GDACS EMM News Feed

Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Fact Sheet #14

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 01:59:00 +0200

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Dounreay donations for Fukushima

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 01:58:00 +0200

Radiation survey kits and protective clothing including masks and suits from Dounreay are to be sent to Japan.

Timeline: A Nuclear Crisis Unfolds In Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 01:42:00 +0200

A timeline of the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant, which has leaked radiation since it was damaged by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Northcom Chief Stresses Disaster Preparedness

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 01:40:00 +0200

The US must do more to prepare for natural disasters on the scale of the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Japan Radiation Fears Leave Bodies Unclaimed

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 01:40:00 +0200

Radiation Fears Leave 1,000 Bodies Unclaimed Near Japan Plant VOA News March 31, 2011 Authorities in Japan say they are unable to collect up to 1,000 dead bodies lying within 20-kilometers of the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant because of fears the corpses are too contaminated with radiation.

Top in Category › JAL to temporarily reduce int'l capacity

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 01:39:00 +0200

The JAL Group will reduce capacity on a portion of its international routes by decreasing flight frequency and switching to smaller aircraft between April 6…

Travel › Grand Prince Hotel Akasaka ends 55-year history

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 01:39:00 +0200

The Grand Prince Hotel Akasaka in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on Thursday ended its 55-year history, after attracting attention as a site for politicians' meetings and…

US Stocks: Dow has best start to the year in 12 years

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 01:36:00 +0200

NEW YORK: The Dow Jones industrial average closed its best start to the year since 1999 Thursday, rising 6.4 percent in the first three months.

Buoyant Q2 M'sia market seen

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 01:36:00 +0200

PETALING JAYA: Local equities market could steam ahead in the second quarter, underpinned by corporate earnings growth, excitement from the Sarawak state election and positive news flow domestically on the award of key infrastructure projects.

UN warns Japan to widen evacuation zone

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 01:33:00 +0200

THE United Nations nuclear watchdog has urged Japan to expand the 12-mile evacuation zone around the stricken Fukushima plant. Radiation has hit 4,000 times legal limits in t

Honda, Mazda to resume some production

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 01:28:00 +0200

31 Mar 2011 21:51 Source: reuters // Reuters * Honda partially restarts production for overseas parts * Mazda: limited vehicle output on April 4 at two plants * Timeline for restart of full-scale production not set (Adds Toyota price rise for vehicles sold in the U.S.

France Calls for Global Nuclear Safety Standards

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 01:09:00 +0200

French President Nicolas Sarkozy is calling for new international nuclear safety standards, warning radiation leaks at Japan's Fukushima Power Plant could affect the entire world. Sarkozy is calling for nuclear officials from the G20 group of industrialized countries to discuss the issue during a May meeting.

Gravity's impact on Earth

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 01:00:00 +0200

Scientists believe images from space could reveal important details about gravity's impact on Earth.

Japan thanks Rescue SA

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 00:52:00 +0200

Japan has thanked Rescue South Africa for its support after the earthquake and tsunami which devastated the country.

Dow has best start to the year since 1999

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 00:47:00 +0200

THE Dow Jones industrial average closed its best start to the year since 1999 today, rising 6.4 per cent in the first three months.

Lifesaving titles to honour Saxon Bird

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 00:43:00 +0200

Australia's surf lifesaving community is converging on Queensland's Gold Coast for this year's national titles, where a young ironman died in wild surf just 12 months ago.

French seek to drop probe into Chernobyl fallout

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 00:39:00 +0200

By PIERRE-ANTOINE SOUCHARDASSOCIATED PRESS PARIS -- A French prosecutor wants to drop a decade-long investigation into the fallout in France from the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident, citing lack ...

Shimizu S-Pulse to play quake charity match in Netherlands

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 00:39:00 +0200

TOKYO - Shimizu S-Pulse are planning to play a charity match in Amsterdam on April 13 against Dutch club Ajax to help the victims of the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan, soccer sources ...

Ishikawa to give 2011 earnings to Japan victims

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 00:39:00 +0200

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Ryo Ishikawa first made people take notice because of his golf. He won his first Japan Golf Tour event as a 15-year-old amateur, won the money title at 17 and last year became ...

Japan turns to France, U.S. for help on nuclear crisis

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 00:34:00 +0200

Plant operator says it doesn’t believe any drinking water was affected by high contamination

Japanese firms in PH say disaster to have an impact

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 00:21:00 +0200

MANILA, Philippines - Many Japanese firms in the Philippines are now feeling the impact of the earthquake and tsunami that hit their home country earlier this month.

Honda, Mazda to resume some production

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 00:19:00 +0200

Honda Motor Co <7267.T> and Mazda Motor Corp <7261.T> on Thursday became the latest major automakers to say they would resume some production in Japan after halting plant operations following the earthquake and tsunami of March 11.

Nuclear plant must be decommissioned: Kan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 00:15:00 +0200

TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said yesterday that the entire Fukushima nuclear plant must be decommissioned, Kyodo News reported. Mr Kan made the remarks during a meeting with the Japanese Communist Party chief Kazuo Shii. The...

You are not alone, Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 00:15:00 +0200

Youths are banding together to perform at a concert to raise at least S$100,000 for the survivors of the Japan earthquake and tsunami. Titled "You Are Not Alone" (Anatawa Hitorijanai), the concert will be held from 5pm to 10pm on April 16 at...

Politics › Japan tells G-20 it will try to minimize quake effect on production

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 00:09:00 +0200

Japan told its Group of 20 peers Thursday that it is trying to minimize the effect of disruption in production in the wake of the…

Politics › LDP, in policy shift, considering grand coalition gov't with Kan's DPJ

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 00:09:00 +0200

The largest opposition Liberal Democratic Party in a policy shift is considering an idea sounded out by Prime Minister Naoto Kan's ruling Democratic Party of…

Energy Secretary Says Reactor Core Was Severely Damaged

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 23:18:00 +0200

Energy Secretary Steven Chu said Friday that roughly 70 percent of the core of one reactor at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan had suffered severe damage.

Dog rescued at sea 3 weeks after Japan quake

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 23:16:00 +0200

One more survivor in Japan has been rescued. The Japanese coast guard on Friday rescued a dog floating in the debris off the coast of Kesennuma, northern Japan. It's unclear if the canine, which was scrambling on the roof of a house that had been washed away, had been at sea for the entire three weeks since the devastating earthquake and tsunami.

Japan PM to visit nuclear disaster zone

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 22:59:00 +0200

Japan's prime minister was headed on Saturday to the disaster zone where workers are braving radiation from a crippled nuclear plant to battle the world's worst atomic crisis since Chernobyl.

Japan search for bodies nears final phase

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 22:52:00 +0200

Japanese officials are reviewing suspiciously high radiation measurements around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, while the U.S. military has been called in to help with a final intensive search for bodies after the tsunami and earthquake.

Japan PM visits disaster zone, nuclear crisis drags

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 22:46:00 +0200

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s prime minister was headed to the nuclear disaster zone on Saturday where workers are braving radiation from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi plant to battle the world’s worst atomic crisis since Chernobyl. Naoto Kan was due to visit a sports camp turned into a base for....

Japan PM to visit nuclear disaster zone

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 22:39:00 +0200

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's prime minister was headed on Saturday to the disaster zone where workers are braving radiation from a crippled nuclear plant to battle the world's worst atomic crisis since Chernobyl.

Japan PM to visit nuclear disaster zone

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 22:39:00 +0200

Giant pumps rushed from US to Japan to cool reactors

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 22:33:00 +0200

WASHINGTON - Two of the world's largest cement boom pumps are being rushed to Japan to help cool reactors at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, the company that makes the equipment said Friday.

Fukushima situation remains very serious: IAEA chief

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 22:33:00 +0200

NAIROBI - The situation at Japan's stricken Fukushima nuclear plant remains very serious, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Yukiya Amano, said here on Friday.

Japan PM to visit nuclear disaster zone

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 22:31:00 +0200

01 Apr 2011 20:08 Source: reuters // Reuters * Under-pressure leader to encourage workers, victims * Nuclear crisis enters fourth week, no quick solution * Plant operator TEPCO's shares plunge * S&P cuts TEPCO long-term rating by three notches * Victims still struggle, but dog rescue brings some....

Minor radiation spreads from Japan as UN chief urges stronger nuclear safeguards

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 22:27:00 +0200

Radioactive material from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan is gradually spreading into the global atmosphere, but at extremely low concentrations that do not present health hazards, the United Nations reported today, as Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for "solid" safeguards for nuclear safety.

Groundwater contamination detected

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 21:46:00 +0200

TOKYO, April 1 (UPI) -- The crisis at Japan's disabled Fukushima nuclear plant assumed another dimension Friday with detection of groundwater contamination near a reactor.

Radiation levels drop in Japan 20:13 IAEA says although levels are dropping by the day situation at plant remains very serious

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 21:46:00 +0200

Radiation measured at a village 40km from Japan's crippled nuclear plant is falling by the day, the UN atomic agency said today, two days after warning the level exceeded a criterion for evacuation. Wednesday's statement by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had added to pressure on....

US, Japanese Forces Search for Missing Tsunami Victims

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 21:39:00 +0200

Thousands of Japanese and American military personnel joined in a final three-day sweep to search for those still missing.

Japan Nuclear Plant Leaks Radiation Into Groundwater

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 21:39:00 +0200

Radiation exceeding government safety limits has seeped into groundwater under Japan's tsunami-crippled nuclear plant.

Entertainment › Philippine artists hold benefit concert for Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 21:39:00 +0200

More than two dozen Philippine singers joined for a benefit concert Friday for the victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, saying…

Japanese, U.S. military search for tsunami victims

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 21:36:00 +0200

Search operation may be last chance to find those still missing; safety officials question accuracy of radiation measurements

Dog saved from floating home 3 weeks after tsunami

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 21:16:00 +0200

A dog that survived in a house swept away to sea three weeks ago by the devastating Japan tsunami was saved on Friday by a coast guard rescue team flying over an island of debris.

Japanese, US troops look for dead

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 21:11:00 +0200

JAPANESE and US military ships and helicopters are in a massive operation on Japan's tsunami-ravaged coast.

AmeriCares Airlifting Medical Aid to Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 21:10:00 +0200

STAMFORD, Conn. April 1, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AmeriCares is airlifting medical aid to help survivors still suffering from the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan . The shipment of medicines, medical supplies and personal hygiene products valued at more than $525,000 leaves....

Manufacturing growth slows slightly in March

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 21:03:00 +0200

WASHINGTON (AP) — Manufacturing activity cooled off a bit last month after expanding in February at the fastest pace in nearly seven years. The Institute for Supply Management said Friday that the sector grew for the 20th straight month. The trade group's index of manufacturing activity dipped to 61.

cannedwater4kids inc. helps desperate Japanese father

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 20:52:00 +0200

While Japanese resident Kuniaki Suzuki lives 150 miles from the epicenter of the March 11th earthquake, leaving him relatively unaffected by most of the destruction, his post-earthquake Twitter post led him to CannedWater4kids. “One day after ...

Japan to convene rebuilding council as massive search for bodies is mounted

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 20:44:00 +0200

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Friday he would convene a national council on rebuilding within 10 days as U.S. and Japanese forces launched a massive effort to locate the bodies of more than 16,000 people still listed as missing three weeks after the giant March 11 tsunami and earthquake.

Japan PM to visit disaster zone, nuclear crisis drags

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 20:29:00 +0200

Japan's prime minister was headed to the nuclear disaster zone on Saturday where workers are braving radiation from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi plant to battle the world's worst atomic crisis since Chernobyl.

