Ships traversing the world’s oceans could do a lot to protect the marine environment by cleaning up the ballast water before dumping it. Returning untreated ballast water to the ocean can inadvertently cause damage to the local ecosystem by introducing non-indigenous aquatic organisms.
Now Mitsubishi Kakoki Kaisha has concluded an exclusive sales and manufacturing agreement for the VOS (Venturi Oxygen Stripping™) ballast water treatment system with the U.S. company NEI Treatment Systems, LLC.
In 2004, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) passed regulations requiring ships that carry ballast water to install a treatment system. The VOS system follows these regulations by turning low-oxygen inert gases, produced by a unique inert gas generator (IGG), into microscopic bubbles that efficiently kill all the plankton andbacteria in the ballast water. Furthermore, because no chemicals such as bactericides are used, the system is eco-friendly and far cheaper to operate than any other comparable system.
(Below, top right) A cargo vessel equipped with the new VOS treatment system. (Bottom right) Zebra mussels, native to Russia, have disrupted the ecosystem in the Great Lakes in the U.S.
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The Precious Metals Division of Mitsubishi Materials has once again showed its
creative flair, this time with the launch of its “Pure Gold Twelve Zodiacal Signs” of
crafted gold figurines. The art pieces are intended as birthday presents or congratulatory gifts.
Crafted gold products, mainly on Buddhist themes, are one of the major products of the Gold Shop, which is run directly by the company, and the Mitsubishi Materials Jewelry Fair. The “Pure Gold Twelve Zodiacal Signs” series comprises 12 pure gold figurines based on the 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac, and has been wholly designed and produced by Mitsubishi Materials.
These will surely bring good luck to your home
The signs of the zodiac, whose origins are to be found in ancient Chinese astronomy, were historically used to measure dates, time and directions. They then became associated with holy animals, and later established themselves as signs of good luck.
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Mitsubishi Paper Mills has commercialized “Thermo Memory,” a groundbreaking heat-retaining material capable of maintaining a temperature at a fixed level.
The new material is capable of “remembering” and maintaining a fixed temperature by using microcapsules that are only a few microns* in diameter. The microcapsules contain the core material, which continually changes back and forth from a solid to a liquid within a certain temperature interval, absorbing or radiating heat in the process. A key feature of the material is that the shape of the microcapsules remains constant, regardless of the state of the substance inside.
As the material changes back and forth from a solid to a liquid, it continually radiates or absorbs heat, keeping the temperature at a fixed level

*One micron (or micrometer) is one-millionth of a meter
There are five standard temperatures that can be “remembered”: 9°C, 16°C, 25°C, 31°C and 39°C. In order to enhance the applicability of this product, a total of seven product types, such as powders, sheets and pastes, were commercialized to meet a variety of purposes. The product’s special properties make it ideal for a wide variety of applications where heat retention and comfort are key concerns, such as air conditioning, cold and heat insulation, thermal bedclothes, pet products and more.
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Tea-based cocktails? Gin and Tonic diehards may not agree, but Kirin Beverage’s latest and very innovative series of drinks is now causing a shake and stir among customers at Kirin-City, one of Japan’s largest pub chains, headquartered in Tokyo.
The new drink series has been introduced to mark the 20th anniversary of the launch of the popular Kirin Gogo no Kocha (literally: “Kirin Afternoon Tea”), under the campaign theme “Rediscovered after 20 Years— Gogo no Kocha.” The key idea behind the campaign was to show the customers new possibilities for the appreciation of tea under the concept of “This is the cutting edge of tea.” To this end, the new range of tea cocktails has been designed to be paired with different types of food in order to enhance their flavor. Five different tea cocktails using beer and Western spirits have been developed under theguidance of a tea expert, alongside the launch of another six types that include hot cocktails. The vodka-based “Russian Red,” for instance, is a warming cocktail that beautifully combines the tea flavor with the bitter sweetness of strawberry jam and the hardness of vodka. Another cocktail, “Cinnamon Choco Hot,” is a hot cocktail combining milk tea with high-quality Godiva chocolate liqueur.
Taking tea to the next level; the 21st century versions of Kirin Gogo no Kocha
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Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has developed a disaster management support robot, known as the MHI MARS-G, which can be dispatched quickly to natural disaster and
terrorist attack sites to assess and transmit images of the damage’s extent in real time to the rescue team standing by. Consisting of two joined crawler tracks, the robot is able to move up and down stairs at angles of up to 45°C, enter underground malls and get under rubble without difficulty. It can also detect chemicals, flammable gases and radiation, and is thus an essential tool for crisis management in the event of natural disasters, terrorist attacks, violent crimes or other accidents.
The MHI MARS-G will greatly enhance future disaster management efforts
Measuring a mere 50 cm in width, 1 m in length and 40 cm in height, the compact machine is designed to move along confined spaces such as staircase landings and ticket gates in railway stations. Its lightweight aluminum pipe frame means that the entire device weighs only 55 kg, giving greater portability and durability against collisions and falls during use. It is also very mobile, with a maximum speed of 6 km per hour on flat ground.
