Takuya Haraguchi, a 2025 Nuffield Japan Scholar, is the Representative Director of ReFruits Co., Ltd., a company dedicated to revitalising kiwifruit production in Fukushima Prefecture. Born in Osaka in 2000, Takuya studied software engineering at university but discovered his passion for fruit tree cultivation during a three-year training program in mandarin orange farming. This experience, combined with visits to over 30 agricultural production sites across Japan, inspired him to establish ReFruits Co., Ltd. in Fukushima.
Kiwifruit was once a thriving industry in Okuma Town, Fukushima, but was devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake and nuclear accident in 2011. With evacuation orders lifted, Takuya founded ReFruits to revive kiwifruit farming as a key local industry. Currently cultivating 2.5 hectares, his team includes one board member and an employee. They plan to harvest their first kiwifruit crop in 2026, aiming to produce 30 tons by 2027 and 100 tons by 2030.
Through his Nuffield Scholarship, Takuya seeks to explore innovative techniques and strategies to enhance kiwifruit cultivation and contribute to the region's agricultural recovery. His mission is not only to restore a local industry but also to foster community resilience and sustainability through agriculture.