Video: Dog rescued at sea in Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 20:15:00 +0200

CBS News RAW: The Japanese Coast Guard has rescued a dog found on the roof of a house floating at sea. It's unclear if the dog could have been at sea for the three weeks since the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. The rescue marked the first day of a massive three-day search and recover mission.

WFP Extends Support To Disaster Response Efforts In Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 20:09:00 +0200

The warehouses and offices are for use by the city and various Japanese relief organizations that are delivering supplies to people who have been adversely affected by the disaster.

Japan: The 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku earthquake - Situation Report 11

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 20:09:00 +0200

The casualties and missing are expected to exceed 28,000, the worst number of loss Japan has experienced since 1896 Meiji Sanriku Earthquake, as there is still great number of missings (16,464).

Politics › Japan, Australia to postpone bilateral FTA talks due to quake

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 20:08:00 +0200

Japan and Australia have agreed to postpone the next round of bilateral free trade negotiations, initially planned in April, as Tokyo is prioritizing dealing with…

With immense courage and a lot of mops, Japan picks up the pieces and begins the long, slow process of rebuilding

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 20:08:00 +0200

How some of the ships, cars, houses, mangled steel and general detritus will be removed is anyone's guess, but construction is occurring if only on a small scale.

More than 11,000 confirmed dead in Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 19:56:00 +0200

A total of 11,734 people were confirmed dead by Japan's National Police Agency as of 12:00 GMT on Friday, while 16,375 were missing following the earthquake and tsunami that hit the Asian country last month.

Death toll from twin disasters in Japan nears 12,000

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 19:55:00 +0200

MOSCOW, April 1 (RIA Novosti) - The confirmed death toll in Japan's 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami grew to 11,734, the NHK TV channel said on Friday. The total death toll from the disaster could rise much higher as 16,375 are listed as missing. The twin disaster that rocked Japan on March 11....

Global PMI robust despite tsunami

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 19:55:00 +0200

The Japanese earthquake and tsunami have barely dented the rapid global growth in manufacturing, a cluster of sector surveys from across the world demonstrated on Friday. In the first purchasing managers’ indices of the manufacturing sector since the 11 March disaster, there was little sign that....

Grains, beans soar on updated US supply

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 19:41:00 +0200

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - Corn, wheat and soybeans were soaring Thursday after new government reports did little to ease concerns about global supplies. Meanwhile demand continues to strengthen.

Japan’s known tsunami deaths close to 12,000

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 19:38:00 +0200

The known deaths in Japan’s earthquake and tsunami three weeks ago are closing in on 12 thousands. More than 16 thousand people remain unaccounted for. The Richter-9 jolt triggered a ten-metre wave which swept away towns and villages and badly crippled the Fukushima nuclear power station.

Radiation eases in Japan village near no-go zone-IAEA

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 19:30:00 +0200

01 Apr 2011 17:09 Source: reuters // Reuters * Radiation situation at village "improves daily" - IAEA * Situation at Fukushima plant still "very serious" (Adds quotes, details) VIENNA, April 1 (Reuters) - Radiation measured at a village 40 km (25 miles) from Japan's crippled nuclear plant is falling by the day, the U.

Dog drifting atop roof rescued off coast of Kesennuma

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 19:25:00 +0200

SENDAI - A dog was rescued at sea off the coast of Kesennuma on Friday after being found drifting atop a roof...

Questions and Answers: Safety of food products imported from Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 19:23:00 +0200

МЕМО/11/215 Brussels, 1st April 2011 Following a nuclear accident, what does the EU do as regards food safety? During the years that followed Chernobyl, after scientific advice of the Group of Experts established under the Euratom Treaty (Article 31) ...

Fukushima groundwater contaminated

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 19:18:00 +0200

High levels of radiation have been detected for the first time in groundwater near the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan.

After Fukushima, The 'Nuclear People' Emerge

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 19:16:00 +0200

Most of the time, the nuclear world is a quiet, hidden-from-sight community of scientists and engineers. But when a disaster like Japan's happens, they are called on to explain what went wrong.

Japan PM to visit disaster zone, nuclear crisis drags on

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 19:14:00 +0200

Panda pair mobbed by Japan fans

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 19:04:00 +0200

Thousands of visitors have flocked to Tokyo's Ueno Zoo to catch a first glimpse of a pair of pandas on loan from China.

17:39 Kan to visit Japan disaster zone

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 19:00:00 +0200

Japan's prime minister will tomorrow visit the nuclear disaster zone where workers are braving radiation from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi plant to battle the world's worst atomic crisis since Chernobyl. Naoto Kan was due to visit a sports camp turned into a base for military, firefighters and....

Japan PM to visit disaster zone, nuclear crisis drags on

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:59:00 +0200

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's prime minister was headed to the nuclear disaster zone on Saturday where workers are braving radiation from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi plant to battle the world's worst atomic crisis since Chernobyl.

United, Continental Airlines cutting capacity to Japan from US

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:55:00 +0200

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - United and Continental airlines are reducing flights between the U.S. and Japan because of a drop in demand since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Japan disaster continues to curb auto production

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:55:00 +0200

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - Here are the latest developments in the auto industry following Japan's March 11 earthquake and tsunami. The disaster and nuclear crisis have shut plants and delayed shipments of parts and cars worldwide. Japan's daily auto production has fallen by about 37,000 vehicles, says Scotiabank Senior Economist Carlos Gomes.

Toyota car assembly delayed by work disruption in Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:55:00 +0200

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - Work stoppage in Japan has led to a delay in auto assembly in Taiwan and decreased imports of finished Toyota vehicles from Japan, Toyota's Taiwan dealer said Thursday.

Anti-radiation face masks draw attention at fair

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:55:00 +0200

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - Face masks that are meant to protect wearers from breathing radiation particles were among a range of products that attracted attention at a product launch fair in Taipei Friday.

Dalai Lama sends CNA birthday wishes

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:55:00 +0200

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, offered his congratulations to the Central News Agency (CNA) on its 87th birthday Friday.

MicroEdge Offers Programs to Assist Clients in Japan Relief Efforts

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:40:00 +0200

NEW YORK - (Business Wire) MicroEdge LLC, the leading provider of solutions for the giving community worldwide, today announced that it is offering two special programs to current IGAM and Matching GIFTS clients to help support relief efforts for the victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Korea’s forensic experts: Ready for disasters

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:14:00 +0200

A team of experts from the National Forensic Service recently returned from a mission in New Zealand, where their Body Identification Team helped identify the remains of victims of the devastating Feb. 22 earthquake that took the lives of over 180 people.

March trade surplus soars to $3.1 billion

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:14:00 +0200

Korea’s trade surplus swelled to $3.1 billion in March from $2.46 billion the previous month on the strength of record-high exports, the government said yesterday. Exports jumped 30.3 percent on-year to $48.60 billion, the highest rise for a monthly period, with imports climbing 27.9 percent to $45.

JGTO pledges ¥200 million to support Tohoku's recovery

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:11:00 +0200

The Japanese men's golf tour followed in the footsteps of its poster boy Ryo Ishikawa by announcing a donation of ¥200 million on Friday for the victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. Ishikawa said Wednesday that he would donate all earnings this season to relief efforts for the disaster,....

This earthquake still felt all over Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:11:00 +0200

When my friends back home contacted me to see if I was OK after the March 11 disaster, I told everyone the same thing. "We're OK. We live 500 miles (800 km) from the disaster zone. We haven't been affected at all." We didn't even feel the earthquake, not even slightly. We have had no blackouts. We continue to have food, water and daily necessities.

Campaigning begins in local assembly polls

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:11:00 +0200

Official campaigning started Friday for the April 10 assembly elections in 41 prefectures and 15 major cities, with results expected to reflect public opinion on the government's response to last month's earthquake and tsunami, and the ongoing nuclear crisis.

Volunteer sensitivity to locals' needs called for

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:11:00 +0200

Tohoku communities hit by the earthquake and tsunami last month are gradually embarking on the road to recovery, with some finally able to call on volunteers outside the region for help thanks to restored infrastructure. But while these areas will need all the aid they can get to rebuild, some say....

Funding reconstruction

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:11:00 +0200

The record ¥92.41 trillion budget for fiscal 2011 was enacted Tuesday. Although the opposition-controlled Upper House voted it down earlier in the day, it was enacted due to a constitutional provision that mandates that a Lower House vote on a national budget prevails over an Upper House vote.

Kan names quake at pep talk

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:11:00 +0200

Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Friday that preparations for restoration and reconstruction work have begun in disaster-hit areas and Japan will prevail over the hardships caused by the massive earthquake and tsunami on March 11. He did not, however, offer an outlook on when the damaged Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant will be stabilized.

Boston doctor joins volunteers

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:11:00 +0200

BOSTON — Within days of the March 11 catastrophe, N. Stuart Harris, a doctor at Boston's Massachusetts General Hospital, found himself in the back of an ambulance heading north overnight from Tokyo to hard-hit Kesennuma in Miyagi Prefecture on a five-day volunteer relief trip.

Students whip up multilingual site with disaster information

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:11:00 +0200

On the day after the March 11 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, a group of students from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies gathered a group of volunteers to set up a multilingual website for foreign residents seeking information about the disaster. The site, which can be found at nip0.wordpress.

Radiation found in Japan groundwater

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:10:00 +0200

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - Radiation exceeding government safety limits has seeped into groundwater under a tsunami-crippled Japanese nuclear plant, according to the operator, but experts said Friday that it was unlikely to contaminate drinking supplies.

Japan PM to visit disaster zone, nuclear crisis drags

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:08:00 +0200

Japan: Earthquake & Tsunami - Situation Report No. 16

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:08:00 +0200

This report is produced by OCHA. It was issued by the Regional Office in Asia Pacific with input from the OCHA team in Tokyo. It covers the period from 30 March â€“ 1 April. This is the final report on this emergency. I.

UPDATE1: M5.0 quake jolts northeastern Japan, no tsunami warning issued

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 17:54:00 +0200

TOKYO - A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.0 struck the northeastern part of Japan on Fri...

UPDATE2: Intensive search for tsunami victims turns up 32 bodies

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 17:54:00 +0200

TOKYO - A total of 32 bodies were found Friday, the first day of a three-day intensive search by Japan and t...

UPDATE1: Latest casualty figures for March 11 quake, tsunami

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 17:54:00 +0200

TOKYO - The following are the latest casualty figures related to the earthquake and tsunami that hit northea...

U.S. forces assist in search for Japanese bodies

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 17:45:00 +0200

Japanese officials are reviewing the latest gargantuan radiation measurements surrounding the stricken Fukushima Daiichi plant, and U.S. forces are now assisting the search for bodies.

Magnitude six earthquake in Crete felt across Israel

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 17:32:00 +0200

The source of the quake was 60 kilometers below the earth's surface. Magen David Adom paramedics say that no one was injured in Israel as a result of the quake. Head of the Geophysical Institute of Israel Rami Hopshteter said that even weaker and more distant quakes can be felt stronger in Israel.

Japanese, US military search for tsunami victims

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 17:09:00 +0200

By JAY ALABASTER and MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press SENDAI, Japan - Japanese and U.S. military ships and helicopters trolled Japan's tsunami-ravaged coastline looking for bodies Friday, part of an...

Chan, Lau headline charity concert for Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 17:08:00 +0200

Jackie Chan, Andy Lau and a host of Asian performing artists, including Indonesia's Sherina Munaf, staged a three-hour charity concert in Hong Kong on Friday to raise funds for victims of Japan's earthquake and tsunami.

Japanese PM says "long battle" to resolve Fukushima nuclear crisis

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:58:00 +0200

(With Photo) TOKYO, April 1 (KUNA) -- Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan pledged Friday that his government will win a long battle in order to put the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant under control. "We are ready to fight a long battle, and determined to win it," Kan told a news conference....

