News On Japan

Two Japanese win Ig Nobel Prize for tableware that change taste

Sep 15 (Japan Times) - Japanese researchers Homei Miyashita and Hiromi Nakamura received this year's Ig Nobel Prize for nutrition on Thursday for research that led to the development of tableware that employ electric stimulation to allow users to sense salty taste strongly.

An Ig Nobel Prize, a spoof of the Nobel Prize that honors humorous but creative research, has been awarded to a researcher from Japan for 17 consecutive years. Ten Ig Nobel prizes have been awarded every year since 1991.

Miyashita and Nakamura's research was based on a previously established understanding that when a weak electric current flows through the tongue, such as when licking a dry cell, a person feels a unique taste. Such "electric taste" has been used to test for taste disorders. ...continue reading

Source: ANNnewsCH

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

A suspicious object feared to be explosive was discovered at a high school in Sapporo on the afternoon of November 22nd, causing temporary chaos. The object was found to have been brought to the school by one of its students.

China says it will resume allowing visa-free visits by Japanese nationals on short-term trips from the end of this month. (NHK)

Japan is facing a deepening crisis of poverty and inequality, with rising reports of 'invisible homeless' individuals and growing economic hardships among the population. Discussions over reforms to the country's tax and welfare systems have taken center stage, as policymakers grapple with how to provide meaningful support.

A special lighting ceremony was held on November 20th at Ueno Toshogu Shrine, located in Ueno Park, Taito Ward, Tokyo. The event featured a unique lighting design created by renowned lighting designer Motoko Ishii.

A Japanese pharmaceutical company has announced the successful commercialization of fiber made from silk produced by bagworms.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Sci-Tech NEWS

An international team led by a Japanese researcher says it has developed a new type of plastic that is durable but breaks down in seawater. It says the new plastic is recyclable and will help reduce environmental pollution and the accumulation of microplastics in the oceans. (NHK)

A Japanese pharmaceutical company has announced the successful commercialization of fiber made from silk produced by bagworms.

Japan' Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry Muto announced on November 19th that the government has decided to cease its support for APB, a company pioneering the development of the world's first all-resin battery.

デスクで効率的に作業するには、ただ座って作業を開始するだけでは不十分です。

Infections of lumpy skin disease have been confirmed among dairy cattle in Fukuoka Prefecture, western Japan, for the first time in the country. (NHK)

Hydrogen, anticipated as the next-generation automotive fuel, is seeing accelerated efforts for its real-world implementation. Toyota Motor Corporation unveiled its first hybrid vehicle that combines a hydrogen-powered engine and an electric motor, announcing plans to conduct on-road tests starting next spring.

Many people, especially children, dread injections. However, companies in the Kansai region are advancing the development of 'painless injections,' utilizing innovative technologies.

This year's 'Global Digital Competitiveness Ranking' was released, placing Japan at 31st among 67 countries and regions, up one position from last year.