Kanichi Fujiwara from Sagamihara, southwest of Tokyo, will leave Japan for Mexico on March 19 to start the 41,000-kilometre (25,420-mile) journey on a Yamaha Passol scooter that is expected to take three years.

"I hope this trip will make people think about the natural environment," Fujiwara told AFP.

His planned route will take him through 33 countries, reaching Southeast Asia by November 2006, and includes visits to at least 18 giant trees considered sacred by local people.

Yamaha launched the Passol as the world's first mass-produced electric scooter in late 2002. The scooter can travel 15-32 kilometres (nine-20 miles) with one charge of its lithium-ion battery.

Fujiwara plans to charge the battery mainly at inns and camping sites.

When he crosses remote areas in Australia and near the Pakistan-Iran border, he will be accompanied by his wife, Hiroko, on a 250-cc, petrol-powered scooter carrying six spare batteries.

Yamaha will provide Fujiwara with mechanical and financial support.

"Since the Passol is available only in Japan now, we hope people in other countries recognise our efforts for environmental protection and technical power by coming to know about it," Yamaha spokesman Yoshinobu Miyamoto said.

TERRA.WIRE