US, Japanese Forces Search for Missing Tsunami Victims

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:46:00 +0200

Operation involves 120 aircraft, 65 ships and will cover three prefectures hit hardest by disaster

Irradiated bodies left untouched in danger zone

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:46:00 +0200

TOKYO: Up to 1000 bodies of victims of Japan's quake and tsunami remain uncollected in the exclusion zone around a stricken nuclear plant because of radiation fears, a report says.

Japanese, US military search for tsunami victims

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:39:00 +0200

SENDAI, Japan — Japanese and U.S. military ships and helicopters trolled Japan's tsunami-ravaged coastline looking for bodies Friday, part of an all-out search that could be the last chance to find those swept out to sea nearly three weeks ago. More than 16,000 are still missing after the disaster,....

Uzbek expert: Rogun's dam could lead to catastrophe

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:38:00 +0200

A strong earthquake similar to the one recently experienced by Japan could destroy large hydrofacilities in Central Asia, Uzbek Hydroproject Director Sergei Zhigarev said.

The World from Berlin: Al-Qaida as a Justification for Merkel's Nuclear Phase-Out

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:32:00 +0200

Must nuclear reactors be able to withstand a plane crash? Safety checks currently underway on Germany's 17 nuclear reactors will address exactly that question. For German commentators, it has long been clear that German facilities are vulnerable to such attacks -- and that Merkel is merely preparing the country for a rapid atomic phase-out.

Deep earthquake east of Crete in Greece

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:30:00 +0200

01 Apr 2011 13:57 Source: reuters // Reuters ATHENS, April 1 (Reuters) - A deep 5.9 magnitude earthquake struck in the sea 76 miles (120 km) east-northeast of Iraklio, a town on the Greek island of Crete, on Friday, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The earthquake, at 48 miles (77 km) deep, was not felt in Athens but was felt in Cairo.

UNHCR shines a beacon of hope on a devastated corner of Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:30:00 +0200

01 Apr 2011 14:33 Source: Content partner // UNHCR TOKYO, Japan, April 1 (UNHCR) - When Shinji Kubo joined UNHCR 18 years ago, he dreamed of helping refugees around the world. "I never thought I would be back in my hometown, helping my neighbours," said the senior external relations officer for the UN refugee agency's Tokyo office.

Canada tightens controls on Japanese food, animal feed

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:30:00 +0200

01 Apr 2011 13:19 Source: reuters // Reuters * Requires proof of safety for food, feed from 12 areas * Canada testing radiation levels of Japanese products WINNIPEG, Manitoba, April 1 (Reuters) - Canada has tightened its controls on Japanese imports to include all food and animal feed products from areas affected by Japan's ongoing nuclear crisis.

UPDATE2: Kan calls for closer ties with opposition to rebuild Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:24:00 +0200

By Takuya Karube, TOKYO - Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Friday he wants to deepen ties with opposition parties in crafting alm...

Japan PM vows funding to tackle long nuclear crisis

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:21:00 +0200

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said on Friday he was ready for a long fight to bring a quake-hit nuclear plant under control but was convinced Japan would overcome its nuclear crisis.

Case of history repeating itself?

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:15:00 +0200

Libya Case of history repeating itself? By Professor Enos Kiremire On the 19th March 2011 as I sat to briefly watch CNN news, I saw Tomahawk Missiles and bombs descend on Libyan cities and towns. Then I saw the warplanes flying over Libya and the destruction of the infrastructure. I was gripped with great fear.

In damaged nuclear plant's shadow, mayor pleads for food, fuel

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:13:00 +0200

Told to stay indoors, the residents of one Japanese city near a quake-damaged nuclear plant are now grappling with widespread shortages and appealing for help from outside.

Turkey to send humanitarian aid to Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:13:00 +0200

Turkey will send 50 tons of humanitarian aid to quake- and tsunami-hit Japan, Turkish State Minister Cemil Çiçek said in a written statement Friday.

Gymnastics Federation to weigh moving worlds from Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:10:00 +0200

The International Gymnastics Federation will consider moving the world championships from Tokyo because of concern over Japan's nuclear crisis. FIG said yesterday it will decide by the end of May whether to go ahead with the October championships at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. The event is the main qualifier for the 2012 London Olympics.

Dead water

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:08:00 +0200

Paradoxically, what believed to be of great help in coping with the aftermath of the nuclear accident at Japan’s Fukushima-1 power plant damaged by the 11 March 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami now appears to be a major obstacle and the source of radioactive contamination.

Japan PM vows to win atom 'battle'

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:03:00 +0200

Japan's prime minister has promised to win the battle against an overheating nuclear plant even as atomic safety officials questioned the accuracy of radiation measurements at the complex. Naoto Kan was grave a week ago when he addressed the...

Flood hit may have been underestimated

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 15:54:00 +0200

TREASURY may have underestimated coal production losses from this summer's natural disasters by as much as $3 billion.

Quake measuring 5,9 on Richter scale rocks Japan�s Honshu island

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 15:44:00 +0200

Tokyo. An earthquake measuring 5,9 on the Richter scale has rocked the Japanese island of Honshu. According to the U.S. Geological Survey the epicenter of the quake was some 81 km southeast of the city of Morioka and about 451 km northeast of the capital Tokyo. More than 11,000 people died in a powerful earthquake that jolted Japan on March 11.

Treasury may have underestimated flood hit

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 15:16:00 +0200

Businesses say lost coal production during this summer's natural disasters could be as much as 30 million tonnes, double what Treasury had estimated.

Japan plans to bail out stricken nuclear plant operator - media

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 15:12:00 +0200

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan plans to take control of Tokyo Electric Power Co, the operator of the country's stricken nuclear plant, in the face of mounting public concerns over the crisis and a huge potential compensation bill, a newspaper reported on Friday.

SDF, U.S. start huge search for missing

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 15:07:00 +0200

The Self-Defense Forces and U.S. military elements Friday began a three-day intensive search for people still missing three weeks after a quake-triggered tsunami wiped out cities and towns along the northeast coast. Using dozens of ships and helicopters, about 18,000 SDF and 7,000 U.S.

Stay away from Japan, officials warn

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 15:05:00 +0200

Russia has restated warnings against visiting Japan in the aftermath of the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear alert. “We repeat our calls for the Russian citizens to refrain from visiting Japan, especially the endangered areas,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said on Thursday, RIA Novosti reported.

Japan plans to bail out stricken nuclear plant operator: report

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 14:55:00 +0200

Japan plans to take control of Tokyo Electric Power Co, the operator of the country's stricken nuclear plant, in the face of mounting public concerns over the crisis and a huge potential compensation bill, a newspaper reported on Friday.

World factories buoyant as price pressures rising

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 14:53:00 +0200

By Jonathan Cable and Koh Gui Qing LONDON/BEIJING (Reuters) - Factories in Europe eased off the accelerator last month but Chinese and Indian manufacturers bumped up production, so far unscathed by ...

Japan's PM vows to win battle against nuke plant

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 14:46:00 +0200

Japan's prime minister sounded a resolute note Friday, promising to win the battle against an overheating nuclear plant even as atomic safety ...

28,000 dead or missing in Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 14:37:00 +0200

The number of those who has died or is missing as a result of a devastating earthquake and ensuing tsunami in Japan has reached 28,000. According to the National Police Department, the death toll stands at 11,600, while the number of missing residents is 16, 500 as of today.

28,000 people fall victim to Japan quake and tsunami

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 14:37:00 +0200

A total of 28 thousand people have been killed or are still unaccounted for as a result of the powerful earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in the middle of March. The earthquake and tsunami destroyed more than 150,000 buildings, leaving at least 20 million tons of debris.

Japan considers giving Tepco aid 09:04 State may invest funds in Fukushima plant operator to ease concerns over nuclear crisis

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 14:35:00 +0200

Japan will take part-control of Tokyo Electric Power Co, the operator of a stricken nuclear plant, in the face of mounting public concerns over the crisis and a huge potential compensation bill, according to reports today. Shares of the company, also known as Tepco, were down 10 per cent after the....

Japan says relations with China improving

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 14:34:00 +0200

Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday said diplomatic relations between Japan and China were moving on the track of improvement following a maritime collision in the East China Sea last September which soured bilateral ties.

Fukushima 50 'deaths imminent'

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 14:31:00 +0200

MUM of one of the hero Fukushima 50 says the men believe they could be dead within weeks

Radiation found in groundwater under Japan nuke plant

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 14:08:00 +0200

Radiation exceeding government safety limits has seeped into groundwater under a tsunami-crippled Japanese nuclear plant, according to the operator, but has not affected drinking supplies.

US, Japan Forces Search for Missing Tsunami Victims

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 14:00:00 +0200

Operation involves120 aircraft, 65 ships and will cover three prefectures hit hardest by disaster

Latest News : Japan considers entombing nuclear plant

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:56:00 +0200

Japan considers entombing nuclear plant Japan will consider entombing its crippled atomic plant in concrete as workers grapple to reduce radiation and contain the worst nuclear disaster in 25 years. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano on Wednesday ruled out the possibility that two of the six....

National › 18 bodies found as SDF, U.S. forces begin 3-day search for missing victims

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:51:00 +0200

A total of 18 bodies were found by 4 p.m. Friday, the first day of a three-day intensive search the Japanese Self-Defense Forces and the…

Editor's Choice: Japanese golfer Ryo Ishikawa pledges to give all his prize money to tsunami victims

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:48:00 +0200

The big-hearted 19-year-old sportsman hopes to raise £1.5million to help his people recover from the disaster.

U.S. earthquake resilience needs strengthening: report

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:46:00 +0200

Disasters A new National Research Council report presents a 20-year road map for increasing U.S. resilience to earthquakes, including a major earthquake that could strike a highly populated area.; the report was mostly written prior to the 11 March earthquake in Japan, but the committee of experts....

Creature comforts in hell

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:46:00 +0200

Pets are struggling to survive in the desolation of Japan's tsunami-ravaged coast.

Japan's 'radioactive particles' in Moscow

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:37:00 +0200

RADIOACTIVITY damaged nuclear reactor detected in the atmosphere around the Russian capital Moscow.

Japan PM vows funding to tackle long nuclear crisis

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:30:00 +0200

01 Apr 2011 10:34 Source: reuters // Reuters * No end in sight to nuclear, humanitarian disasters * High levels of radiation continue near crippled plants * PM Kan: extra budget, long-term battle at Fukushima reactor * Emergency nuclear workers recruited (Updates with Prime Minister Kan, latest....

Is May 21 judgement day?

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:28:00 +0200

May 21, 2011 is a date to diarise and keep completely open, because according to billboards, not just in Gaborone but also reportedly in 68 other countries, that is the date on which the Christian Judgement Day will take place.

Kan voices hope to work closer with opposition to rebuild Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:20:00 +0200

TOKYO - Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Friday he wants to deepen ties with opposition parties to speed up the...

UPDATE1: Kan calls for closer ties with opposition to rebuild Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:20:00 +0200

TOKYO - Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Friday that he wants to deepen ties with opposition parties in craftin...

UPDATE1: Intensive search for tsunami victims turns up 18 bodies

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:20:00 +0200

TOKYO - A total of 18 bodies were found by 4 p.m. Friday, the first day of a three-day intensive search the ...

Japan's PM vows to win battle against nuke plant

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:17:00 +0200

Japan's prime minister sounded a resolute note Friday, promising to win the battle against an overheating nuclear plant even as atomic safety officials raised questions about the accuracy of radiation measurements at the...

Japan PM vows funding to tackle long nuclear crisis

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:13:00 +0200

Naoto Kan says he is prepared to "win this battle;" no end in sight to nuclear, humanitarian disasters; high levels of radiation continue near crippled plants; emergency nuclear workers recruited.

