food safety
Ever sit down to eat a meal and wish you knew how many calories or salt were in your food? Ever cooked a piece of meat or fish only to later wonder whether it might have gone bad? Last week, Chinese Internet giant Baidu announced that it has been working on a pair of wi-fi-enabled high-tech chopsticks that will be able to detect the nutritional makeup of the food it touches as well as warning consumers of any safety issues such as contaminants or expired food.
According to Reuters and others, a major foreign-owned restaurant chain operating in China possibly used tainted meat products. An organized crime group exposed on May 2 is said to have sent falsely labeled meat products containing rat, fox and other contaminants to the Mongolian hot pot specialty restaurant chain Little Sheep which is owned by U.S.-based Yum! Brands of the U.S., operators of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) and other well-known restaurant chains. This latest revelation comes to light not long after it was revealed this past January that KFC China was using chicken that had received excessive doses of growth promoting agents and antibiotics. China has become a major market for the restaurant titan, and the company is said to be at wits end as it deals with successive scandals occurring there.
Read More
A thesis which assesses the risks of internal radiation exposure within Fukushima Prefecture following the explosions at the Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, suggests that the effects of internal radiation fall far below that recorded after Chernobyl.
Ryugo Hayano, who works as a professor at Tokyo University’s Science Research Department, has collected the findings of doctors who conducted research into internal radiation exposure among those living inside of the Fukushima Prefecture. He consolidated these findings into an English journal entitled ‘Proceedings of Japan Academy Series B89’, which is available on the net.
The latest journal is a collection of reports that looks at the degree of radiation exposure through daily food consumption and it is reported to be the first of its kind.


Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Face lettuce appears in Japan, with the face of Death Note’s Light Yagami, but why?
Giant Evangelion Spear of Longinus to be installed at Japanese train station with Eva art trains
Starbucks Japan releases a miniature display rack so you can create your very own store at home
Family Mart’s new Famima flagship in Tokyo has a hidden gem that most visitors miss
Japanese Coo-Che becomes a viral sensation, and everyone wants a taste
Dance with demons in Kyoto at this Edo-period Japanese Halloween festival
Why is Taco Bell failing in Japan, even as the country falls in love with tacos?
Universal Studios Japan requiring consent form for adults-only horror attraction
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
Japanese convenience store releases Japanese convenience store-flavor fried chicken
Which country’s foreign tourists spend the most money per-person in Japan? Hint: Not the U..S. or China
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
Japan triples departure tax, foreign tourists and locals now must pay more to leave country
Family Mart opens new “Famima” flagship store in Tokyo that’s like a tourist attraction
Sanrio Character Poll announces winners, Hello Kitty absent from top 10 in many countries
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Family Mart’s new Famima flagship in Tokyo has a hidden gem that most visitors miss
Japanese Coo-Che becomes a viral sensation, and everyone wants a taste
Dance with demons in Kyoto at this Edo-period Japanese Halloween festival
Why is Taco Bell failing in Japan, even as the country falls in love with tacos?
Universal Studios Japan requiring consent form for adults-only horror attraction
Kodama Shinkansen trains on popular Japan route get a whole new look this winter
Which country’s foreign tourists spend the most money per-person in Japan? Hint: Not the U..S. or China
Eight great words for talking about summer in Japan in Japanese
Starbucks Japan adds a new summer Frappuccino to the menu, but is it as refreshing as it looks?
Studio Ghibli releases Japanese curry shirts in honour of anime about the studio’s staff
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
“We want to be Japan’s best cheap restaurant” says new (but also not new) Akihabara noodle joint
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]