[US Expansion] Highly Praised at Event Hosted by the Embassy of Japan in the United States! NEXTAGE Inc.'s Real Wasabi and Wasabi Leaf Processed Foods Charm Local Visitors

NEXTAGE booth at the event venue

NEXTAGE Inc. (Head Office Registration: Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director: Takuya Nakamura), which develops wasabi cultivation solutions, announced on July 1, 2026 (local time) that it was invited to exhibit at "An Evening of Food & Agriculture," an event hosted by the Embassy of Japan in the United States (Washington D.C.). On the day, in addition to tasting "Mazzuma Wasabi," a high-grade Japanese native variety produced in our plant factory-type cultivation module, we offered our developing wasabi leaf sauce and wasabi leaf with sansho pepper dressing.

Many visitors attended the event, including food distributors, Japanese restaurant stakeholders, government agencies, media, and startup companies, and high interest was shown in real wasabi and processed wasabi leaf products.

Furthermore, through this event, we were able to directly confirm the recognition of real wasabi in the U.S. market and the evaluation of processed products, as well as build new networks that will lead to future overseas expansion.

NEXTAGE's Real Wasabi Overturns the Perception of "Wasabi = Spicy Paste"

During the tasting, many visitors had the image of "wasabi = green spicy paste," and some hesitated to try it, saying "I won't eat it because it's spicy." On the other hand, many visitors who actually tasted the real wasabi commented, "It's completely different from what I've eaten before," "I was surprised by the rich aroma," and "Is this real wasabi?" Many visitors were also surprised when explained that much of the "Wasabi" commonly served overseas is a processed product made from horseradish, saying, "So it's different from what I've eaten before?" Through this event, we reaffirmed that not only the quality of real wasabi itself but also efforts to communicate its value and differences are important for market expansion in the U.S. market.

Introducing the appeal of real wasabi to visitors through tasting

High Praise for Developing Wasabi Leaf Processed Foods as Well

Regarding the developing wasabi leaf sauce, many visitors expressed interest, saying, "I want to buy it," and "Where can I buy it?" The wasabi leaf with sansho pepper dressing also received high praise, providing an opportunity to confirm that there is sufficient demand in overseas markets not only for real wasabi but also for processed foods utilizing wasabi leaves.

Developing wasabi leaf processed foods (wasabi leaf sauce, wasabi leaf with sansho pepper dressing)

Building a Network for Future Overseas Expansion in the U.S. Market

At the event, we exchanged opinions with U.S. food distributors, stakeholders in the Japanese food industry, government agencies, and the media. We engaged in specific discussions about the marketability and distribution of real wasabi, as well as local supply systems, and actively exchanged views on potential collaborations for overseas expansion.

In addition, government officials expressed expectations for a model of cultivating and selling locally in addition to exports, and we had an opportunity to reaffirm the high compatibility with our overseas expansion plans through our plant factory-type wasabi cultivation modules. The insights gained from this event have provided valuable suggestions for advancing our business development in the U.S. market going forward.

Message from the Representative

NEXTAGE Inc. - Representative Director Takuya Nakamura

I am deeply honored to have been invited to an event hosted by the Embassy of Japan in the United States and to have had the opportunity to introduce real wasabi to so many people. What was most impressive this time was that while many who tasted real wasabi highly praised its quality, there were far more people than expected who did not know "real wasabi." We have once again realized that our important role is not only to deliver high-quality products but also to correctly convey their value and appeal. Furthermore, by engaging in direct dialogue with many people locally, I was able to feel firsthand the expectations and potential for real wasabi in the U.S. market. With the vision of "Delivering ALL JAPAN MADE Plant Cultivation Technology to the World," NEXTAGE will continue to deliver Japan's proud real wasabi and cultivation technology to the world, and while deepening cooperation with local partners, we will challenge ourselves to build a sustainable production base overseas.

NEXTAGE Inc. Company Overview

Company Name

NEXTAGE Inc.

Head Office

Head Office Registration: 2-13-4 Yutenji, Meguro-ku, Tokyo POINTLINE YUTENJI 5F

Branch Office

Shizuoka R&D Center: 355 Sakamoto, Yaizu-shi, Shizuoka

Research and Development

Yokohama C&M Center: 75-1 Onocho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture, Leading Venture Plaza Building 1, Room 305

Yokohama MMIB Office:

MinatoMirai Incubation Base

3-7-1 Minatomirai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture, WeWork Ocean Gate

8F Bioscience Lab: TAKANAWA GATEWAY Link Scholars’ Hub Lab 2-21-1 Takanawa, Minato-ku, Tokyo, THE LINKPILLAR 1 NORTH 6F & 7F

European Branch

NEXTAGE Lab Ltd.: DCU Alpha, Old Finglas Rd, Glasnevin, Dublin, D11 KXN4 Ireland

Established

January 2018

Representative

Takuya Nakamura, Representative Director

Capital

100 million yen

Website

https://nextagecorp.com/

Business Overview

Agri-tech Business

➢ Mobile Agriculture Business (Manufacturing, sales, maintenance, and cultivation support for wasabi cultivation modules)

➢ Next-Generation Research and Development Business (Web/IoT system design and development, seedling culture/nutrient solution development, etc.)

➢ Wasabi Sales Business (EC site "Wasabi-jin Shoten", etc.)

https://wasabi365nx.base.shop/

SNS

[Instagram] https://www.instagram.com/wasabi_nextage/

[YouTube] https://www.youtube.com/@wasabi_nextage

[X] https://x.com/wasabi_nextage?s=21&t=BbjeIiaVg3jjtaxiKIw9jQ