Japan PM vows funding to tackle long nuclear crisis

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:06:00 +0200

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said on Friday he was ready for a long fight to bring a quake-hit nuclear plant under control but was convinced Japan would overcome the world's worst nuclear crisis since the Chernobyl disaster in 1986.

Japan's PM vows to win battle against nuke plant

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:04:00 +0200

TOKYO (AP) — Japan's prime minister sounded a resolute note Friday, promising to win the battle against an overheating nuclear plant even as atomic safety officials raised questions about the accuracy of radiation measurements at the complex. Naoto Kan was grave a week ago when he addressed this....

Death toll reaches 11,578 from great quake-tsunami in Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:03:00 +0200

The National Police Agency said the catastrophic earthquake and ensuing tsunami have left 11,578 people dead and 16,451 others unaccounted for in Japan by 10:00 a. m. local time (0100 GMT) Friday. A 9.0-magnitude earthquake hit the Pacific coastal areas of northeastern and eastern Japan on March 11, triggering enormous tsunami.

Death toll reaches 11,620 from great quake-tsunami in Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:03:00 +0200

The National Police Agency said on Friday that the catastrophic earthquake and ensuing tsunami have left 11,620 people dead and 16,464 others unaccounted for in Japan by 15:00 a.m. local time (0700 GMT). A 9.0-magnitude earthquake hit the Pacific coastal areas of northeastern and eastern Japan on March 11, triggering enormous tsunami.

WFP Extends Support To Disaster Response Efforts In Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:57:00 +0200

TOKYO As Japan grapples with the devastation caused by the massive earthquake and tsunami, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is on the ground setting up logistics hubs to support relief efforts led by the Japanese Government, local institutions, and aid and welfare organisations.

April Fool's Day frenzy grips Twitter

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:54:00 +0200

April Fool's Day frenzy grips Twitter, with tweeps playing pranks, and a flood of jokes on celebrities like Rebecca Black, Justin Bieber, and Lady Gaga.

Japan search for the last quake victims

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:51:00 +0200

Last Updated: Fri, 1 Apr 2011 21:28:00 +1100 Thousands of Japanese and American troops have begun an air and sea search along the Japanese coast looking for bodies left behind from last month's earthquake and tsunami. As the search begins, a nuclear expert has warned that it could take 100 years....

Search for victims intensifies in Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:50:00 +0200

Three weeks after the devastating earthquake and tsunami, the search for the bodies of more that 16 000 missing people has been intensified, with thousands of Japanese and American soldiers deployed in coastal areas. The air, sea and land operation is concentrating on areas of coastline that were largely submerged or remain underwater.

Manila, Baguio, SF to 'jam' for Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:22:00 +0200

MANILA, Philippines - A benefit concert for victims of the massive earthquake and tsunami in Japan last March 11 will be staged simultaneously in Manila and Baguio this Friday night. Meanwhile, a separate show is being mounted in San Francisco, but the date and venue has yet to be announced.

EU checks imports amid Japan food safety fears

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:17:00 +0200

The European Union this week put in place strict checks on imports of food and feed from areas of Japan that could be affected by radiation from the damaged nuclear reactors at Fukushima.

German FM to visit Japan for talks on quake, nuclear crisis

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:15:00 +0200

Politics 4/1/2011 12:41:00 PM TOKYO, April 1 (KUNA) -- German Vice Chancellor and Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle will visit Japan on Saturday for talks with Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto, the Foreign Ministry announced Friday. The visit comes as expression of Germany's support and....

Death toll reaches 11,620 from great quake-tsunami in Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:02:00 +0200

Japan Utility Ordered To Review Radiation Figures

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:58:00 +0200

Japan's nuclear safety agency ordered a review Friday of the latest radiation measurements taken in air, seawater and groundwater samples around a leaking, tsunami-disabled nuclear plant, saying they seemed suspiciously high. TEPCO has conceded that there appears to be an error in the computer....

Philippine artists hold benefit concert for Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:50:00 +0200

By Ronron Calunsod, MANILA - More than two dozen Philippine singers joined for a benefit concert Friday for the victims of the Ma...

Xstrata agrees record thermal coal contract with Japan's Chugoku

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:49:00 +0200

has moved higher after agreeing an annual contract for thermal coal with Japan's Chugoku Electric at a record price.The two have agreed a price of just under $130 a tonne, up 30% on last ...

Tokyo tiptoes toward normality after disaster

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:49:00 +0200

Kiwifruit shipment for Japan carries relief supplies Yoko Hashiguchi and her toddler fled Tokyo after a deadly earthquake and tsunami devastated northeast Japan and triggered a nuclear disaster at a ...

Doubts over radiation measurements

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:49:00 +0200

Japan's nuclear safety agency has ordered a review of the latest radiation measurements taken in air, sea water and ground water samples, amid doubts over their accuracy.The Nuclear and ...

Hiromi Kobayashi, who is eight months pregnant, is tested for possible radiation exposure at an evacuation centre in Koriyama, about 70km north of the Fukushima nuclear reactor. Photograph: Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:49:00 +0200

Japanese radiation data 'suspiciously high'

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:44:00 +0200

Japan's nuclear safety agency has ordered a review of the latest radiation measurements taken in air, seawater and groundwater samples around the country's leaking, tsunami-damaged plant.

Japan launches massive search operation

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:43:00 +0200

Japan's Self-Defense Forces and U.S. military started on Friday a large-scale operation to search for people still missing since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, NHK Television reported.

Japan may inject tax money into TEPCO

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:35:00 +0200

TOKYO: Japan may inject tax money into troubled Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) to ensure the company stays afloat while grappling with the nation's worst ever nuclear disaster, local media said Friday.

Blackpool rocked

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:10:00 +0200

BLACKPOOL has been hit by an earthquake. The tremor — which measured 2.2 on the Richter Scale — shook homes in the seaside town when it struck about 3.30am this morning. The minor quake led anxious residents to flood police with calls about their properties shaking. So far no damage has been reported.

Panasonic Effect of Earthquake in the Tohoku Region on Business Operations (2nd Report)

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:09:00 +0200

OSAKA, Japan - (Business Wire) Panasonic Corporation (NYSE:PC)(TOKYO:6752)("Panasonic") extends its sympathy to everyone who has been affected by the major earthquake in the Tohoku region of Japan on March 11, 2011. The effects to our group as of today are as follows. 1. Damage to Panasonic Group (as of April 1, 2011, 11:00 a.

Doubts over radiation measurements

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:07:00 +0200

Japan's nuclear safety agency has ordered a review of the latest radiation measurements taken in air, sea water and ground water samples around a leaking, tsunami-disabled nuclear plant, saying they seem suspiciously high.

Japan: Doubts over radiation measurements

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:03:00 +0200

Japan's nuclear safety agency has ordered a review of the latest radiation measurements taken in air, sea water and ground water samples, amid doubts over their accuracy. The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said measurements released on...

Doubts over radiation measurements

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:03:00 +0200

Japan's nuclear safety agency has ordered a review of the latest radiation measurements taken in air, sea water and ground water samples, amid doubts over their accuracy.

Surveying the Economic Fallout of Japan's Earthquake

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:59:00 +0200

We got an early indication today of how the giant earthquake and tsunami that ravaged northeastern Japan on March 11 damaged the Japanese economy.

Doubts over radiation measurements

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:57:00 +0200

Japan's nuclear safety agency has ordered a review of the latest radiation measurements taken in air, sea water and ground water samples, amid doubts over their accuracy.

Doubts over radiation measurements

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:52:00 +0200

Japan's nuclear safety agency has ordered a review of the latest radiation measurements taken in air, sea water and ground water samples, amid doubts over their accuracy.

08:38 on 01 April, 2011 UTC

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:48:00 +0200

Japanese tourists cancel CNMI trips Posted at 06:49 on 01 April, 2011 UTC More than 2,600 tourists from Japan have cancelled their holidays in the Northern Marianas since the devastating earthquake and tsunami three weeks ago. A report from the Marianas Visitors Authority puts the loss to the US territory at six million dollars.

International help for quake-hit Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:48:00 +0200

The international community is continuing its efforts to help Japan recover from its nuclear nightmare. The United States has set a 140-member task force to assist in the clean-up operations. ...

Report: Fukushima nuke workers expect to die

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:47:00 +0200

The workers at Japan's stricken nuclear power plant — known as the Fukushima 50 — expect some of them will die within weeks or months, the mother of one has reportedly said.

Japan nuke plant leaks radiation into groundwater

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:45:00 +0200

Radiation exceeding government safety limits has seeped into groundwater under a tsunami-crippled Japanese nuclear plant, according to the operator, but experts said Friday that it was unlikely to contaminate drinking supplies. The leak is, however, a concern and an indicator of how far the Tokyo Electric Power Co.

Radiation detected in groundwater near Fukushima nuclear plant

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:45:00 +0200

High levels of radiation were detected for the first time in groundwater near Japan's quake-hit Fukushima nuclear plant.

Japan considers giving Tepco aid 09:04 State may invest funds in Fukushima plant operator to ease concerns over nuclear crisis

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:43:00 +0200

Japan utility ordered to review radiation figures

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:43:00 +0200

Japan's nuclear safety agency has ordered a review of the latest radiation measurements taken in air, seawater and groundwater samples around the country's leaking, tsunami-damaged plant.

Intensive search for bodies in Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:34:00 +0200

Thousands of Japanese and US troops have begun an intensive aerial and maritime search for bodies along Japan's northeast Pacific coast.

Japan utility ordered to review radiation figures

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:29:00 +0200

TOKYO, Japan (AP) — Japan's nuclear safety agency has ordered a review of the latest radiation measurements taken in air, seawater and groundwater samples around the country's leaking, tsunami-damaged plant. The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency says measurements released Wednesday and Thursday looked suspicious.

Japan plans to bail out stricken nuclear plant operator- media

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:29:00 +0200

01 Apr 2011 08:02 Source: reuters // Reuters * Government unlikely to take more than a 50 pct stake - newspaper * Japan yet to decide how to support Tokyo Electric - govt spokesman * Company debt now around $115 bln vs $35 bln equity at end Dec * TEPCO faces up to 11 trln yen in claims over nuclear....

Tokyo tiptoes toward normality as disaster impact lingers

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:29:00 +0200

01 Apr 2011 07:52 Source: reuters // Reuters * New normal a pale shadow of pre-disaster bustle * Radiation contamination continued worry * Frugal mood dampens consumption, risk to economy (Adds comment by cabinet minister on cherry-blossom viewing) By Linda Sieg TOKYO, April 1 (Reuters) - Yoko....

Japan Tobacco to resume shipments of 7 tobacco products on April 11

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:19:00 +0200

TOKYO - Japan Tobacco Inc. said Friday it will resume shipments of seven tobacco products including Mild Sev...

Toyota says Japan disaster to hit earnings, output

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:18:00 +0200

TOYOTA CITY (Japan): Toyota Motor Corp President Akio Toyoda said on Friday that the devastating earthquake and tsunami in northeast Japan would hurt the company's earnings in the business year ...

Bodies of 1,000 dead in Japan too toxic to handle

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:13:00 +0200

MOSCOW, April 1 (RIA Novosti) - The Japanese authorities say they cannot gather around 1,000 dead bodies scattered around Japan's troubled Fukushima power plant because of fears of radiation contamination, Kyodo news agency reported on Friday. The bodies of those killed in devastating earthquake and....

U.S. Aids Japan in Final Sweep for Quake Victims

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:07:00 +0200

In the largest rescue mission ever carried out in Japan, 25,000 Japanese and American personnel will scour a vast coastal area for 16,000 still listed as missing.

