Shujiro Kusumoto was born in Fukuoka, Japan, in 1964. After graduating from the School of Political Science and Economics at Waseda University, he worked at Recruit Cosmos and the Ohmae & Associates consulting firm before participating in the redevelopment of Tokyo’s Cat Street.

In 2001, he founded Cafe Company Inc. with the vision of creating communities through food and hospitality. Under the theme of “Community Creation,” he has developed and operated approximately 90 cafés and restaurants, including the WIRED CAFE brand, while leading regional revitalization initiatives and commercial facility development projects throughout Japan.

In 2023, Kusumoto founded ZEROCO Inc., a food technology company dedicated to advancing Japan’s food industry and addressing global food challenges through its proprietary freshness preservation technology, ZEROCO.

In 2024, he was appointed President & CEO of Japan Farm Partner Inc., an agricultural production corporation with more than 20 years of history centered around a large-scale ranch on Ishigaki Island. Through the integration of technology, knowledge, and community, he is working to build a value chain that enables producers to hold inventory and create a sustainable primary industry for future generations.

Kusumoto has also served on advisory committees for the Cabinet Office, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF). He has founded and led numerous organizations, including the East Japan Food Association, the Oishii Mirai Institute, and the Entertainment Committee for STADIUM & ARENA.

He is the author of Love, Peace & Company: 50 Perspectives on the Future of Work and The Delicious Economy.