'Monkey Bikes' near extinction as Japan cuts tailpipe emissions

Tokyo

INSIDE the maze of fishmongers and sushi shops of Tokyo's Tsukiji, buyers and tourists are assailed by more than just the smell of fresh seafood. There's also the incessant buzzing.

Starting before dawn, the world's biggest fish market resounds with the noise of scooters zipping away with deliveries for high-end restaurants in nearby Ginza. It's a racket particular to the tiny 50cc engine that powers them - the same type of engine that Honda Motor Co was founded on, and that helped propel the company into the biggest motorcycle maker in the world.