Voice of support for Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 09:47:00 +0200

THE massive and unprecedented earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan recently are one of the worst natural disasters, resulting in the destruction of buildings, bridges and farms. Over 9,500 people died and more than 16,000 were reported missing. It ...

Japan May Take Over TEPCO as Public Tweets Its Frustration

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 09:29:00 +0200

Few are happy about the way Tokyo Electric Power Co. has handled the Fukushima crisis but there has been very little public rancor -- except on Twitter

Japan: Radiation leaks into groundwater

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 09:25:00 +0200

Radiation exceeding government safety limits has seeped into groundwater under a tsunami-crippled Japanese nuclear plant, according to the operator, but has not affected drinking supplies.

France urges world nuclear review after Japan crisis

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 09:17:00 +0200

/enpproperty--> TOKYO - French President Nicolas Sarkozy called on Thursday for a reform of global nuclear standards by the end of the year during the first visit by a foreign leader to Japan ...

As Japan crisis drags, France wants global reform

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 09:11:00 +0200

Japan's nuclear and humanitarian crisis stretched to three weeks on Friday with radiation still leaking from a crippled nuclear power plant.

Grim conditions add to misery of nuclear heroes

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:59:00 +0200

TOKYO - Biscuits and vegetable juice for breakfast, no lunch and a packet of rice with canned fish or meat for supper. No showers, no beds and virtually never a change of clothes.

Highly radioactive water leaks from nuclear plant

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:59:00 +0200

TOKYO - Highly radioactive water has leaked from a reactor at Japan's crippled nuclear complex, the plant's operator said on Monday, while environmental group Greenpeace said it had detected high levels of radiation outside an exclusion zone.

Japan nuclear exclusion long-term

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:56:00 +0200

The evacuation of residents near Japan's quake-hit nuclear plant will be long-term, officials say as high levels of radiation are detected for the first time in groundwater near one of the reactors.

Groundwater contamination detected

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:55:00 +0200

TOKYO, April 1 (UPI) -- The crisis at Japan's disabled Fukushima nuclear plant assumed another dimension Friday with detection of groundwater contamination near a reactor. With radioactive Iodine-131 rising to its highest levels in Pacific Ocean waters...

Toyota: Earnings hit but priority is Japan recovery

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:55:00 +0200

Toyota Motor President said the devastating earthquake & tsunami would hurt company's earnings but the priority now is the safety of the victims of the disaster.

Toyota says Japan disaster to hit earnings, output

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:55:00 +0200

Toyota Motor President Akio Toyoda said devastating earthquake and tsunami would hurt company's earnings in the business year that just started.

Radiation leaks into groundwater in Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:54:00 +0200

4/1/2011 - 7:31:43 AM Radiation exceeding government safety limits has seeped into groundwater under a tsunami-crippled Japanese nuclear plant, according to the operator, but has not affected drinking supplies. But the leak could pose a long-term problem and at the very least it is a concerning....

RI exports to Japan drop by 50% in March: BPS

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:52:00 +0200

Indonesian exports to Japan in March dropped by 50 percent in terms of volume and 25 percent in value following an earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on March 11 and subsequent nuclear crisis, the Indonesian Central Statistics Agency (BPS) says.

Japan Nuke Plant Leaks Radiation Into Groundwater

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:49:00 +0200

Radiation exceeding government safety limits has seeped into groundwater under a tsunami-crippled Japanese nuclear plant, according to the operator, but has not affected drinking supplies. On Friday, the government said it planned more tests on a cow slaughtered for beef that had slightly elevated levels of a radioactive particle.

For Fukushima's Farmers, Growing Uncertainty

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:49:00 +0200

The government has banned the sale of milk, spinach and other leafy vegetables, not just from Fukushima, but from neighboring prefectures, too. The Japanese Health Ministry found that the radiation level in these foods exceeds the legal limits for human consumption.

Earnings hit but priority is Japan recovery

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:47:00 +0200

By Chang-Ran Kim TOYOTA CITY, Japan (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) President Akio Toyoda said on Friday that the devastating earthquake and tsunami in northeast Japan would hurt the ...

Brazil to test radiation levels in food from Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:47:00 +0200

Brazil will test food imported from Japan for radiation contamination, a media report said.

Japan Nuclear Plant Leaks Radiation Into Groundwater

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:46:00 +0200

Radiation exceeding government safety limits has seeped into groundwater under Japan's tsunami-crippled nuclear plant.

Japan nuclear crisis: government to take large stake in Tepco

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:33:00 +0200

Japan's government plans to take control of Tokyo Electric Power Co , the operator of the stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant, by injecting public funds to shore up the company in an attempt to deal with the unfolding nuclear crisis.

Home run fireworks highlight MLB opening day

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:31:00 +0200

There were walk-off homers, back-to-back dingers, heartbreaking double plays, hand-warmers and long-sleeve shirts as a dozen Major League Baseball teams suited up for opening day.

Japan radiation leaks into groundwater

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:28:00 +0200

Radiation exceeding government safety limits has seeped into groundwater under a tsunami-crippled Japanese nuclear plant.

Lives in limbo three weeks after Japan's tsunami

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:24:00 +0200

SENDAI/TOKYO (Reuters) - The debris left by the tsunami that tore apart Japan's northeast coast three weeks ago is slowly being cleared but the two train cars washed up to the front of the Sugawara family home are proving far more troublesome.

Freight volumes stagnate; further consolidation of passenger traffic in Feb-2011: ACI

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:19:00 +0200

Global passenger traffic at airports grew by almost 4% in Feb-2011, with international up by 4.5% and domestic by 3.4%, according to Airports Council International. Freight volumes stagnated for the month reflecting a decrease of 3.3% in domestic freight traffic.

Japan nuke plant leaks radiation into groundwater

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:16:00 +0200

Japan nuke plant leaks radiation into groundwater

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:06:00 +0200

TOKYO, Japan (AP) Radiation exceeding government safety limits has seeped into groundwater under a tsunami-crippled Japanese nuclear plant, according to the operator, but has not affected drinking supplies.

Groundwater contamination detected

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:00:00 +0200

TOKYO, April 1 (UPI) -- The crisis at Japan's disabled Fukushima nuclear plant assumed another dimension Friday with detection of groundwater contamination near a reactor.

International help for quake-hit Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:46:00 +0200

The international community is continuing its efforts to help Japan recover from its nuclear nightmare. The United States has set a 140-member task force to assist in the clean-up operations. France has sent two nuclear experts, while Germany has provided a giant pump to help cool the reactors at the stricken Fukushima plant.

Fukushima to be scrapped

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:43:00 +0200

Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan has said that Fukushima, the facility at the centre of the worst atomic accident since Chernobyl in 1986, must be decommissioned.

National › Mayor of Fukushima city in restricted area appeals to world over injustice of directive

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:42:00 +0200

The mayor of Minamisoma, Fukushima Prefecture, a city subject to a government directive for its residents to stay indoors to avoid radioactive fallout from a…

National › Pandas make public debut at Ueno Zoo, drawing thousands

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:42:00 +0200

Two giant pandas leased from China were shown to the public Friday at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo, marking the first public viewing of pandas there in…

Kan, Sarkozy call for new global int'l nuclear industry safety standards

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:36:00 +0200

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan and visiting French President Nicolas Sarkozy called for the Group of 20 nations on Thursday to meet and discuss the revision of international nuclear safety standards in the wake of the escalating crisis at a crippled nuclear facility in northeastern Japan.

Japan: Radiation leaks into groundwater

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:32:00 +0200

Radiation exceeding government safety limits has seeped into groundwater under a tsunami-crippled Japanese nuclear plant, according to the operator, but has not affected drinking supplies. But the leak could pose a long-term problem and at the...

FACTBOX-Key political risks to watch in Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:29:00 +0200

01 Apr 2011 04:37 Source: reuters // Reuters By Linda Sieg and Tomasz Janowski TOKYO, April 1 (Reuters) - Japan is battling to contain the world's worst nuclear crisis in 25 years while carrying out a huge humanitarian relief effort and starting to rebuild from a massive March 11 earthquake and....

Lives in limbo three weeks after Japan's tsunami

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:29:00 +0200

01 Apr 2011 04:11 Source: reuters // Reuters By David Dolan and Jon Herskovitz SENDAI/TOKYO, April 1 (Reuters) - The debris left by the tsunami that tore apart Japan's northeast coast three weeks ago is slowly being cleared but the two train cars washed up to the front of the Sugawara family home are proving far more troublesome.

Rogun Hydropower Plant dam break will lead to flooding of Uzbekistan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:20:00 +0200

Sergei Zhigarev, Director of Uzbekistan's Gidroproyekt, believes that strong earthquakes similar to the one that hit Japan on 11 March may destroy large hydropower constructions in Central Asia and inflict damage comparable to that inflicted by a tsunami.

Fitch revises down global economic forecasts due to higher oil prices

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:20:00 +0200

Despite the global economic recovery proceeding on track, Fitch Ratings has revised down its global growth forecasts in its latest quarterly Global Economic Outlook (GEO) publication.

3-day intensive search for missing tsunami victims begins

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:18:00 +0200

TOKYO - The Self-Defense Forces and the U.S. military began on Friday a three-day intensive search for those...

U.S. point man for Asia Campbell lauds Japan's postquake response

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:18:00 +0200

WASHINGTON - Kurt Campbell, a senior U.S. State Department official in charge of East Asia, voiced high praise on...

Mayor of Fukushima city in restricted area appeals to world over plight

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:18:00 +0200

TOKYO - The mayor of Minamisoma, Fukushima Prefecture, a city subject to a government directive for its resi...

UPDATE1: Pandas shown at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo for 1st time in 3 years

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:18:00 +0200

TOKYO - A pair of giant pandas leased from China was shown to the public Friday at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo, marking...

Effect on the Asahi Kasei Group of the recent earthquake in the Pacific Ocean off the Coast of the Tohoku Region of Japan (3rd announcement)

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:17:00 +0200

April 1, 2011 -- The Asahi Kasei Group expresses its sincere sympathy to all those affected by the earthquake which occurred on March 11, 2011, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of the Tohoku Region of Japan. It is our genuine hope that the afflicted areas will be restored and revitalized as soon as possible.

Japan Turns to International Help in Nuclear Crisis

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:10:00 +0200

Japan is calling in help from other countries as it struggles to contain radiation and repair the Fukushima nuclear plant that was crippled by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami disasters. Nuclear industry experts from the U.S., France and elsewhere are in Japan Friday, or heading there, ...

Japan PM: stricken nuclear plant to be scrapped

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:01:00 +0200

Japan has said its crisis-hit nuclear plant must be scrapped, but currently had no plans to evacuate more people, despite calls for a larger exclusion zone around the crippled facility.

United, Continental cutting capacity to Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 06:54:00 +0200

DALLAS: United and Continental airlines are reducing flights between the U.S. and Japan because of a drop in demand since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Japan's tsunami-hit airport back in three weeks

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 06:52:00 +0200

SENDAI AIRPORT, Japan: Three weeks after Japan's massive tsunami swamped this once-bustling airport, US airmen working to restore it said commercial flights could soon resume.

Xstrata, Chugoku Agree Thermal Coal Price At US$129.8/Ton -Source

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 06:46:00 +0200

Dow Jones )- Xstrata PLC (XTA.LN), the world's largest coal exporter, has agreed to sell Australian thermal coal to Japan's Chugoku Electric Power Co. (9504.TO) for 12 months starting ...

Japan seeks French, US expertise in nuclear crisis

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 06:40:00 +0200

TOKYO, Japan - Japan is increasingly turning to other countries for help as it struggles to stabilize its tsunami-stricken nuclear plant and stop radiation leaks that are complicating efforts to recover the bodies of some of the thousands swept away by the towering wave.

