Here's an idea for the beleaguered and seemingly rudderless governing party in Japan: Instead of squabbling with China, Russia and South Korea over various barren rocks near potential gas deposits, and wasting money trying to prime the economy by bribing voters with meager handouts, why not invest money in developing algae-based biodiesel with the goal of ending oil and liquid natural gas imports? This would help reduce Japan's net carbon dioxide emissions toward zero.
Keep the development within a state-run corporation, and use the profits from biodiesel sales and the licensing of technology to other countries to help pay for Japan's social programs as the population contracts toward more sustainable numbers?
andrew murphy