A new pair of calorie-burning burning pants is causing a stir with Japanese men and women who want to lose weight.

The Shibuya, Tokyo-based Goldwyn company, maker of the MXP Calorie Shaper Pants, claims that a person wearing it will burn hundreds of calories a week. So, the average 10 stone man who walks 90 minutes a day while wearing the underpants can lose 210 kilocalories weekly, which is the equivalent of half a liter of beer, said a report from The Telegraph.

The key technology that gives the underwear its calorie-burning prowess is a resin that is printed on the fabric and prevents it from stretching. It is made of non-elastic material, which makes muscles work extra hard while going through the motions of walking, running, or climbing stairs.

Experts from Goldwyn say that the extra burden imposed on muscles as it moves against the resin forces the muscles to burn calories more than if it were moving against regular clothing. "The extra muscle strength required to balance the tension in the resin during normal walking activities results in effortless loss of weight," said a spokesman for Goldwin.

Goldwyn also describes this wonder garment as a "pair of pants for everyday life," particularly for businessmen and women between the ages of 35 and 45, said a Daily Telegraph report.

"The Calorie Shaper Pant technology focuses on the hipline which is the area used by people when walking and climbing stairs. The material here is non-expandable which means they must use their muscles more. Calorie burning clothing and footwear are becoming increasingly popular in Japan," the Goldwyn spokesman added.

The pants is also said to have deodorizing particles. It "absorbs the body odor of middle-aged and elderly men," said the Goldwyn company. This is found to be very useful, especially during the summer months.

The only negative thing said about the product is its limited availability for slightly smaller women.

The magic pants are on sale in Japan. A pair will cost one £23.52 (Y2,940).

Japan's Weight Loss Campaign

The launch of products like MXP Calorie Shaper Pants may just be in tune with the Japanese government's campaign for losing weight.

According to a New York Times report, published in 2008, the campaign began when the Japanese Health Ministry raised alarm on a new condition observed in the Japanese population - metabolic syndrome. Shortened to "metabo," which came to mean "overweight," the condition involved several factors that increased the risk of developing diabetes and vascular disease. These factors included high blood pressure, abdominal obesity, cholesterol, and high levels of blood glucose.

The Japanese government enacted a law that required companies and the local government to measure the waistlines of Japanese people between the ages of 40 and 74 as part of their annual checkups. These people comprise 44 percent of the entire population.

Men and women who are found to exceed government limits - 33.5 inches for men and 35.4 inches for women - and have weight-related ailments, will be given dieting guidance, if they are unable to lose weight after three months. They could also be given further health education after six months.

The government imposes financial penalties on companies and local governments that fall short of meeting the targets. The country's Ministry of Health argues that the campaign will help prevent the development of diseases, such as stroke ad diabetes.