Revolutionary Industries Kyoto
Takara Shuzo Co. Ltd.

�@�@While beer is a popular thirst quencher here in Japan, especially in summer, you may also be familiar with traditional Japanese alcoholic beverages such as sake�iŽð�A�´Žð: rice wine) and shochu (�Ä’‘: rice spirits). Shochu, perhaps the lesser known of the two outside Japan, is a clear liquor made from distilled sake lees. There is also another variety made from sweet potatoes. It has always been quite cheap and a particular favorite among the working class people of the southern regions. However, since World War II, shochu has gradually been increasing in popularity throughout the whole of the country, and especially in the last couple of decades, with young people. Its popularity today owes much to the efforts of Takara Shuzo Co. Ltd. (•óŽð‘¢Š”Ž®‰ïŽÐ), the first company to produce various kinds of high quality shochu on a large scale. At present this company produces about one-third of all shochu consumed in Japan.
�@�@Takara Shuzo Co. Ltd. was established in 1925 as a small sake winery in the Fushimi district of Kyoto, a famous site for sake brewing. At present, as described above, it is one of the leading producers of alcoholic beverages and seasonings. The Takara Shuzo name is well-known even among Japanese housewives, because the company is also a principal maker of mirin (–¡çÌ), traditional sweet alcoholic seasoning, indispensable for cooking many Japanese dishes. In fact, you probably will find the company's famous Takara Mirin brand in the kitchen of most homes in Kyoto, given the fact that it has a half share of the national market. Of course, this company produces ordinary sake, too. Its products include shochu, shochu-based alcoholic soft drinks, sake, and mirin, which are worth a combined total of 138 billion yen in sales. The company employs altogether about 1,900 people at its Kyoto headquarters, 16 branches, 8 factories and research laboratories throughout Japan.
�@�@There is one important fact about the contribution of Takara Shuzo to the popularity of shochu that cannot go unmentioned. In 1984, the company introduced a cheap new drink called Chu-Hi, a combination of shochu and soda water. Interestingly, the idea is thought to come from a drink called "highball" - a mix of whisky and soda water. In this case, shochu (Chu) was substituted for whisky, and the name "Hi" from highball was added to create "Chu-Hi". This was the first alcoholic soft drink of its kind and proved a huge hit nationwide. These days there are a variety of flavors that can be purchased from certain alcohol vending machines.
The real uniqueness of Takara Shuzo Co, however, is in its contribution to the industrialization of bio-medical technology, especially of gene technology, in recent years. Since the foundation of the Central Research Laboratories in 1970, Takara Shuzo has devoted much effort to the field of bio-medical research. In 1979, it earned the honor of being the first manufacturer to release various restriction enzymes, important reagents for DNA analysis, to the Japanese domestic market. Later, it succeeded in producing and selling many types of materials and instruments used in genetic engineering, such as those concerning PCR methods for increasing short segments of DNA and DNA chip making, and analyzers for determining genetic makeup. (see above). Furthermore, this company is even trying to develop new technology for gene therapy in collaboration with several medical institutions. Last summer, Takara Shuzo founded a new company called Dragon Genomics (see top), based in Suzuka, Mie Prefecture, as the only center for genome analysis in Asia. Here they will conduct research projects for other organizations in this field and also perform their own research (see left).
�@�@Although the financial contribution of such a bio-medical section to the annual sales of the company is only about 6% of the total at present, the management expects this to rise sharply in the future.

