Japanese customers can buy a space funeral that sends their remains into space

Picture: Burning incense at a cemetery plot

"Elysium Space is offering a service in Japan to send a portion of a persons cremated remains in a capsule that will circle the earth for several months for $AUS 2100...The cost of renting a burial plot and buying a headstone in Tokyo is about Y2.7 million (AUS$29,000) according to Japan Institute of Life Insurance"

Source: Space the final frontier for burials

by Kanoko Matsuyama

Bloomberg

Australian Financial Review

Thursday 3rd October 2013

Page 15

Record financial deficits from energy imports focused Japan on accelerating its methane hydrate research

"Last year, after energy imports sent Japan into record financial deficits, the country accelerated its decades-old methane hydrate program" 

Source: The ice gas cometh 

By Katia Moskvitch 

The Sunday Age 

September 29th 2013, page 15

Japan looks to methane hydrate as an energy source since the shutting down of its nuclear reactors

" Japan had a strong reason to pursue methane hydrates since shutting down most of its nuclear reactors two years ago after the meltdown at the Fukushima power station the country has has relied on liquified natural gas imported from countries such as Qatar and Brunei" 

Source: The ice gas cometh 

By Katia Moskvitch 

The Sunday Age 

September 29th 2013, page 15

News & Video: Japan to go nuclear free in September 2013 as last two reactors close

Video: September 2013 Japan Goes Nuke Free

Source: rumorecurioso

You Tube Channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUskAnn2-0s

"Japan will move closer to a period of no nuclear power generation as one of the two operating reactors in the country will be taken offline for mandatory routine checkups later Monday"

Source:1 Of Japan's 2 Operating Reactors To Be Taken Offline Later Mon.

September 2nd 2013

Nikkei.com

http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/tnks/Nni20130902D02JF903.htm

Japanese customers ate 75 percent of the total catch of Pacific Bluefin tuna in 2011

"Japan ate 13,324 tons of the 17,651 tons of Pacific bluefin caught in 2011. "

Source:

Stop eating Pacific bluefin tuna

Editorial

August 26th 2013

Japan Times

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2013/08/26/editorials/stop-eating-pacific-bluefin-tuna/#at_pco=tcb-1.0&at_ab=-&at_pos=1&at_tot=8

News & Video: Nissan launches self driving car using intuitive technologies

Video: Nissan's self-driving NSC-2015 concept car

Source: Event

You Tube Channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DK3mHuY-8CU

"Nissan Motor Co.... unveil a prototype self-driving car ...The modified version of the Leaf electric vehicle uses a laser system based on the bumblebee's compound eye to detect and avoid obstacles. Another technology is based on the behavior of schools of fish, which can travel together without bumping into each other."

Source: Nissan's Self-Driving Car Takes Cues From Bees, Fish

August 27th 2013

Nikkei.com

http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/tnks/Nni20130826D2608A09.htm

Japanese customers the worlds biggest LNG importers talk about price cuts

Video:Japanese Customer Products #1 Gas Heater in Japan

Source: JapaneseCustomer.com

You Tube Channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3gM9R8MP1w

"Japan, the world's biggest LNG importer, has been increasingly vocal in its support of burgeoning US liquefied natural gas export projects as a way to drive down LNG prices in Asia"

Source: Japanese push for gas price cut

By Matt Chambers

The Weekend Australian newspaper

August 24 - 25th 2013, page 26

Japanese customers are eating less fish but more meat as food trends change

Picture: Grilled fish for breakfast- Japanese style

"Japanese are eating less fish and more meat these days as world prices rise due to strong demand in the United States and Europe."

Source:

Robots help sushi-go-round turn high-tech

Touch-screen menus, 'high-speed' lanes find favor at more eateries

BY MIWA SUZUKI

August 15th 2013

Japan Times

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/08/15/business/robots-help-sushi-go-round-turn-high-tech/#.Ug1Q95IwdFs

Kaishi is a traditional tissue paper used with kimono, sweets and the tea ceremony

Picture: Japanese tea & manju dessert

"Kaishi is a type of tissue paper that is folded and tucked inside the kimono, giving it its alternate name, "futokoro-gami" (bosom paper). It has historically been used to store sweets, take notes or clean the rims of tea bowls and other objects used during Japan's famous tea ceremony ritual."

