Makoto Ishitoko strutted, pirouetted and posed in a room surrounded by mirrors. "My wife says it's not embarrassing any more to walk together," the 41-year-old office worker said proudly after taking a walking lesson with a group of other men and women... Ishitoko is one of a growing number of Japanese men investing time and money to improve their appearance. For them, applying facial lotion and wearing nice clothes just aren't enough. Many are trying things once the preserve of women. Manicures, spa treatments and even underwear that enhances the body shape are gaining popularity. "It's a new era, and Japanese men are pursuing a new kind of manliness," said Yumi Komura, representative director of Sparklers, the firm that offers the walking class as part of a workshop called Total Men's Revolution... In February Triumph International Japan launched a men's girdle to flatter hips. The product, aimed at fashion-conscious men in their 30s and 40s, has been flying off the shelf, a company spokeswoman said...more...