"Château Mercian Tengusawa Vineyard" Recognized By The Ministry Of The Environment As "Nationally Certified Sustainably Managed Natural Sites"*1

TOKYO, April 10, 2026 - Kirin Holdings Company, Limited (Kirin Holdings) announces that Château Mercian Tengusawa Vineyard (Yamanashi Prefecture), operated by Mercian Corporation, was certified by the Ministry of the Environment, Japan as
“Nationally Certified Sustainably Managed Natural Sites” on March 17, 2026. This marks the Kirin Group’s third certified site, following the certification of “Château Mercian Mariko Vineyard (Nagano Prefecture)” (Mariko Vineyard) in October 2023, and “Château Mercian Jonohira Vineyard (Yamanashi Prefecture)” (Jonohira Vineyard) in February 2025.
*1 Names of areas certified by the Ministry of the Environment Japan as 'areas where biodiversity conservation is being promoted through the efforts of the private sector and others'.

Since 2023, the Ministry of the Environment, Japan has been operating a system to certify as “Nationally Certified Sustainably Managed Natural Sites” those areas of high biodiversity owned by the private sector and local governments, in order to achieve the 30by30*2 target adopted as a global target at the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity held in December 2022. Once certified as “Nationally Certified Sustainably Managed Natural Sites,” they will also be registered in the international database OECMs*3.
*2 The '30 by 30' target of having at least 30% each of land and sea as conservation areas globally by 2030 is a global target adopted at the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity held in December 2022.
*3 Abbreviation for Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures

The Kirin Group and the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) began joint research*4 in 2014 and utilized the results of the ecosystem survey of the “Tengusawa Vineyard”—part of that research—in their application for the “Nationally Certified Sustainably Managed Natural Sites.” In nature, there are areas known as “secondary nature,” which are landscapes maintained precisely because of human management. Grasslands are a representative example of such environments.
*4 For details on the latest joint research, see below
https://www.kirinholdings.com/jp/newsroom/release/2024/0327_03.html

"Tengusawa Vineyard" is a company-managed vineyard that opened in 2017 in the Enzan-Kamiodawara district of Koshu City, Yamanashi Prefecture. Biodiversity monitoring began in 2016, prior to the vineyard's development, and has continued ever since. Before development, the area had extremely low biodiversity, dominated solely by vegetation that deer do not eat—such as American thistle and Japanese silvergrass—due to deer browsing damage. However, since development began, the area has steadily transitioned to grassland vegetation. As of 2025, 111 plant species and 30 butterfly species have been confirmed, including rare species. Like “Mariko Vineyard” and “Jonohira Vineyard,” “Tengusawa Vineyard” is one of the few sites certified as a “Nationally Certified Sustainably Managed Natural Sites” that actively produces agricultural products as a business. It is therefore regarded as a case study that contributes to “Nature Positive”*5 outcomes through business operations.
*5 The goal agreed upon in the “G7 2030 Nature Pact” to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030

Under its corporate purpose, “Transforming nature’s bounty into happiness,” Mercian is expanding its company-managed vineyards to ensure a sustainable supply of high-quality grapes, aiming to produce world-class wines consistently while advancing nature-positive initiatives.

The Kirin Group conducts its business by harnessing natural resources as raw materials and leveraging the power and wisdom of nature. In addressing complex environmental challenges involving biological resources, water resources, packaging, and climate change, the Kirin Group promotes initiatives that deliver a positive impact on nature and people from an integrated perspective.
We aim to share our commitment to passing on the Earth's abundant blessings to future generations with everyone involved throughout our value chain.

About Kirin Holdings

Kirin Holdings Company, Limited is a global company operating across three core business domains spanning Alcoholic Beverages, Non-alcoholic Beverages & Health Science, and Pharmaceuticals. The company traces its roots to Japan Brewery, established in 1885, which later became Kirin Brewery in 1907. Since then, Kirin has expanded its business operations by leveraging fermentation and biotechnology as core strengths. The company entered the pharmaceutical field in the 1980s, which has since grown into a global business. In 2007, the company transitioned to a pure holding company structure as Kirin Holdings, and it is now strengthening its Non-alcoholic Beverages & Health Science domain.

Under its long-term vision “Innovate2035!”, the Kirin Group is focused on creating value that encourage behavioral change among consumers and patients, creating new lifestyle habits in the areas of food and health. With a unique business portfolio spanning Alcoholic Beverages, Non-alcoholic Beverages & Health Science, and Pharmaceuticals, the Group will further expand group-wide initiatives that support both mental and physical well-being.

The Kirin Group will continue to advance innovation through the combined strength of its people and technology, creating both social and economic value as a global leader in CSV*, while pursuing sustainable, long-term growth in corporate value.

* Creating Shared Value. combined added value for consumers as well as for society at large