Japan’s CO2 emissions for FY2009 came to 1.075 billion tons, of which emissions from the transportation sector (automobiles, ships) accounted for roughly 21% at 230 million tons. The transportation sector’s CO2 emissions have been declining steadily from their peak of 267 million tons in FY2001. But seeing as how CO2 emitted from automobiles accounts for as much as 90% of the transportation sector’s emissions, countermeasures to reduce CO2 are extremely important to the auto industry.

The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inc. is working on further reducing CO2 emissions from automobiles. As part of this, the dissemination and expansion of biofuels that are suited to local conditions is considered to be an extremely effective way of reducing CO2 emissions. As such, the plan is to strive to promote the commercialization of cellulosic ethanol and biomass to liquid (BTL), which do not have an impact on food, and increase the amount introduced.

Bioethanol currently accounts for the main source of biofuels for automobiles. The automobile manufacturer Toyota Motor Corporation is proactively working to develop cellulosic bioethanol. It opened its Biotechnology and Afforestation Laboratory (Miyoshi City, Aichi Prefecture) as a research institute for producing cellulosic bioethanol in October 2011.

This laboratory succeeded in developing a yeast that boosts the production efficiency of bioethanol by using genetic recombination technology. Through this method they obtained an ethanol fermentation concentration that ranks among the best in the world (approximately 47g/L), with the expectation being that this will substantially reduce production costs. Toyota has decided that it will move ahead with development with the goal of making practical use of cellulosic ethanol in 2020.

Fig. Trends in the Japanese transportation sector’s CO2 emissions
Source: The Role of Automobiles and Initiatives for Safety and the Environment
(Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inc.)
(http://www.jama.or.jp/safe/safe_eco_digest/pdf/yutakanakurumashakai_2011.pdf)

Source:
• Major Initiatives by JAMA
(http://www.jama-english.jp/publications/env_prot_report_2011.pdf)

• The Role of Automobiles and Initiatives for Safety and the Environment
(http://www.jama-english.jp/publications/sustainable_mobility_2011.pdf)
• Toyota Motor Corporation press release
(http://www2.toyota.co.jp/en/news/11/10/1003.html)
• Toyota Motor Corporation, Initiatives for Bioethanol
(http://www2.toyota.co.jp/en/news/11/10/20111003_03_en.pdf)
• Automobiles in the Near Future: How to Advance the Use of Biomass - Using Biofuels and Bioplastics, Toyota Motor Corporation, Rin Hayashi; Environmental Biomass Forum 2011