A promising new drug called baloxavir marboxil (Xofluza) developed in Japan has been shown to stop the flu virus from spreading 24 hours after intake.

The drug interferes with influenza A and influenza B's main replication process instead of inhibiting the neuraminidase enzyme, as accomplished by previous drugs such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza). As shown in the illustration, viral neuraminidase sits on the surface of influenza viruses and enables it to be released once reproduced within the infected host cell.

Xofluza accomplishes its mode of action by inhibiting the cap-dependent endonuclease activity of the viral polymerase. It achieves this by inhibiting the process known as cap snatching, which is a mechanism expl ...

Have you ever wondered where people live the longest and healthiest lives on Earth? Look no further than the enchanting islands of Okinawa, Japan. Nestled in the East China Sea, Okinawa has gained international recognition for its high number of centenarians and remarkable longevity. Currently, there are 457 people in Okinawa aged 100 or over, an average of 35 for each 100,000 inhabitants. While Japanese people generally live longer than any other nation, the Okinawa inhabitants reach ages that take by surprise even the other Japanese: an average of 86 for women and 78 for men.

One of the key factors contributing to the longevity of Okinawa's residents is their traditional diet. The Okinawan diet is rich in plant-based foods such as sweet po ...

Japanese farmer, Hiroichi Kimura, has perfected growing the heart-shaped watermelon.

A restaurant in Japan has created a new dish where the squid comes “back to life” and “dances” on your plate. The dish is called Odori don. Basically the dish is a rice bowl topped with a whole fresh squid (minus the head). When soy sauce is poured on the squid, a chemical reaction occurs that causes the squid’s tentacles to squirm around in the bowl, making the squid appear as if it is dancing a jig!

These are all real, and perfectly edible. Baby-shaped pears, heart-shaped watermelons and square apples are hitting supermarkets in China and Japan. But are these fruits just frivolous fun? The answer, for the most part, is yes.

Japan may be short on land, but that's not stopping the country from investing in renewable energy. Two floating solar farms are scheduled to be operational by April 2015, and they'll eventually become part of a 60 megawatt floating solar network.

Burger King in Japan has unveiled a new sandwich: the all black Kuro Burger.

Seahorse and scorpion skewers are sold on the streets of Japan as popular food items. I wonder what they taste like...