Second JPFA Symposium starts in Tokyo

90% of vertical farms produce lettuce, the remaining 10% other crops

JPFA Symposium Tokyo 2025 | Rebekka Boekhout |

IMAGE: Shota Hirose and Aryal Dipak from Tsubaki (Vertical Farm Daily)

“We should not only focus on growing plants. Ideally, research should also address the effects on human health and on the environment. That is why we wish to see this as an interdisciplinary research field, where collaboration with other disciplines is essential,” says Eri Hayashi, President of the Japan Plant Factory Association (JPFA).

On Monday, September 1st, the JPFA kicked off its second symposium in Tokyo, Japan, at the Kashiwa-No-Ha Conference Center near Chiba University. The event was officially opened by Kazumi Ota, president of Kashiwa city, who welcomed the audience to the university’s innovation hub. Koutaro Yokote, president of Chiba University, followed by highlighting the university’s commitment to encouraging collaboration between academia, companies, local governments, and, most importantly, society.

Japanese market structure 
Eri Hayashi, president of the JPFA, thanked attendees and introduced ongoing projects that the association and Chiba University are carrying out together with local partners. She took all participants down Japan’s vertical farming memory lane since 1980. After 2000, LED lighting accelerated the sector’s development. Today, Japan has around 200 vertical farms. Yet, despite this diversity, 90 percent of the producers are still set on lettuce, whilst a smaller share of producers is focusing on herbs, strawberries, flowers, seedlings, and local leafy greens such as mizuna, komatsuna, and spinach. Within lettuce cultivation itself, 45 percent is ‘generic lettuce’, 25 percent full heads, 15 percent baby leaf, and 15 percent green leaf.

The economic side of farming was not left out either. In 2024, the average cost breakdown of Japanese plant factories showed labor as the biggest expense at 33 percent. Followed by “the most challenging factor since the past few years, electricity,” which touches 26 percent, and depreciation at 13 percent. Seeds, materials, and logistics each represented 9 percent, while water accounted for 2 percent and other expenses 8 percent. This overview clearly underlined the pain point of the Japanese market: energy use. A painful realization for the nativity country of vertical farming, which cannot seem to escape to rising costs as well. Therefore, a big focus was laid on energy efficiency and essential automation.

“Reducing costs is crucial, but equally important is how we make use of these agricultural products. You can find them in supermarkets and convenience stores everywhere in Japan, and often consumers don’t even realize they are eating factory-grown produce.”

It wasn’t all hurdles, yet, also beautiful opportunities. Research efforts now focus on connecting plant cultivation with human health and environmental sustainability. Cohort studies are linking plant physiology with mental and physical well-being, showing how CAE can generate insights far outside the farm’s walls. Non-invasive measurement of individual plants and their canopies, for instance, is being combined with broader datasets on human health and environmental change.

Science pushed the conversation into new areas as well. Presentations highlighted Chiba University’s work on pharmaceuticals and, you might have guessed it: food production on Mars! However, this time with rice and soybean production, it looked rather promising as the crops were perfectly suited for vertical farming. Furthermore, a joint project with UC San Diego on rice-based vaccines could eliminate cold chain restrictions. Hiroshi Kiyono, Professor of the UC San Diego University, explained how initial systems struggle with vaccine stability and cost. However, research on oral vaccines was showing much more stable shelf lives, lower waste, and better health effects.

The afternoon sessions highlighted food regulations, inclusivity, and global food security. Eriko Hibi of FAO addressed the aspects of food access in society and how we can better play into servicing the entire population, rather than just focusing on niches. While Bruce Bugbee of Utah State University explained how photons can be used to maximize food production.

Later on, an orange glow entered the room. The Dutch delegation of technology suppliers and growers came in to join the afternoon sessions of the symposium. They are in Japan this week on a trade mission, visiting growers and suppliers to explore partnerships and strengthen bilateral ties. A panel featuring the Netherlands’ Horti Mission tied the day’s topics to Expo 2025 Osaka and the broader question of where plant factories fit into global strategies for sustainable food.

The Dutch Delegation

Day one of the symposium made one thing clear: vertical farming in Japan is maturing into a multidisciplinary platform, touching on health, regulation, pharmaceuticals, space exploration, and international collaboration. The emphasis is shifting from yield alone to how controlled environment agriculture can anchor itself in society’s biggest challenges, from food security to human wellbeing.

Original Article: https://www.freshplaza.com/north-america/article/9761172/90-of-vertical-farms-produce-lettuce-the-remaining-10-other-crops/

The post JPFA Symposium Tokyo 2025 appeared first on GROZINE.