A research has found that hexaraphane — a component found in wasabi — helps improve the episodic and working memories of elderly people.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Nov 26, 2023
Wasabi effective in improving memory of elderly: study
In addition to known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, new research indicates improvements in episodic and working memories.
Workers prepare to cull chickens at a farm in Kashima, Saga Prefecture, on Saturday after a case of bird flu was detected there.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Nov 25, 2023
Japan confirms season's first bird flu case in Saga
The Saga Prefectural Government has started to cull around 40,000 chickens raised at a farm in the city of Kashima.
A survey found that the number of children newly hospitalized for anorexia nervosa in Japan came to 183 in fiscal 2022, up around 60% from fiscal 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Nov 24, 2023
Anorexia in children remained an issue three years into pandemic
Cases in fiscal 2022 were 40% higher than the level in fiscal 2019, before the pandemic.
The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation's new exhibition lets people experience life with robots.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Nov 22, 2023
Miraikan science museum debuts new permanent exhibition on aging
Visitors will be able to experience various age-related challenges such as blurry vision and heaviness in the legs.
A selection of injector pens for the Wegovy weight loss drug.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Nov 21, 2023
New treatment for obesity to be covered by Japan's public insurance
The expansion of health care options comes amid concerns about the potential misuse of such drugs by healthy individuals for weight loss.
Overflowing trash next to a vending machine in the Asakusa district of Tokyo, which is popular with tourists, in March
JAPAN / Science & Health
Nov 18, 2023
Trash cans make techie comeback in Japan as tourists flood cities
This week, the tourist-heavy Dotonbori district in Osaka installed around 20 new technologically enabled garbage cans called SmaGO.
People with triple-negative breast cancers account for 10% to 20% of all breast cancer cases in Japan.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Nov 16, 2023
Heart failure drugs may help prevent breast cancer relapse: Japanese study
The study, conducted by a team of Japanese researchers, could lead to the future development of a therapy for patients with triple-negative breast cancer.

Longform

Yoshiko Koide sits in a classroom at Nagoya College where she teaches a Japanese-language observation seminar.
How a dictionary came to spark outrage among the web’s otaku