Source: 

KYOTO GOES KAWAII: PyonPyonDo 'washi' shop offers traditional multi-purpose 'kaishi' paper

By MICHIYO SATO

August 10th 2013

Asahi Shimbun

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/cool_japan/AJ201308100042

Japanese retailer Aeon plans 30 large scale vegetable farms for its private label brands

"Major retailer Aeon Co.. plans to run 30 large-scale farms across the country by fiscal 2015 in a bid to produce 20,000 tons of vegetables a year under its private-label brand, raising sales to about 100 billion yen,"

Source: 

Aeon Plans 30 Large Farms By '15 To Boost Private-Label Vegetable Sales

August 11th 2013

Nikkei.com

http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/freetop.aspx

Officials in Kamakura Japan plan to combine three beaches and sell the name rights

"Officials in Kamakura are combining three local beaches—including the popular Yuigahama—into a single entity and selling the naming rights for a cool million yen."

Source: the small print

May 22, 2013

The black-footed albatross and other comeback kings

By: Reg Dunlap

Issue: 1000 

http://metropolis.co.jp/features/the-small-print/may-22-2013-2/

Video: JapaneseCustomer.com

Video: JapaneseCustomer.com 

 Source: JapaneseCustomer.com 

You Tube Channel 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMnOfRiJQsY

Toyota plans to manufacture 10.1 million vehicles worldwide in 2013

"The Toyota group plans to manufacture about 10.1 million vehicles worldwide this year, boosting production mainly in Japan on brisk sales of hybrids and increased exports on the back of a weaker yen."

Source:

Toyota Eyes Global Output Of 10mn Units In '13

Wednesday July 31st 2013

Nikkei.com

http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/freetop.aspx

Energy News: Japanese customers flock to home battery rental service to reduce home electricity costs

"A rechargeable battery rental service ....for single-family homes in the Tokyo area has drawn around 1,000 applicants ahead of ... of the launch...¥5,145 per month to rent a battery... The device can store 5.35 kilowatt-hours of electricity in the night when power rates are lower.... a family of three ... has been testing the device, the annual electricity bill is projected to total ¥160,000 in 2013, compared with ¥235,000 without the recharging system in 2012"

Source: 

Japan home battery rental service draws 1,000 applicants

KYODO

July 30th 2013

Japan Times

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/07/30/business/japan-home-battery-rental-service-draws-1000-applicants/#.UfhopI0wdFs

If Japan can economically produce natural gas from methane hydrate it may experience a huge surge in demand

"If Japan could deliver on its vow to produce natural gas economically from..methane hydrate deposits....it could experience a natural gas boom that matches the fracking-fuelled one...in North America" 
analayst Surya Rajan




Source: 'Fire in ice' energy could challenge LNG

By Ben Lefebvre

Wall Street Journal

The Australian newspaper
Tuesday 30th July 2013, page 21

Japan plans to bring methane hydrate energy online by 2023

"The government of Japan - has vowed to bring methane hydrate into the mainstream by 2023 after a successful drilling test in March"



Source: 'Fire in ice' energy could challenge LNG

By Ben Lefebvre

Wall Street Journal

The Australian newspaper

Tuesday July 30th 2013, page 21

LNG costs in Japan US$16 per million British thermal units

"Japan - where natural gas costs are $US 16 per million British thermal units, four times the level in the US"

Source: 'Fire in ice' energy could challenge LNG

By Ben Lefebvre

Wall Street Journal

The Australian newspaper

Tuesday July 30th 2013, page 21

New weather website in Japan gains 1.4 million followers with updates every 60 seconds for heavy rain

"A ministry website providing up- to-the-minute information on heavy rain is getting an average of 1.4 million accesses a day....XRAIN, a website updated every 60 seconds....Users can carefully check disaster warnings and avoid being caught in the rain while in transit."

Source: 

XRAIN gives real-time info on downpours

July 30th 2013

Daily Yomiuri

http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0000417712

Japanese cosmetic maker Kanebo recall impacts customers with skin whitening products

"Kanebo cosmetics..Japan's second-largest cosmetics maker...more than 6800 people have reported some depigmentation after using the (skin whitening) products subject to recall...The (Japanese) government is warning consumers to stay away from products with 4HPB or Rhododenol .. a synthetic version of a compound found in the bark of white birch trees"

Source: Skin product recall "too slow"

Wall Street Journal

The Australian newspaper

FRiday 26th Juky 2013, page 25

Mitsubishi to launch television that allows users to track their health with Tanita from August 2013

"Mitsubishi Electric Corp..is teaming up with Tanita Corp. to introduce an interactive television designed to help users track their health....the TV will be capable of displaying weight, body fat, muscle mass, and five other health indicators measured using a wireless...device....a 29-inch version coming to 140,000 yen. "

Source: 

M'bishi Electric's Interactive TV Lets Users Monitor Health

Nikkei.com

July 25 2013

http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/tnks/Nni20130724D2407N02.htm