Big in Japan: Japan fights global warming with shorter baseball games

by Matthew Firestone on

Today is April 22, which means that if you have any sort of eco-conscious, you have already picked up on the Earth Day theme here at Gadling.

Truth be told, Japan isn’t always the first country that comes to mind when you think of the modern conservation movement. Sadly, the Japanese have something of a reputation for environmental insensitivity, particularly when it comes to their increasing whaling efforts despite mainstream international protest.

However, you don’t need to spend much time in Japan to realize that the people here are in fact becoming more and more eco-sensitive. Since the signing of the Kyoto Protocol in 1997, the country has taken an admirable self-assessment of its role in the global warming crisis.

In fact, Japan has since launched one of the world’s most extensive recycling programs, mandated a decreased dependence on air-conditioning during the hot and sticky summer months, and branded the word ‘eco’ as something trendy and fashionable.

So, in honor of this year’s Earth Day celebration, Big in Japan is happy to bring you the latest environmentally friendly news from the Land of the Rising Sun, namely that Japan has started shortening its baseball games in an effort to fight global warming.

How cool is that?

Although few Americans are aware of the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), it has produced a number of major Major League Baseball (MLB) players including Hideki Matsui, Ichiro Suzuki and Daisuke Matsuzaka among others. Known as the Puro Yakyū (プロ野球) in Japanese, the NPB has a long history dating back to 1934 when it was originally founded as the Greater Japan Tokyo Baseball Club (大日本東京野球倶楽部, Dai-nippon Tōkyō Yakyū Kurabu).

In an effort to make their baseball games more green, the NPB has implemented a plan to shorten its games, thus reducing carbon dioxide emissions at stadiums (as well as fighting boredom by speeding up the pace!). According to an official task force appointed by the NPB, staging baseball games results in huge amount of discharged carbon dioxide due to the movements of players and spectators, as well as the tremendous amount of energy needed to light up stadiums.

On average, game time will be cut by six percent, or about 12 minutes. Teams will be required to spend no more than two minutes and 15 seconds when they change from fielding to batting, and pitchers will be asked to throw within 15 seconds of receiving the ball from the catcher when no runners are on base.

This proposal to cut playing time was set in accordance with Japan’s pledge to cut its emissions of greenhouse gases by six per cent from 1990 levels. Sadly however, Japan is struggling to meet its obligations under the Kyoto protocol, though there is hope that this will change in the years to come, especially since the Japanese public has taken on a greater interest in fighting global warming.

From all of us here at Gadling, think big this Earth Day, and remember to respect Mother Earth!

** All images were courtesy of the WikiCommons Media Project **


Big in Japan: Tibet unrest changes Everest climbing routes

by Matthew Firestone on

From San Francisco to London and Paris to India, protestors are taking to the streets to demonstrate against China’s hosting of the Olympic Games. Angered by the Chinese government’s refusal to meet with the Dalai Lama, as well as the continued suppression of human rights in potential breakaway regions, the world is seeking to punish China on the eve of its long-anticipated coming out party.

For travelers on the ground in China, independent tourism has never been more difficult, especially since parts of the country have now been entirely closed off to the outside world. Following wave of violence that commenced on March 14th, the Chinese government has entirely barred tourists from entering Tibet. As a so-called ‘autonomous region,’ non-Chinese nationals must obtain special entry permits for Tibet.

Sadly, it’s looking like the ‘Roof of the World’ may remain in relative isolation until the Olympic Games have passed, which is a huge blow at a time when tourism in the region was beginning to flourishing. Here in Japan, this was highlighted recently in the news when Mr. Yuichiro Miura, the 75 year-old thrill seeker who once skied down Everest using a parachute as a brake, announced that he was changing his Everest climbing route.

At the young and spry age of 75, Mr. Miura (alongside his son) was planning on climbing Everest from the Chinese side in a bid to regain his title as the oldest man to climb Everest. However, despite all of the preparations that he has made, his climbing permits were canceled following the unrest in Tibet.

Mr Miura first held the record as the oldest person to climb Everest when he reached the top in 2003 at the age of 70. Although his record was broken just three years later, he is determined to regain it despite having to change his proposed route at the final hour. According to Mr. Miura, who is presently in the Nepali capital of Kathmandu, “We are here to climb and so we will.”

Of course, would-climbers on Everest are also saddened by the current political climate in Nepal, which is threatening to topple the nation’s troubled monarchy. And, China is also exerting pressure to not allow climbers to scale Everest until after the Olympic torch has been carried up and down the summit. Needless to say, a protest at the summit of Everest would not be a great PR moment for the Chinese government!

