Lion Tomato Vinegar

Lion is a company largely associated with household goods like cleaning solutions and toothbrushes, as well as pharmaceuticals. However they also sell functional foods. This link was advertised on Facebook and the product is sold via mail order - tomato vinegar. Vinegars of various sorts are popular in Japan and are generally considered to be healthful. Lion claims that after research on various vinegar varieties, they determined tomato vinegar to be superior due to elevated and optimal levels of 1) potassium, 2) glutamic acid, 3) aspartic acid and 4) GABA. It has been approved by the Japanese government for a FOSHU claim for lowering high blood pressure.

http://www.lionshop.jp/lp/TATR-3E980/?cid=51129

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Nisshin Olympic Sponsor

Nisshin is an official Japan Olympic Committee Sponsor.

http://nishikori.nissinfoods.jp/product/

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Yahoo Whale Meat Sales (more)‏

More from the same site I described yesterday. As you can see, various ways of preparing and eating whale meat are shown: sashimi, tartare, grilled, sauteed with vegetables, etc.

Price on Yahoo Japan 9,980 yen/5 kg (via cool shipping).

http://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/kuidaoreichiba/2011110312.html

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Meiji Essel Cup Travel Giveaway

To promote Meiji Essel cup ice cream, Meiji is giving away JPB travel vouchers (100,000 yen in vouchers to 10 people plus lesser prizes. Entry is by proof of purchase and postcard.

The campaign is called gattsuri seishun (ガッツリ青春), which roughly means "plentiful youth". The meaning is not completely clear until you read an explanation elsewhere which instructs "eat a lot of Essel to get many (ガッツリ) travel vouchers for a 'youth vacation' (青春旅行)" as the campaign is obviously aimed at school girls. Gattsuri does not appear in all dictionaries, is said to be most commonly used in Hokkaido, and is most commonly used with food, but I think "plentiful youth" conveighs the meaning better than "eat a lot youth".

http://www.meiji.co.jp/sweets/icecream/essel/closed.html

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Nisshin Oillio Olympic Sponsor

Nisshin Oillio is a Japan Olympic Committee official sponsor.

http://www.nisshin-oillio.com/be/

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Yahoo Whale Meat Sales‏

Several items have appeared in the international media recently about how Yahoo Japan allows sales of whale meat on its shopping website - implying that Yahoo Japan's connections with Yahoo USA should make it more globally conscious in this matter. Nothing has changed though. Here is just the top offering of many on the Yahoo Japan shopping site that popped up when I checked.

As you can see, the type of whale is clearly indicated. No attempt is made to identify this as the product of legitimate scientific research, as it is usually portrayed by the government. Nor is there any attempt to conceal the fact this is an endangered species - Fin Whale (see the Japanese Wikipedia link below). In contrast, the fact this meat comes from the second largest whale species is advertised as a selling point.

Draw your own conclusions.

http://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/kuidaoreichiba/2011110312.html
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%8A%E3%82%AC%E3%82%B9%E3%82%AF%E3%82%B8%E3%83%A9

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Meiji Bouno Cheese‏

Having previously only been on sale in regional markets, Meiji is now selling Bono Cheese nationwide. They use Reina Triendl (トリンドル 玲奈), a half Japanese/half Austrian "talent" in the ads, and heavily emphasize that it is Tokachi (十勝) region of Hokkaido cheese. It comes in two varieties: cheddar with an umami taste derived from the cheese starter and mozzarella with a slightly milky taste.

http://www.meijitokachi.jp/product/cheese/

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Wakado Gyunyuya 20th Anniversary‏

The Asahi subsidiary Wakado is celebrating 20 years of its Gyunyuya (牛乳屋) line of coffees, teas and cocoa drinks with a cup and water pot giveaway. Entry is by collecting proof of purchase seals from products with the Mirukun (みるクン) character on them and then affixing them to a postcard. Gyunyuya roughly means local milk store (sometimes home delivery milk store) in Japanese. If you change "gyunyu" to "miruku" (the Japanized version of milk) and then change the "ku" into "kun" (an familiar honorific used in place of san for boys and young men) you have the name for the cow character which is pictured on these products - Mirukun. Getting from "gyunyuya" to "mirukun" in Japanese is pretty straight forward if you see it written.

http://www.wakodo.co.jp/product/coffee/campaign/sp1/index.html

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Ajinomoto Olympic Sponsor

Ajinomoto is a Gold Sponsor of the Japanese Olympic Committee.

http://www.ajinomoto.co.jp/nippon/

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Burger King Whopper Jr.‏

This half price Whopper Jr. special to celebrate five years of Burger King in Japan, might be less eye catching, but seems much more reasonable than the Whopper 5 special (see yesterday).

http://www.burgerkingjapan.co.jp/campaign/cp55.html

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.