultural exports, processed foods account for the largest share, followed by seafood and livestock products. Our own activities are primarily connected to processed foods through Japanese sake. Rice itself is exported, but the export volume remains relatively limited.
The biggest challenge is cost. Japanese rice is expensive to produce, and transporting it overseas makes it difficult to compete in many international markets. Because of this, I believe that dramatically increasing exports of Japanese-grown table rice is difficult under current conditions.
Sake presents a different opportunity. Across Japan there are approximately one thousand sake breweries, and our company currently supplies sake rice to around two hundred of them. Unfortunately, many breweries are facing increasingly difficult conditions within the domestic market. Consumption has declined considerably over the years, making overseas markets more important than ever.
Our responsibility is to support those breweries by producing high-quality sake rice while simultaneously helping Japanese sake reach new international consumers. We believe overseas expansion is essential for the long-term sustainability of the industry.
India represents one of the markets where we see significant long-term potential. It is certainly not an easy market because agricultural products face numerous barriers before they can enter the country. However, we believe that by working together with Japanese manufacturers we can gradually create opportunities not only for sake but also for processed foods, seafood and many other Japanese products.
Successfully introducing Japanese food into India requires much more than exporting individual products. It involves establishing trusted distribution networks, developing relationships with manufacturers, financial institutions and local partners, understanding consumer preferences and building an ecosystem capable of supporting long-term growth. Rather than acting solely as a rice producer, ASK appears to be positioning itself as a bridge between Japanese companies and the Indian market. How are you building that infrastructure, what partnerships are becoming most important, and what lessons have you learned about creating sustainable market access in a country as large and complex as India?
Our objective is to establish reliable gateways through which Japanese companies can enter India more effectively.
In processed foods, we are already working alongside multiple national-brand food manufacturers to explore opportunities for introducing their products into the Indian market. In seafood, we are collaborating with one of Japan’s major seafood wholesalers so that we can build a distribution channel for Japanese seafood.
Financial institutions are also playing an important role. We are working closely with a leading regional bank in Tohoku, which serves as one of the principal gateways for this initiative. Through its extensive financial alliance network with banks across other regions of Japan, companies interested in India can be identified, and if they have products suitable for export, ASK can introduce them to opportunities within the Indian market.
This project has only recently begun, so it remains at an early stage. However, we believe this framework has considerable potential. As more companies become interested in India, we expect additional Japanese food products to enter the network, allowing us to create a broader national platform that supports Japanese manufacturers seeking long-term opportunities in India.
At the same time, we continue participating in major food exhibitions such as World Food India and AAHAR. These events allow us to observe consumer reactions directly, understand which products attract the greatest interest and continue refining our strategy based on real market experience rather than assumptions.
Our Company Pavilion at World Food India 2025
Many companies entering overseas markets concentrate on exporting products that already enjoy established international demand. ASK, however, has taken a noticeably different approach. Your company first invested in building local rice production, then expanded into supplying Japanese restaurants, promoting sake, participating in major food exhibitions and introducing additional Japanese food products. At the same time, despite growing international demand for Japanese cuisine in many regions, your overseas strategy remains firmly focused on India rather than pursuing rapid expansion into multiple countries. Why has India become such a central priority for ASK, and what do you hope to achieve there over the next three years as the business continues to mature?
Our overseas business is centered entirely on India because that is where our international journey truly began.
We did not begin by evaluating countries around the world and selecting the largest commercial opportunity. Instead, we became deeply involved in India through rice cultivation. Once we committed ourselves to that project, our relationships, knowledge and experience all developed there naturally.
For that reason, our objective is not simply to follow global demand wherever Japanese sake or Japanese food happens to be growing most quickly. We believe it is more important to deepen the foundations we have already established in India.
At present, we are still in the early stages of development. Every exhibition we attend teaches us something about Indian consumers. We carefully observe which Japanese foods attract interest, how people respond to unfamiliar products and where future opportunities may exist.
There is still much work to do. We continue improving our rice cultivation techniques, expanding our distribution network and increasing our share of Japanese restaurants throughout India. We also intend to broaden the range of products we introduce into the market.
