Diet

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, pledge to aim for enacting a bill in the next Diet session to reduce Lower House seats by 10%. However, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has avoided mentioning the topic in her campaign speeches, debates, or on X during the run-up to Sunday's general election.

January 28, 2026 Reported by AI Fact checked

A comprehensive review in Beverage Plant Research concludes that evidence from human studies most strongly supports an association between tea consumption—particularly green tea—and lower risks of cardiovascular disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes and some cancers, while calling evidence for brain and muscle benefits “promising” but less settled. The authors also caution that bottled and bubble tea products, which can include added sugar and other additives, may blunt tea’s potential advantages.

New research from MIT demonstrates that prolonged high-fat diets push liver cells into a primitive state, increasing their vulnerability to cancer. By analyzing mice and human samples, scientists uncovered how these cellular changes prioritize survival over normal function, paving the way for tumors. The findings, published in Cell, highlight potential drug targets to mitigate this risk.

December 24, 2025 Reported by AI

A new study from the University of British Columbia reveals that dietary habits must change to help limit global warming to below 2°C. Researchers found that half the world's population, including nearly all Canadians, exceeds safe food emissions levels. Practical shifts like reducing beef and food waste could significantly cut emissions.

A Virginia Tech study finds that ultra-processed diets may prompt 18- to 21-year-olds to eat more and snack when they are not hungry, while slightly older young adults do not show the same pattern. After two weeks on an ultra-processed diet, younger participants consumed more at a buffet meal and were more likely to keep eating despite reporting no hunger, suggesting a period of heightened vulnerability in late adolescence.

December 08, 2025 Reported by AI

Japanese lawmakers began deliberations on Monday on an 18.3 trillion yen supplementary budget for fiscal 2025, with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's expansionary plans fueling worries over fiscal deterioration and driving up long-term interest rates. The government aims to pass the bill by the end of the Diet session on December 17 to fund stimulus measures addressing rising living costs and spurring investment.