Japan Farm Minister Visits Plant Factory Developer

Tokyo, Jan. 12 (Jiji Press)–Japanese agriculture minister Norikazu Suzuki on Monday visited the Japanese unit of U.S. company Oishii Farm Corp., which develops factories to grow fruit and other plants. Suzuki inspected a research and development facility under construction in Hamura, western Tokyo. The facility is expected to go into full-scale operation by the end of this year. “We’ve realized again that (such factories) will contribute to stable supplies of food for the future,” Suzuki told reporters, expressing his desire to develop plant factories into a new source of Japan’s income. Guided by Oishii Farm CEO Daiki Koga, Suzuki examined strawberry and other plant varieties being developed exclusively for plant factories. “Japan remains the place that has the best combination of delicious varieties, farmers that cultivate them and skilled engineers who build systems,” Koga said after the tour with Suzuki. Oishii Farm sells strawberries and tomatoes grown at U.S. factories. It plans to conduct most of its research and development activities in Japan. At her New Year’s press conference last week, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressed her intention to promote investment in plant factories and other facilities considered effective in ensuring stable food production unaffected by abnormal weather. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]