Everything About Profitable Farming Taught by a Legendary Farmer: 'What is Really Important for Success in Agriculture' (by Shoji Sawaura) Released May 20!

An exceptional book that overturns the conventional wisdom that agriculture is in a difficult era! 'What is Really Important for Success in Agriculture' (by Shoji Sawaura) will be published by Diamond Inc. on May 20, 2026.

The Future of Agriculture: Lessons from a 'Reiwa Era Agricultural Magnate'

"Japanese agriculture is currently facing its greatest opportunity in 150 years," says the "legendary farmer" who started as a small family farmer on a poor land in Gunma Prefecture and grew it into an agricultural corporation with 6.4 billion yen in group sales and 300 employees in just 30 years.

He broke away from traditional farming, which only shipped products to agricultural cooperatives or markets, and transformed management into an agriculture business that creates "customers" and holds pricing power by taking charge of processing and sales. He reveals the entire process of how he continuously challenged and overcame hurdles, including product development for additive-free foods, human resource development, foreign employment, organizational creation, and new factory construction.

Sawaura argues that doubting conventional wisdom and preconceived notions is the first step to paving the future. He even reinterprets phenomena typically cited as crises, such as the declining agricultural population, aging, and abandoned farmland, as an "era of less competition, land consolidation, and new management possibilities."

Not size, but "being needed by customers" is the essence of strong management. This book systematically compiles the management philosophy and track record of challenges that the author has practiced for over 30 years to realize unique management, presenting a bright future for Japanese agriculture.

Author Profile: Shoji Sawaura Representative Director of Green Leaf Co., Ltd. and Yasai Club Co., Ltd. Born in 1964 in Showa Village, Gunma Prefecture. After graduating from Tone Agricultural and Forestry High School in 1983, he began farming. He launched the organic farming group "Showa Yasai Club" in 1992 and incorporated it in 1994. He was ranked 4th in the "Top 20 Legendary Farmers" by Weekly Diamond in April 2025.