This study investigated the impacts of two different health claim regulatory systems, FoSHU (Foods for Specified Health Uses) and FFC (Foods with Function Claims) systems, in Japan on consumer evaluations of food products in terms of healthfulness. The FoSHU system was introduced in 1991 as an individual product approval system to allow product-specific health claims, while the FFC system was introduced lately in 2015 as a notification system like NLEA (Nutrition Labeling and Education Act) in the US. The latter system seems advantageous over the former in terms of shortening the product development period. However, the FoSHU system awards brand with a symbolic logo designed for FoSHU foods, whereas the FFC system does not. Which system leads to higher consumers’ healthfulness perceptions? The results of ANOVA showed that, if the health functions of the food product are not attributed to the product category, but to a specific food product brand, health claims have a strong impact on healthfulness. In contrast, if the health functions are attributed to the entire product category, health claims do not have a strong impact on healthfulness perception. In the latter cases, the FoSHU symbolic logo helps consumers to identify functional foods. Thus, in this study, it is suggested that, in Japan, the new US style health claim regulatory system is affective in the limited product categories. Public policy makers should recognize the important role of the symbolic logo for the previous system and consider introducing another logo to the new system.

The Hiroshima Astrophysical Science Center (HASC) was founded in 2004 at Hiroshima University, Japan. The main mission of this institute is the observational study of various transient objects includ- ing gamma-ray bursts, supernovae, novae, cataclysmic variables, and active galactic nuclei by means of multi-wavelength observations. HASC consists of three divisions; the optical-infrared astronomy divi- sion, high-energy astronomy division, and theoretical astronomy division. HASC is operating the 1.5m optical-infrared telescope Kanata, which is dedicated to follow-up and monitoring observations of transient objects. The high-energy division is the key operation center for the Fermi gamma-ray space telescope. HASC and the high-energy astronomy group in the department of physical science at Hiroshima University are closely collaborating with each other to promote multi-wavelength time-domain astronomy. We report the recent activities of HASC and some science topics pursued by this multi-wavelength collaboration.

Informative messages on product packages—especially on packages of food products—should be credible. Otherwise, the firm might experience a serious fall in brand equity. However, because nutrition intake and health promotion are “credence attributes”, it isdifficult for consumers to evaluate them. Moreover, if nutrition message or health claims were false or puffery, consumers might suffer a serious health damage. Regarding the problems, in 1991, Japanese Government took the initiative in the world by introducing the FoSHU (Foods for Specified Health Uses) system—a license system in which the government tries to control all health claims on packages of food products launched in the country. It should be noted that there are two factors which can be appeared on packages only with the permission of Japanese Government. One is health claims, of course, and the other is the “FoSHU seal”—a symbolic mark designed for FoSHU foods. Interestingly, these two licensed factors may have different effects on perceived product value in health. In this research, we conducted two studies to examine the difference of the effects on product value in health. The results showed that consumer evaluations of food products are affected by the FoSHU seal. The FoSHU seal has a strong signaling effects on evaluations of the particular food products for specified health uses. On the other hand, unlike the FoSHU seal, approved health claims themselves have no main effects on evaluations of the FoSHU products. This implies that health claims have positive external effects on evaluations of non-FoSHU products in the same category. The results showed that the external effects can be inhabited by product differentiation through the FoSHU seal and./or packaging.

