Artist Helps Beach Project
A well-known Japanese sculptor has visited the Isle of Man to support a volunteer beach-cleaning organisation , the BBC reported on 14 May .
Sayaka Ganz , who is known for her animal creations made from recycled plastic , visited the island from 15 to 25 May .
She worked with volunteers to clean the south coast of the island in Beach Buddies ’ efforts to make the Manx coastline the cleanest in Europe .
The artist is exhibiting her work at the Isle Gallery in St John ’ s until 14 June .
Princess Mako : Scots Studies “ Fruitful ”
The granddaughter of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko has said that her experience studying at the University of Edinburgh was “ very fruitful ”, The Japan Times reported on 29 May .
The 21-year-old daughter of Prince Akishiro and Princess Kiko studied art history and other subjects at the university during an exchange programme while she was enrolled in the International Christian University in Tokyo .
During the nine months she spent in Scotland , the princess had “ lots of opportunities to speak English ”.
In addition , she visited art museums in Paris as part of her curricular activities and travelled around the UK during her free time .
She is planning to travel to Europe again , to increase her knowledge of foreign cultures and peoples before returning to Japan in summer .
Brewer Exports Craft Beer
The Number One Drinks Company has signed exclusive agreements with several critically acclaimed craft brewers to export Japanese beers to the UK , Talking Retail reported on 10 May .
The managing director of the firm has a keen interest in the local craft brewing scene .
The artisan beers will be available in the UK on a pre-order basis from specialist drinks firm Utobeer .
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Ganz ’ s Imagining the flight of wisdom
Mizkan Deal Secured
Bibby Distribution has signed a three-year contract with Mizkan Group Corporation , the Northamptonshire Telegraph reported on 17 May .
The Japanese food manufacturer has acquired from Premier Foods a series of well-known UK products , including Sarson ’ s vinegar and Branston pickles .
Under the new agreement , the firm will manage the entire UK warehousing and distribution arrangements for the Sarson ’ s , Haywards and Branston brands .
The UK firm has employed an additional 100 workers and opened a new warehouse and distribution centre as a result of the deal .
Rock Band Signs Asia Deal
Franz Ferdinand has teamed up with Tokyobased music firm Hostess Entertainment , according to a press release issued on 22 May .
The British band ’ s label , Domino Records , will release their fourth album , Right Thoughts , Right Words , Right Action , on 21 August in Japan through its long-running arrangement with Hostess .
The band previously had an agreement with Sony for its releases in the region , where it has sold almost 1mn albums and headlined at most of the biggest festivals in Asia .
The new album will be released in August .
University Designs Tool to Crowd Source Data
University of Southampton scientists have designed a new tool for use in combining nuclear radioactivity data in Japan , according to a press release issued on 16 May .
The device harnesses the power of crowd-sourced radiation data — an innovative resource that became available after the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and disaster .
The crowd-sourced sensor network , known as the Cosm network , provided relevant data to authorities and local citizens for monitoring the evolution of the disaster .
To help people gain an understanding of crowd-sourcing projects , the researchers have developed the Japan Nuclear Crowd Map ( JNCM ), which combines sensor readings provided from three main crowd-sourced radiationmonitoring services into one database .
The JNCM is also available as a smartphone application that allows users to see the radiation heat map while data is being collected and the radiation level at their current location .
Group Picked for Manchester Project
The alliance among Hitachi , Ltd ., Daikin Industries , Ltd ., Mizuho Corporate Bank , Ltd ., and Mizuho Information & Research Institute , Inc . has been selected to take part in the Smart Community Demonstration Project in Greater Manchester , according to a press release issued on 23 May .
The project , led by Japan ’ s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization , will see the delivery of Japanese cutting-edge technologies that will contribute to the UK ’ s transition to a low-carbon society .
The UK is aiming to supply over 15 % of its energy demand with renewable energy sources by 2020 .
The consortium will conduct a feasibility study , which is expected to be completed by December . Based on the results , the project should move to the demonstration phase by the end of March 2016 .
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