"Cool in an Instant"... Japanese Refrigerator Selling Like Hotcakes Amid Heatwave

A special refrigerator from Sharp draws attention at the Heat Countermeasure Expo in Tokyo
Supercooled PET bottle drinks easily turn into ice slurry
Ice slurry helps prevent heatstroke and is gaining popularity in Japan

As extreme heatwaves with temperatures nearing 40 degrees Celsius continue across Japan, the sherbet-style beverage known as "ice slurry" and the special refrigerators that make it easily are attracting attention.

As the heatwave continues in Japan, an ice slurry refrigerator that can easily freeze beverages is gaining attention. Japanese company Sharp website

According to the Mainichi Shimbun on July 31, at the "Heat Countermeasure Expo" held the previous day in Koto Ward, Tokyo, which introduced products and technologies to combat the heat, a special refrigerator from the Japanese electronics manufacturer Sharp drew significant interest.

According to Sharp, this refrigerator allows PET bottle beverages to be supercooled, making it easy to produce ice slurry. Supercooling refers to a state in which a liquid remains in its original form even below its freezing point without turning into ice. Because this state is highly unstable, even a slight shock can rapidly turn the liquid into ice. The slushy soju that was once popular in Korea also utilizes this supercooling phenomenon.

Ice slurry is a beverage that mixes fine ice particles with liquid, allowing the body to efficiently cool down from the inside by consuming both water and ice simultaneously. It is also useful as a "pre-cooling" method to prevent heatstroke by lowering body temperature before exercise or work.

Sharp began renting out corporate-use ice slurry refrigerators in May. Since heatstroke prevention in workplaces became mandatory in June, there have been many inquiries from construction companies, factories, and schools. A Sharp representative told the media, "Our goal is to have 3,000 companies adopt this by 2027."

Ice slurry products have recently gained attention in Japan as a countermeasure against heatstroke. Taisho Pharmaceutical launched "Lipovitan Ice Slurry" in April, and a representative stated, "Inquiries from companies have surged, so we have tripled production since last year and are considering further increases."

Otsuka Pharmaceutical, which has been selling "Pocari Sweat Ice Slurry" since 2018, also reported that sales of this product have increased due to the recent heatwave. Since June, this beverage has also been used to prevent heatstroke among on-site staff at the Osaka-Kansai Expo.