From the News

Japan’s publishers wait in suspense for next era name

Calendar, diary and fortune-telling businesses are anxiously awaiting for the government to announce the name of Japan’s next Imperial era, which is set to begin on May 1, 2019, the day after the Emperor abdicates. In modern Japan, a gengō (era name) lasts for the length of an emperor’s reign and is widely used in calendars and […]

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In Japan, Chickens Have Been Genetically Engineered to Lay Eggs That Fight Cancer

People often warn about the amount of cholesterol you get from eating too many eggs. But what if there were health benefits to eggs as well — like drugs that fight cancer, hepatitis, and other diseases? Japanese researchers from the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) did just that when they successfully genetically engineered chickens to lay

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Haneda airport to launch facial recognition gates for Japanese nationals

The Justice Ministry has unveiled unmanned facial recognition gates that will be introduced at Haneda airport on Wednesday to speed up immigration procedures for Japanese citizens. The system can judge whether passport photos match images of travelers taken by cameras at the gates in about 10 seconds, the ministry said Friday. The system will kick

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Twitter trials 280 characters, but its success in Japan is more than a character difference

Twitter has rolled out a limited trial of 280 characters for some of its users. In announcing the trial, Twitter specifically noted that most Japanese tweets had 15 characters while most English tweets had 34 characters. They also noted that only 0.4% of Japanese tweets hit the 140-character limit whereas 9% of English tweets do. Ostensibly

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Tougher than steel: Japan looks to wood pulp to make lighter auto parts

The global push among carmakers to make ever lighter vehicles is leading some auto suppliers in Japan to turn to what seems like an unlikely substitute for steel – wood. Japanese researchers and auto component makers say a material made from wood pulp weighs just one fifth of steel and can be five times stronger.

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Japan has engineered a popsicle that “doesn’t melt”

In Japan’s humid summers, some popsicles are staying cool even in the heat. An accidental discovery at Kanazawa-based Biotherapy Development Research Center helped create popsicles that reportedly don’t melt, and they’re available for sale in parts of Japan. Kanazawa Ice—also known as “not melting popsicles”—first hit stores in the northwestern city Kanazawa in April, reported Japanese daily

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Japan’s answer to the Amazon Echo comes in ‘bear’ or ‘chicken’

Western tech giants aren’t the only ones trying to get users to talk to their computers — Japanese messaging giant Line is also getting involved. Earlier this year, the company announced it would be building a digital assistant and smart speaker, and today, at its annual conference in Tokyo, it unveiled new details about the

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Japan crown prince vows to be devoted emperor like father

Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito pledged Tuesday to devote himself to the role of emperor, like his father, when he assumes the Chrysanthemum Throne. “I will devote myself body and soul to every single duty,” Naruhito said. Japan’s parliament passed a special law last Friday allowing current Emperor Akihito to abdicate within three years. Last August,

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The future of farming: Japan goes vertical and moves indoors

Indoor agriculture is on the rise all over the world – particularly in Asia, where concerns over food safety and pesticide use in recent years have fuelled a boom in so-called plant factories. Spread, Japan’s largest vertical farm, produces more than 20,000 heads of lettuce a day in its 3000-square-metre facility outside of Kyoto.  

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Bawling babies face off in Japan’s ‘crying sumo’

More than 100 Japanese babies faced off Sunday (May 14) in a traditional “crying sumo” ring, an annual ceremony believed to bring infants good health. In the sumo ring at the precinct of the Kamegaike Hachimangu shrine in Sagamihara west of Tokyo, two hulking wrestlers held up toddlers wearing tiny sumo belts and aprons to

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