Tech & Life

Browse through articles on the latest Japanese technology, services in Japan, social infrastructure, and lifestyle.

Japan's Smart Agriculture and Fisheries

Agriculture and fisheries are two industries where people have to work alongside the natural environment, which they have no way of controlling, and as both are also primary industries, they involve a lot of manual labor, leading to problems such as labor shortages and an aging workforce. People around the world are working to solve these problems using technologies like IoT and AI, and their progress is picking up speed. In this article, we will discuss some new technologies developed by smaller startups, how they are starting to see use in Japanese agriculture and fisheries, and how they may be used far and wide in the near future.

Japan's World-Class Original Aerospace Technology

Japan, which boasts some of the world's most advanced technological capabilities, has developed original technology in the field of aerospace. Japan carried out the first successful sample return of asteroid matter to Earth, and has been moving ahead with development of the world's first ultra-compact satellite that can fit in the palm of your hand. Japan also makes a great contribution as one of the 15 countries that help run the International Space Station (ISS).

Japanese Vending Machines: Selling Tasty Noodles and Oodles More

In Japan, vending machines are everywhere — not just ordinary places like town centers and train stations, but even remote spots like the side of the road in tiny rural villages. Events in recent years have highlighted the benefits being able to buy products without making contact with another person, and various new types of vending machines have appeared as a result. Vending machines are a beloved part of life in Japan, so it's no surprise that they've evolved to cater to people's specific needs alongside selling regular products like drinks and snacks.

Japanese Kitchen Knives: An Essential Part of Japanese Cuisine

Making the most of the natural flavors of ingredients is integral to Japanese cooking, so for chefs, cutting ingredients requires the utmost precision. The way something is cut can affect not just the look but also the taste and texture of the food — which is where razor-sharp Japanese kitchen knives come in. A well-sharpened Japanese knife can cut through ingredients without crushing their fibers, keeping all of the natural flavors and umami taste intact. Let's take a look at what makes Japanese knives special, how they're used, and how they've been honed to suit Japanese cookery.

Traditional Washi Paper: From Japan to the World

Washi is the traditional Japanese paper that has been used in the daily lives of Japanese people since ancient times, in things like shoji sliding doors and lanterns. Washi can be used to give spaces a subtle ambience because of the way it softens the quality of the light and sound that passes through it and moderates the room temperature. Not only that, washi is also very durable — we still have some documents that were written on washi 1000 years ago!

Special Feature on the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami—Part 2: Restoration

The 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami struck on March 11, 2011. A 9.0-magnitude (Mw) earthquake occurred off the Sanriku coast in Japan, marking the largest earthquake in Japan’s recorded history. This earthquake resulted in a tsunami that brought damage to many locations, including the coastal areas in the Tohoku region beside the Pacific Ocean. The year 2021 when this article was prepared marks a decade since this unprecedented disaster occurred, taking many casualties with it.
This article is the first in a two-part special feature covering the Sanriku coast, an area that suffered significant damage from the tsunami. Part two looks at the current state of areas that were affected by the disaster.

Special Feature on the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami—Part 1: Disaster Prevention

The 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami struck on March 11, 2011. A 9.0-magnitude (Mw) earthquake occurred off the Sanriku coast in Japan, marking the largest earthquake in Japan’s recorded history. This earthquake resulted in a tsunami that brought immense damage to many locations, including the coastal areas in the Tohoku region beside the Pacific Ocean. You may remember the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant that occurred as a result of this earthquake and tsunami.
The year 2021 marks a decade since this unprecedented disaster occurred, taking many casualties with it. This article is the first in a two-part special feature covering the Sanriku coast, an area that suffered significant damage from the tsunami. Part one looks at the lessons that can be learned from the tsunami and earthquake, along with initiatives for improving awareness regarding disaster prevention.

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