InfoAnda - Beekeepers add buzz to Japan urban jungle

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

Google denies leaving China, seeks negotiations | | 17 January 2010
Turkey's apology demand is chutzpah: Israeli Finance Minister | | 27 December 2010
Publisher resigns from New York daily Newsday | 24 September 2009

"Luxury, please" fair draw crowds in Vienna | 20 November 2010

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : Beekeepers add buzz to Japan urban jungle

Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail More Yahoo! Services Account Options New User? Sign Up Sign In Help Yahoo! Search web search Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Asia Pacific World Beekeepers add buzz to Japan urban jungle AFP - 1 hour 42 minutes ago Send IM Story Print Beekeepers add buzz to Japan urban jungle TOKYO (AFP) - – Tokyo's Ginza district is usually abuzz with shoppers and office workers, but high above its skyscrapers nature-lovers have created a home for real busy bees -- the ones that make honey. It's part of a project to bring a slice of natural life back to the centre of the world's largest urban sprawl, a cityscape home to more than 30 million people that stretches far beyond the horizon. Eleven storeys above the heart of the Tokyo concrete jungle -- with its beehive office partitions and swarms of suit-clad worker-bees -- enthusiasts have stacked up beehives dripping with golden honey. "Let's enjoy the harvest, but be careful you don't have an accident," urban beekeeper-in-chief Kazuo Takayasu tells his fellow volunteers from behind the protective fine-mesh net covering his face. Clad in white body suits, the crew gets to work, squeezing out the glistening syrup using a simple centrifugal machine they crank by hand as a cloud of bees breaks free from the honeycombs. "Don't be scared. They don't sting unless you harm them," says Satoshi Nagai, 49, who has taken a break from his desk at Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities. "Try the honey. The scent has a touch of citrus." The honey is largely organic, he said, because pesticide use has been banned in Tokyo city parks and gardens including the Imperial Palace, about 1.5 kilometres (one mile) away, where the bees collect much of their nectar. "Through beekeeping, you get to learn how harmful pesticides are for insects," he said. "It makes you think about your hobby of playing golf on courses which cannot be maintained without pesticides." The beekeepers may be an odd sight in the Japanese capital, but they are not the only urban farmers -- on a rooftop just blocks away, barefoot farmers were recently wading through almost knee-high mud to plant a wet rice field. On top of the building of the Hakutsuru Sake Brewing Co., its employees and their spouses and children were screaming with excitement as they stomped barefoot, the mud squelching between their toes. "Good job, good job! Well done!" said Asami Oda, 56, the vice president of Hakutsuru's Tokyo office, who takes care of the rice paddies every day. "We harvest 60 kilograms (130 pounds) of rice every year, from which we make 80 litres of sake. Of course it's organic. I like having a pesticides-free harvest, which is also good for the honey bees," he said. Projects such as these have gained attention here this year as Japan readies to host a 193-nation international conference on biodiversity, which aims to find ways to stem the world's massive species loss. The 10th meeting of the Convention on Biological Diversity will be held in the central city of Nagoya in October to discuss a pressing environmental issue that has received less attention in recent years than climate change. Animal and plant species are disappearing around the world at the fastest rate known in geological history, and most of these extinctions are tied to human activity, says the United Nations Environment Programme. Species under threat include 21 percent of all known mammals, 30 percent of known amphibians and 12 percent of known birds, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The Earth is now losing a species about once every 20 minutes, estimates the non-profit group Conservation International. Scientists warn that wildlife habitat destruction is destroying ecosystems that give humans 'environmental services' such as clean water and air and are vital for climate control and food production. Honeybees are a case in point in Japan. The price of honeybees has doubled in recent years after imports were banned to prevent the spread of parasites, and as local populations declined in a phenomenon that beekeepers have blamed on pesticide use. Because of the shortage of bees that help pollination, farmers have reported that fruits don't grow well enough to satisfy urban consumers. "We've received a number of complaints from beekeepers that pesticides kill honeybees," said Kazuo Kimura of the Japan Beekeepers Association. Japanese scientists taking part in the biodiversity meeting have discussed ways to convince Japan's highly urbanised public how important biodiversity is. "Urban beekeeping and rice growing are good examples of how human beings can reshape their relationship with nature," said Kazuhiko Takeuchi, director of the Institute for Sustainability and Peace at the UN University in Tokyo. "Above all, it's effective in changing people's mindsets." Recommend Send IM Story Print Related Articles US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary Reuters - 1 hour 31 minutes ago Angelina Jolie jolts a man's world: action films Reuters - 1 hour 32 minutes ago Willy Wizard takes on Harry Potter in U.S. court Reuters - Thursday, July 15 Writer claims Hollywood agents stole TV show ideas Reuters - Thursday, July 15 Piers Morgan could earn $18 million at CNN Reuters - Thursday, July 15 News Search Top Stories 'Significant advances' made towards AIDS vaccine Experts urge US to restrict drug Avandia US Fed weighs new measures as recovery falters Avandia increases risk of heart problems: panel Libyan aid ship set to dock at Egyptian port More Top Stories » ADVERTISEMENT Most Popular Most Viewed Most Recommended Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem tie the knot Mel Gibson takes aim at Hispanics in fresh rant Rapid weight loss best way to slim down: studies Experts urge US to restrict drug Avandia Tiger-rescue plan to be drawn up in Indonesia More Most Viewed » Reclusive top mathematician turns down prize, again Germany's 'Octopus oracle' keeps perfect record Amputee cat gets bionic legs Fans gather for Michael Jackson death anniversary Who's right - the dolphin or the octopus? More Most Recommended » Elsewhere on Yahoo! Financial news on Yahoo! Finance Stars and latest movies Best travel destinations More on Yahoo! News Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Subscribe to our news feeds Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS » More news feeds | What are news feeds? Also on Yahoo Answers Groups Mail Messenger Mobile Travel Finance Movies Sports Games » All Yahoo! Services Site Highlights Singapore Full Coverage Most Popular Asia Entertainment Photos World Cup 2010 Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community | Intellectual Property Rights Policy | Help

