Connecting the Ocean and the Land
Improving the Earth’s Environment with Seaweed Power
Credo
Connecting the ocean and the land to protect life and the future.
We harness the power of seaweed. This reduces greenhouse gas emissions. It also protects crops and supports the primary sector.
We will strike a balance between environmental protection and safeguarding industry.
To this end, we will develop the necessary technologies and systems and share them with the rest of the world from Japan.
What is right for the Earth and all life?
This question is at the heart of all our decisions.
The ocean and the land.
The environment and industry.
People and nature.
Through our business, we will create a future where they can all coexist.
CRUS
All living things are crew members aboard the ship that is our planet, Earth.
As part of this crew, we will explore the potential of seaweed and strive to enhance the global environment.
CRUS is an acronym for “Carbon Removal with Upcycled Seaweed”. It is pronounced as “kruːz”.
We are CRUS of the Earth
Company name: CRUS, Inc. (It is pronounced as “kruːz”)
Date founded: January 17th 2025
Chief Executive Officer: Hidenori AKAMATSU
Business details: Reduce GHG using Seaweed. Create and sell carbon credits. Support primary industries. Manufacture and sell Seaweed Biostimulant. Import and export Seaweed.
Head office: Tokyo, Japan (Currently we do not have a dedicated office as our members are scattered all over the world)
CRUS Sea and Land Symbiosis Farm: Ayagawa, Kagawa Prefecture “Bringing the bounty of the sea to the land. Returning the land’s bounty to the sea.”
Team
Kazuo MIYASHITA
Chief Manufacturing Officer
Doctor of Agriculture. Professor at Hokkaido Bunkyo University, Professor Emeritus at Hokkaido University, and Visiting Professor at Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine. Vice Chairman of the Seaweed Utilization Research Association. An authority on seaweed research. Kazuo’s results demonstrating the functionality and effective use of Fucoxanthin and Fucoidan contained in brown algae are widely known overseas. Kazuo invented a method to reduce methane gas emitted by ruminants such as cows by using a solution made from seaweed.
Chief Technical Officer
Doctor of Agriculture. Former Director of the Institute of Seaweed Science. An authority on microalgae and seaweed research. In a joint venture between a marine products manufacturer and a general trading company, Hitoshi was involved in Astaxanthin research and overseas production. Hitoshi has also developed food and beverage products made from seaweed, as well as supplements made from Tsuru-arame(Ecklonia cava subsp. stolonifera), which is rich in phlorotannin (seaweed polyphenol), which has anti-allergy and aging care effects. Hitoshi is also making efforts to restore and create seaweed beds.
Independent Director
Former Managing Director of SHUEISHA INC. In Branding Division, Kei launched FLAG SHOP (currently HAPPY PLUS STORE), an e-commerce site linked to SHUEISHA’s fashion magazines. When Kei was Managing Director of SHUEISHA, he established Project 8 Inc. (currently SHUEISHA ARTS & DIGITAL Inc.) which provides comprehensive support for internal and external digital businesses, and became a Representative Director. After retiring from Project 8, Kei put himself in the mother nature and experienced climate change first-hand. And then, Kei joined CRUS as an Independent Director.
Executive Advisor
Doctor of Agriculture. Graduated from Faculty of Agriculture, Kyoto University. Professor Emeritus at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology. Director of Japan Allelopathy Laboratory. A pioneer in allelopathic research. After working at the National Institute of Agricultural Technology of Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, and Shikoku Agricultural Experimental Station, Yoshiharu became a professor at Koibuchi College of Agriculture and Nutrition. Yoshiharu is researching on weed control and vegetation management, physiologically active substances produced by plants, functional and toxic components in plants that are beneficial to health, weeds in Japan and around the world, allelopathically active green manure crops that are useful in organic farming, and natural farming.
Executive Advisor
Representative Director of Japan Organic Consortium General Incorporated Association. Executive Director of Japan Organic Processed Food Consortium General Incorporated Association. After working for International Nature Farming Research Center, Nature Farming Sales Cooperative Organization, Metropolitan Business Division Manager of BioMarket Company, Organic Business Division Manager of AEON AGRI CREATE Co., Ltd. and Nonprofit Corporation of Organic Business Association, Yukinobu was appointed as a Representative Director of Japan Organic Consortium General Incorporated Association. Yukinobu is dedicated to teaching and conducting to popularize the organic farming.
Chief Executive Officer
Hidenori was engaged in export sales of Japanese industrial machinery including agricultural and construction machinery at a general trading company. After becoming independent, Hidenori has been engaged in supporting Japanese companies to expand their business overseas. At a seaweed food manufacturer, Hidenori was engaged in international sales, product development-manufacturing-distribution for overseas markets at the actual places, establishment and management of local subsidiary in Los Angeles, and overseas seaweed research. After learning that seaweed, not just seaweed beds, has the potential to dramatically reduce GHG greenhouse gas emissions, Hidenori realized that his mission is to save the earth and lives with seaweed, and founded CRUS. His favorite sea vegetables are Mozuku and Mekabu, with Yuzu ponzu soy sauce from Umaji village.