Make no mistake, Japan doesn’t like fat people.  Japan has some of the world’s lowest rates of obesity — less than 5 percent, compared to nearly 35 percent for the United States

Concerned about rising weights, Japanese lawmakers last year set a maximum waistline size for anyone age 40 and older: 85 centimeters (33.5 inches) for men and 90 centimeters (35.4 inches) for women.

Under Japan’s health care coverage, companies administer check-ups to employees once a year. Those who fail to meet the waistline requirement must undergo counseling. If companies do not reduce the number of overweight employees by 10 percent by 2012 and 25 percent by 2015, they could be required to pay more money into a health care program for the elderly. An estimated 56 million Japanese will have their waists measured this year.

I wonder if there’s an exemption for Sumo wrestlers?

Japan Health Care | Japan Obesity.

At this cafe in Japan, you get what the person before you ordered.

Let’s say you order some cake and coffee, you pay for them and find a seat. In a few minutes, you’re called to the counter where you pick up….soup and a sandwich….whatever the person in front of you ordered.     The next person in line gets your cake (and eats it too!).

The cafe has a few rules. Among them:

• Treat the next person. What to treat them with? It’s your choice.
• No buying twice in a row.
• Please enjoy what you get, even if you hate it. (If you really, really hate it, quietly give it to another while saying, “It’s my treat…”)

Japanese restaurant’s unusual rule: You get what the person before you ordered. | Gadling.com.

I wasn’t aware that the iPhone was doing so poorly in Japan, but apparently our Godzilla-fearing friends across the Pacific have not fallen in love with the Jesus Phone.   Reasons?  Pretty much everything, from the price to the lack of video, and the lack of a built in TV Tuner.

Wait…TV Tuner?    I want a TV Tuner in my iPhone too!

Could I be turning Japanese?  I think I’m turning Japanese, I really think so!

Why the Japanese Hate the iPhone | Gadget Lab from Wired.com.