Fujiwara Techno-Art Co., Ltd. Company Profile

Theme: "Bringing Japan's Fermentation Technology to the World - Exploring the Essence of Koji Mold and Solid-State Cultivation, and Considering the Future Opened by Fermentation" [Content] Afternoon (13:00–17:00): Lectures and General Discussion ◆ Keynote Lecture 1: "Expansion of Koji Fermentation Applications Overseas" Takashi Sato, President, SAN-J International, Inc. ◆ Keynote Lecture 2: "Exploring the Diverse Functions Hidden in Koji Mold from a Genomic Perspective - Towards Understanding and Utilizing Solid-State Cultivation" Junichi Maruyama, Professor, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo ◆ Lecture 1: "Initiatives of the Microbial Industry Course at Okayama University" Takashi Hara, Specially Appointed Assistant Professor, Microbial Industry Course, Okayama University ◆ General Discussion Panelists: Takashi Sato, President, SAN-J International, Inc. Junichi Maruyama, Professor, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo Sanzaemon Murai, President, Bioc Co., Ltd. Masahiro Kariyama, Executive Director, Fujiwara Technoart Co., Ltd. Katsuya Gomi, Specially Appointed Professor, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University Coordinator: Hiroshi Kanzaki, Professor, Microbial Industry Course, Okayama University

The American news magazine "TIME" Asia edition (April 24 and May 1, 2023) featured an interview article about our company. The strength of Japanese manufacturing, which endures any changes in social conditions, has been reevaluated, and we are highlighted as one of the companies demonstrating this strength under the title "Fermenting Success To a New Era." The full Japanese translation of the article can be found in the related materials below. We encourage you to read it.

Fujiwara Techno Art has joined the "Upcycle General Incorporated Association" as of April 17, 2023. The "Upcycle General Incorporated Association" is a platform aimed at effectively utilizing resources that are currently discarded but still usable, through collaboration with various companies and organizations. In a society characterized by mass production and mass consumption that leads to large-scale waste, the transition to a sustainable society has become an urgent issue, and we believe that the concept of upcycling will be increasingly demanded in the future. Currently, Fujiwara Techno Art is undertaking upcycling using solid culture technology cultivated over many years in the brewing industry. Specifically, we are working on the development of transforming agricultural residues and food by-products into more value-added functional feeds, foods, and materials through the power of microorganisms. We will continue our activities to contribute to the realization of a rich and circular society through co-creation with participating companies. *Upcycling: The process of reusing waste as is to create new value, which differs from recycling that restores resources to their original state before turning them into products again. *Solid culture technology: A technique for cultivating microorganisms on solid substances to produce useful materials, used in the production of items such as koji, katsuobushi, and natto.