Sensiphia, a joint venture between IIJ and Sony for smart agriculture, was established

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TOKYO – March 26, 2026 - Internet Initiative Japan Inc. (IIJ, TSE Prime: 3774), one of Japan's leading Internet access and comprehensive network solutions providers, today announced the establishment of Sensiphia, Inc., a joint venture with Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (Sony) for smart agriculture. The company is scheduled to commence operations on April 1, 2026, and it will provide soil moisture sensors and irrigation navigation services for smart agriculture.

Reference: “IIJ and Sony Agree to Establish a Joint Venture to Promote Smart Agriculture,” issued on November 7, 2025
https://www.iij.ad.jp/en/news/pressrelease/2025/1107.html

Sensiphia will combine IIJ's Internet and communications technologies and expertise in smart agriculture with Sony's sensor-related technologies to develop products and services that support efficient agricultural operations. Through these efforts, the company aims to address challenges such as labor shortages and an aging workforce, while supporting sustainable agriculture.
As an initial step, Sensiphia plans to develop a soil moisture sensor for greenhouse and open-field cultivation, with a beta release planned for July 2026. The sensor is designed to support stable, long-term soil moisture measurement, addressing a longstanding challenge for the influence of soil voids (*) that may occur after installation due to changes in soil conditions. When used together with a separately planned irrigation navigation service, it is expected to support data-driven irrigation practices that contribute to improved crop yield and quality.

• (*)Soil voids: Air gaps that occur due to expansion and contraction of soil during the cultivation period.

Overview of the New Company

Company Name	Sensiphia, Inc.
Head Office	5F, Front Place Iidabashi, 6-22 Higashigokencho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Shareholding Ratio (Planned)	IIJ 85%, Sony 11%, Others 4%
Total Capital (Planned)	JPY559 million
Date of Establishment	February 20, 2026
Start of Operations	April 1, 2026
Representative	Toru Saito, President and CEO (IIJ)
Business Activities	Development, sales, and support of soil moisture sensors and agricultural support services utilizing soil moisture sensing technologies

Comment from Toru Saito,

Agriculture is facing growing challenges due to climate change and increasingly unpredictable weather. Sensiphia was established to support agricultural operations by applying sensing and communications technologies in a practical and reliable way.
By combining Sony's sensing technologies with IIJ's communications technologies, we aim to develop high-precision soil moisture sensors that enable stable, long-term measurement. These technologies are expected to support more appropriate irrigation management, helping to improve crop yield and quality while reducing unnecessary use of resources.

The statements within this release contain forward-looking statements about our future plans that involve risk and uncertainty. These statements may differ materially from actual future events or results.

For inquiries, contact

IIJ Corporate Communications

• +81-3-5205-6310
• +81-3-5205-6377
• press@iij.ad.jp

• (*)All company, product, and service names used in this press release are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.