NOGATA, Fukuoka -- A yellow tree frog has been brought to a natural science education center in this southwestern Japanese city, following a rare blue tree frog found last month.

       The approximately 2-centimeter-long yellow frog was found by 67-year-old Kurumi Suenaga in her home garden in the city on July 10 when she was about to feed her Japanese rice fish. In disbelief, Suenaga caught it and called her grandchild Tsumugi, an elementary school fifth-grader. Tsumugi was pleased, saying, "Something good is likely to happen," while Suenaga added, "This has sparked a lot of conversation with my grandchild."

       They brought the yellow frog to the local Ongagawa Mizubekan natural science center, where the sky-blue frog had been brought. For reasons unknown, the blue frog later turned black. The yellow frog was put in a small tank with small stones and some plants next to the "ex-blue frog."

       A facility representative said, "It was unfortunate that the blue one changed color, since if we'd got a red one next, we would have had all the traffic light colors." (The "go" color on Japanese traffic lights is called "blue.")

       (Japanese original by Yasuhiro Takeuchi, Nogata Resident Bureau)

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