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The 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing will boast some architectural marvels: the new National Center, shaped like a giant bird’s nest, and the Beijing National Aquatic Center, called the Watercube or H2O3 because of its shape.
A key component of both buildings will be Asahi Glass’ high-performance fluororesin Fluon® ETFE film. Asahi Glass, the world leader in Fluon® ETFE film production, will deliver 50,000 m2 to the giant transparent roof of the National Center and 300,000 m2 to the Beijing 		 
The Beijing National Aquatic Center
National Aquatic Center for the roof and all exterior walls. The material has been used since the launch in 1975 in a wide range of fields, from electronics, aviation and space technologies to solar panels and greenhouses. It offers superior transparency and flexibility and is non-adhesive, highly weather resistant
Amazing architecture; the new National Center
and very light, enabling large but light structures to be built. It can also be printed on and colored, the latter giving architects control of the light and heat it transmits into the Aquatic Center.
The film is increasingly used as a building material, especially in Europe. One of the best examples is the Allianz Arena football stadium in Munich, Germany. Once the delivery to Beijing has been completed, Asahi Glass will seek to expand this operation globally.
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Binoculars have been around for a long time, but until now using them to follow fast-moving objects has been notoriously difficult. Enter Nikon Vision, a subsidiary of Nikon Corporation, and its two newly launched SPORTSTAR high-tech binoculars.
The SPORTSTAR EX 8 x 25DCF and SPORTSTAR EX 10 x 25DCF both offer an unusually wide field of view, a compact frame and a lightweight, tough and waterproof outer casing.
The SPORTSTAR EX binoculars have been designed to fulfil the needs of people who want a waterproof device for outdoor use. The interior of the body is filled with nitrogen gas, which prevents clouding and mold in the optical system even if the device is splashed with sudden rain or spray. Also, the extra-wide field of view of more than 65° makes the device ideally suited to watching fast-moving sports and following the movements of wild birds.
The sleek but very durable, nitrogen-filled SPORTSTAR EX binoculars
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Teeth whitening used to be a potentially very unpleasant experience, as the
concentrated hydrogen peroxide used in the bleaching could lead to hypersensitive teeth and, in some cases, gout.
But now, thanks to a new innovation from Mitsubishi Gas Chemical, dental patients no longer need to brace themselves. Using applied technological know-how built up over the years, the company has developed an effective and highly safe dental bleach consisting of hydrogen peroxide at approximately one-tenth of the traditional concentration, and titanium dioxide, a harmless material used in toothpastes and food additives.
Gain without pain; the new dental bleach is perfectly safe
Furthermore, the new bleach, which went on sale in November 2006 in Japan under the name “Pyrenees,” brings out the “natural whiteness” of the teeth better than previous methods as it bleaches them without damaging the surface enamel. The company now intends to further develop this product with an eye to exporting it around the world and to further strengthen this segment of its business.
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Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation Researches Babyboomer Generation Worries
Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation has, together with Fidelity Investments Japan Ltd., drawn up a “Baby-boom Generation Retirement White Paper” that charts the impending changes in the living standards of the retirement age group in Japan, most of whom are of the baby-boom generation, and discusses measures to alleviate the worries of this age group.
The joint research shows that the retirement age group, which is set to grow sharply from 2007, is anxious about issues affecting
post-retirement lifestyles, such as rising interest rates, pension levels and the rising costs of medical bills and nursing care.
Kirin Brewery Surveys Drinking Habits of Two Generations
The Kirin Research Institute of Drinking and Lifestyle has carried out a comparative survey of the drinking habits of Japanese men and women in the age groups 20–29 and 50–59.
In terms of frequency, the 20–29 age group drinks “once or twice a week,” whereas the 50–59 age group drinks “almost every day.”
Other findings include:
• The 20–29 age group sees alcohol as a communication tool, whereas the 50–59 age group sees drinking as a tool that enables them to enjoy life more.
• Men in the 50–59 age group spend the most on drink, with a monthly average of ¥28,700. In this age group, the highest share of spending is for drinking with the spouse. They also tend to drink most frequently with the spouse.
• On the other hand, people in the 20–29 age group spend most of their money on drinking with company subordinates, rather than on drinking with lovers.
Mitsubishi Rayon U.S. Subsidiary to Launch New Diamana® Golf Club Shaft
Building on the success of multiple PGA TOUR victories with its Diamana® series, MRC GOLF, INC. has announced it will release a new high-performance golf club shaft, called the Diamana® White Board, in early 2007. The new shaft will complement the previous Blue and Red varieties in the Diamana® series and offer extremely good tip stability and a low-spin design. It will be available in three weights: 63, 73 and 83 grams.
The Diamana® series has been specifically designed to meet the performance needs of top players with different swing types and requirements, and the company expects Diamana® White Board to work very well with a new set of high-performance drivers planned for release next year.
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