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Japan Today
3 days ago
- Business
- Japan Today
A nostalgic look back at the half-decade when Japan was No. 1, sort of
In 2023, Japan's nominal GDP (gross domestic product) dropped one notch, to fourth place in the world, as Germany moved up to occupy the third slot. Japan's GDP had exceeded Germany's for nearly half a century up to then. "The figures have been influenced to some degree by the yen-dollar exchange rate," points out history researcher Ban Atobe, "But considering that Germany's population (and working population in particular) is two-thirds that of Japan's, the drop has serious implications." "Japan's nominal GDP had been surpassed by China in 2010. While this should not be surprising considering China's population is about 10 times greater than Japan's. And Japan still leads China on a per capita basis. But the drop overall from third to fourth place can be seen as indicative of the country's economic decline," is how Atobe sees it. The news wasn't always bad, however. "The members of Gen Z might not be aware of it," says Atobe, "but there was a time when Japan's economic power led the world." He's not exaggerating. In 1987, Japan's per capita GDP reached $21,248, surpassing the $20,001 of the U.S. by a significant margin. "What would have been no more than a pipe dream by the heroic mid-19th century figures who brought feudal Japan into the modern era became a reality," Atobe observed. In terms of the value of their common shares, around 30 companies out of the world's top 50 were Japanese, with Japan's NTT holding the top position. The Nikkei-Dow average reached 38,915 yen -- with the total value of shares roughly 15 times that of Wall Street's. By one metric, the assessed property values of the 23 central wards of Tokyo were said to have surpassed that of the entire continental United States. There was even talk of Sony acquiring Apple Computer. "I wish we'd done it," a former Sony executive was quoted as saying. During the 1970s through the 1980s, an obscure Kyoto-based company named Nintendo emerged from nowhere to dominate the game market. By 2016 its Pocket Monsters had eclipsed Disney's Mickey Mouse and ranked world's first, with revenues of $92.1 billion. Remember the 1985 hit film "Back to the Future"? There's a scene in which time traveler Michael J Fox tells people back in 1955, "All the good stuff comes from Japan now." The "good stuff" Fox was referring to included items like Casio wristwatches, Aiwa personal stereo players and JVC video camcorders. Then there was the Honda Civic, whose lean-burn engine easily met the tough new emissions standards while U.S. manufacturers were still struggling. Japan also impacted significantly on the world's diet. Along with sweet, sour, salty and bitter, Japanese discovered a fifth flavor category called umami (savoriness). Described as a brothy or meaty quality, it adds depth and complexity to flavors. The Ajinomoto Group, which pioneered monosodium glutamate seasoning that imparts umami, now operates subsidies around the world. Then there's Nissin's cup noodles, which have taken the world by storm. In February 1972, shortly after its introduction, TV viewers watched news coverage of the siege of the Asama-Sanso, a violent weeklong hostage stand-off between the riot police and armed student radicals at a villa in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture. While the contents of boxed meals froze in Karuizawa's subzero outdoor temperatures, the policemen on site could be seen consuming hot meals thanks to the Nissin noodles. Not long afterwards, the noodles were dispensed from vending machines, which also supplied boiling water. They appealed in particular to the youth market and were sold packaged with plastic forks instead of chopsticks. "It became fashionable for guys to be seen eating walkaway noodles," entertainer LaSalle Ishii recalls. Unfortunately, Shukan Taishu notes, the myopic trend of paying short shrift to academia and science continues, with the House of Representatives on May 9 passing a bill that will privatize the Science Council of Japan. Will the sun, Shukan Taishu wonders, ever rise again? Let's keep hoping that the Japanese people, who achieved a miraculous recovery from the ashes of war, will once again demonstrate their latent strengths. © Japan Today
Hypebeast
4 days ago
- Hypebeast
Discover 2m26 and Onomiau's Intimate Mountain Tea Pavilion in Kyoto
Summary Nestled in the mountains north of Kyoto, Le Picabier is a micro tea room designed by Kyoto-based studio2m26in collaboration with Paris-based practiceOnomiau. Commissioned byVilla Kujoyama, a creative residency initiated by the French Institute in Japan, the structure is a one-person tea pavilion, blending traditional Japanese craftsmanship with contemporary architectural influences. Its chimney-shaped form, clad in charred cedar shingles, pays homage to the abstract works of American architect John Hejduk, embodying a sense of rationality, poetry and strangeness. The footprint of Le Picabier is based on the traditional dimensions of a tatami mat, reduced to a compact 95.5cm x 64cm space and slightly elevated on a wooden base. Inside this intimate space, a miniature fire pit provides the necessary heat for boiling water, while an ingeniously angled opening and chimney efficiently disperse smoke. The construction utilizes locally sourced wood, with cypress forming the base and core structure, contrasting beautifully with the charred cedar shingles on the exterior, which create a striking visual against the surrounding forest. Internally, these shingles are coated with kakishibu, a natural dye derived from fermented persimmon fruit, traditionally valued for its ability to protect wood from insects and water damage. Atop the chimney-like structure, a lantern inspired by traditional Japanese shrines serves as a ceremonial marker, where a single candle is lit to signify the beginning of the tea ritual. The flame's gradual fading marks the end of the ceremony, reinforcing the pavilion's exploration of impermanence and sensory experience. Le Picabier stands as a meditative retreat, embodying the balance of simplicity, materiality and spatial awareness, while offering a modern reinterpretation of Japan's rich tea culture.