Over the next three years, our priority is not rapid geographical expansion but strengthening these existing foundations. We believe that sustainable growth comes from building trust, improving quality and developing long-term relationships rather than expanding too quickly.
Development of Sake-Brewing Rice
ASK’s origins are deeply connected to Japan’s sake industry, a sector that has experienced profound structural change over the past several decades. While Japanese sake has gained increasing international recognition, domestic production and consumption have steadily declined, placing significant pressure on breweries across the country. Rather than focusing solely on rice production as a commodity business, your company chose to support sake producers by developing specialized rice varieties designed specifically for brewing. Looking back at the company’s history since its founding in 1995, what inspired that mission, how did your close relationship with sake breweries shape the development of ASK, and why do you believe innovation in sake rice remains essential to preserving one of Japan’s most important cultural industries?
I founded ASK in 1995, but my involvement with rice began long before that through my previous work in the industry. Because of that background, I had already become familiar with the significant fluctuations in rice prices and the particular requirements of sake breweries. When I established the company, I wanted to build a business that would work alongside breweries and respond directly to their needs rather than simply supplying rice as a commodity.
The first question we asked ourselves was very simple: what kind of rice do sake brewers truly need? To answer that, we devoted ourselves to breeding and developing new sake rice varieties. We worked on proprietary varieties, including Yama Sake No. 4, Sake Mirai and several others referenced during the interview, all designed to meet the increasingly sophisticated requirements of brewers.
Supporting breweries has always been at the heart of our business. Unfortunately, Japan’s sake industry has changed dramatically. Around 1974, Japan produced approximately 1.7 million kiloliters of sake each year. Today, production has fallen to less than 400,000 kiloliters. That decline represents much more than reduced sales. Sake occupies a central place within Japanese food culture, and its contraction reflects broader challenges facing rural communities, traditional craftsmanship and Japanese agriculture.
For that reason, I believe our responsibility extends beyond supplying rice. We must help breweries remain competitive by providing them with raw materials that allow them to continue producing exceptional sake. Developing better brewing rice is not simply an agricultural activity. It is our contribution to preserving one of Japan’s most important cultural traditions.
Producing exceptional sake begins long before the brewing process itself. It starts in the field with the cultivation of highly specialized rice varieties, many of which have been developed specifically to achieve particular brewing characteristics. At the same time, changing climate conditions are forcing producers to rethink where and how these varieties can be cultivated. Yamada Nishiki, for example, has long been regarded as Japan’s premier sake rice, yet growing it successfully outside its traditional regions presents significant challenges. How has ASK approached the development of new brewing rice varieties, what makes sake rice fundamentally different from ordinary table rice, and how are you adapting cultivation methods as environmental conditions continue to evolve?
Premium sake begins with premium rice. The varieties used for brewing are completely different from ordinary table rice because they are developed for an entirely different purpose.
One of the most important characteristics of sake rice is its relatively low protein content. If the rice contains too much protein, it produces higher levels of amino acids during fermentation. Those amino acids can introduce unwanted flavors and reduce the purity and elegance of the finished sake. For that reason, breeding programs focus on reducing protein content while preserving the characteristics needed for brewing. This work begins at the agricultural level, long before the rice reaches the brewery.
Among these varieties, Yamada Nishiki is widely regarded as the benchmark for premium sake. However, cultivating it outside Hyogo Prefecture is not easy. The variety is particularly sensitive to environmental conditions, including daylight, and northern regions such as Tohoku have shorter daylight hours than the areas where Yamada Nishiki traditionally grows.
To address that challenge, we have developed varieties with characteristics similar to Yamada Nishiki that are better suited to cultivation in northern Japan. More recently, we have also begun experimental cultivation of Yamada Nishiki itself for Dassai, exploring how it can be successfully grown under changing environmental conditions.
Climate change has made this work even more important. Temperatures are rising, weather patterns are changing and cultivation methods must continue evolving. Rather than seeing those changes as obstacles, we believe they present an opportunity to develop new techniques and expand the regions where premium sake rice can be produced while maintaining the quality expected by brewers.
