HISTORY OF ALKALINE IONIZED WATER (ELECTROLYZED REDUCED WATER) IN JAPAN
A Comprehensive History of Electrolyzed Reduced Water (Alkaline Ionized Water) in Japan The story of electrolyzed reduced water, also known as alkaline ionized water, spans nearly a century. From early scientific curiosity and grassroots enthusiasm to medical recognition and consumer products, Japan’s journey with ionized water is both compelling and scientifically grounded. Fujiiryoki’s pioneering 1989 home-use ionizer brought this technology from niche clinics into households — a turning point we explore here in context with the broader scientific advances tracked by the Association of Alkaline Ionized Water Apparatus (3AAA) . Early Beginnings: Showa Era Experiments (1930s–1950s) · Circa 1930: Enthusiasts began to believe in the curative potential of “electrolyzed water.” · 1952–1954: Michisue Suwa, a researcher with Synnohl Electric Machinery, developed the first electrolysis equipment — then called “Synnohl liquid.” Working with Toky...