Farming has not always been the first career choice for young generations, and this is also true for Mr. Sukegawa, the owner of the NS farm in Japan. Initially working as a professional bass angler, Mr. Sukegawa decided to take over his family's agricultural business because of his duty. Starting part-time with 5 hectares, he transitioned to full-time farming after his father's health declined, expanding to 10 hectares within a year. Today, he manages 65 hectares across 100 fields with 3 employees.
Over the years, his farm kept getting bigger and more successful. Now 46 years old, he's been farming for over 20 years—but his journey didn't start with farming. It began with fishing. So how did a bass angler end up running a massive 65-hectare rice farm? How did he use new technology to make his farming more efficient? Let's shine a spotlight on Mr. Sukegawa's story.
Labor Savings: An Urgent Priority as Scale Grows
At his farm, Mr. Sukegawa previously grew feed rice, a type of rice grown primarily for animal feed. However, he shifted to "Niji no Kirameki" as his main variety last year, focusing on staple rice for local consumption and export. This change reflected a move towards a more profitable and market-oriented approach.He continues to cultivate other varieties, notably Koshihikari (across 12 hectares) and Akitakomachi. Even with this diversification, he implemented labor-saving techniques, such as employing dense seedling trays – ten trays per 10 hectares to increase efficiency in the planting process.
But scaling up came with a catch: labor shortages hit hard. With 100 fields scattered like puzzle pieces and backbreaking work piling up, Mr. Sukegawa knew he couldn't muscle through just like before. That's when he changed his mind — ditching traditional farming practices for smarter technologies.
FJD Autosteering System Makes Farming Easier
Mr. Sukegawa started searching for ways to make his farm work easier after his land expanded to over 10 hectares. Managing such a large area alone became too tough. He explained, "Ten hectares was the most one person could handle. Back then, I used brush cutters to remove weeds, but by the time I finished one part of the land, the first areas I'd cut were already full of weeds again." This endless weeding cycle cost him too much time and energy.
In 2021, recommended by Japan Agri Service, the authorized dealer for FJD products in his area, Mr. Sukegawa decided to purchase the
FJD AT1 Autosteering Kit
, and this became a major upgrade for his farm. "The difference was incredible," he said, praising the new tool.
Before, when he drove a 2.4-meter-wide rotary tiller manually, he often encountered issues with overlapping passes, which led to wasted effort and resources. But with FJD's autosteering system, he could adjust overlaps perfectly and work hands-free, with a level of high precision he never thought possible.
Mr. Sukegawa also shared his experience with plowing using a 5-meter-wide wing harrow (mixing soil and water in rice fields). This job used to be tricky. "When you're plowing, you can't see how wide is covered because they are all under the water. But with the automatic steering, I don't have to think about it, so it's really easy," he said, explaining how new technology has made his farm work easier and better.
The Hardest Task Has Become the Easiest
For Mr. Sukegawa and his workers, the introduction of the autosteering system has greatly reduced their physical strain. "With the auto-steering kit, I can drive without holding the steering wheel. This reduces my physical burden a lot. What used to be the busiest spring farming has now become much easier, because I can take breaks in the cabin."As for daily productivity and output, Mr.Sukegawa continued, "Additionally, I think we can now cover more land in a day compared with before we used the auto-steering system. These days, we can plow three hectares a day, sometimes even four."
Furthermore, Mr. Sukegawa also highlighted other benefits of using FJD's system. He explained that even when tasks are assigned to new workers, they can achieve professional-level precision. Using the autosteering system helped them standardize workflows and boost efficiency across the entire operation. They also saw economic benefits like fuel savings and reduced labor hours.
Increased Demand for Land Levelers Among Farmers
According to Mr. Sukegawa, farmers are using agricultural levelers much more than before in Inashiki City. Over the last five years, these tools have become popular for creating flat, even fields. This increase is mainly due to two reasons: farmers are expanding their farmland to improve efficiency, and land development projects have combined smaller fields into larger ones.
To address this issue, Mr. Sukegawa began using a trailed leveler from Sugano to flatten his fields. Leveling is critical because uneven ground causes water to collect in low spots, drowning seedlings and affecting their growth. Meanwhile, high spots are dried out, allowing weeds to thrive. That's why farmers in his area are now paying more attention to proper land leveling.
He previously relied on laser levelers. "There is no uneven growth, and the quality at harvest is greatly improved. From my experience, I feel that the yield changes by 1 to 2 bales depending on whether or not leveling work is done," said Mr. Sukegawa.
However, setting up the laser emitters took too long, and windy weather made work impossible. Also, during the peak period of land leveling activities, overlapping signals from neighboring farms caused optical interference among the systems. To solve this, farmers even coordinated laser use by creating an online group on LINE, the most popular messaging app in Japan. This cooperative approach mitigated the disruptions to some extent, but it was only a temporary solution.
RTK-Based Land Leveling: "Work at My Own Pace"
In 2025, Mr. Sukegawa started using the RTK-based land leveling system AL02 from FJDynamics, which required no laser emitters and eliminated signal interference. "I can now work at my own pace, which greatly improves my work efficiency," he said. The introduction of the AL02 has solved the problem of concentrated use of laser devices during peak season.Another benefit of switching from laser tools to an RTK leveling system is flexible working plan. Before, Mr. Sukegawa had to schedule laser use with his local farmers, but now they no longer need to do this, giving them more flexibility. Plus, they can see elevation maps on the screen of the AL02 and work while checking the monitor—another big advantage that satisfied him.
The Road Ahead
The autosteering and RTK land leveling systems have revolutionized efficiency, precision, and labor reduction. The autosteering system eased physical strain and enabled consistent results, even for new workers. The RTK system resolved laser-related challenges, improving land-leveling flexibility and crop uniformity.Looking ahead, Mr. Sukegawa plans to bring in more advanced machinery and smart farming tools. His goal is to create a sustainable future for rice production—where technology and tradition work hand in hand to nourish communities and protect his family's farming business. For Mr. Sukegawa, the future of farming is bright as long as they continue to embrace modernized agricultural technology.