Biomass is derived from organisms, which makes it a renewable resource that produces little SOx, is carbon neutral and
exists in enormous quantities [1,2]. Ethanol is produced from biomass to create bio-fuel. In Brazil, the use of ethanol has
been expanding because of limited fossil fuel supplies due to the rapid increase in oil prices. Additionally, in the United
States, ethanol has been produced primarily from corn to counteract global warming caused by fossil fuels and to
ensure a self-sufficient energy supply [3]. Furthermore, ricederived ethanol production is expected to begin in Japan.
The Japanese climate is ideal for rice cultivation and can be produced across the entire country. However, paddy fields in
Japan have decreased due to production adjustment, and the area of uncultivated paddy fields was 386,000 ha in 2005 [4].
The population engaged in farming decreased from 19,839,000