With body odor being a concern for many during the scorching hot summer, a company in Fukui Prefecture recommends detergents and soaps that are customized to individuals based on an analysis of their clothing and possible causes of unfavorable odors.

Mikiya Uehara, 57, president of Benefit-ion, based in the city of Fukui, seeks to help clients "properly understand and accept their own scent," while also offering them mental care.

"There is a tendency for young people, especially, to be overly concerned" about the smell of their body, he said.