Aeon launches Satoyama Project in Tako to restore nature and local economy

Aeon Co., Ltd. launched the Aeon Satoyama Project on 2 April to combine restoration of traditional rural landscapes with the creation of regional value. The company signed a regional cooperation agreement with Tako Town in Chiba Prefecture, which will serve as the model site for a planned nationwide rollout.

While satoyama landscapes have historically functioned as areas where human life and nature coexist, many have fallen into disrepair due to a lack of caretakers and depopulation. Aeon views environmental and regional issues as inseparable and aims to build a sustainable model where nature and human activity support each other.

The initiative operates across four primary pillars. The first focuses on creating nature through forest maintenance, including planting and thinning, alongside biodiversity surveys to monitor ecosystem recovery. The second pillar involves using natural resources by producing and commercialising agricultural goods and promoting local consumption. The third pillar connects people through environmental education for the next generation and community workshops. Finally, Aeon retail stores serve as hubs to sell products and provide experiential opportunities that link satoyama areas with urban residents.

Tako Town was selected as the model site due to its rich natural environment and its potential for increased visitor numbers following infrastructure improvements at Narita International Airport. The town already has a relationship with the Aeon Group through Kasumi stores, which provide mobile sales and disaster prevention support.

Specific activities in Tako Town include the restoration of abandoned farmland and the implementation of organic farming training programmes. The project also includes forest management efforts aimed at achieving certification as an “Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measure” (OECM) site. Furthermore, the partners intend to obtain official certification for their biodiversity enhancement plans under Japanese law.

Aeon intends to redefine satoyama from a landscape that needs protection into a resource that generates regional value, and the methods established in Tako Town will be developed into a standard model for implementation across Japan.