Japan’s JT Inc. is unveiling a new energy drink. Called Unagi Nobori, it tastes like broiled eel. Yum.
From the UK Independent:
The fishy drink Unagi Nobori – which translates as “Surging Eel” – contains eel extract and vitamins found in the fish. The fizzy yellow liquid is believed to be the first mass-produced drink of its [...]

Japan gripped by suicide epidemic
Source: Times Online UK
Japanese professionals in their thirties are killing themselves at unprecedented rates, as the nation struggles with a runaway suicide epidemic. Newly published figures show that 30,093 people took their own lives in 2007 — a 2.9 per cent increase in a year — leaving the country as the [...]

Source 1: CNN
Source 2: BBC
A 25-year-old man, Tomohiro Kato, plowed into pedestrians with a truck in a crowded Tokyo neighborhood (Akihabara) Sunday and then stabbed 17 people in three minutes, killing at least seven in a grisly attack. “He was screaming as he was stabbing people at random,” an unidentified witness told public broadcaster NHK.

Kato [...]

An interesting article, entitled Cultural Differences Found in Pee, states:
Pee from more than 4,000 volunteers shows that people from different nations often have spectacularly different metabolisms. The finding could point to new ways to deal with obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and other health problems, researchers said.
Urine samples were analyzed from some 4,630 volunteers from [...]

There’s a place in Tokyo, Japan called Akihabara. Or, Akihabara Electric Town as some call it. Sounds positively Japanese, doesn’t it?

Wiki:
Located five minutes by rail from Tokyo Station, Akihabara is a major shopping area for electronic, computer, anime, and otaku goods, including new and used items. New items are mostly to be found on [...]

Yes, Hello Kitty contact lenses do exist.

Source: Kitty Hell

Another fun topic from the archives:

Highlights:
Maa maa maa maa.
Oh toh toh toh.
The lady must pour for the man. And then for herself.
This is the samurai way.

This is “gari”.
Nobody knows what it’s made from.
Taisho always have a secret personal history.
You should never ask about this.

Because some menu items are illegal, you will not discover them unless you ask.

Mmm, that’s good salt!
I [...]

We know you all are itching for a Paris update.
Well here it is:
The frogs are still rioting.
And now for that other Paris update:
Paris Hilton turns down “The Bachelorette”
Paris Hilton has ruled out appearing on a future series of reality show ‘The Bachelorette’ - because she finds the program’s male contestants a turn-off. She says, [...]

PowerPuff Girls in the USA are cute. In Japan, they\’re VA-VA-VOOM!