Hard to swallow...
Except when it comes to extreme TV game shows, the Japanese are renowned for their fastidiousness. It is simply not done, for example, to eat or drink while walking down the street, chew gum in formal situations (including in the office), nor to bite or clean fingernails, gnaw on pencils or lick your fingers in front of others.
If you have to blow your nose, leave the room, or at the very least try to face away from other peopleand use a tissue, not a handkerchief. And as the whole family uses the same bath water, getting into the bath while still soapy would be deeply frowned upon, as would draining the water out before every one has completed their ablutions.
Taking this one step further, manufacturers are introducing an expanding array of products from deodorants to business suits incorporating photocatalysts. These accelerate the decomposition of organic substances, such as nicotine and dust, when they come into contact with ultra-violet rays. When a photocatalyst absorbs light, it breaks down organic matter into water and carbon dioxide, causing a purifying and deodorising-effect.
Extensive and varied research on photocatalysts is being conducted, ranging from deodorant sprays to building materials such as external walls and tiles. A typical photocatalyst is made of titanium oxide widely used in toothpaste and cosmetics.
Most photocatalysts are activated by ultraviolet light, but Ecodevice, a Tokyo-based start-up, has developed the world's first photocatalyst that reacts to visible rays, such as those emitted from fluorescent fixtures. The company launched Blue Active Spray, an indoor-use deodorant spray, and aims for annual sales of 50,000 units.
The use of photocatalysts has also spread to the apparel industry. Konaka, a major operator of menswear outlets, has released a business suit incorporating photocatalysts in the outer material. The company claims the substance significantly reduces the smell of tobacco and perspiration that seep into the cloth.
I'm sure they can detect the sweet smell of profits.