Despite all of these hurdles however, Mr. Miura is confident that he will shatter the Everest climbing record by the end of May. Mr. Miura is best known for having skied down Everest in 1970, using a parachute as a brake, footage of which later appeared in an Oscar-winning documentary. However, his latest bid for worldwide fame is perhaps even more challenging, given that Mr. Miura is a septuagenarian.

Then again, in a country where living beyond the age of 100 is a pretty common feat, perhaps Mr. Miura shouldn’t be too upset if his travel plans are canceled this year…

** Mr. Miura’s photo was taken by the Agence French-Press (AFP). Other images were courtesy of the WikiCommons Media Project. **

Noisiest places in the world

by Jamie Rhein on

The noisiest city I have been to is Athens–at least what I remember. I’m basing this on a fuzzy memory of an experience crammed onto a bus thinking that the people around me were angry, bit finally decided that they were having a chat and had to raise their voices to be heard above the din of the traffic. That was one bustling place, and I’ve lived in New Delhi.

There’s an article in the New York Times about how noisy Cairo is these days. It’s so noisy with horn honking and teaming people, as a matter of fact, that it’s like living in a factory. If you know anyone who has worked around machinery for a lifetime, think about how often the word “WHAT?!” comes up. Just a tad.

Where else has noise? I found a Web site, “hear-it ” that cites Spain as the country with the most noise and the second loudest country is Japan.

According to The Hearing Journal, San Francisco is the loudest city in the United States beating out New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. The quietest city is Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

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The 10 World’s Dirtiest Cities!

Goodbye Cherry Blossoms

by Tynan on


The past two days have been extremely rainy here in Tokyo, which means that hanami, or flower viewing season, is over. The rain has pulled all of the delicate blossoms from the trees, lining the sides of the streets with thin carpets of white flowers.

The blossoms are still in season further North, so pretty soon I’ll be heading up there to show visiting friends the majesty.

Until then, here are some pictures I took of the blossoms in Yoyogi Park.

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Big in Japan: Acerola berries are the super-cure for the common cold

by Matthew Firestone on

Ever wonder how Japanese people manage to work endless hours for years on end while simultaneously maintaining their good health?

What if I told you that there was a simple and cheap remedy for staying healthy and energetic regardless of how hectic your life may be. What if I told you that this remedy costs less than US$1 a day, and can be started at any time no matter how busy you happen to be.

Here at Big in Japan, we love to report on the latest Japanese health and beauty secrets, which is why we’re proud today to tell you about the acerola berry.

A small bright red berry that is native to the West Indies, acerola is one of the most potent sources of natural vitamin C and bioflavanoids known to scientists. So, if you’ve been searching for a healthy and natural way to stave off illness, perhaps you should give acerola a go.

Intrigued? If so, keep reading and allow me to explain the powers of this magical little berry!
In Tokyo, you can buy a 100 milliliter bottle containing 70% acerola extract (ニチレイアセロラビタミン, Nichirei Aserora Bitamin) in a suspension solution of vitamins, minerals and a pinch of sugar to make the medicine go down. And remarkably, you don’t even have to go to a health food store to buy the product. Instead, just simple walk out of your apartment, head into the first convenience store you see, and protect your health for little more than a pocket full of change.

As I’ve commented so many times before on this blog, I know that it’s easy to be skeptical about health and beauty products, especially since the next big thing is always being touted on TV sets across North America. But, there exists a strong body of evidence to suggest that acerola really is the super-cure for the common cold.

Because the body does not store vitamin C and bioflavanoids, they must be replenished on a daily basis. And, since these two compounds work together to promote circulation, stimulate bile production and boost the immune system, they can serve as your body’s first line of defense against illness. As if this wasn’t a strong enough endorsement for acerola, you might also be interested in knowing that the berry is also very useful in balancing out the pH levels in your intestines, which ultimately leads to better digestion.

If you live in North America, and you’re interested in trying acerola products, your best chance is to check out a health food store near you. Or, you can simply find the nearest Caribbean supermarket, and just buy a pound or so of berries to add to your morning smoothie. Anyway, if you’ve ever taken acerola before, or you happen to know anything about its health effects, please chime in an let all of us know!

(By the way, in case you were wondering, the Japanese girl at the top of the blog is none other than Yuri Ebihara (Ebi-chan), who is famous for saying, “If someone doesn’t find me cute, I want to know why because then I’ll work on it to get better at being cute.” Classic.)

** Acerola berry photo sourced from the Wikipedia Commons Project **