Kimono in spotlight at charity event

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 06:40:00 +0200

DUBAI - The UAE-Japan Cultural Centre will be hosting a charity event this evening at the Dubai Women's Association Hall in Hamriya, Deira. All proceeds will be passed on to help the victims of Japan's recent natural disaster.

Japan nuke plant leaks radiation into groundwater

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 06:37:00 +0200

Radiation exceeding government safety limits has seeped into groundwater under a tsunami-crippled Japanese nuclear plant, according to the operator, but has not affected drinking supplies.

Training institute donates RM4,000 to help Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 06:32:00 +0200

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian National committee and alumni of the International Association of Traffic and Safety Sciences (IATSS) Forum Japan yesterday donated RM4,000 to Tabung Bencana NSTP-Media Prima.

National › 25,000 SDF, U.S. forces begin 3-day intensive search for missing tsunami victims

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 06:10:00 +0200

The Self-Defense Forces and the U.S. military began on Friday a three-day intensive search for those still missing three weeks after a quake-triggered massive tsunami…

Japan nuke plant leaks radiation into groundwater

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 06:10:00 +0200

TOKYO, Japan (AP) — Radiation exceeding government safety limits has seeped into groundwater under a tsunami-crippled Japanese nuclear plant, according to the operator, but has not affected drinking supplies. The leak announced late Thursday could pose a long-term problem, however, and at the very....

Scam artists exploit generosity in Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 06:06:00 +0200

Reports of fraud are increasing as con artists solicit donations under the guise of aiding victims of the earthquake and tsunami. A senior official in Japan calls the acts 'heartless.'Con artists are soliciting cash and other valuables in Japan under the guise of collecting funds for victims of the....

In Japan, Seawall Offered a False Sense of Security

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 06:03:00 +0200

A Japanese town’s faith in a seawall and its ability to save residents from any tsunami was so unshakable, that some rushed toward it after the earthquake struck.

Death toll reaches 11,578 from great quake-tsunami in Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 05:54:00 +0200

The National Police Agency said the catastrophic earthquake and ensuing tsunami have left 11,578 people dead and 16,451 others unaccounted for in Japan by 10:00 a. m. local time (0100 GMT) Friday.

Tokyo tiptoes toward normality as disaster impact lingers

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 05:50:00 +0200

TOKYO, April 1 (Reuters) - Yoko Hashiguchi and her toddler fled Tokyo after a deadly earthquake and tsunami devastated northeast Japan and triggered a nuclear disaster at a power plant 240 km (150 miles) away.

'Lucky Beach' lives up to its name

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 05:42:00 +0200

In Yoshihama, which translates to "Lucky Beach," only four of its 400 houses were lost and just one person died out of the 1,100 people here. ...

Earthquake, tsunami possibility low in Vietnam: experts

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 05:29:00 +0200

Rumblings caused by a distant earthquake sent thousands of high-rise dwelling Hanoians into a panic last week, prompting experts to call for a broad campaign to educate the public about seismic disaster preparedness.

China sends third batch of humanitarian aid to Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 05:14:00 +0200

&$ &$An airplane carring the third batch of relief goods offered by Chinese government to quake-hit Japan takes off at Shanghai Pudong International Airport in Shanghai, east China, March 31, 2011. (Xinhua/Chen Fei)&$ &$ China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC) told Xinhua that the third batch of....

Nikkei gains 0.48 pct. at fiscal year end, weak yen adds support

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 05:14:00 +0200

Tokyo stocks added to gains on Thursday, with the key Nikkei stock index rising 0.48 percent as a softer yen and fiscal year end maneuvers provided support to the market to counter concerns about the nuclear crisis unfolding in the northeast of Japan. Brokers said that investors had factored in the....

Japan detects radiation in seawater 4,385 times legal limit (4)

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 05:14:00 +0200

In a desperate bid to minimize radioactive particles being released from the plant into the atmosphere, TEPCO planned to spray a water-soluble resin onto reactors Thursday, but the test was postponed due to rain. When the weather clears TEPCO will begin by spraying the south and west sides of the No.

U.S. businesses in 'pretty good shape': GE chief

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 05:14:00 +0200

U.S. companies are in "pretty good shape" in many ways on back of the recovery of the world's largest economy, Jeffrey Immelt, Chief Executive Officer of General Electric (GE), said in Washington on Thursday. &$ &$Jeffrey Immelt, chairman and CEO of General Electric and chairman of the President's....

Radiation in seawater 4,385 times legal limit in Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 05:14:00 +0200

The level of radioactive iodine-131 found in seawater near the troubled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, 240 kilometers northeast from Tokyo, has soared to its highest reading yet at a concentration of 4,385 times the legal limit. Pressure has been mounting for Japanese authorities to expand....

Japan detects radiation in seawater 4,385 times legal limit (3)

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 05:14:00 +0200

The IAEA said Thursday that the concentration of radiation found in soil samples taken 40 km from the plant, 20 km further than the current evacuation zone, were of levels exceeding the agency's standards. But whilst the authorities refuted claims that the situation posed an immediate threat to....

Tokyo tiptoes toward normality as disaster impact lingers

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 05:02:00 +0200

TOKYO (Reuters) - Yoko Hashiguchi and her toddler fled Tokyo after a deadly earthquake and tsunami devastated northeast Japan and triggered a nuclear disaster at a power plant 240 km (150 miles) away.

Instant view: BOJ tankan: Japanese business confidence edges up

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 04:52:00 +0200

Japanese business morale improved slightly in the three months to March, the Bank of Japan's closely watched tankan survey showed, but the devastating earthquake earlier this month and a subsequent nuclear crisis are seen hurting confidence in coming months.

Japan business mood edges up; quake impact looms: BOJ tankan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 04:52:00 +0200

Japanese manufacturers' business sentiment improved slightly in the three months to March, the Bank of Japan's closely watched tankan survey showed, but analysts anticipate a downturn in confidence this quarter following last month's devastating earthquake and tsunami and subsequent nuclear crisis.

California Looks to Update Quake Plans

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 04:47:00 +0200

Officials in quake-prone California are scouring the recent Japan and New Zealand temblors to beef up their own disaster preparedness. Here is what they are learning and what they don't know yet if the San Andreas Fault split open tomorrow.

National › U.N. food program ready to deliver more aid to Japan from new depot

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 04:40:00 +0200

The World Food Program is on standby to deliver more relief to Japan in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that killed and…

National › Pandas make public debut at Ueno Zoo

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 04:40:00 +0200

Two giant pandas leased from China were shown to the public Friday at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo, marking the first public viewing of pandas there in…

Politics › Campaigning starts for 56 local assembly elections

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 04:40:00 +0200

Official campaigning started Friday for the April 10 local assembly elections in 41 prefectures and 15 major cities across Japan, with results expected to reflect…

United, Continental cutting capacity to Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 04:38:00 +0200

DALLAS (AP) — United and Continental airlines are reducing flights between the U.S. and Japan because of a drop in demand since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. The sister airlines will cut their combined passenger-carrying capacity on U.S.-Japan flights by 10 percent in April and 14 percent in May.

Japan govt says evacuation of residents near damaged nuclear plant to be long-term

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 04:29:00 +0200

01 Apr 2011 01:20 Source: reuters // Reuters (Corrects dead and missing figure in par 2) TOKYO, April 1 (Reuters) - Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said on Friday that the evacuation of residents near the country's stricken nuclear plant will be "long-term", as Japan's nuclear crisis stretched into a third week, with no end in sight.

Japan to take control of Tokyo Electric - media

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 04:29:00 +0200

01 Apr 2011 01:36 Source: reuters // Reuters * Govt unlikely to take more than a 50 pct stake - newspaper * TEPCO faces up to 11 trln yen in claims over nuclear crisis-BofA-ML * Stocks fall further 10 pct, down 80 percent since March 11 (Adds TEPCO, fund manager, Edano comment; updates share price)....

Warm Compatriotism and Friendship Shown in Quake-hit Areas of Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 04:29:00 +0200

Pyongyang, March 31 (KCNA) -- Warm compatriotism is being fully displayed among Koreans and friendship between them and Japanese in the earthquake-stricken areas alive with the work to eradicate the aftermath of the killer quake and ensuing tsunami which rocked Japan, according to Choson Sinbo, the....

Japan trade min says govt yet to debate TEPCO nationalisation-Kyodo

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 04:29:00 +0200

01 Apr 2011 02:06 Source: reuters // Reuters TOKYO, April 1 (Reuters) - Japanese trade minister Banri Kaieda said on Friday the government has yet to debate the possibility of nationalising or taking control of Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), the operator of the crippled Fukushima nuclear complex, Kyodo news agency reported.

KOSPI Soars Above 2,100 Points

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 04:28:00 +0200

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index regained the 2,100 point level on Thursday powered by foreign buying and is close to a new record high. The KOSPI rose for a sixth straight session, closing up 15.32 points or 0.73 percent at 2,106.70 on. It had been around two months since the KOSPI l...

Pandas shown at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo for 1st time in 3 years

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 04:17:00 +0200

TOKYO - A pair of giant pandas leased from China was shown to the public Friday at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo, marking...

Speeches: The U.S. Role in Our Changing World: Navigating the Globe's Transnational Challenges

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 04:15:00 +0200

The U.S. Role in Our Changing World: Navigating the Globe's Transnational Challenges Remarks Esther Brimmer Assistant Secretary , Bureau of International Organization Affairs World Affairs Council/University of Washington School of Law Seattle, Washington March 30, 2011 I am truly grateful to the....

Hollywood Celebrities Help ChildFund Raise Funds for Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 04:00:00 +0200

The video will be unveiled Saturday night at a red carpet event at TRU Hollywood, hosted by ChildFund International event spokesperson Evelyn Vaccaro. The event and video are designed to raise awareness and direct donors to ChildFund International, which has launched a fundraising appeal.

Japan: World Vision Child-Friendly Space opens in Tome

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 04:00:00 +0200

By World Vision staff Children attending World Vision's first Child-Friendly Space in the aftermath of Japan's deadly earthquake and tsunami have decided to call it by a different name -- Zenin syugo, or "everyone gathering together." But its purpose is the same.

Japan Earthquake/Tsunami Update

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 04:00:00 +0200

CRWRC Newsroom | March 31, 2011 As the people of Japan continue to live with the effects of the March 11 earthquake, tsunami, and radiation leakages, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) is responding.

Quake-Induced Misery Extends to Jobs Market

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 03:46:00 +0200

The Japanese earthquake and tsunami left potentially hundreds of thousands of people jobless or unable to reach those workplaces that have even reopened.

Nuclear crisis puts evacuation zones under scrutiny

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 03:41:00 +0200

The detection of radiation 25 miles from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant is raising questions about whether evacuation zones are adequat ...

Musical acts to play benefit concert for Japan

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 03:34:00 +0200

Concert organized by the BC Japan Earthquake Relief Fund; all proceeds to go to Japan Red Cross

France Calls for Global Nuclear Safety Standards

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 03:23:00 +0200

French President Nicolas Sarkozy is calling for new international nuclear safety standards, warning radiation leaks at Japan's Fukushima power plant could affect the entire world. Sarkozy is calling for nuclear officials from the G20 group of industrialized countries to discuss the issue during a...

Japan travel industry takes major blow

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 03:10:00 +0200

The travel industry in Japan has had to take a hit due to the earthquake and tsunami.

Signs of Radioactive Water in Ocean, Despite Gains at Japanese Plant

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 03:01:00 +0200

Workers made incremental progress at Japan’s stricken plant, but high radiation readings caused concern.

China denies helicopter flying too close to Japanese destroyer

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 02:54:00 +0200

China on Thursday dismissed Japanese claims that a Chinese helicopter Saturday flew too close to a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer in the East China Sea. Noting China's stance on the East China Sea was consistent and clear, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said a Chinese State....

