As the hot weather kicks in, males in Japan are likely to find a definite improvement in the scenery. Weekly Playboy (June 1) reports that the number of women choosing to go braless in the warm weather has been soaring.

Note we said "braless" -- not topless. Moreover, it's not as if more ladies are risking Cooper's droop by going entirely without support. But from last year, camisoles and tank-tops with built-in cups, such as the "Bratop" from Uniqlo, have sold by the millions, indicating that more women are likely to be prancing around town in such garments this summer.

Uniqlo's Bratop models, whose prices begin from 1,500 yen for the camisole and tank-top varieties, incorporate cups of molded mesh material designed to wick off perspiration. Their shoulder straps are also adjustable. This summer's new designs were modeled by actress Chiaki Kuriyama at a press conference last week.

One starlet enthusiastic for the Bratops is zoftig pinup model Yuri Morishita, who boasts a 90-cm G-cup.

"I wish all my clothes felt this good," the 24-year-old model beams. "I've always had problems finding a bra that fit me well, to the point the I didn't want to wear one. "But these new types with built-in cups give no feeling of constriction. That's because since they consist only of pads, my bosom can move about freely."

She thereupon demonstrates her point to Weekly Playboy's reporter by thrusting her arms out in front of her body to emphasize her impressive cleavage.

Some males, however, might regard the Bratop as a step in the wrong direction.

"Garments like Bratop may enable women's breasts to protrude nicely, and also have the advantage of allowing bounce as the wearer walks," observes Tetsuya Mori, who operates FOB, a website for fans of "kyonyu," as massive mammaries are referred to in Japanese.

"But actually when and if things get to the point of making love, it means one less item to peel off; so I guess men who have a fetish for women's underthings aren't going to like them so much," Mori says, complaining that the garments with built-in cups are not that revealing.

"It's no exaggeration to say some men will feel like they're losing out on half of the pleasures in life!" he exclaims.

"Well, women's chests perspire a lot and in the steamy summer heat, mine become smaller, to the point that I have to go down one size," Morishita retorts. "The Bratop allows good ventilation and prevents subcutaneous fat cells from burning off, so I won't need to change to a smaller size."

Weekly Playboy's reporter's response is to nod enthusiastically. Or perhaps his neck movements are merely moving along in synch, karaoke-style, with Morishita's bouncing balls.

© Japan Today