Happinet's Taxi walker keeps off the fat

Fat and Japan doesn't really go well together. When you think of japan, you think of slim bodies and petite sizes. However, it seems like Japan doesn't want to end up like the US. I'm pretty sure that will never happen, but better safe than sorry, right? Anyway, it seems that older Japanese men are being affected by obesity. To see that this doesn't become a major problem, the government passed a law that requires companies and local governments to measure the waistlines of their employees aged between 40 and 74 years old. If waistlines for men exceed 83.75 centimeters (33.5 inches) and 88.50 centimeters (35.4 inches) for women, they are said to be suffering from the 'metabolic syndrome' and these firms will be financially penalized. In an effort to stop this from happening and in the interest of the people, Bandai Namco Group's subsidiary Happinet has decided to make money off it. They have come out with 'Taxi Walker' which is a pedometer that acts as a taxi meter with the fare appearing in real market prices. For a two kilometre (1.24 miles) stroll, the base fare would come up as $6.50 and increase by $1 for every additional 280 meters, showing users what they are saving by using their own two legs. Apparently this is going to motivate people to walk.

Let's face it though, if you are going to be fat then you are going to be fat. Things like the Taxi Walker might seem novel at first, but won't work in the long run.

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