Latest news with #Osaka-KansaiExpo
Asahi Shimbun
17 hours ago
- Science
- Asahi Shimbun
Soybean-rich onigiri a 'food of the future' at Osaka Expo
These onigiri contain soybeans, which are almost as rich in protein as beef but need much less water than cattle. Producer Maruyanagi Foods Inc. will serve the rice balls to visitors at the Osaka Expo. (Provided by the company) The food of the future? Genetically modified crops, lab-grown meat or nutrient supplements might come to mind. But at the Osaka-Kansai Expo, one exhibitor on Aug. 4 will serve visitors what it calls the onigiri of the future, saying traditional foods are time-tested, healthy and sustainable. 'Traditional ingredients like beans and whole grains, which have long been part of Japanese diets, can also be foods of the future,' said a representative of the company, Maruyanagi Foods Inc. The Kobe-based company's efforts are part of an exhibition around the food culture of the future. The rice balls feature steamed soybeans blended with white rice and fiber-rich barley. They are seasoned with salt, soy sauce and traditional dashi broth. While the food industry is increasingly driven by technology and innovation, Maruyanagi Foods is turning to Japan's culinary roots to address modern challenges. For example, the onigiri addresses the global protein crisis, the lack of access to protein-rich food in some countries because of poverty or agricultural limitations. This is a growing concern as the world population increases and protein sources struggle to keep up. Steamed soybeans provide 16.6 grams of protein per 100 grams, making them nearly as rich in protein as beef. In addition, soybean production is gentler on water resources—it uses less than 13 percent of the water needed to raise an equivalent mass of beef—and it emits just a fraction of the greenhouse gas: less than 1.2 percent of cattle emissions. There is support for this view from environmentalists. The World Wide Fund for Nature has recognized soybeans as one of its 50 foods of the future. The new onigiri also addresses the lack of dietary fiber in today's diets. Thanks to the inclusion of barley, which contains more fiber than white rice, each 120-gram onigiri contains 5.6 grams of dietary fiber—three times that of a conventional rice ball. Approximately 40 percent of the new onigiri is composed of barley and steamed soybeans. Moreover, barley can be cultivated from autumn to early summer and used in crop rotation with rice, while requiring less water and labor. The 'Onigiri of the Future' will be showcased on Aug. 4 at the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion's Food and Culture of the Future section, with 2,800 free samples served to visitors from 10 a.m.
Asahi Shimbun
18 hours ago
- Science
- Asahi Shimbun
Yamagata researchers find additional 248 Nazca geoglyphs
A newly discovered geoglyph depicts what Yamagata University professor Masato Sakai believes to be a priest carrying a human head, with a line being inserted to emphasize the figure for easy identification. (Provided by Yamagata University) Through the magic of artificial intelligence, Yamagata University announced the discovery of an additional 248 ancient geoglyphs depicting humans and animals in the Nazca Lines, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Peru. University researchers made the announcement on July 28 after utilizing AI along with IBM Research of the United States. The centuries-old etchings in the desert appear to have been arranged according to specific themes, possibly intended to convey stories or messages. Yamagata University professor Masato Sakai, who led the research team, detailed the findings at a news conference held at the Peru Pavilion in the Osaka-Kansai Expo venue in Osaka. 'The geoglyphs were not randomly placed. By combining and aligning multiple geoglyphs, they may have served as a kind of 'media' intended to convey the faith and memory of the community,' he said. Sakai, whose expertise is cultural anthropology, conducted a six-month field survey from 2023 to 2024. The team found the 248 geoglyphs on the Nazca Plateau, which stretches about 20 kilometers (east-west) by 15 km (north-south). The average length of each geoglyph is around 10 meters. Of the 248 newly discovered geoglyphs, 160 are figurative, depicting things such as a priest, a scene of decapitation and animal-like condors. In addition, 88 are geometric shapes. These findings have brought the total of figurative geoglyphs to 893. Of the 893, 781 were discovered by Yamagata University's joint research project with IBM using aerial photographs. What was notable about the latest research was that it revealed that certain geoglyphs were arranged along more than 100 narrow paths on the plateau, according to specific themes. For example, one path features four geoglyphs themed around human sacrifice, including images of human heads, and a priest carrying a human head. Another included only depictions of domesticated animals such as llamas. There was also a path where there were only figures of birds of prey, such as condors. From July 28 through the end of the expo, visitors can view a photo exhibition of the geoglyphs discovered by Yamagata University, along with videos introducing various geoglyphs, at the Peru Pavilion. In early August, earthenware from the era when the Nazca culture flourished will be on display for the first time in Japan.
