Bra with a memory among Christmas offerings in Japan

Press, 19 December 1985, Page 8

Bra with a memory among Christmas offerings in Japan

By

KEITH STAFFORD,

of

Reuter (through NZPA)

Tokyo If you think everyone on your Christmas present list has everything, think again. Gadget-mad Japan has revealed a few new ideas this year. How about a computerised brassiere that remembers your curves, a penguin that sweeps tabletops, a screeching anti-sleep headband or, as a stockingfiller, a device that turns off amorous female mosquitos? Japan is cheerfully cashing in on the West’s presentbuying Christmas binge, even though December 25 is a normal working day in the largely Buddhist country. The stationmaster at Hiroshima central is playing “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” over the public address system, and department stores in Tokyo’s fashionable Ginza shopping area are bristling X'ith holly, mistletoe, Christinas

trees, gangs of Santas, and shoppers clutching their year-end bonuses. So what’s new on the shelves this year? “Tuxedo Sam”, a small blue-and-white plastic penguin robot equipped with a few brushes, will waddle across your Christmas din-ner-table sweeping crumbs and turkey bones to the floor.

He comes fairly cheap at 6000 yen (?US3O, $6O). The latest and largest remotecontrolled robot for trundling dad’s Scotch and soda across the sitting-room will burn a 90,000 yen (SUS4SO $900) hole in the bonus.

For mothers and girlfriends, Japan’s leading underwear company, Wacoal, has presented the “Sofree” memory bra made with a web of nickel-titan-ium alloy wire. The shape of the owner is locked into the bra at the first flush of body temperature. Wacoal says that the

alloy has a memory which makes the bra automatically remould to a perfect supporting position each time it is worn.

Housewives might also like a gadget to end some washday blues, an electronic rain sensor called “It’s Raining.” At the first sign of a downpour this 3000 yen (SUSIS, $3O) wonder starts playing a tune in the kitchen. It should give you just enough time to dash outside and yank your “Sofrees” off the line.

Another electronic gadget available this year alongside the ever-popular Japanese toilet seat-heater is the singing plastic telephoneholder. Should you have to hold an incoming call a few seconds to consult a notebook, this little box of tricks will play a soothing tune such as “Greensleeves” down the line so the caller knows ifpu have not hung up. I

Presents for drivers abound, as you might expect in a country that makes 11 million cars a year. Among them is the 12,000 yen (SUS6O, $120) “Stop sleep rouses dozing drivers machine.” This is an elastic headband with a small box of electronics mounted on the side to monitor driver reactions and emit a piercing shriek if he shows any tendency to slumber at the wheel.

Hiroshi Majima, president of the manufacturer, Majima Company, says he thinks it’s a good buy for long-haul truck drivers. There is a multicoloured “Stars and Stripes” version for patriotic American freeway snoozers. For those in warmer climes a less noisy “ChaseCa” might be a more suitable gift. This is a plastic tube that surrounds the wearer with a barely-apii-ble, high-pitched hum. 8.

Very useful indeed near swamps, as the explanation on the side of its box explains.

“Most of biting mosquitos are female one’s in spawning period. A spawning female mosquito is very disgusted at the approaching of male mosquitos. Therefore, the frequency of “Chase-Ca” is made to imitate the sound signal of male mosquitos — and users are free from mosquito’s bite.” And still on the nature front, Japanese children this Christmas can continue their love affair with Koala bears imported from Australia for Japanese zoos this year.

Dial a number at the Matsuyama telephone exchange, near Tokyo, and, when the strains of “Waltzing Matilda” have died away, they can enjoy the delightful call of a baby Koala bear for a good two minutes.