If you¡¯re looking for a bra in Japan that doesn¡¯t have enough metal to act as a cellphone antenna, enough ribbons and lace to swathe a bordello and enough padding to stop a bullet, until now, your best bet has been the underwear rack in the exercise wear section.

This summer, there are a few alternatives, and women seem to be responding positively. Uniqlo has made one of its famously interactive, graphics-heavy Web sites to spread the word about its . They even have a line of with the subtle, built-in support. Last week, Wacoal announced online-only sales of a minimizer bra and, within days, had to tell would-be customers that they were and not expecting new stock until July.

In a departure from the usual piles of padding that come in the form of foam, air pockets, gel packs, water cells and some space-agey ¡°marshmallow¡± concoction, these new undies are designed to make the chest look ¡°compact.¡± This seems to go along with some of the less-fussy fashions coming out as the temperature rises, especially the wispy maxi-dresses that? favor slighter figures.

The bras are made for cup sizes D, E, F and G. (Simmer down, fellas. That translates to U.S. sizes A, B, C, and D.) The underwire bras still look as architectural as Tokyo Tower and as sweetly decorated as a birthday cake, .

about a wistful young woman whose cat returns home after she does a good deed (and dons a new bra) on Wacoal¡¯s Web site hints at the change, albeit a bit obscurely, with the tag line ¡°Small happinesses are the cutest.¡±

Wacoal is reported to have released this bra for the 10.7% of people, dubbed by the company as ¡°the minimizers,¡± who agreed with the questionnaire statement ¡°I don¡¯t want to force ¡®em up against their will.¡± ?For the other 89%, there¡¯s no shortage of uplifting,