Wind Power Takes Off

[Griffin]

With oil prices at a high level and environmental issues taking center stage, communities and industries in Japan are increasingly looking to wind power to help out with their energy needs. Several cities and towns in Japan have been building "citizens' windmills." Big businesses are also getting in on the act, spending more and more money and time on developing large-scale wind-generation facilities to help offset costs from surging oil prices. Wind power is also viewed as a way to help Japan fulfill its obligations under the Kyoto Protocol, which sets targets for reducing carbon dioxide emissions.