Canned oxygen sales aim to lift tired Japanese

TOKYO, May 16 (Reuters) Exhausted Japanese workers in need of a pick-me-up will soon be able to get a hit of canned oxygen at their local convenience store.

Seven-Eleven Japan will start marketing the new product, ''O2 Supli,'' at select stores in the Tokyo area later this month and expand sales nationwide in June.

''People are under a lot of stress and can't get much exercise, so they aren't getting enough oxygen,'' said Minoru Matsumoto, a spokesman for Seven&I Holdings Co Ltd, Seven-Eleven's parent company.

''This is especially true of people who do long hours of desk work in front of a computer. They don't breathe that deeply.'' The oxygen will be sold for 600 yen (5.50 dollar) in 3.2-litre spray cans of 95 per cent pure oxygen, each of which comes with a small plastic mask attached to the top.

Users place the mask over their mouth and nose, then push a nozzle, which dispenses the oxygen for two to three seconds.

Each can contains enough oxygen for about 35 doses, in either a grapefruit or peppermint fragrance.

''The peppermint should be really good for mornings when you're tired, or when you're driving, or when you really have to concentrate,'' Matsumoto said.

''The grapefruit should be good before you do sports or while you're working really late.'' People involved in product testing gave favourable reports, Matsumoto said, noting that he had tried it himself.

''Everyone found it extremely refreshing,'' he added.

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