Thanks to a rise in grain prices, Japanese butter reserves have been nearly depleted. To the London Times, its "reaction to global food shortages will illustrate what happens to a country whose population has far outgrown its farmland's ability to support, whose agricultural population is elderly and disaffected, whose food self-sufficency rates are low, but whose palates have grown accustomed to exotic imports." In other words, it may be a hint of things to come in many other countries. [The Times]

Just 15 years from now, robots could be doing the work of 3.5 million people in Japan. With the country's population shrinking, "Japan faces a 16 percent slide in the size of its workforce by 2030, while the number of elderly will mushroom." The Machine Industry Memorial Foundation, a Japanese think tank, is pushing for robots to take over everything, from helping look after children and general housework, to reading books and giving baths to the elderly. [Reuters]

CNN reports that "male geishas" are the newest trend in Tokyo. These enterprising gentlemen work as "hosts" in clubs where women reportedly pay between "$1,000 to $50,000 a night for male companionship." As with traditional geisha girls, it's unclear whether the majority of these women are simply paying for conversation and entertainment, or for sex. Unlike traditional geisha girls, these guys don't wear elaborate makeup. But they do dye and blow dry their hair daily to "look prettier." [CNN]

Japan has been hit with a wave of cute baby animals, the likes of which the world has rarely seen before. This new video shows the cubs behind this shocking cuteness epidemic: Raja, a 7-week old lion Yokohama Zoo, and a rare litter of newborn baby cheetahs from Tokyo. The cheetahs are cute and all, but Raja seems to have the star power necessary to earn him a place in the Baby Zoo Animal Hall of Fame alongside Flocke and Knut. The clip shows the lion cub squealing, sniffing the camera, and drinking from a baby bottle. For God's sakes people! The wion is dwinking fwum his widdle biddy baby bottle!

I can't even handle all this cuteness. It's melting my brain and turning me into a senseless pile of goo. I'm going to go read about the election for a few minutes until I regain my composure. [via]

Japan has announced that it will launch its first homegrown passenger jet aircraft by the year 2013. The plane, to be built by Mitsubishi Regional Jet (with engines provided by US giant Pratt & Whitney), will seat between 70 and 90 passengers; Japan's Nippon Airlines has already ordered 25 of the jets. China and Russia are likewise developing plans for similar new regional jets, "one of the fastest growing sectors of the aircraft industry." [BBC]

While many people were gorging themselves on Easter candy yesterday, an epic match-up in the world of Japanese sumo wrestling was taking place in Osaka. The Spring Grand Tournament, which has been held in the Japanese city for the last 13 days, featured its tournament finale Sunday. The grudge match, which sold out weeks in advance, featured Asashoryu Akinori and his rival Hakuho Sho. Asashoryu, the winner, is the first Mongolian sumo wrestler ever to reach yokozuna (the highest rank), and is infamous within the sport. He has been suspended on two separate occasions and is known for such breaks of conduct as pulling on a fellow wrestler's mage (top knot), which took place back in 2003. Asashoryu also caused controversy when he was photographed in a suit instead of traditional Japanese dress, and refused to take Japanese citizenship. In other words, Asashoryu is a bona fide badass. In the clip above he's captured in all his glory during the title fight.

Japan has created a bizarre new government post to promote animation. Yesterday, the country named Doraemon, a popular cartoon, the official ambassador of anime. At the celebratory ceremony a life-size Doraemon doll was on hand, as were his favorite dessert: "dorayaki" red bean pancakes. There, Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura told the mascot, "I hope you will travel around the world as an anime ambassador to deepen people's understanding of Japan so they will become friends with Japan." [MSNBC]

Meet the RoboPorter: the lazy man's airport amenity dream-come-true. The latest in machine replacing man, this handy robot that can haul up to 100 pounds to the destination of your choice. Currently housed in Japan's Kitakyushu Airport, RoboPorters are also outfitted with a "virtual assistant" that has a map of the airport and top secret "additional information" (we're rooting for information on flight changes and the closest Cinnabon). Currently, RoboPorters are "only programmed to head off to airport locations for taxis buses and cars, but, as the tests progress the porters will no doubt learn new tricks." [via]

Largely because the author and NPR contributor wanted to quit smoking. “You can’t walk on the street and smoke there,” he told Newsday. “You have to stand by a special ashtray.” Sedaris also responds to charges that he sometimes fabricates stories.

Japan’s agricultural ministry will fight the ‘gastronomic indignities’ of bad sushi, but to the relief of some, surprise raids won’t be part of the plan. Instead, restaurants around the world will be able to request an authenticity test of their menu. “The test would centre on food staples, such as miso soybean paste and rice, cooking techniques and seasoning,” according to a Reuters report. Restaurants that pass the test will get official government recommendation. Japan, as we’ve noted, takes the creeping bastardization of its cuisine seriously.

Related on World Hum:
* Hide the California Rolls! Here Comes Japan’s ‘Sushi Police’
* Update: Japan’s ‘Sushi Police’

Photo by rubyran, via Flickr (Creative Commons)