A Quintessential Japanese Landscape: Rice Terraces
A Quintessential Japanese Landscape: Rice Terraces
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Agriculture throughout the world is entering a period of unprecedented transformation. Climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental sustainability are no longer abstract policy discussions but practical challenges that directly affect food production, rural communities and long-term agricultural competitiveness. As governments and consumers increasingly expect farming practices to meet higher environmental standards, agricultural companies are being asked to balance productivity with sustainability. How is ASK preparing for this new reality, and how do you see environmental responsibility shaping both your operations in Japan and your long-term activities in India?
Agriculture can no longer focus solely on increasing production. Today, we must address some of the most significant global challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental pollution. These issues are directly connected to agriculture, and unless we respond appropriately, the industry risks losing the confidence and support of society.
Our ambitions extend beyond sake rice. We are also expanding our production of ordinary table rice and hope eventually to cultivate approximately one thousand hectares. At present, however, we manage only around seventeen hectares, so we still have a great deal of work ahead of us.
As production expands, environmental performance becomes increasingly important. Rice cultivation is associated with greenhouse gas emissions, and reducing those emissions must become part of modern rice farming. We believe this responsibility applies equally to our activities in Japan and to our rice cultivation projects in India. If we develop better methods in Japan, those lessons can also benefit our operations overseas.
We are also incorporating internationally recognized agricultural standards into our work. European GAP standards have become an important reference point, and we are introducing those principles into our own operations while also sharing them with farmers. Our objective is to establish production systems that meet international expectations for environmental stewardship, food safety and responsible agricultural practices.
For us, sustainability is not separate from agriculture. It is becoming one of the foundations upon which future agriculture must be built.
Headquarters and Rice Milling Plant
Throughout this conversation, you have spoken not only about agricultural productivity but also about preserving Japan’s cultural landscape. Modern large-scale farming has undoubtedly increased efficiency, yet you have repeatedly emphasized the importance of traditional terraced rice fields, mountain agriculture and the natural environment that surrounds them. You have also suggested that agriculture should become something people actively want to experience rather than simply observe from a distance. Why do you believe protecting these traditional landscapes is so important, and how can agriculture, tourism and cultural preservation work together to create a stronger future for rural Japan?
Japan’s landscape has always been defined by mountains, forests, rivers and rice fields. Although large-scale farming on broad plains has become more common in recent decades, that was not how Japanese agriculture originally developed. For most of our history, rice was cultivated in terraced fields built into mountainous regions. Those landscapes represent thousands of years of agricultural tradition.
Today, many of those terraced fields are being abandoned as rural populations decline. I believe that is deeply unfortunate because some of Japan’s most beautiful scenery and most valuable cultural heritage can still be found there.
If our company eventually cultivates one thousand hectares, I would like approximately ten percent of that land to remain dedicated to these traditional environments, even though they require considerably more labor and are less efficient economically. Their value cannot be measured only by production volume.
Unlike vast flat fields, terraced landscapes invite people to experience nature. Visitors can encounter streams, insects, fireflies, wildlife and the rich biodiversity that has always been part of Japanese agriculture. These places allow people to understand what traditional rice cultivation has meant throughout Japan’s history.
I also believe agriculture must become more engaging. We should create opportunities for people living in cities to visit rural communities, meet farmers and participate in rice cultivation themselves. If agriculture becomes something enjoyable and meaningful, more people may become interested in supporting it or even joining it. Protecting agriculture requires more than producing food. It requires preserving culture, protecting landscapes and creating new relationships between people and the countryside.
Various Products from the ASK Unique Foods Development Laboratory
One of the defining characteristics of ASK is that it has built a business model extending far beyond conventional rice production. The company develops proprietary rice varieties, works directly with farmers, supports sake breweries, cultivates its own rice, expands overseas markets, promotes Japanese food internationally and continues investing in research and innovation. Rather than operating as a single agricultural business, ASK has created an integrated ecosystem that connects farming, manufacturing, international trade and cultural promotion. Looking ahead three to five years, how do you envision the company’s future, and how would you like Newsweek’s international readers to understand what ASK ultimately represents within Japan’s agricultural and food industries?