T. Fujii and M. Matsushita

Water-World Series
A Precious Resource

�@�@It quenches your thirst, allows you to clean your clothes and to relax in a hot bath tub whenever you want. But as a resident of Kyoto, do you know where our water comes from? In the case of drinking water, about 16 million people in the Kinki area, which includes Kyoto, rely solely on Japan's largest lake, Lake Biwa (”ú”iŒÎ: Biwako), located in Shiga Prefecture. Thanks to its abundant supply of reputedly safe water, we usually don't have to worry about water shortage or serious water contamination. We take it for granted that we can drink clean water from the tap anytime. However, during this summer, due to a lack of rain the water level of Biwako dropped considerably. Fortunately, however, it recovered just before falling to a critical level, but it was sufficient to have many people concerned about what is our major supply of water.
�@�@ Let us consider Kyoto's traditional water supply. Before the canal was completed between Kyoto and Lake Biwa in 1890, each household had had its own well from which daily supplies of water were provided. In the past well water was of a very high quality and ideal for the production of sake (Žð), Japanese tea (’ƒ: cha), and traditional Kyoto delicacies like tofu (“¤•…), yuba (“’—t) and fu (ên). Even today there are quite a few long established food shops in Kyoto that still make their products using well water. However, due to construction of high-rise apartments combined with the fact that wells require careful and complicated maintenance compared to public water, private wells have gradually dried up and disappeared.
�@�@Lake Biwa is therefore the main source of water for Kyoto residents. It raises some concerns though, particularly when considering the recent fear about the low water level and increased contamination. Also, we cannot dismiss the potential for damage and a cut off of the water supply in the case of a serious earthquake. If such a disaster occurred, what would we do? If, however, there were public wells at local key points where clean water is available, people could manage to survive until the public water infrastructure was restored. Unfortunately the potential for water contamination is considerable as pollution of ground water by the illegal dumping of used water and industrial waste is widespread. And once groundwater has been contaminated, it is very difficult to purify it again.
�@�@A more practical idea therefore may be to place large underground water tanks in every region for the storage of filtered rainwater. Apparently a water storage system of this nature has already been installed in Sumida-ku, Tokyo. Of course implementing such a proposal would be very costly, but nonetheless, it is obvious that we must take steps to prepare for such disasters.
�@�@ Of course there is always the alternative of forgetting about tap water altogether and buying bottled natural mineral water, which seems to be an increasingly popular choice and a sole remaining option in some countries. In Japan you can purchase not only Japanese mineral water but also European varieties in super markets and convenient stores. European mineral water usually contains a lot of calcium and magnesium salts and is classified as "hard water". On the other hand, Japanese mineral water is called "soft water", with its mellow flavor suited for making tea or cooking. But these days with the number of health buffs increasing, some people even opt for their mineral water according to their purposes by first checking the ingredients. Of course no matter how pure natural mineral water may be, it is not a medicine. Drinking bottled natural water does not improve physical problems anymore than quality tap water. If you feel better after drinking bottled water it is more than likely because you experience a sense of satisfaction, such as "I'm drinking ultra clean water from the Swiss Alps which is good for my health, so I must be healthier." Such 'satisfaction' can be obtained quite cheaply at between 200 to 300 yen for a two-liter PET bottle, but it isn't exactly the ideal alternative from an environmental standpoint. If you simply seek ways to remove the smell of tap water and make it taste a little better, here are a few ideas.
�@�@Perhaps one of the easiest methods is to store tap water in the refrigerator for at least 24-36 hours before drinking it. Without being exactly sure of the scientific reasoning behind why, the fact remains that when water is cooled like this it usually doesn't smell any more, and the taste becomes much better. It is also very effective to use a water-purifying device, which filters only organic matter and allows inorganic matter such as minerals to pass through. However, if not cleaned very carefully on a regular basis, these devices can be harmful, since many kinds of fungus and bacteria may breed which contaminate the water. Another option is to boil tap water for 5 minutes or more. This procedure effectively removes most of the chlorine and other chemicals, but unfortunately with it goes minerals like carbon dioxide and oxygen that help give water its flavor.
�@�@ If you are still not satisfied with your water after having tried the above, you might like to consider the following. Recently a special vending machine selling mineral water was developed. It successfully produces mineral water from tap water by using various special devices and a kind of granite known as bakuhanseki (”ž”Ñ�Î). You bring your own container to collect water. The machine will automatically wash the inside of the container before filling it with fresh clean mineral water. While this is a revolutionary technology and not yet dotted on every street corner like your typical drink machine, the potential reduction of PET bottles would be a positive step in the right direction.
�@�@ The importance of environmental conservation cannot be overstated. We need to become more aware of environmental issues facing our society through education and provision of information. We must also think about what we can do at an individual and community level to help mitigate environmental problems. In general, large companies must increase efforts to minimize waste, control industrial drainage and recycle where possible. Farmers should minimize the use of fertilizers and pesticides. Governments must actively promote "green" activities and enforce measures to protect and improve the environment, including our water supply. If we are not careful and continue to use water wastefully, eventually it may become impossible to drink clean water in the future.
�@�@Through researching and writing this article, I have had a good opportunity to reflect on the ways I use water myself. For instance, I add a lot of synthetic detergent when washing dishes and clothes. I also use synthetic softer. I know that if I wipe off dishes with recycled paper toweling before using detergent, I can avoid using excessive detergent, or even avoid using it at all. I also know that vinegar is an alternative softer for clothes and hair. Although we know which are the alternative or environmentally friendly products, the majority of us tend to choose the most convenient way. To save water, do you turn off the tap while brushing your teeth or when applying shampoo? I don't. Also, I always flush the toilet while I use it. There are so many areas and habits in the consumption of water I have to reconsider. From now on, I will do my best to conserve water, and be more thankful for such a precious resource. We must not forget that in some countries there is not simply a lack of clean drinkable water, but a lack of water in general.

K. Kimura & R. Hakamada