From 11 to 17 July, a horticulture mission to Japan took place, organised by the Embassy of the Netherlands in Japan, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) and Dutch Greenhouse Delta. Building on a long-standing partnership between the Netherlands and Japan in horticulture, the mission brought together leading Dutch companies, knowledge institutions, and government representatives to further deepen collaboration with Japanese partners in sustainable horticulture.
The program took participants to both Hokkaido, Japan’s northern horticultural region, and Tokyo, its dynamic urban centre. Across both regions, the delegation followed an intensive programme featuring field visits, roundtable discussions, and meetings with key local stakeholders, strengthening existing relationships while exploring new opportunities for cooperation.
Participants engaged with Japanese industry leaders, regional governments, and research institutions to exchange knowledge on greenhouse innovation, climate-smart production systems, and integrated energy solutions. The mission also included participation in the Netherlands- Japan Horticulture Seminar, a networking reception, and the GPEC (Greenhouse Horticulture & Plant Factory Exhibition / Conference 2026), a leading exhibition for horticultural innovation in Japan, further reinforcing the strong and ongoing collaboration between both countries.
“Collaboration on greenhouse horticulture between our two countries is longstanding and many excellent projects in Japan have been realized with Dutch technology and expertise over time. Now Japan’s horticultural sector is entering a new phase with the emergence of corporate investors and local authorities keen to boost their economies with food valleys and agri-clusters. The recently launched cooperation program NL HortiRoad2Japan is a timely bridge to these developments, ensuring that bilateral collaboration will continue to evolve”, says Denise Lutz, Agricultural Counsellor of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Launch of “NL Horti Road2Japan”
During GPEC, a three-year public-private partnership “NL Horti Road2Japan” was officially launched at the NL Pavilion. This public-private partnership brings together twenty key players from the Dutch horticulture sector, knowledge institutes and the Dutch government, and is coordinated by Dutch Greenhouse Delta.
The cluster is dedicated to strengthening agricultural cooperation between the Netherlands and Japan, with a focus on regional revitalisation, food security, sustainable vegetable production, and decarbonisation.
The initiative underlines the Dutch commitment to technological excellence, responsiveness to local needs, and readiness to contribute to complex, large-scale horticultural developments.
Shaping the future of sustainable and profitable horticulture
“Iwata City has leveraged its abundant sunshine and water to build a large-scale greenhouse horticulture cluster under the ‘Smart Agri-Valley Initiative.’ As greenhouse horticulture in Japan currently enters a new phase, improving viability through lower energy costs, automation, and high-value crops is essential. The outstanding technologies and energy solutions from the Netherlands are key to creating a sustainable, profitable future-oriented Agri-Valley. Through ‘NL Horti Road2Japan,’ we look forward to partnering with the Netherlands to jointly launch a next-generation agricultural model in Iwata City,” says Toyoaki Akutagawa, Industrial Policy Division, Economy and Industry Department, Iwata City.