The device known as shoyu-tai (or soy-sauce snapper in Japanese) was invented in 1954 by Teruo Watanabe, the founder of Osaka-based company Asahi Sogyo, according to a report from Japan’s Radio Kansai.

It was then common for glass and ceramic containers to be used but the advent of cheap industrial plastics allowed the creation of a small polyethylene container in the shape of a fish, officially named the “Lunch Charm”.

The invention quickly spread around Japan and eventually worldwide, and it is estimated that billions have been produced.

  • GenosseFlosse@feddit.org
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    11 hours ago

    If corporations would not give people the choice of buying one way plastic containers, then no one would buy them.

    • plyth@feddit.org
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      4 hours ago

      True. Now do we want people to take responsibility for their society or do we want them to get used to rely on somebody else?