Rice is eaten in many countries throughout Asia. In Japan, it is grown in well irrigated paddies, but rain-fed cultivation, which relies on water from rain alone, is common in countries throughout Southeast Asia. In such places, the surface area of rice fields that can be planted varies greatly depending on the rainfall that year. However, in reality it is difficult to carry out accurate surveys of the surface area of planted fields. This is where remote sensing can be used. The Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is capable of carrying out surveys regardless of the time of day or weather conditions, and the surface area of planted rice fields can be estimated from the observation data gathered. (Figure A-3) RESTEC is also conducting research into estimating yields and applying this technology to other crops such as corn and sugarcane.