Production has just begun at the facility at a former high school field in Shinanomachi and a sweet, sour aroma, similar to that of unfiltered sake, wafts into the air.
“We like the idea,” said Shigehiro Matsuki, the mayor.
I bet he does. Hiccup. Care for some sushi with that?
In the U.S., biofuels look mostly like an excuse for politicians to perpetuate outdated agricultural policies while earning green points. (To be fair, though, demand for corn-based biofuels might also reduce the need for corn subsidies). In Japan, rice farmers have long possessed disproportionate political clout, 
and they must be punch drunk at the idea of drivers pouring sake into their automobiles.
None of this addresses the problem of improving the fuel economy of our cars. I, for one, am going to continue using regular gasoline—in my 60 m.p.g. Japanese hybrid.