Japanese envoy calls on President

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 02:51:00 +0200

ISLAMABAD (INP): Chihiro Atsumi, Japanese Ambassador, called on President Asif Ali Zardari at Aiwan-e-Sadr Thursday. Current situation in Japan in the ...

Campaigning starts for 56 local assembly elections

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 02:46:00 +0200

Official campaigning started Friday for the April 10 local assembly elections in 41 prefectures and 15 major cities across Japan, with results expected to reflect public views on the government's response to last month's catastrophic earthquake and tsunami, and the subsequent ongoing nuclear disaster.

Crude oil prices rally on Mideast tensions

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 02:35:00 +0200

LONDON: World oil prices rose sharply Thursday as trader sentiment was jarred by simmering geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and North Africa, particularly in Libya and Syria. In London midday trade, Brent North Sea crude for delivery in May added $1.07 to $116.20 a barrel.

“India, Pakistan should work together on global stage”

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 02:33:00 +0200

NEW DELHI: In his speech during the dinner with visiting Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh highlighted the need for India and Pakistan to work together on the international stage. He also indicated India's willingness to resume sporting links between the....

We can jointly work on global stage, Manmohan tells Gilani

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 02:25:00 +0200

NEW DELHI: At Wednesday's dinner hosted for his Pakistan counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh highlighted the need for both nations working together on the international stage. Dr. Singh indicated India's willingness to resume sporting links between the two countries, a move....

France urges world nuclear review after Japan crisis

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 02:24:00 +0200

TOKYO - French President Nicolas Sarkozy called on Thursday for a reform of global nuclear standards by the end of the year during the first visit by a foreign leader to Japan since the earthquake and tsunami that triggered its atomic disaster.

Bakti raises RM2.5mil for Japan victims

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 02:22:00 +0200

KUALA LUMPUR: Companies, clubs and welfare associations donated a total of RM2.5mil to help tsunami and earthquake victims in Japan.

Quake Threatens Gadget Supply

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 02:16:00 +0200

Production at some of the world's biggest makers of silicon wafers remains hobbled three weeks after an earthquake struck Japan, raising concerns of shortages that could affect shipments of electronic gadgets later this year.

A Lesson of Import

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 02:16:00 +0200

Remember a generation ago, when imports from Japan struck fear in the minds of American businessmen and politicians, and trade barriers started sprouting like mushrooms? How times have changed. If further proof were needed that free trade brings prosperity, it's now emerging that job creation in the U.

AMR, JAL Forge a Partnership

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 02:16:00 +0200

AMR's American Airlines and Japan Airlines will formally launch a trans-Pacific alliance on Friday.

Honda, Mazda to resume some production

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 02:10:00 +0200

TOKYO (Reuters) - Honda Motor Co (7267.T) and Mazda Motor Corp (7261.T) on Thursday became the latest major automakers to say they would resume some production in Japan after halting plant ...

“Japan's nuclear crisis a warning to India”

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 02:03:00 +0200

Staff Reporter A.B.Bardhan ALAPPUZHA: The nuclear crisis in Japan after the earthquake and tsunami should serve as a warning for India, which has been ‘following the dictates of the U.S.' in the nuclear deal, Communist Party of India general secretary A.B. Bardhan said on Thursday. Addressing an election meeting here in support of G.

We can jointly work on global stage, Manmohan tells Gilani

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 02:03:00 +0200

Last Day of Strong Quarter, And Shares Close Mixed

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 02:01:00 +0200

The Dow Jones industrial average had its best start in more than a decade, rising 6.4 percent in the first three months.

Japan to use glue and giant tents in desperate bid to cap new nuclear fallout

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 01:57:00 +0200

WORKERS at nuke plant will coat ground with sticky RESIN in bid to cap radiation leaks

Japan quake woes add to flying time

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 01:54:00 +0200

At least three major airlines have added a stop in Seoul for flights in and out of Japan due to staffing and supply concerns brought about by the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear troubles that have hit the country.

Yen loan delay to hurt JNPT plans

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 01:54:00 +0200

It could still be a long wait for India's largest container terminal, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, to implement dredging plans.

'Japan impact on US eco more than realized'

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 01:41:00 +0200

The impact on the US economy of the Japanese crisis is far greater than realized, a top trade group said on Wednesday. +

Oil prices drop ahead of US energy report

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 01:37:00 +0200

LONDON: World oil prices fell on Wednesday as investors awaited the latest update on energy reserves in key consumer the United States, and kept an eye on unrest in crude exporter Libya. In London afternoon trade, Brent North Sea crude for delivery in May shed 44 cents to $114.72 a barrel.

Japan industrial output up before quake

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 01:37:00 +0200

OSAKA: Japan’s industrial production rose for a fourth straight month in February, data showed Wednesday, in another sign the economy was picking up before a devastating earthquake and tsunami. Factory output increased a seasonally adjusted 0.4 percent in February from the previous month as....

Japan seawater radiation 3,355 times limit

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 01:26:00 +0200

TOKYO, March 30 (UPI) -- Radioactive iodine-131 3,355 times the legal limit was detected in a seawater sample near the damaged nuclear plant in Japan, the country's nuclear agency said.

IAEA suggests Japan widen exclusion zone near nuclear plant

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 01:25:00 +0200

30 Mar 2011 20:41 Source: reuters // Reuters * France's Sarkozy to be first leader to visit since disaster * Japan calls for calm over fears radiation has tainted exports * Decades may be needed to scrap damaged nuclear plant (Recasts throughout) By Shinichi Saoshiro and Yoko Nishikawa TOKYO, March 31 (Reuters) - The U.

Insurance giant's profit dives 43 per cent

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 01:19:00 +0200

LLOYD'S of London said its profit dropped by 43 per cent last year as the insurance market took big losses from earthquakes in Chile and New Zealand and from BP's oil rig spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Nuclear plant's owners still struggling to regain control

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 01:09:00 +0200

JAPAN's nuclear crisis showed no signs of improvement yesterday as seawater near the tsunami-stricken Fukushima Dai-ichi power plant tested at its highest-yet radiation le

French President to Visit Crisis-Stricken Japan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 01:04:00 +0200

French President Nicolas Sarkozy is to be the first world leader to visit crisis-stricken Japan. Sarkozy's visit Thursday is shadowed by Europe's growing debate over the safety of nuclear energy, following the meltdown at Japan's Fukushima-Daichi nuclear plant. French President Nicolas Sar...

Quake Has Tiny Supplier Scrambling

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 01:02:00 +0200

Services of a small Detroit-area auto supplier have become highly sought after since the quake in Japan cut supplies of an automotive paint and forced car makers to alter their finishes.

Mosaic's Profit Soars

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 01:02:00 +0200

Mosaic posted sharply higher earnings as the world's expanding need for food boosted demand for crop nutrients, particularly phosphate.

Picture of the Day › Morale boost

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 01:02:00 +0200

Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko talk with evacuees from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, at Tokyo Budokan, currently an evacuation shelter, on Wednesday. The…

Travel › American suspends 2 daily flights to Japan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 01:02:00 +0200

American Airlines is suspending two of its six daily flights to Japan next week due to a slump in traffic since the big earthquake and…

American Airlines to suspend 2 daily flights between U.S., Japan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 00:59:00 +0200

NEW YORK - American Airlines said Wednesday it will suspend a total of two daily flights between the United Sta...

Animals in peril in Japan, Haiti, Chile and around the world

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 00:47:00 +0200

Animals around the globe continue to suffer from the ravages of earthquake and tsunami. Much effort has been made to help the people in these countries and there are those who are also dedicated to relieving the suffering of their pets and farm animals and they are in desperate need of your support to carry out their goals.

Green: Senators Press U.S. Officials on Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 00:39:00 +0200

"I have a hard time understanding why the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has not mandated a more rapid transfer of spent fuel to dry casks," Senator Dianne Feinstein declares.

IAEA suggests Japan widen exclusion zone near nuclear plant

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 00:38:00 +0200

TOKYO (Reuters) - The U.N. nuclear watchdog suggested Japan consider widening an evacuation zone around a stricken nuclear plant as French President Nicolas Sarkozy was due to arrive on Thursday, the first leader to visit since a devastating earthquake and tsunami sparked the worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl in 1986.

Japan quake could harm fragile U.S. recovery

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 00:36:00 +0200

The impact on the U.S. economy of the Japanese crisis is far greater than realized, a top trade group said on Wednesday.

IAEA suggests Japan widen exclusion zone near nuclear plant

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 00:29:00 +0200

Japan called on the world not to impose "unjustifiable" import curbs on its goods as French President Nicolas Sarkozy was due to arrive on Thursday, the first leader to visit since an earthquake and tsunami damaged a nuclear plant, sparking the worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl in 1986.

Japan texts claim Dokdo; Seoul summons envoy

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 00:15:00 +0200

The Japanese government yesterday approved new textbooks for middle school students that strengthened the wording of its sovereignty claim over Dokdo, angering Seoul and throwing a spanner into relations that had warmed considerably since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami with Korea’s sympathy and aid to the stricken nation.

The antinuclear bandwagon

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 00:15:00 +0200

Radiation fears are sweeping across Korea after minuscule amounts of radioactivity from Japan’s crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant were discovered in all parts of the nation. The authorities have assured us that there are no health risks yet, but citizens are stubbornly not believing them,....

Control of Dokdo is key

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 00:15:00 +0200

A great cross section of Korean people must have felt disappointed yesterday when the Japanese government announced the end result of its 2008 review of middle school textbooks. Indeed, some Koreans undoubtedly feel betrayed by Japan’s regretful handling of the thorny sovereignty issue over the Dokdo islets in the East Sea.

Stabilising nuclear plant to take years

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:58:00 +0200

By Lionel Barber and Mure Dickie in Tokyo Published: March 31 2011 19:49 | Last updated: March 31 2011 19:49 Japan’s quake-crippled atomic power station will take years to fully stabilise but officials hope to prevent any further deterioration of the plant and stem the leakage of radioactive....

Oil price jumps on supply fears

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:58:00 +0200

Oil prices rise to their highest close in two-and-a-half years as Libya's conflict and Middle East unrest spark fresh worries.

Radioactive milk found on West Coast, but levels are 'minuscule'

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:45:00 +0200

Radioactive milk linked to the Japan nuclear crisis has been detected in samples from California and Washington State. But the amounts are so tiny that they pose no health risk, officials say.

Bird's-Eye View Of Japan's Stricken Nuclear Plant Shows Vast Damage

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:39:00 +0200

Aerial photographs of the stricken Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in Japan show just how badly the facility was damaged by the earthquake, tsunami, explosions and fires.

Entomb? Cement pumps flown in to nuke plant

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:32:00 +0200

Short-lived radioactive contaminants 10,000 times above health standards were found in groundwater below Japan's stricken nuclear power plant, the plant operator said Thursday.

Commodities markets overnight

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:29:00 +0200

Benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude rose $2.45, more than two percent, to settle at $US106.72 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. At one point it hit $US106.83, the highest it's been since September, 2008. In London, Brent crude rose $2.25 to settle at $US117.20 per barrel.

Dow ends first quarter with best start since '99

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:17:00 +0200

The Dow Jones industrial average closed its best start to the year since 1999 Thursday, rising 6.4 percent in the first three months.

Japan's Nuclear Crisis Takes Its Toll On Utility

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:09:00 +0200

The Japanese utility company that owns the Fukushima nuclear complex, is struggling with more than just trying to contain the situation at the crippled plant. Since this month's earthquake and tsunami, the company has been under fire in Japan and its stock has dropped precipitously.

