A "vegetable factory" that enables plants to be grown indoors under fluorescent lights free of agrochemicals is proving a welcome addition for the Japanese research expedition in the Antarctic.

The factory used technology based on the Green Room plant created in 2006 by Mirai Co. of Tokyo on the ground floor of a three-story building in Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture.

The Chiba plant produces a variety of vegetables, including lettuce, "sangchu" lettuce, "mizuna" greens, arugula rocket salad and basil. Situated at the back of the Green Flavor vegetable store, seven layers of shelves occupy the factory's 70-sq.-meter floor space.