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Wasabi, a favourite sushi sidepiece, has potential memory-boosting properties: Study

Dec 06 (WION) - The famed Japanese condiment, wasabi, generally served with sushi, is more than just a spicy green paste. Researchers in Japan found that the traditional spice is quite beneficial in improving memory.

Wasabi is already known for its health benefits, but it is the first time that the traditional Japanese spice is known to have benefit on both short- and long-term memory.

The study on wasabi as a possible memory booster took place at Tohoku University. The research was led by Rui Nouchi, who is an associate professor at the school’s Institute of Development, Ageing and Cancer.

The main active component present in wasabi is a biochemical called 6-MSITC, which makes all the difference. It is a known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory which exists in only trace amounts in other plants, said Nouchi. The research showed that 6-MSITC helped in enhancing neural plasticity, hence boosting memory. ...continue reading

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As of 10 p.m. on October 6th, Typhoon No. 22 (Halong) was skirting the southern boundary of a large high-pressure zone over the Pacific, which is influencing its movement toward Japan. Meteorological agencies forecast that by October 8th it will shift more northward before curving eastward, likely reaching its peak intensity around October 9th. As the system moves over warm waters favorable for development, it is projected to become a “strong” typhoon by October 7th and further intensify into a “very strong” system by October 9th.

Osaka University’s Shimon Sakaguchi, a specially appointed professor, has been awarded this year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his groundbreaking work in immunology. Sakaguchi is best known for discovering “regulatory T cells,” a type of immune cell that suppresses excessive immune responses, a finding that has had far-reaching implications in medical science.

A collision occurred on the Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line on the night of October 5th when a local train attempting to arrive at Kajigaya Station in Kawasaki City struck a stationary out-of-service train, causing several cars of the latter to derail. Investigators from the Japan Transport Safety Board arrived at the scene on the morning of October 6th to begin examining the cause of the accident.

A Spanish tourist was attacked by a bear while visiting Shirakawa-go, the UNESCO World Heritage village in Gifu Prefecture known for its traditional thatched-roof houses, on October 5th. The incident adds to a growing number of bear encounters reported across Japan in recent weeks.

Sanae Takaichi, elected as the Liberal Democratic Party’s new president on October 4th, declared on stage, “I ask everybody to work like a horse,” after defeating agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi in a runoff to become the party’s first female leader.

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A tearful Kusama Richard Keita of the idol group Aぇ! Group was released from the Mita Police Station in Tokyo on October 6th around 2 p.m., wearing a black suit and bowing deeply as he apologized. With his voice trembling, he said, “I sincerely apologize for the trouble I have caused,” lowering his head for about ten seconds.

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako visited Kyoto for the first time in six years to attend an international forum that began on October 5th, where discussions focused on the role and implications of artificial intelligence in society.

A mobile battery caught fire inside a train on the Osaka Metro Midosuji Line on October 4th, injuring two women and disrupting operations on both northbound and southbound tracks.

A man in his twenties who was abducted in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture, in June and later killed has been confirmed dead after his remains were found as bones in the mountains of Kochi Prefecture.

A string of so-called “honey trap” cases is drawing attention across Japan as schemes once limited to extortion have become increasingly violent, involving physical assaults and life-threatening intimidation.

Police have revealed that a woman killed by her former partner in Higashi-Osaka had sustained dozens of stab wounds across her body, including injuries that pierced internal organs.

Right now in big cities in Japan, there are more and more protests by Japanese people against the government's immigration policies. (Japanese Comedian Meshida)

Princess Aiko, the daughter of the Emperor and Empress, has tested positive for Covid-19, the Imperial Household Agency announced on October 2nd, cancelling her scheduled trip to Shiga Prefecture on October 5th and 6th to observe the National Sports Festival.