Pasona to Shut Underground Veggie Farm in Tokyo

Tokyo, Jan. 22 (Jiji Press)--Pasona Group Inc. <2168> will shut its
underground vegetable farm in Tokyo possibly in April due to rising rent,
officials told Jiji Press on Thursday.

The Pasona O2 farm, located in the basement of an office building
in the busy Otemachi district, has received attention as a novel effort to
reinvigorate the country's agriculture.
But the officials said it is difficult to now find the same size of
affordable space in Tokyo.
The temporary staffing company created the 1,000-square-meter farm
in February 2005 in underground space formerly used as a bank vault, aiming
to give business people an opportunity to enjoy farming.
The farm has cultivated about 100 types of plants including
vegetables, rice and flowers, using artificial light sources such as
light-emitting diodes.
Pasona has used the farm to offer programs and seminars to a
variety of people ranging from those hoping to enjoy casual farming
experience to those seriously considering agriculture as profession.
So far, the facility has attracted about 60,000 visitors, including
agricultural experts and company officials.
Even Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited the farm while in
office as the facility created the buzz as a test to help determine how
deregulation should be pursued in the agriculture sector.
Pasona will continue its efforts to create jobs in the agricultural
sector, the officials said, citing farming seminars in Tokyo and support to
start-up farmers on the western Japan island of Awaji, Hyogo Prefecture.