Other News on Thursday, 15 July 2010
EU says Iran talks must focus on nuclear programme
Two more Cuban dissidents arrive in Spain: ministry
Yamaha unveils zero-emission electric motor scooter
Libyan Gaza-bound aid ship heads towards Egypt
U.S. hands over prisons and prisoners to Iraq |
Fresh claims hit scandal-tainted French minister
US Fed weighs new measures as recovery falters
Nokia Siemens Networks eyes Motorola telecom: report
Iranian scientist heads home to official welcome
Medvedev tells Russians to stop 'everyday' bribery
Avandia increases risk of heart problems: panel
Crackdown fears after Chinese micro-blogs disrupted
Bungled cases show weakness in Mexican judiciary |
Ailing Merkel bloc loses upper house with state vote
U.S. hands over prisons and prisoners to Iraq
Libyan aid ship set to dock at Egyptian port
U.S. envoy says Uganda-type attacks hard to prevent |
Rapid weight loss best way to slim down: studies
Prices soar as sanctions hit ordinary Iranians
Indonesia to ask internet providers to block porn
African troops parade in Paris amid rain, rights row
Afghan attacks kill 8 US troops in 24 hours
Kremlin says Russia losing battle on corruption |
Afghan gov't says OK to local defense forces
U.S. and South Korea to stage military drills after ship sunk |
Nokia Siemens Networks eyes Motorola telecom: report
Afghan attacks kill 8 US soldiers in 24 hours
India sets up unified command to tackle Maoists |
EU says Iran talks must focus on nuclear programme |
U.S. envoy says Uganda-type attacks hard to prevent
US, S.Korea to hold military drills after ship sunk
'Barefoot Bandit' vows to reform his ways: attorney
Indian FM brings 'peace message' to Pakistan: report
Hague says new govt to build on China ties
Hong Kong police raid developer behind record flat sale
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
Bristol Palin engaged to Levi Johnston
US author journeys from Twitter to print
BSkyB says in talks to set up 24-hour Arabic news channel
China accepts WTO ruling on entertainment goods
First flight lands at showcase Delhi terminal
Novelist reinvents Robin Hood as medieval gangster
Thailand hikes interest rates for first time since 2008
Britain the best place to die: global study
Pakistani FY09/10 foreign investment falls 19.7 pct
Polanski to film 'God of Carnage' in 2011: co-writer
Geldof's Live Aid story to be made into a film
Lion, wolves and bears draw the crowds at Baghdad pet shop
Inception gives fans a movie to think about |
Bristol Palin engaged to Levi Johnston |
Movie on Joaquin Phoenix's lost year gets September debut |
Eminem leads pop chart for third week |
Reggae's Chaka Demus & Pliers sue for royalties |
Geldof's Live Aid story to be made into a film |
AT&T slams Cablevision for unfair Mad Men talks |
Toronto film festival opener flaunts Canadian roots |
Novelist reinvents Robin Hood as medieval gangster |
Iran nuclear scientist returns home from U.S.
India, Pakistan open key talks in Islamabad
Iran nuclear scientist returns home from U.S. |
Holbrooke paints mixed Afghan war picture
US-TECH Summary
N.Korea, UN Command in key talks
New strike hits Honda parts supplier in China |
'Significant advances' made towards AIDS vaccine
Israeli attack on Iran would start long war
Apple to hold iPhone press conference Friday
Amiable mood for N.Korea-U.N. military talks: officials |
'Facebook fugitive' taunts Bermuda police
Experts urge US to restrict drug Avandia
China faces worst floods in 12 years
Google to scan Dutch library collection
Hong Kong property giant 'welcomes' police probe
EU tells Iran ready to resume nuclear talks
U.S. senators voice doubts on Afghanistan plan |
'Paul the Octopus' now an iPhone app
Pakistan and India seek to revive peace talks |
One dead, over 100 ill in China from malaria pills
Afghan attacks kill 8 US troops in 24 hours
Israeli attack on Iran would start long war: report |
Pakistan and India seek to revive peace talks
Hunt for Philippine fishermen after killer typhoon
