A soft, chewy candy that was linked to choking deaths and pulled from the market in October will be available again in early December in a new formula and with larger warnings on the packaging. Mannan Life Co., stopped production of its Konnyaku Batake brand konnyaku jelly Mini Cup after receiving reports of children and the elderly choking while eating the candy chilled. Similar cases had been reported in 2007.

Following the reports, three industry associations of konnyaku and confectionery manufacturers asked 19 member companies that produce or sell jelly packaged in small cups to take measures to prevent similar accidents. A standard warning label began appearing on the front of the outer packaging of the products in September 2007.
Following the latest choking death in October 2008, the warning effort was expanded by industry associations. Manufacturers of konnyaku jelly mini-cup-size products decided to put larger warnings on the outer packaging, and on each individual cup of the candy. Retailers are being asked not to display the mini-cup-size konnyaku products on shelf space next to children’s sweets.

The revised warning label says: "This product is very elastic. This product poses a choking hazard for the elderly and small children with weak chewing power." The message also says small children and the elderly should "never" eat the candy. Because the gel-like candy is often consumed frozen, an additional warning has been added: "This product gets harder when frozen. Please don’t freeze the jelly pieces."

Mannan reports it has adjusted the ratio of the ingredients in its konnyaku jelly mini cup to lower elasticity. The company also says it was pleased to learn of an online petition campaign urging the company to bring back the product. Mannan says the petition received 32,000 signatures.

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Here in Japan one can work in maid cafes, or butler cafes, participate in cosplay, or be a "freeter" and work some days. One could become a hikikomori and never leave home, or be a NEET with no plan at all.

I discovered another activity: Professional Ring Performer.

PRPs wrestle, act, sing, tell stories and jokes. "Dragon Soldier Law" is a PRP.

Wrestling is the focus of a PRP event, with time set aside for the performer’s other bits. DSL takes his name from his pro wrestling idol, "Dragon Soldier B" (aka Kendo KaShin, aka Tokimitsu Ishizawa who is a Mixed Martial Arts fighter outside Japan, and in Japan is a MMA fighter and a pro wrestler.)

On weekends and holidays, DSL, 34, is usually on the lineup at a Asakusa Fight Club a tiny event room in Asakusa, Tokyo. He has also performed in Osaka and Nagoya. Male and female PRPs might compete against each other. Matches last 30 minutes maximum and are declared a draw if no one has lost sooner. Dragon might fight 10 wrestlers in 2 hours. Tickets cost JPY 2000. DSL receives less than JPY 10000 per event.

Weekdays, DSL is a company employee – he asked me not to mention his real name or the name of his employer, although his coworkers know about his weekend activities. He endures his injuries quietly. His worst injury so far has been a fractured heel. That happened when he jumped from the top rope onto Mini Cat and they landed on the floor outside the ring. DSL has also wrestled Wolf Star and Baka To-No. DSL lost a match to Yuiga, a female wrestler.

Driving with his wife on vacation in September 2005, Dragon blurted out suddenly "I’m going to be a wrestler November twenty-third." "That’s a good idea," his wife replied. After the vacation, DSL went to a health club for the first time, and took an aerobics class. DSL, a fan of American and Japanese pro wrestling since high school, wrestles because he enjoys hearing the cheers of the fans.

Dragon is a Kanagawa-ken native, and lives in my Tokyo neighborhood. He is married to Moriko Minamino a film reviewer for some Japan-based websites. Moriko attends Dragon’s shows twice a year. Asked what she thinks when she sees blood on her husband she said "I like blood".

DSL vs. "Mercurious Toroiment 3".DSL goods DSL Wiki   DSL photo timeline