Japan Alcohol Corporation starts ethanol production in Miyako

Japan Alcohol Corporation starts ethanol production in Miyako

On July 17 at the Miyakojima Municipal Office, Jiro Amagai, the president of Japan Alcohol Corporation, explained his company’s plans for bioethanol production at a factory in Miyako-jima City.


July 18, 2012 Ryukyu Shimpo

This year, at a bioethanol production factory at Shimoji, Miyako-jima City Tokyo-based merchandising company the Japan Alcohol Corporation will commence ethanol production and research into the conversion of byproducts into fertilizer. In 2010, at a cost of approximately four billion yen, the Ministry of Environment built a factory in Miyako-jima City in order to carry out verification tests. Since the project finished in 2011, the authorities have been searching for ways to make use of the factory and asked the company to manage the project.

On July 17, Jiro Amagai, the president of the company, visited Mayor Toshihiko Shimoji at the municipal office in Hirara and explained the company’s plans.
The factory currently belongs to the government, but it will be placed under the control of Miyako-jima City, which will then entrust the corporation with its management. The Miyako-jima Municipal Office is seeking to expedite the establishment of the conditions required to commence such management before the end of this fiscal year, and is also planning to use the factory for human-resource development and environmental education.

The corporation produces bioethanol at a factory in Kagoshima Prefecture and makes fertilizers using the byproducts. Amagai said, “In Miyako-jima, there could be a viable business if byproducts can be converted to fertilizers and have value added to them.” He hopes to create a profitable operation within the next five years. Mayor Shimoji expressed his full support for the initiative.

(English translation by T&CT, Megumi Chibana and Mark Ealey)

Go to Japanese


　


Previous Article:
Next Article:

[Similar Articles]