Random Japan

13 awesome things you can make with Oreos

Master Blaster
It’s been just over a century since Oreos first hit the market and now the black and white cookie has become firmly entrenched in most corners of the world. Along with such fame come the innovation and creativity of Oreo’s legions of fans. The following is a baker’s dozen of dishes created from the iconic cookie. Don’t worry though, even if you have no kitchen skills whatsoever you can probably pull off half of these surprisingly simple ideas. We’ll present them in order of difficulty starting with the easiest.

STATS
76 Percent sixth-graders who “enjoy or somewhat enjoy learning English,” according to the education ministry

¥301,000 Per capita medical costs in Japan in fiscal 2012—the first time the figure has topped ¥300,000, according to the health ministry

¥764 Average minimum wage in fiscal 2013, a ¥15 rise from last year, according to the labor ministry

AND FINALLY…

The government is considering whether to allow companies to trademark “sounds, moving images and colors that they use in their commercials.”

Scientists at the Tokyo Institute of Technology achieved a world’s first when they used a “cement-like mixture” to absorb and break down CO2 at room temperature.

Officials at the tourism ministry say they’ll change the writing on road signs in 49 tourists areas from romaji to English—for example, “Dori” will become “Ave.”

The welfare ministry says the number of centenarians in Japan has hit a record high for the 42nd consecutive year. Of the 54,397 Japanese people aged 100 years or older, 87.5 percent are women.

They Smashed

Bags Given Freedom

The Lizards

And The Lizard People

The Lord Of

The Crime Loan

Woman who died saving man earns heroism awards



KYODO
The government will award a medal to a woman who died this week while rescuing an elderly man on a Yokohama railway crossing, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Friday. Further, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will present a letter commending Natsue Murata, Suga told a regular news conference. Murata, 40, died while rescuing the man, 74, who was lying on the tracks at the crossing. Abe’s government will bestow on Murata the Medal with Red Ribbon, which is awarded to those demonstrating extraordinary courage to save other people’s lives, Suga said at a news conference.