medicine

Mr. Yakult: Shirota Minoru, the Microbiologist Behind Japan’s Favorite Health Drink

Learn how tragedy inspired Shirota Minoru, father of popular Japanese drink Yakult, to pursue a career in preventive medicine.

Kyushu’s Samurai Vaccinators: The Fight Against Smallpox in Late Edo Japan

Faced with an epidemic, a forward-thinking group of doctors and samurai leaders launched a successful vaccination campaign in late Edo Japan.

Japan’s New Currency: Who’s On the 2024 Yen Notes?

Japan may be pivoting to a cashless society, but cash is still king - and the figures chosen for its new currency…