Heavy rains in Japan kill two, three missing
Torture victim's saga mirrors Iran's history |
China jet makes emergency landing after bomb scare
N.Korea, US-led UN Command talks end: spokesman
China faces worst floods in years |
Writer claims Hollywood agents stole TV show ideas
Apple to hold iPhone press conference Friday |
Angelina Jolie jolts a man's world: action films
Rivalries and economy cloud Google expectations |
Beekeepers add buzz to Japan urban jungle
Abu Dhabi preserves Muslim musical heritage
Nissan suspends output in US plants
Willy Wizard takes on Harry Potter in U.S. court
Formosa to restart No.1 naphtha unit in 2-3 mths
Writer claims Hollywood agents stole TV show ideas
Apple on the defensive as earnings approach |
Piers Morgan could earn $18 million at CNN
Taiwan stocks flat; focus moves from China to earnings
Jeff Goldblum miscast in London "Prisoner" revival
Seoul shares slip 0.4 pct on recovery worries
Betty White to guest star on TV's "Community"
BoJ keeps interest rate, boosts growth forecast
Gong, Lau to star in 'What Women Want' remake
Taiwan sells T$40 bln bonds at 1.0110 pct yield
China's economic growth slows in second quarter
PAKISTAN
S.Korea June LNG imports soar y/y; H2 growth may slow
China's economy grows 11.1 percent in first half
Angelina Jolie jolts a man's world: action films |
Piers Morgan could earn $18 million at CNN |
Betty White to guest star on TV's Community |
New Orleans Saints march off with top Espys |
Writer claims Hollywood agents stole TV show ideas |
Willy Wizard takes on Harry Potter in U.S. court |
Hockey Musical to open Toronto Film Fest |
Russia tells Iran to come clean over weapons work
Russia has identified Estemirova's killer: Medvedev
Facebook names India management, eyeing top spot
BP lobbied UK over Libyan prisoner transfer case |
Car bomb kills six in Iraqi city of Tikrit
Russia seeks German help to modernise economy
JPMorgan profit leaps nearly 80%
Tokyo trials digital billboards that scan passers-by
Medvedev eyes German help to modernise Russia economy
Philadelphia sign NBA number two draft pick Turner
China's online population jumps to 420 mln
Fresh unrest flares in N.Ireland
British major killed in Afghan attack: ministry
New car sales fall for third month in Europe
Google Earth map showing temperature rises unveiled
Afghan health team abducted; local official killed
U.S. hands over last Iraq jail but keeps 200 inmates |
5 Afghan health workers kidnapped in Afghanistan
Karzai approves plan for new Afghan police force |
5 Afghan health workers kidnapped in Kandahar
Vatican toughens rules on sexual abuse of children |
Malaysia makes 1st military Afghanistan deployment
Argentina approves landmark gay marriage bill |
Sudan expels two aid workers |
Five killed in suicide bombing in NW Pakistan |
Suicide attack kills five in Pakistan's Swat valley
'Abducted' scientist arrives back in Iran
Five killed in suicide bombing in NW Pakistan
'Abducted' Iran nuclear expert arrives in Tehran
Vaseline skin-whitening Facebook app sparks debtae
Amiable mood for North Korea-U.N. military talks
Bomb attack kills 2 in Pakistan's Swat valley: police
U.S. senators voice doubts on Afghanistan plan
BSkyB in talks over 24-hour Arabic news channel
Myanmar dissident takes struggle to ballot box
'Democratised web' helps Malaysian's life quality
"Hockey Musical" to open Toronto Film Fest
North Korea's health system seen in dire state
Amazon accused of infringing patents with Kindle |
Wild tiger kills man in Indonesia's Aceh
Pakistan's forex reserves ease to $16.63 bln
China to keep managed floating exchange rate regime
China may shut websites with pornographic writing |
Pakistani stocks fall on profit selling; rupee eases
Seoul shares slip 0.4 pct on recovery worries
Japan's NTT to buy S.Africa IT firm Dimension Data
China merges steelmakers to create top 10 producer
Spies uncloaked in new film and no, it's not Salt |
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph		BlogMeter 1.01