Bad things can sometimes yield good. Loss of the Saudi Arabian oil-producing contract and the rise in the price of oil from $10 to $30 a barrel in the past year should therefore be a wakeup call to Japan to follow the United States' lead in investing in research and development of alternatives to petroleum-based fuels.
One promising alternative is cellulosic biomass ethanol. Recent advances in biotechnology have opened the way for this environment-friendly fuel. In fact, the first commercial biomass ethanol plant opens this month in the U.S. Japan's auto industry, troubled petroleum business and stagnating economy could all benefit from timely investment in CBE.
Makoto Uranaga, of Japan's New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, has already published a feasibility study on the topic, but it has been largely ignored by the media. The public is thus not in a position to discuss the issue and possibly encourage government and business to use tax dollars for development of this "new petroleum."