The Shimotsuma City Flower Festival in Ibaraki Prefecture has a few problems this year. The police has ordered that a field of volunteer-grown flowers to be burned. How come? They were papaver setigerum poppies... a.k.a.: opium poppies.
The authorites are investigating how the seeds got into the country in the first place. The Japanese take drugs and drug abuse very seriously, so someone is going to have some hell to pay. The festival usually draws about 2000-3000 visitors a year, a number which could possibly drop this time around.
Source
JapanProbe
If you hear, let alone read, the word "Vegesh", what comes to mind? Probably not liquor, unless you're Japanese.
The newest drink from Asahi/Kagome, Vegesh is a mixture that includes 20% vegetable juice, 20% fruit juice, and 4% alcohol. Ingredients include asparagus, pumpkin, lemon and pineapple, amongst other things.
Jeezum crowe, them crazy Japanese. What will they think of next?
Source
JapanProbe
