Japan opens the world’s first fully sealed vertical farm

Japanese agri-tech startup PLANTX has opened an experimental vertical farming facility in Tokyo featuring fully sealed growing systems. According to the company, it is the world’s first farm of its kind, with completely isolated cultivation modules that allow precise control of growing conditions.

Located in Tokyo’s Koto district, the facility consists of multiple sealed modules stacked vertically. Each unit independently controls lighting, temperature, humidity, airflow, and water supply, enabling the company to manage not only crop growth but also nutritional value and sugar content, making it possible to produce high-value vegetables and fruits.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Japan’s Minister of Agriculture Norikazu Suzuki said such technologies are expected to become indispensable for future food production. The developers note that the new design requires less space than conventional vertical farms while providing much more precise environmental control.

The facility will also serve as a testing platform for production automation. PLANTX plans to develop technologies that reduce labor requirements while lowering electricity, water, and fertilizer consumption, improving the economic efficiency of vertical farming.

The Japanese government considers food technology, including vertical farming, one of its 17 strategic investment priorities. PLANTX has already received a $7.4 mln government grant to support the further development and commercialization of the technology.

Tags: Japan