09-05-02 The Japanese land ministry has launched full-fledged studies into introducing a system of wind power generation using sea wind as part of efforts to curb global warming, ministry officials said. Officials with the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry said the system aims to promote use of power generated from ocean winds, a stable source of strong winds, unlike winds generated over land.

In line with measures to counter global warming, the ministry is also poised to support the construction of wind power generation facilities by private firms after surveying suitable port areas, according to the officials. These port areas are being considered because they are safe, they said, adding since the windmills will be constructed in areas higher than breakwaters, waves would be blocked and transmission costs would be cheaper.
Efforts to introduce the system of wind power generation have increased in recent years, but were hindered by issues such as land noise, effects of radio waves, and limited land suitable for such operations.