It seems that sweet potatoes are very versatile plants and have many uses.
Charles
Sweet Potato Cultivation on NTT Rooftop to Reduce Urban Heat
NTT Urban Development Corp. and NTT Facilities, Inc. have been jointly
testing mitigation effects on the urban heat island effect by installing
a sweet-potato hydroponics system on the rooftop of an office building,
it was announced on August 29, 2006. http://www.japanfs.org/db/database.cgi?cmd=dp&num=1556&dp=data_e.html
Some other web pages that might be of interest:
Tokyo Gas Moving Closer to Seaweed Biomass Power Generation
Tokyo Gas Co. has been developing a new technology to utilize seaweed
biomass for power generation. The success of its methane fermentation
test was reported in the Research Journal of Food and Agriculture issued
on December 1, 2005. http://www.japanfs.org/db/database.cgi?cmd=dp&num=1557&dp=data_e.html
Government White Paper: Long Working Hours a Major Cause of Falling
Birth Rate
A White Paper published September 9, 2006 by the Japanese Ministry of
Health, Labour and Welfare cites the long hours worked by the
child-rearing generation, particularly those in their thirties, as one
of the main factors in Japan's falling birth rate. http://www.japanfs.org/db/database.cgi?cmd=dp&num=1555&dp=data_e.html