biofuels

Sort of. They are testing what happens when you put biofuel in one engine:

More evidence of the biofuel craze affecting the food supply:

TOKYO, May 14 (Reuters) - Japanese food and service prices are creeping up, a possible sign that companies are finally starting to pass on higher raw material costs to customers despite overall tame consumer inflation, analysts say.

Yet again, another example of the food for fuel problem. Mayonnaise maker Kewpie announced yesterday [in Japanese] that the price of mayonnaise will increase by 10% as of June. As you know, mayonnaise is its own food group in Japan, so this is serious news. The reports on TV made a point of noting how the price of mayonnaise hasn't changed in 17 years.

As I mentioned previously, the media has reported with great fanfare the introduction of bioethanol to Japan. Hooray for technology!

More on the biogasoline as the English-language press picks up the story:

The Environment Ministry and the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry are pressing forward with the introduction of bioethanol saying that it helps prevent global warming because corn and sugar cane from which it is made absorb carbon dioxide.

Uhhh....but don't we end up burning the stuff anyway? And what about consumers who are quick to jump on the environment bandwagon like this guy?

I know I've been harping on energy and cars lately, but this kind of "reporting" on TV [link to video and transcript in Japanese] has me scratching my head. This is a prime example of news dressed up as an advertisement or PR. The clip is about biofuels (bioethanol from sugar cane and other plants) becoming available to consumers in Yokohama and how it will help combat global warming. The biofuel goes on sale tomorrow at 50 gas stations with the goal of supplying biofuels nationwide by 2010.