Yomiuri Shimbun
19 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Futuristic Mobility Scooter for Elderly Demonstrated at Osaka Expo; Automated Operation Eyed
OSAKA — An electric mobility scooter was demonstrated at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo in Osaka on Tuesday. The four-wheeled vehicle is designed for use by the elderly and is aimed at being capable of automated operation in the future. The Waku Mobi is about 1.7 meters long and about 60 centimeters wide and has a top speed of 20 kph. Reporters were shown the vehicle being remotely controlled in a designated outdoor space at the Expo. It moved slowly for about 50 meters, then navigated an uneven surface and made a smooth turn using its automated control function. The demonstration was part of an exhibition themed on a future in which robots and humans coexist. The vehicle was developed by glafit inc., a startup based in Wakayama. 'We hope this vehicle will spread as a means of transportation for the elderly when they go shopping,' a glafit employee working on the demonstration said.
Yomiuri Shimbun
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-Lung Makes Rare Visit to Japan; China Lodges Protest
TAIPEI/BEIJING — Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung made a rare trip to Japan, where his stops include a visit to the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo, Taiwan's Central News Agency reported Friday. With Japan and Taiwan not having official diplomatic relations, it is extremely unusual that the foreign minister's visit to Japan would be made public, and China quickly responded with an objection. The Chinese Foreign Ministry announced that Liu Jinsong, director general of its Department of Asian Affairs, had lodged a protest regarding Lin's visit with Akira Yokochi, chief minister of the Japanese Embassy in Beijing. Taiwan's foreign ministry claimed that Lin's visit to Japan is being done in a private capacity. According to the Taiwan news agency, Lin first paid a call on the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan, which is Taiwan's contact point with Japan. In a posting on Facebook, lawmaker Keiji Furuya said that he met with Lin, along with Sanae Takaichi, a former minister for economic security, among others. Furuya is a Liberal Democratic Party member of the House of Representatives who is chairman of the Japan-ROC Diet Members' Consultative Council, a suprapartisan league of lawmakers for friendly ties with Taiwan. According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Liu criticized Japan's handling of Lin's visit. Liu told Yokochi that the Japanese government 'tolerated the visit under the guise of a so-called 'private person,' and provided a stage for anti-China political activities aimed at dividing China.' The Japanese Embassy in Beijing said that Yokochi provided an explanation of the Japanese government's stance regarding Taiwan.
Yomiuri Shimbun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Osaka-Kansai Expo Shines with 'Matsuken Samba II' Extravaganza
OSAKA — Actor Ken Matsudaira brought his electrifying performance of the hit song 'Matsuken Samba II' to the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo on Friday, captivating attendees who joined in the singing and dancing. The event took place on Yumeshima, an artificial island in Osaka's Konohana Ward, where the expo is currently being held. The performance served as the grand opening for Osaka Week Summer, an initiative running through Aug. 3, which is aimed at promoting Osaka's vibrant culture and local specialties. With dance as its central theme, this year's Osaka Week promises a spectacular lineup of events. Highlights include an attempt to set a new Guinness World Record for the highest number of people of different nationalities participating in a Bon Odori traditional Japanese folk dance and a massive Bon Odori on the Grand Ring, which is expected to draw about 8,000 participants.
