Dr.Teruo Higa’s
Living A Dream

#89: Shikoku EM FESTA 2014, Virtuous Circle Conference in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture

For the last five years Shikoku EM FESTA has simultaneously co-hosted the Virtuous Circle Conference of the United Networks for Earth Environment (U-Net) NPO, has held an “Environmentally Friendly Flower City Planning Seminar,” has provided the most updated information for improving the skill of regional leaders, and has held special courses to solve particular challenges.
The EM outreach process starts with “maintaining the EM life style”, progresses to “the socialization of EM,” and then to “creating an EM nation,” with the ultimate goal of an “Earth Saving Revolution.” In this conference we decided to let the Atom Group, the largest business group centered on social welfare business in Ehime Prefecture, and one that is promoting the socialization of EM, take charge of everything.

The venue was a gymnasium and auditorium in the Matsuyama kindergarten, a Matsuyama city-certified children’s school also operated by the Atom Group. This kindergarten uses EM throughout for cleaning toilets, in the swimming pool, in classrooms, and in hand washing, and has achieved tremendous results preventing flu and promoting the health and education of the kindergarten children.

At the conference.how skillfully the Group managed, and the way the Kawatsuke River in Amanoyama town has been cleaned with EM to the point where many koi fish have now returned. They have also been impressed by panel exhibitions of successful cases of using EM in dealing with wildlife, and with how to make EM wild boar stew, and the Group’s incredible hospitality was appreciated by the participants, who were not only served EM Bento and EM boar stew, but appreciated All the participants of this conference who have visited Atom Group-run facilities and have heard the case studies of their use of EM in society have been impressed by the Group’s many EM-related local projects, including the following: the use of EM in waste recycling, agriculture, food processing, and in social activities at the Arumu no Sato facility for the disabled, operated by Atom Group, the EM workshop corner 

In addition, the presentation on organic cultivation by Mr. Ochi, who uses EM in Kamiura, Omishima, was a great report showing how he is approaching the ultimate level of no-till Nature Farming. He himself enjoys improving everyday, trying to protect people’s health and the environment, participates in many volunteer activities, and is appreciated and respected by many people as embodying the essence of

Over twenty years ago Chairman Utsunomiya of the Atom Group decided to utilize EM in various fields, and has certainly achieved excellent results. The ultimate purpose of the Atom Group, as shown above, is to create towns that truly “feel like one’s hometown.”


Following this principle, they send personnel with specialized knowledge as volunteers to support local Bon dancing festivals, carnivals, summer festivals, and health seminars, etc. so that the entire region can function as one big hometown.This year’s Shikoku EM FESTA was, in a sense, also the presentation of the achievements of the Atom Group. The next step is for the entire Group to take up the challenge to exceed the existing performance limits with EM. In other words, they should be determined to use and promote EM to the fullest extent. This determination is clearly shown on the cover of group bulletin


TFrom among them, for the first time at this conference the 
United Networks for Earth Environment (U-Net) NPO presented certificates of appreciation to Imabari Elementary School / Imabari Elementary School Environmental Support for promoting the socialization of EM, to the Matsuyama City Kitadoi Neighborhood Association and to the EM Environment Club. All of these are starting to become part of a new DNA in society, as models that establish a “virtuous cycle” through the use of EM.

The Group has over 40 companies and more than 2,400 employees. This size and scale of activity has transformed Matsuyama City and begun to change Ehime Prefecture itself. They have helped other related businesses incorporate EM with confidence, and have promoted garbage recycling even for local governments, helped in the purification of rivers and the sea, the spread of Nature Farming and health movements, and have unveiled the wisdom of EM, promoting the creation of a hopeful and enjoyable EM-based society.


Win club. Chairman Utsunomiya himself has received further EM training, serves as a role model, and has formed an “Atom EM Promotion Corps.”



 "ideal agriculture." Moreover, his tremendous success has come despite the fact that he is a complete amateur in agriculture. This case truly demonstrates the path of agriculture as a “desirable chosen occupation.”
at Matsuyama Kindergarten