Attempting to read and understand food labels in Japan can be a tricky thing. Even when being able to read hiragana, katakana and some kanji, the majority of the food labels are still confusing to many consumers -- EVEN JAPANESE !!  Japan-based blogger Ashley (Surviving Japan) wrote this awesome guide on how to read food labels in Japan which we are now sharing with you. Enjoy to realize what you're eating in Japan! Thanks Ashley !!

Bean lovers, your time has finally come! Wherever ye may be, let the wind blow free. And don't be afraid of reactions. Why? Simple! Because you're wearing Japanese textile company Seiren's latest creation: a revolutionary pair of pants that make bad odours undetectable. The underwear have a in-built technology system that neutralises the smell caused by flatulence. 

Japanese retailers are vying to cash in on the country's drive for energy-savings this winter season by offering a new selection of thermal underwear. Major clothing retailer Uniqlo is expanding its lineup of popular winter underwear to include products for toddlers. Retail chain Seiyu has developed a new line of thermal underwear at a 20 percent discount to last year. Stores are expecting higher demand for winter underwear as consumers prepare to turn down the heat in the face of power rate hikes.

_Locally produced foodstuffs also have been "rediscovered" by Japanese and this has helped people regain the confidence they lost in the face of the devastation caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake. However, many non-Japanese are knocking on Japan's door to learn the skills of local chefs.

Sales of alcohol-free beverages that taste like beer and wine remain on an upward trajectory as an increasing number of people are abstaining from drinking for health reasons or forgoing purchases of alcoholic drinks amid weakening consumer sentiment since the March 11 disasters. Beverage makers have introduced a number of new products, while also seeking to expand into overseas markets.

The Japanese smoker is becoming an increasingly rare breed. According to a new survey, 21.7% of Japanese adults are smokers, the lowest proportion recorded since the annual report conducted by Japan Tobacco Inc. began in 1965. The smoking population in Japan declined for the 16th consecutive year, but the latest figure is 2.2 percentage points lower than 2010, reflecting the steepest annual drop seen in recent years.

Panic over the radiation from the quake-crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in Japan is sparking a sudden surge in sales of iodine pills around the world -- even as health experts warn that the pills may be of little use. Since word emerged that Japan has begun distributing potassium iodide tablets to residents near the Fukushima facility, other global regions have noted a spike in sales of the pills.

When the Japanese government allowed ear cleaning salons to operate unlicensed, a new business model took off. The ancient Egyptians, who brought us paper, locks, clocks and eye makeup, were also ahead of the curve in earwax removal, creating concoctions that included Cypress tree oil, pig fat, cat blood or male bat’s head. Several millennia later, Japan has made another evolutionary leap in ear care.

Japanese researchers have identified a molecule in the body that limits the symptoms of asthma, hay fever, atopic dermatitis and other allergies, providing hope for the development of a new wide-ranging medicine.