Japan Press Weekly

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2008 April 23 - 29 [AGRICULTURE]

Do not use grain as source of biofuel: JCP Yoshii

At the House of Representatives Committee meeting on Economy and Industry on April 25, Japanese Communist Party representative Yoshii Hidekatsu said that Japan should not use grains and feed to produce biofuel at a time when the world is facing a food crisis.

Pointing out that Japan’s food self-sufficiency rate is 39 percent, Yoshii said, “Materials for Japan’s biomass energy development should be limited to livestock’s dung and other agricultural and stock-raising waste, wood scraps, and waste from sugar-making and brewing industries.”

Industry Minister Amari Akira said, “Ideally grains should not be used for biofuels production, and we would like to pursue this direction.”
- Akahata, April 26, 2008