Onsen, Warm-hearted Hot Springs - Beppu and Yufuin

Beppu, in Oita Prefecture on the southern island of Kyushu, is one of Japan's most famous onsen hot spring resorts and the Japanese are found of its distinctive townscape filled with steam. In recent years, Beppu has been trying to attract more foreign tourists; the number of overseas visitors has tripled over the past the years. This segment introduces the attractions of Beppu, centered around an American who provides walking tours with an English commentary and a Japanese craftsman who crates beautiful wooden tableware in Yufuin, the attractive neighboring town.

Japan's 50 Years as a UN Member

This segment looks at Japan's history as a member of the United Nations. Ever since it was admitted in 1956, Japan has consistently made appeals to the international community through the UN General Assembly on the need for nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation. Japan's role at the UN has become increasingly important since the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War. For example, the government of Japan played a central role in seeking the peaceful resolution of the international conflict in Cambodia. It has also been engaged in development assistance in various African countries, based on the concept of "human security", and it takes initiative to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. In order to help make the UN more effective in the 21st century, Japan is now seeking permanent membership in the UN Security Council.

Ramen, Japan's Favorite Noodles

This segment introduces the secret of a dish that ordinary Japanese people just cannot resist -"ramen" noodles. Although ramen originated in China, a variety of ideas were added to the basic recipe to produce Japanese original versions. Japanese ramen chefs have crated many ramen variations that incorporate "umami", the subtle soup stock flavor produced from seafood products and fresh vegetables, and added distinctive soup seasonings based on soy sauce, miso, and so on. In the city of Yokohama, not far from Tokyo, there is even an amusement park with ramen as its theme. The irresistible attractions of ramen draw more than 1.3 million visitors to it every year, proving just how much the Japanese love ramen noodles.

The Small Island that Drives on Ethanol

This segment introduces a small island in southern Japan where biomass ethanol is being produced in the most cost-effective way in the world. In Japan, great efforts are being put into measures to protect the global environment and many technological developments have been carried out. One of these, research on mixing ethanol with gasoline, is now underway on Ie Island in Okinawa Prefecture, 1,500 kilometers away from Tokyo. Biomass ethanol is produced from sugar cane on the island. But Japan has only a limited area suitable for growing sugar cane, so in order to make the use of ethanol viable, the research team developed a new type of sugar cane that grows to about double the normal height. The ethanol factory makes full use of Japanese energy-saving technology.