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Japan Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Japan Times
'Furikake' app to help manage children's health in Indonesian
A Japanese organization promoting furikake sprinkle seasoning aims to launch an app in Indonesia by the end of the year to help manage the health of children in the Southeast Asian country as well as to improve their academic performance. After downloading the app via a QR code on furikake product packaging, children will be asked to input information such as their height and weight and do practice academic drills. If they complete the data input or the drills, or both, they will be able to enjoy Japanese manga on the app, according to the International Furikake Association. "The data will be provided for free to the West Java provincial government, which lacks enough information about local children's health, for big data analytics to better manage their health," said Shintaro Matsue, head of the association based in Kumamoto Prefecture, known as the home of furikake. "The drills will improve the children's basic academic skills," Matsue added. The International Furikake Association's cooperation is expected to help various fields, a senior Indonesian food agency official said. Set up chiefly by food companies in Kumamoto, the organization has already announced a plan to outsource furikake production in West Java and voluntarily supply products made with dried ingredients rich in protein, calcium and vitamins to the provincial government under Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto's free school meal initiative. The products are also due to be sold for use in prison meals under a joint study with the University of Tokyo to see if calcium works to curb irritation. For the app, the manga works to be posted will be chosen from pieces contributed by amateur artists. All episodes of a manga series will become available if users pay a fee on the app. "The charge system will provide amateurs with professional debut opportunities," Matsue said. The app will also facilitate Japanese companies' employment of Indonesian workers by accepting help-wanted advertisements. It will also give its users chances to win motorcycles in daily sweepstakes supported by Japanese makers. Noting that the award winners will be required to declare that they will wear helmets while riding the motorcycles, Matsue said, "We hope to contribute to reducing fatal traffic accidents (in Indonesia) as well."
6 days ago
- Health
Japan Furikake App to Help Manage Indonesian Kids' Health
Jakarta, Aug. 4 (Jiji Press)--A Japanese organization promoting "furikake" sprinkle seasoning aims to launch an app in Indonesia by the end of the year to help manage the health of children in the Southeast Asian country as well as to improve their academic performance. After downloading the app via a quick response, or QR, code on furikake product packaging, children will be asked to input such information as their height and weight and do practice drills. If they complete the data input or the drills, or both, they will be able to enjoy Japanese manga on the app, according to the International Furikake Association. "The data will be provided for free to the West Java provincial government, which lacks enough information about local children's health, for big data analytics to better manage their health," said Shintaro Matsue, head of the association based in the southwestern Japan prefecture of Kumamoto, known as the home of furikake. "The drills will improve the children's basic academic skills," Matsue added. The association's cooperation is expected to exert favorable effects across various fields, a senior Indonesian food agency official said. Set up chiefly by food companies in Kumamoto, the organization has already announced a plan to outsource furikake production in West Java and voluntarily supply products made with dried ingredients rich in protein, calcium and vitamins to the provincial government under Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto's free school meal initiative. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