Preference Reversal and Discounting Everyone has experienced “procrastination”, for example, in the context of diet, quitting smoking, doing homework, etc. Despite a desirable goal in the long term perspective, people often divert their course for a minor gain of immediate future. “Marriage blue” is a typical example of such preference reversal along a temporal dimension. Wedding seems so desirable when it is planned. But as the wedding date approaches, one starts to focus minor issues in reality and becomes hesitant to get married. Such preference reversal along a time dimension has been considered as irrational behavior, and is often referred to as present bias or time inconsistency. Fields of Behavioral Economics and Behavioral Decision Theory try to explain the phenomenon using “discounting” along a time axis. Previous research has shown three well-known properties of “discounting over time”. (1) Invalidity of exponential discounting A discount rate is not constant, but decreases rapidly at first and later more gradually. (2) Amount effect A discount rate is larger for a small amount of money than for a large amount. (3) Sign effect A discount rate is larger for gain than for loss. The first property is used to explain “procrastination”. Exponential discounting, which assumes a constant discount rate over time, cannot explain the phenomenon because two utility curves, one for a large gain in further future and the other for a small gain in near future, never cross each other over time. On the other hand, hyperbolic discounting, with a declining discount rate over time, permits the crossing, thereby explaining “procrastination”. How about “marriage blue”? Unfortunately, neither exponential nor hyperbolic discounting can explain this phenomenon. By interpreting the initial desirability as gain and the minor issues as loss, the sign effect cannot explain the reversal, either. Perhaps more complicated discounting models are necessary. However, there exist many criticisms and complications for introducing complex discounting models. Construal level theory (CLT) with a minor twist can explain “marriage blue” in a simple manner, as will be shown. What is Construal Level Theory (CLT) ? CLT, which has been receiving increasing attention in Social Psychology and Consumer Behavior Studies, posits that people’s evaluation toward items and incidents differs by the psychological distance between oneself and the object. When the distance is close, people mentally construe the object in terms of low-level, detailed, and contextualized features. In contrast, when the distance is far, they construe the same object in terms of high-level, abstract, and stable characteristics. Such difference in mental construal leads to different evaluation and behavior, and thus preference reversal. Fiedler (2007) discusses different types of psychological distances, including temporal, spatial, social, certainty-related, informational, experiential, affective, and perspective distances. Using these general notions of “distance”, CLT becomes a powerful tool to explain various preference changes. Along social distance, choice of souvenir can differ whether it is for a work supervisor or for a family member. Along spatial distance, excitement toward bungee jump in the birth country of New Zealand when leaving airport in Tokyo can change to uneasiness when arriving at Oakland airport. Along experiential distance, an advanced medical treatment, which seems attractive from an outsider’s viewpoint, can change to anxiety for risk and side effect when you are the one to receive. Because “discounting” is used to explain preference reversal with varying time distance, it is rather natural to introduce this idea into CLT with appropriate adaptation. First, discounting applies not only to time distance but also to psychological distance in general. Then, the second property, “the difference in discount rates between low versus high amount of money” shall be translated to “the difference in discount rates between low versus high construal levels”. This conceptualization, which I refer to as GCLT, can explain “marriage blue” in a straightforward manner, when the high and low construal levels of wedding are interpreted, respectively, as the initial motive and the detail issues. Generalized Construal Level Theory (GCLT) Let us summarize the three propositions of the generalized construal level (GCLT). (1) [Generalization of distance] “Discounting” applies to psychological distances including time. (2) [Amount effect] Discount rate varies depending on the construal level: the higher the construal level, the smaller the discount rate. (3) [Sign effect] Discount rate is smaller for loss than for gain. The relationship between GCLT and CLT are as follows. 1) GCLT models the consequences of CLT using the idea of discounting. It does not mean GCLT can explain what CLT cannot. 2) GCLT introduces the notion of gain and loss into CLT. 3) While CLT usually discretizes the construal level (high vs. low), GCLT regards the construal level as continuous by nature. By modeling the input and output of CLT, GCLT bypasses the complicated and arguably controversial inner mechanism/process of human perception. GCLT can predict preference and behavior shift more easily as distance varies. There is no need to specify the functional form of discounting, such as exponential or hyperbolic. When the distance is limited to time and the construal level is limited to monetary amount, GCLT becomes consistent with the ordinary “discounting” of BDT, as it should. Empirical Studies The survey asks participants to choose one of two lotteries with the same expected return: one with a higher prize amount and the other with a higher winning probability. The reason for selecting a lottery is that attributes resulting in high and low construal levels are clearly defined and same for everyone. Previous research found that, in lottery choices, prize amount and winning probability lead to high and low construal levels, respectively. In other context, it is often ambiguous what attributes result in high and low construals. Moreover, such attributes can differ by people. We investigate how lottery choice changes when the psychological distance with the subject varies. We manipulate time distance through a lottery whose outcome is announced either tomorrow (short) or one month later (longer). We manipulate social distance through a lottery which is purchased either for yourself (short) or for a prize in a party at work (long). Proposition 1 The survey asks a respondent to choose either Lottery A or B, both of which have the same expected winning outcome of 1,000 yen. A half of the sample are asked to consider two cases of time distance (tomorrow and one month later), and the other half are asked to consider two cases of social distance (for yourself and for a prize in a party at work). The design is a within-sample study. The paired McNemar test is conducted to statistically check whether the proportion of respondents valuing prize amount (high construal) over winning probability (low construal) varies by distance. The result confirms the prediction by CLT, in which, for both time and social distances, respondents’ construal levels are higher when the distance is far and vice versa. Proposition 2 A respondent is asked to choose either Lottery A or B when Lottery R, an originally intended for purchase, is unavailable. Both Lotteries A and B have the same gain or loss in expected outcome of 1,000 yen. The difference is whether the gain or loss is due to the change in the prize amount or the winning probability. A half of the sample are asked to respond to two cases of time distance (tomorrow and one month later), and the other half are asked to respond to two cases of social distance (for yourself and for a prize in a party at work). Again, the design is a within-sample study. The paired McNemar test is conducted to statistically check whether the proportion of respondents valuing prize amount (high construal) over winning probability (low construal) varies by distance. The result shows that, for social distance, the respondents’ construal levels are higher when the distance is far and vice versa, under both gain and loss. It implies higher discount rate for a low construal level. For time distance manipulation, however, changing distance did not result in the construal level change under either gain or loss. Proposition 3 A respondent is asked to choose either Lottery A or B with the same expected winning outcome when the distance is far. The survey then asks whether she would switch from her initial choice when the distance becomes close. Switch from Lottery A to B trades off the loss in prize amount over the gain in winning probability. Likewise, switch from B to A trades off the gain in prize amount over the loss in winning probability. According to GCLT, switch is likely to occur from A to B but not in the other direction. This is because discounting of a high construal level (prize amount) in loss is small whereas discounting of a low construal level (winning probability) in gain is large, the net of the loss and the gain is likely to result in sign reversal as the distance becomes close. The chi-square test is conducted to statistically check whether the proportions of respondents switching from A and from B are the same. The result shows that, for both time and social distances, there are more switches from A to B than from B to A as the distance becomes close, thereby supporting Proposition 3. Conclusions Using two samples, students and web users, the survey study largely supports the three propositions of GCLT. The only exception is the amount effect in time distance. Our study could not confirm it using neither students nor web users.

