The Biomass Nippon Strategy, approved by the Cabinet in 2002, has led to the full-scale promotion of the biomass (biological resources) industry in various regions of Japan. In commercializing the use of materials and energy, it is essential to select biomass suited to the climate and culture of Japan. This is why the efforts of Agri-Future Jowetsu (AFJ), which commercializes biomass plastics from unused resources such as overproduced rice and thinned wood, which are among the large amounts of biomass that can be procured in Japan.

The Biomass Nippon Strategy, approved by the Cabinet in 2002, has led to the full-scale promotion of the biomass (biological resources) industry in various regions of Japan. In commercializing the use of materials and energy, it is essential to select biomass suited to the climate and culture of Japan. This is why the efforts of Agri-Future Jowetsu (AFJ), which commercializes biomass plastics from unused resources such as overproduced rice and thinned wood, which are among the large amounts of biomass that can be procured in Japan.

AFJ was established for the purpose of manufacturing biomass plastic with investments from leading companies in Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture, where the company is located. For research and development, AFJ has established a technological foundation through industry-academia collaboration with Professor Nobuo Shiraishi of Kyoto University, a leading authority on woody biomass research, and others. AFJ's raw materials for biomass plastic are mainly thinned wood and rice generated in the region. The idea of using rice, which should normally be used for food, as a resource crop is said to be resisted by companies that want to use AFJ's products because of its image. However, Takashi Ohno, president of AFJ, refutes this idea, based on the culture and customs that Japan has cultivated through rice cultivation and the current supply and demand situation for rice. He says, "The most important kind of biomass resources is the kind that is rooted in the country or region and predomi
nantly generated in a cyclical manner, and I believe that this is what should be used effectively. In 2005, Japan's rice production was 9.06 million tons compared to 8.53 million tons of rice demand (consumption). This is the result of the reduction of about one-third of the rice paddies through production adjustment, and the Uruguay Round of GATT negotiations, which obligates Japan to import about 800,000 tons of minimum access rice every year. As a result, 1.7 million tons of rice that cannot be consumed domestically is in stock, and this amount is expected to increase by 200,000 tons annually in the future. In addition to the reduction of rice acreage, the government spends about 300 million yen on rice storage because it does not use the rice it produces. AFJ is currently using 500 tons of government stockpiled rice harvested in 1997 as its raw material. If a market for plastic products made from surplus rice were to be created, it would have the economic effect of addin
g 3 billion yen to product sales.

AFJ is currently commercializing and developing three types of materials made from old rice and thinned wood (see figure). (See figure.) All of these technologies are designed to provide the same quality as conventional plastics made from petroleum. First, "biomass kneading" combines thermoplastic polyolefins and other polymer compounds, polylactic acid and other biodegradable resins, and wood and rice flours. Wood flour, which provides strength, is esterified and used in pellets. Rice flour, which is fluid, is uniformly dispersed in powder form. Biomass liquefaction is a technology that liquefies biomass without chemical modification, enabling the production of thermosetting resins such as phenolic resins and polyurethane resins. Biomass plasticization is a technology that converts woody biomass into thermoplastics through simple processing, such as oligoesterification, or directly without processing. AFJ installed a manufacturing plant with a production capacity of 500 kg/h
our (manufactured by Japan Steel Works) in June 2005 at a cost of approximately 250 million yen. Production of the biomass plastic, named "Agri-Wood" because it is made from rice and thinned wood, began in July of the same year. Currently, the plastic is being delivered as resin pellets to Nippon Polypro (Minato-ku, Tokyo), a resin manufacturer, and Mitsubishi Shoji Packaging Corporation (Chuo-ku, Tokyo), a trading company. Agri-Wood, which is made from rice, can be less expensive than domestic polypropylene film (200 yen/kg) because the rice is used in its granular form and the process of starch conversion can be omitted," says Mr. Noh. Agri-Wood, which is mainly made from thinned wood, is sold as resin pellets and molded into tableware trays, which have been introduced to elementary schools in Joetsu City. Agri-Wood has a low static charge and is therefore resistant to dust. It also has low thermal conductivity, so the outside of containers filled with hot water does not g
et hot, a feature that makes it superior to conventional plastic products. BOJ is also developing technology to convert rice husks into biomass plastic by using them as reinforcing fibers. This will enable the company to utilize almost all biomass resources generated from rice paddies as raw materials without wasting them. Although the company's business is still in its early stages, it is eagerly awaiting the realization of purely domestically produced biomass plastic.