bridging the gap between scientific research and business opportunities

“Together with our partners, we do more than just research. We ensure that JPFA members, consisting of growers, suppliers and individuals, fully understand vertical farming before they start. We strive to bridge the gap between science and business,” say Eri Hayashi, President of the Japan Plant Factory Association (JPFA), and Nozumi Hiramatsu, Manager of International Relations and Consulting, as they give us a tour of Chiba University’s Kashiwanoha Campus, about an hour’s drive from Tokyo.

Eri Hayashi

As the name suggests, JPFA is not only involved in vertical farming, but also has several research projects that take place in greenhouses. JPFA is known for its hands-on, research-based workshops on vertical farms and greenhouses, with another course in English by academic and industry specialists scheduled for October, including a visit to 808 Factory and Mirai. In addition, JPFA hosted its first international symposium last year, which due to popular demand will return in September 2025 near Tokyo.

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Part of Chiba University’s Kashiwanoha Campus where JPFA has its headquarters and conducts most of its co-research.

At the Chiba University campus, the JPFA team operates a number of greenhouses and vertical farms. “We mainly do research work and provide knowledge. We also conduct various experiments with companies. Our role is to introduce members and others to new scientific projects, connect them with industry players, government officials and potential partners to collaborate with,” Eri explains.

Greenhouse companies are learning to deal with heat waves and trying to introduce new ideas to provide an answer to cooling costs. “Some grow different crops all year round, mainly in a preferred climate of a crop.” In addition to the various ongoing projects, some members also do research in collaboration, because this often works out well for all parties involved.

A strawberry trial from Yanmar

Combining research and science
Each research or pilot facility is designed at the right scale so that a fair amount of products can be grown, tested and eventually sold off campus at a good price. There are quite a few companies, special members of the JPFA, who are testing their solutions on a larger scale to be ready to go to market.

“Potential customers are often invited to the campus to show the opportunities that are available here. Companies get the chance to work closely with the growers and expand their product or market knowledge.”

In addition to product testing and market research, sustainability is an important focus. Recycling of raw materials and the use of renewable energy sources are used to prevent excessive waste.

The Hanmo research facility

Highlights of the research project
Startup Hanmo is conducting tests in vertical farms to find the best growing recipes for year-round cultivation. In Japan, the season starts in December and ends in May with mainly greenhouse cultivation. By growing from seed, Hanmo keeps insects and diseases away. The young plants are therefore better suited for export and cultivation can be done without pesticides for a long period.

For the past three years, they have used the same mother plants in four layers, and so far the results are promising. A popular harvesting model in Japan is to pick quality fruit first to sell at a higher price, and then let consumers pick as many berries as they want later for a fixed price. This saves a lot of labor costs.

The Obayashi pilot plant

Obayashi, one of Japan’s largest technology companies, has been conducting cultivation trials to improve its system since its inception. The latest project examines the impact of automation. It is not just about implementing robotics, but also about the influence of automation in each processing process and how it contributes to reducing labor costs and increasing productivity.

They grow six types of lettuce and herbs that locals can find in regional stores. This pilot facility serves as a great proof of concept for Obayashi, which eventually wants to build large growing facilities.

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A cucumber trial at Yanmar

Yanmar, a major manufacturer of agricultural machinery, is conducting several trials in its greenhouse and vertical farm facilities. In a closed cultivation facility, a strawberry trial is taking place, for which absorption cloth is used, a natural irrigation method. The cloth absorbs liquid fertilizers and keeps the soil at a certain degree of moisture that the roots of the crop absorb as much as necessary.

Tomato cultivation trial

Although the solution was originally designed for tomato plants, Yanmar is now testing its efficiency for strawberry cultivation, as the company aims to move to more sustainable substrate alternatives. They have also started testing their soft fruit transport system, which has been ordered to be installed in five major Japanese greenhouse farms that will use it for propagation purposes.

A strawberry experiment

As for the strawberry greenhouse trials, the company designed a system to cool the roots instead of the entire growing environment. “We are analyzing whether root cooling is more efficient than cooling the greenhouse environment, as many growers are looking for affordable innovations to reduce OpEx. The plant roots seem to be very happy with it and it is very convenient to change the temperature only in the root zone instead of the entire greenhouse. So far, it is a cheaper alternative, but we have to take into account that the cooling system can ultimately be more expensive than cooling the entire greenhouse itself. It is something we will improve over time,” said Siqin Batu, research leader at Yanmar.

In addition to the greenhouse trials, startups such as LeafLab, Especmic, Mitsubishi Aqua Chemical Aqua Solutions, Planet Co. and Ikeuchi are working behind the scenes on numerous research pilots, about which more information will follow soon.

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For more information:
JPFA
Eri Hayashi (Chairman)
[email protected]

Obayashi Corporation
www.obayashi.co.jp