Researchers at Tohoku University have reportedly figured out a way to “multiply the amount of data that can be stored on a DVD or CD by 9.” Apparently, it works by shaping the pits on a DVD’s surface like Vs, essentially allowing you to get more out of the disc. The problem is that existing DVD & CD players won’t recognize the media made in this way, and for some reason the process can’t be applied to Blu-ray Discs. Still pretty cool though.

The Japanese have done a ton of wacky things they should be ashamed of gadget-wise and otherwise. Now they’re getting into politics to sell phones and the result is bizarre. This commercial for Japan’s EMobile cellular company has a monkey dressed up in a suit, at a podium in front of a crowd.

The crowd is holding signs that read “Change.” At the end, the monkey cries a tear, clearly ashamed as he should be. Bad monkey. Their intentions may or may not have been entirely innocent, but we all know that if this aired in America there would be hell to pay.

Those who live in Japan never know when the next big earthquake is going to hit. So the order of the day is to be prepared. Be prepared for the earthquake and if you have pets, be prepared to be a sucker and get them a cat or dog survival suit. It comes with a few essentials and a few items strictly thrown in to get your sucker money.

The items? Water & Biscuits which of course are required for your pet’s survival. Aromatherapy oils…so your pet can be safe from the smell of death in a disaster? Four rubber shoes for their delicate feet…Presumably so Fido won’t hurt his little feet on the rubble everywhere. They even throw in some sealed bags…for some reason. And of course, the flame retardant carrying case with storage pockets.

Sometimes keyboards don’t look all that typical these days. Just looking at this bright-colored flowery thing, I’m half blind and now feel all girlly. Where are my Polly Pocket toys? hmmm. I’d say this is a good alternative for those who don’t like the Optimus keyboard from Art Lebedev, but want something outrageous still.

The Nishi-Ki keyboard will save you a bundle in the process as it retails for $153. Each and every butterfly-lovin’ key is painted in tiny flower scenes, and the whole thing measures just a foot long, so it’s not for those with large hands. It looks like a large tile game.

Japanese homes are on the small side, so chances are you won’t find a dryer with the family washing machine. So what you have are many clotheslines with a TON of laundry all over a given neighborhood. But the Somela Fast Dehydrator offers a solution by being small and acting fast.

The device can dry clothes in just 3-5 minutes and doesn’t use heat, so no worries about damaging delicate items. There is one problem. The device requires manual interaction, like you holding clothes while the device pulls. So prepare to put a few spare hours aside to dry items one-at-a-time. Still, if you don’t mind some old-fashioned labor, get it for just $173.

Bimoji Training isn’t a first person shooter, and Mario doesn’t have a damn thing to do with it. What it will do is teach you how to draw Japanese Calligraphy. It will teach you how to properly draw those neat Kanji and Kana characters. The included stylus even looks like a traditional Japanese lettering brush.

It has an emphasis on taking tests and getting feedback from your virtual teacher, so it might have an educational feel. Still, for anyone who has ever wanted to learn the art of Japanese Calligraphy, this will be right down their alley. You can get one for $39.

This Japanese teahouse resembles a futuristic glowing peanut SPACESHIP with a huge docking bay in front. This inflatable Japanese teahouse is designed by Kengo Kuma, and was created for an exhibit at the Museum für Angewandte Kunst Frankfurt. Inside you’ll find a bunch of LED lights that not only light the place up, but they also serve as an interior heat source.

Normally this type of structure does not make it past the drawing board, but the Japanese have more guts then we do when it comes to architecture. It almost looks like a real living organism. Put a few futuristic fighting samurai outside guarding the door and you have yourself the opening to a cool Sci-Fi flick.