Japan is blessed with extraordinary natural resources. Approximately seventy percent of the country is covered by mountains and forests, and from those mountains flow rivers that have sustained Japanese agriculture for thousands of years. I believe one of Japan’s greatest strengths is the way its industries have developed around this rich natural environment, particularly through the abundance of clean water.
Rice cultivation is one of the clearest expressions of that relationship between nature and people. As Japanese agriculture faces demographic decline and increasing structural challenges, I believe it is more important than ever to encourage new ideas and new participants.
I hope people around the world will see that agriculture in Japan still has tremendous potential. If someone reads this interview and thinks, “I would like to visit Japan, experience its agriculture or contribute new ideas,” I would welcome that wholeheartedly.
Innovation does not always have to come from within the industry itself. Sometimes new perspectives come from people outside agriculture or even outside Japan. If people bring us thoughtful ideas, I want to put those ideas into practice whenever possible.
Ultimately, I would like ASK to be recognized not simply as a rice company but as a company that connects agriculture, people, culture and innovation. Agriculture should continue evolving while remaining faithful to the natural environment and traditions that define Japan.
While rice cultivation remains the foundation of your business, ASK is already looking beyond traditional agricultural production by investing in research into fermented foods. Fermentation has always occupied a unique place within Japanese food culture, giving rise to products such as sake, miso, soy sauce and many other foods that are now recognized around the world. Your decision to establish a dedicated research and development facility suggests that you see significant opportunities beyond conventional rice production. Why has fermentation become an important area of focus for the company, and how do you believe this research could contribute to the next stage of ASK’s development and to the future of Japan’s food industry?
As we think about the future, we believe rice should not be viewed only as a crop that is cultivated and harvested. It also has enormous potential as the foundation for future innovation.
That is why we established a dedicated research facility called ASK Unique Foods Development Laboratory. Its purpose is to explore new possibilities centered on fermented foods and to help create the next generation of our business.
Fermentation has always been one of Japan’s greatest strengths. It has produced many of the country’s most distinctive foods and beverages, and we believe there is still considerable potential that has not yet been fully explored. Through research and development, we hope to discover new applications and create additional value that extends beyond traditional rice production.
This initiative is still developing, so it is too early to describe all of its future outcomes. However, I believe fermentation research has the potential to become one of the important pillars of ASK’s next stage of growth. It may also contribute to the continued evolution of Japan’s rice industry by creating opportunities that did not previously exist.
Summer in Yamagata: Hanagasa Dance (Folklore Culture Circle Yomoyama-kai)
Throughout this conversation, one theme has remained remarkably consistent. Whether discussing rice cultivation in India, supporting Japan’s sake breweries, preserving traditional terraced landscapes, reducing agriculture’s environmental impact or investing in future food technologies, your philosophy appears to be centered not simply on producing rice but on creating an agricultural ecosystem that remains vibrant, optimistic and continuously evolving. Before we conclude, if you were to introduce ASK to Newsweek’s global readership in a single defining message, what would you want people around the world to understand about your company and the values that guide everything it does?
I would describe ASK as a company that serves agriculture and food with energy, vitality and genuine enthusiasm.
The Japanese expression I use carries a deeper meaning than can easily be translated into English. It conveys the image of moving forward energetically, almost as if dancing. That expression is meaningful to me personally because I have long been involved in traditional dance in Yamagata.
For me, agriculture should never become something static or pessimistic. It should be dynamic, creative and filled with life. We want to support farmers, food producers and everyone connected with agriculture in a way that inspires optimism and encourages people to participate.
Our goal is not simply to grow rice or develop new products. It is to help agriculture continue evolving while remaining deeply connected to the people, traditions and natural environment that have always sustained it.
If our work can contribute to that future, then I believe we are fulfilling our mission.
For more information, visit their website at:
https://www.okomeno-tawaragura-ask.jp/
https://www.okomeno-tawaragura-ask.jp/media/torikumi/
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