The Japanese name for an asteroid discovered in the solar system by amateur Japanese stargazers has been recognised by the Paris-based International Astronomical Union (IAU). Kisohinoki, the name of a famous type of wood found in the Kiso area in Nagano Prefecture, was proposed by Kaoru Shibahara, 48, who runs a lumber business in Nagisomachi, Nagano Prefecture. The asteroid is located in a solar orbit about 300 million kilometres from the Earth, between Mars and Jupiter and takes about 4.4 years to go around the sun.