Nikkei Asia
23-05-2025
- Business
- Nikkei Asia
Indonesian fishing ships tap AI tool from Japanese startup
KYOTO, Japan -- Japanese startup Ocean Eyes has begun a service in Indonesia that combines satellite data with artificial intelligence to help commercial fishing ships find their next catch. Kyoto-based Ocean Eyes uses AI to estimate factors like seawater temperature and tidal currents based on data from Japan's Himawari weather satellites. The system can predict conditions up to 14 days in advance, even in areas that cannot be directly observed by satellite due to cloud cover.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Noster research: Gut bacteria-derived molecule found to shrink fat cells and improve metabolism
KYOTO, Japan, May 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Joint study by University of Shizuoka, Kobe University, and Noster Inc. uncovers a novel postbiotic pathway for obesity prevention. A new collaborative study from the University of Shizuoka, Kobe University, and Kyoto-based biotech company Noster Inc. has revealed that a natural compound produced by beneficial gut bacteria can directly act on fat cells, reducing their size and improving cellular metabolism. These findings, published in Nutrients, point to a new mechanism by which microbiome-derived compounds may help combat obesity and related diseases. The compound—HYA (10-hydroxy-cis-12-octadecenoic acid)—is made when certain gut bacteria, including Lactobacillus, metabolize linoleic acid, a common dietary fat. While HYA has previously been shown to support gut health and inflammation control, this study is the first to demonstrate that it directly alters the behavior of fat cells themselves. "We've known that metabolites from gut bacteria can influence the body, but this is the first clear evidence that HYA acts directly on adipose tissue," says Tetsuya Hosooka, Associate Professor at the University of Shizuoka and senior author of the study. "The discovery that gut bacteria can regulate fat cell function adds an exciting new dimension to our understanding of host–microbe communication." Key findings In the study, mice fed a high-fat diet were supplemented with HYA for five weeks. The fat cells themselves were significantly smaller compared to mice not receiving HYA—indicating a reduction in adipocyte hypertrophy, which is closely associated with insulin resistance and chronic inflammation. The researchers then examined the effects of HYA on cultured fat cells. In these experiments, HYA-treated adipocytes accumulated less fat, showed reduced expression of fat synthesis genes (FAS, ACC1, SCD1), and increased expression of genes involved in fat oxidation (CPT1A). This shift was linked to activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a key energy-regulating enzyme in cells. Importantly, the study found that HYA boosts intracellular calcium levels in fat cells, which in turn activates AMPK. This newly described mechanism is independent of GPR40 and GPR120, two receptors previously thought to mediate HYA's effects, suggesting that a different signaling route is involved. These results reinforce the idea that postbiotics—beneficial substances produced by gut microbes—can influence metabolic health by acting directly on distant tissues. Reference Matsushita R, Sato K, Uchida K, Imi Y, Amano R, Kasahara N, Kitao Y, Oishi Y, Kawaai H, Tomimoto C, et al. A Gut Microbial Metabolite HYA Ameliorates Adipocyte Hypertrophy by Activating AMP-Activated Protein Kinase. Nutrients, 2025; 17(8):1393. Glossary HYA – A natural compound produced by gut bacteria from dietary fat Adipocyte – A cell that stores fat in the body AMPK – An enzyme that regulates how cells use energy Postbiotic – A health-promoting compound made by gut microbes Hypertrophy – The enlargement of individual cells, often seen in obesity Abbreviations AMP (adenosine monophosphate), FAS (fatty acid synthase), ACC1 (acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1), SCD1 (stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1), CPT1A (carnitine acyltransferase 1A), GPR (G protein-coupled receptor) About Noster Inc. Noster Inc. is a biotechnology company based in Kyoto, Japan. The company focuses on postbiotics—compounds produced by gut bacteria—to develop new approaches to healthcare. By collaborating with universities and research institutes, Noster aims to translate microbiome science into real-world solutions for chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and inflammatory conditions. CEO: Kohey Kitao Head Office & Research Center: 35-3 Minamibiraki, Kamiueno-cho, Muko, Kyoto 617-0006, Japan Website: Contact Information Public Relations: Nanami Akatsuka Tel: +81-75-921-5303 / Fax: +81-75-924-2702 Email: contact@ Photo: View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Noster Inc Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Times
19-05-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Japan's Yoshinoya bets big on ramen noodles for next phase of expansion
[TOKYO] Japan's Yoshinoya said on Monday it was betting on ramen noodles for its next phase of growth, looking to turn it into a third business pillar along with 'gyudon' beef bowls and udon noodles. Announcing a growth plan for the next five years, the fast-food chain operator best known for its gyudon, or stewed beef over rice, said it would target a 10-fold jump in operating profit from the ramen business to 4 billion yen (S$36.4 million). By the financial year ending in February 2035, it hopes to become the world's top seller of ramen, it said. The new business plan comes as Japanese restaurant chains struggle from higher food prices - particularly of domestic rice and US beef - and the difficulty of raising product prices in a country just emerging from years of deflation. 'I see significant potential for ramen,' incoming CEO Tetsuya Naruse told a press conference to announce the plan. Yoshinoya expects its ramen business to garner revenues of 40 billion yen by the 2029 financial year and account for 13 per cent or total sales, versus 4 per cent last year. Setting the stage for growth, Yoshinoya bought two Kyoto-based ramen shop operators, Takara Sangyo and Kiramekino Mirai, last business year, adding to its portfolio of ramen brands including Withlink in Hiroshima and Setagaya in Tokyo. Yoshinoya said its ramen expansion would involve further inorganic growth with more acquisitions. REUTERS
