Eri serves as president of the Japan Plant Factory Association (JPFA), a nonprofit organization devoted to academic and business advancements in plant factory/controlled environment agriculture (CEA). Before joining the JPFA, Eri worked at a private research institute in Tokyo, specializing in technology advancement for global food production. She has been conducting international field research on plant factories/CEA since 2008. She has published multiple research papers and has been a research project manager on artificial intelligence and phenotyping-based next-generation plant factory for environmental control and breeding. She has a keen interest in technological advances, including phenotyping, in plant factories. She received a Ph.D. from the Graduate School of Horticulture, Chiba University.

Dr. Toyoki kozai is a professor emeritus at Chiba University and honorary president of Japan Plant Factory Association. He obtained a PhD degree in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Tokyo. When he started his academic career, his work was focused on greenhouse environment control engineering. Then his scientific interest was extended to in vitro environments under artificial light and their control for sugar-free medium micro-propagation. After serving as President of Chiba University, he was back in research, education. Since 2010, he has been working as the president of Japan Plant Factory Association and is leading R & D of “plant factory with artificial lighting (PFAL)” and “integrative environment control of greenhouses” using heat pump, fogging, and null-balance CO2 enrichment systems. He received the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 2002 and the Order of the Sacred Treasure and Light in 2019 from the Japanese Government.  

Assistant professor of Center for Environment, Health and Field Sciences, Chiba University, Japan. She finished her BS and MS in Environmental Biology Engineering during 2002-2008 from China Agricultural University, China; and received PhD in Horticultural Science in 2012 from Chiba University, Japan. She worked at Philips, Horticulture LED Solutions, as a plant specialist in the Asia-Pacific region for three years. In 2015, she was invited to work on Plant Factory research projects at Chiba University. Her scientific interests are in the field of environmental control technologies, especially LED lighting applications, for promoting growth and quality of leafy vegetables and medicinal plants grown in plant factories. Her recent work also focuses on the development of technologies on edible flowers and fruit vegetable production in plant factories with artificial lighting and application of organic fertilizers. 

Dr. Satoru TSUKAGOSHI is an associate professor at Chiba University. He obtained a PhD degree in Agriculture from Chiba University. When he started his academic career, his work was focused on the hydroponic strawberry cultivation. Then, his scientific interest was extended to the optimization of the nutrient solution management in hydroponics, the addition of the functionality to the vegetables using hydroponic technique such as low potassium tomato fruit, high GABA content tomato fruit, and the development of the quantitative nutrient management in hydroponics. In the academic education, he accepts many foreign students who are interested in vegetable production in hydroponics and in PFALs. The ex-students whom he instructed are playing an active part in the field of vegetable production in each country now.

Dr. Chieri Kubota is a professor in the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, and Director of Ohio Controlled Environment Agriculture Center at the Ohio State University. Dr. Kubota received Ph.D. in Horticultural Engineering and M.S. in Horticultural Science from Chiba University, Japan. Dr. Kubota worked as faculty for 6 years in Chiba University, 16 years in the School of Plant Sciences at University of Arizona. Dr. Kubota joined the faculty at the Ohio State University in 2017. Dr. Kubota is a Fellow of the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS).  In research, her focus is on science-based technology development for CEA crop such as lighting technologies, water and nutrient management, and introducing new crops for CEA. Dr. Kubota is very active in training professionals through online courses, hands-on training, and consultations.

Dr. Satoru TSUKAGOSHI is an associate professor at Chiba University. He obtained a PhD degree in Agriculture from Chiba University. When he started his academic career, his work was focused on the hydroponic strawberry cultivation. Then, his scientific interest was extended to the optimization of the nutrient solution management in hydroponics, the addition of the functionality to the vegetables using hydroponic technique such as low potassium tomato fruit, high GABA content tomato fruit, and the development of the quantitative nutrient management in hydroponics. In the academic education, he accepts many foreign students who are interested in vegetable production in hydroponics and in PFALs. The ex-students whom he instructed are playing an active part in the field of vegetable production in each country now.

Dr. Yutaka Shinohara is a Professor Emeritus of Chiba University, Board member of NPO Japan Plant Factory Association and Advisor for the Japan Greenhouse Horticulture Association, as well as a former Chair of the Association. Has dedicated himself to the greenhouse horticulture research, especially on hydroponics and plant factories for more than 40 years. Wrote 100 qualified journal papers and 35 books. Has chaired an amateur wood wind ensemble named ‘Harmonia Ensemble’ for about 50 years as also a player of French horn.

Dr. Chieri Kubota is a professor in the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, and Director of Ohio Controlled Environment Agriculture Center at the Ohio State University. Dr. Kubota received Ph.D. in Horticultural Engineering and M.S. in Horticultural Science from Chiba University, Japan. Dr. Kubota worked as faculty for 6 years in Chiba University, 16 years in the School of Plant Sciences at University of Arizona. Dr. Kubota joined the faculty at the Ohio State University in 2017. Dr. Kubota is a Fellow of the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS).  In research, her focus is on science-based technology development for CEA crop such as lighting technologies, water and nutrient management, and introducing new crops for CEA. Dr. Kubota is very active in training professionals through online courses, hands-on training, and consultations.

Kazuya (“Kaz”) URAISAMI has graduated from Harvard Law School and worked for various types of financial institutions in Japan, in US and in Switzerland for 20 years. Capitalizing on a combined expertise of legal and financial skills, he has developed business planning sheets for variety of business including one for Plant Factory with Artificial Lighting when he was working for starting up PFAL at Asahi Techno Plant in Okayama. As Director of JPFA, he has made available the planning sheets to plan for and solve the business issues for the members.