As a solution for the utilization of abandoned arable land, Japanese lawngrass (JL) can be used for grazing. To utilize JL for "integrated grazing system for scattered small pasture", the management practices for rotational grazing on JL pasture have to be investigated in detail. We investigated the number of ears in the two pastures with sward height of 5 ㎝ (LS pasture) and 10 ㎝ (HS pasture) at the end of each rotational grazing period. The number of ears at the start of the first grazing of the year at May in LS pasture was more than that in HS pasture. It was suggested that low sward height relate to the decrease in the reserved nutrients for floral differentiation and ear emergence, because the number of ears at the start of the first grazing of the year was affected by the reserved nutrients in the previous year. The number of ears at the start of the second grazing at July in HS pasture was more than that in LS pasture significantly and the ears observed at the start of the second grazing might have emerged after the first grazing. These suggest that the number of young panicles which was not eaten by cattle was more in HS pasture than LS pasture. For the establishment of JL pasture, high sward height in spring might enable us to enlarge JL coverage. In the established pasture, low sward height might enable us to suppress the nutrients and energy consumption by earing.

This paper investigates the characteristic of single-layered and multi-layered compacts made by selective laser sintering using titanium powder (TILOP45 and TILOP150, Sumitomo Titanium Corp.) There were few defects in smooth surface of laser sintered specimen in vacuum as compared to the laser sintered specimen in argon. Maximum tensile strength of singlelayered compact was about 200MPa. Multi-layered compacts show the density of around 75% and the adhesive bonding was not observed between layers, resulted in 70MPa of maximum bending strength and 50MPa of maximum tensile strength.

The spherical and high quality Titanium fine powder "Tilop" has been produced with gas atomization furnace, Sumitomo Titanium Corporation originally designed. Recently, a new process which can produce Ti-alloy(Ti-6Al-4V) powders by utilizing our gas atomization process, of which raw material is sponge titanium pre-mixed with alloy chips or granules has been also developed. The particle size of gas atomized Ti-alloy powder and the mechanical properties of sintered Ti-alloy compacts prepared by metal injection molding were discussed in this study.

We had the first committee meeting of the East Asia VLBI Consortium during the EAMA6 meeting held in Seoul. A VLBI network composed of telescopes in the East Asia region could provide extreme properties, and the coordination of them has been expected. The Committee of the East Asia VLBI Consortium is a standing committee to promote activities of the consortium, in which participating countries at present are China, Japan, and Korea over eight institutes/observatories. Here we introduce the Consortium and Committee.

The inverse Compton scattering of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation with electrons in the intracluster medium which has a temperature gradient, was examined by the third-order perturbation theory of the Compton scattering. A new type of the spectrum distortion of the CMB was found and named as gradient T Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect (gradT SZE). The spectrum has an universal shape. There is a zero distortion point, the cross over frequency, at 326GHz. When the hotter region locates closer to an observer, the intensity becomes brighter than the CMB in the frequency region lower than the cross over frequency and fainter than the CMB in the frequency region higher than the cross over frequency. When the cooler region locates closer to an observer, the distorted part of the spectrum has an opposite sign to the above case. The amplitude of the spectrum distortion does not de-pend on the electron density and depends on the heat conductivity and the total temperature variation along a line of sight. Therefore, the gradT SZE provides an unique opportunity to measure thermally nonequilibrium electron momentum distribution function in the ICM and combined with the X-ray measurements of the electron temperature distribution provides an opportunity of direct measurement of the heat conductivity in the ICM.

The VLBI Space Observatory Program (VSOP) is a worldwide project of one radio telescope in space with many ground radio telescopes. The concerted space VLBI network enables us to reveal high resolution and high quality images of radio sources. The space radio telescope is anticipated to be launched in January/February 1997, and collaborative observations have been coordinated. The basic parameters of the system and present status are given.