The fruit itself doesn't need sun exposure, only the plant does. Photosynthesis takes place in the leaves, not the fruit. So to avoid sun scald on the fruit as well has the heat exposure of the fruit it is best to leave the leaves in place and let the plant grow naturally.

That said, it is your choice. Just don't get too aggressive or you will regret it.

Dave

I'd never heard of a Japanese black cherry so had to Google it to find that you left off part of the name, so it's Japanese Black Trifele, not from Japan, bred in the former USSR, now called the CIS, and comes in different colors other than black and should be much larger than a cherry tomato. ( smile)

Carolyn

Hi Carolyn and Dave,
You're Rita I did leave off part of the name. The fruits are huge. Don't know why it's called a cherry tomato! I won't be agressive, I know they need the leaves, which is why I am hesitant. I'll take you're advice and be cautious. I did have 3 that had blossom end rot but the rest look fine. Quite a prolific plant. Still waiting for the first one to ripen.

Remove leaves from the bottom of the plant as a general rule, since those are the leaves that tend to get attacked and diseased from the soil. Most years, I haven't had to remove any leaves above, except for this year, where the plants are so bushy that it's humid inside the plant and doesn't get air in there. If you think the plant has too many leaves, remove some leaves from the center that are totally shaded and allow some air through the plant. Don't remove leaves that shade fruit though to avoid sunscald. As Dave said, don't get too aggressive. Just remove enough to avoid splashback and help with air circulation.