Dow has best start to the year since 1999

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:09:00 +0200

NEW YORK (AP) — The Dow Jones industrial average closed its best start to the year since 1999 Thursday, rising 6.4 percent in the first three months. The index of 30 large companies gained 742 points in that stretch. Measured against other first quarters, that's the largest point gain since 1998 and the second best on record.

Town Sports International Contributes Over $50,000 to Assist Japan's Recovery Process

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:04:00 +0200

NEW YORK March 31, 2011 -- Town Sports International (TSI), operators of New York, Boston Washington and Philadelphia Sports Clubs, today announced a contribution of over $50,000 to the American Red Cross to support its ongoing efforts to provide assistance and relief as Japan recovers from its most devastating earthquake to date.

New Exhibit of Japanese Art Seen as Foretoken of Disasters

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:04:00 +0200

Exhibit planned and art created long before disasters, but tragedy seems to color view of visitors to eerie show

French seek to drop probe into Chernobyl fallout

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0200

PARIS (AP) — A French prosecutor wants to drop a decade-long investigation into the fallout in France from the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident, citing lack of proof that it caused health problems. The prosecutor argued in a Paris hearing Thursday that the probe has been inconclusive and should be abandoned, according to a judicial official.

Parashat Tazria: True Freedom

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 22:58:00 +0200

The most significant social upheaval in history? Revolution of a small group of enslaved Israelis who managed to bring down Egyptian Pharaoh.

California Crams to Learn From Japan Quake

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 22:44:00 +0200

South Koreans pause protests to grieve for Japanese

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 22:40:00 +0200

A group of South Korean women who have protested outside the Japanese embassy every week for 20 years halted their protests for only the second time ever to show support for those affected by the March 11 tsunami in Japan.

Sports › Shimizu S-Pulse to play quake charity match in Netherlands

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 22:37:00 +0200

Shimizu S-Pulse are planning to play a charity match in Amsterdam on April 13 against Dutch club Ajax to help the victims of the devastating…

Lifestyle › Scale of tsunami proves necessity of quick action

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 22:37:00 +0200

The home of Ichiko Sato in Minamisanriku, on the Pacific coast of Miyagi Prefecture in northeastern Japan, was washed away by a killer tsunami that…

Ishikawa pledges earnings for relief

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 22:36:00 +0200

NEW YORK (AP) Ryo Ishikawa says he is giving all of his tournament earnings this year to the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in his native ...

Honda expects Canadian output cuts till mid-April

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 22:36:00 +0200

DETROIT - Production cuts at Honda Motor Co's auto plants in the United States and Canada are expected to last through April 15, but parts shortages from Japan could trigger further ...

Japan crisis drags, France wants global nuclear reform

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 22:35:00 +0200

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's nuclear crisis stretched to three weeks on Friday with radiation widening from a crippled power plant and scant hope of a quick resolution.

VOA Reporter’s Reflection on Japanese Tragedy

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 22:34:00 +0200

Steve Herman says he had no time to reflect or get emotional during his coverage of the recent disaster in Japan. Now, back in his office in the VOA bureau in Seoul, Herman says the enormity of what he witnessed during his two weeks in Japan is still sinking in. When reporting I'm "in the zone,” Herman said in a TweetChat Thursday.

Japan vows to cushion effect of output disruption after quake

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 22:14:00 +0200

NANJING, China - Japan told its Group of 20 peers Thursday that it is trying to minimize the effect of disruption in ...

Radioactive leaks from Fukushima detected in Spain

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 22:08:00 +0200

MADRID, March 31 (KUNA) -- The Spanish Nuclear Safety Council (CSN) recorded Thursday low levels of radioactivity believed to be stemming from Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant. The levels of radioactive contamination are no more than 2.3 mm. Becquerel (Bq) and pose no risk to human health,....

Stocks open slightly lower after jobs report

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 22:06:00 +0200

In this photo taken March 16, 2011, traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Having focused on Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami as well as the uprisings in the Arab ...

Japan orders more beef testing

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 22:06:00 +0200

TOKYO -; Japan's health ministry says it has ordered more tests after a cow slaughtered for beef near the tsunami-stricken nuclear plant was found to have radioactive contamination slightly ...

No Threat From Japanese Radiation In US

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 21:53:00 +0200

Currently, I am in contact with several individuals near the Fukushima Prefect, including citizens as near as 25 km from Fukushima proper. They report that there are shortages. (AFP) A top US officer voiced cautious optimism Thursday that a meltdown at Japan's quake-hit nuclear plant could be....

Fukushima, the city feeling the fallout from Japan's nuclear nightmare

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 21:51:00 +0200

It is another victim of Japan’s disasters. The city of Fukushima, haunted by radiation fears, has been reduced to a shadow of its former self. Trains are not running from the local station after the earthquake and tsunami. Department stores and supermarkets are closing earlier in the day.

Shimano Inc. makes donation to victims of Japan quake

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 21:32:00 +0200

IRVINE, Calif - Shimano Inc, located near Osaka, Japan, has made a donation to victims of the massive Tohoku earthquake and tsunami that struck northeastern Japan on March 11, 2011. Shimano has committed to 100 million yen (approximately $1.2 mil USD) in monetary contributions and donations of 30....

A warning to India, says Bardhan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 21:32:00 +0200

Radiation Fears Leave 1,000 Bodies Unclaimed Near Japan Plant

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 21:31:00 +0200

Authorities in Japan say they are unable to collect up to 1,000 dead bodies lying within 20-kilometers of the Fukushima nuclear plant.

[News & Analysis] Japan Disaster: Scientific Consensus on Great Quake Came Too Late

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 21:22:00 +0200

An obscure paper about an earthquake in 869 C.E. that destroyed a castle town in northeastern Japan and a subsequent tsunami that inundated the surrounding area is now at the center of a growing debate about how quickly scientific findings can and should influence disaster-mitigation policies.

Japan orders more beef testing for radiation

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 21:18:00 +0200

TOKYO - Japan's health ministry says it has ordered more tests after a cow slaughtered for beef near the tsunami-stricken nuclear plant was found to have radioactive contamination slightly higher than the legal limit.Officials...

Sarkozy globetrots as domestic fires smoulder

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 21:04:00 +0200

PARIS (Reuters) - President Nicolas Sarkozy, displaying his boundless energy and love of the world stage, left the controls of his Libya mission this week for a two-day dash to oversee crisis management in China and Japan.

Water, Beef and Bodies Contaminated Near Japanese Nuclear Plant

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 21:03:00 +0200

Tokyo Electric Power Company says radioactive iodine detected in groundwater beneath one reactor at levels 10,000 times above normal

Reports: Radiation may prevent recovery of some bodies in Japan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:54:00 +0200

Thousands of Japanese, still awaiting answers on the fate of their loved ones nearly three weeks after an immense earthquake and subsequent tsunami, were dealt another blow Thursday.

Sarkozy globetrots as domestic fires smoulder

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:48:00 +0200

But his intercontinental firefighting seems to be doing little good to his record-low popularity at home

Radiation levels in seawater off Japan plant spike to all-time highs

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:46:00 +0200

The levels of radiation in ocean waters off Japan's embattled Fukushima Daiichi plant continue to skyrocket, the nation's nuclear safety agency said Thursday, with no clear sense of what's causing the spike or how to stop it.

Japan seeks international help to stabilise nuclear plant

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:39:00 +0200

3/31/2011 - 5:52:03 PM Japan is turning to other countries for help as it struggles to stabilise its tsunami-stricken nuclear plant and stop radiation leaks. French, American and international experts – even a robot – are either in Japan or on their way, and French President Nicholas Sarkozy met with the prime minister in Tokyo today.

Japan seeks French, US expertise in nuclear crisis

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:38:00 +0200

Japan is increasingly turning to other countries for help as it struggles to stabilize its tsunami-stricken nuclear plant and stop radiation leaks that are complicating efforts to recover the bodies of some of the thousands...

Fidel Castro: The Disaster in Japan and a Visit from a Friend

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:36:00 +0200

Havana, Mar 31 (Prensa Latina) The Disaster in Japan and a Visit from a Friend is the title of the latest reflection by leader of the Cuban Revolution Fidel Castro. Prensa Latina post below the full-text:

Scam artists exploit generosity in Japan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:34:00 +0200

Japan seeks French, US expertise in nuclear crisis

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:26:00 +0200

TOKYO, Japan (AP) — Japan is increasingly turning to other countries for help as it struggles to stabilize its tsunami-stricken nuclear plant and stop radiation leaks that are complicating efforts to recover the bodies of some of the thousands swept away by the towering wave.

Radioactivity in cow near nuclear plant slightly higher than legal limit

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:22:00 +0200

Authorities are increasingly turning to international help in stabilizing the plant and radiation, while also dealing with the affects of a tsunami.

Japan orders more beef testing

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:22:00 +0200

Japan's health ministry says it has ordered more tests after a cow slaughtered for beef near the tsunami-stricken nuclear plant was found to have radioactive contamination slightly higher than the legal limit.

Man crashes truck through nuke plant gates

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:15:00 +0200

A MAN driving a truck yesterday crashed his vehicle through the gates of a Japanese nuclear plant and was arrested by police, officials said.

Radiation Detected in Plant Groundwater

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:13:00 +0200

Workers at Japan's stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear-power complex found strongly radioactive groundwater just outside one of its troubled reactor buildings, on a day when Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan openly questioned the role of nuclear technology and private power companies in the nation's energy policy.

Radioactivity in slaughtered cow nuclear plant slightly higher than legal limit

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:07:00 +0200

Authorities are increasingly turning to international help in stabilizing the plant and radiation, while also dealing with the affects of a tsunami.

Ishikawa pledges earnings for relief

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:06:00 +0200

NEW YORK (AP) Ryo Ishikawa says he is giving all of his tournament earnings this year to the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in his native Japan. Kyodo News reported Wednesday that the 19-year-old golfer also is pledging money for every birdie he makes.

Women's golf tour to hold donation drive

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:06:00 +0200

The Ladies Professional Golfers' Association of Japan plans to send a total of 124 players and officials to five major cities to collect donations on Sunday for the victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. Donations will be accepted for two hours from 1 p.m.

American suspends two daily flights

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:06:00 +0200

DALLAS (AP) American Airlines is suspending two of its six daily flights to Japan next week due to a slump in traffic since the big earthquake and tsunami. American said Wednesday it will suspend the flights on April 6 and resume them on April 26. One goes from New York to Tokyo's Haneda airport,....

Tsunami-hit towns face dire future

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:06:00 +0200

OSHIKA, Miyagi Pref. — Survivors of the March 11 magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami are expressing reservations about returning to their homes, raising the prospect of already depopulated communities turning into ghost towns. "I have no desire to live here anymore," said Masashi Abe, 54, as he and....

Sarkozy, Kan meet in Tokyo

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:06:00 +0200

Visiting French President Nicolas Sarkozy expressed strong support and solidarity Thursday with grief-stricken Japan over the recent deadly earthquake and tsunami. This is the first time a national leader has visited Japan since the March 11 catastrophe.

Magnitude-9.0 quakes unlikely: official

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:04:00 +0200

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - Earthquakes measuring magnitude-9.0 (on the Richter scale) and above are unlikely to hit Taiwan, however Taiwan should still increase its readiness, said an official yesterday.

American Airlines suspending two daily Japan flights

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:04:00 +0200

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - American Airlines is suspending two of its six daily flights to Japan next week due to a slump in traffic since the big earthquake and tsunami.

Some NZ quake victims may be buried in mass grave: gov't

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:04:00 +0200

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - Some victims of Christchurch's deadly earthquake over a month ago may never be identified and their remains may be buried in a mass grave, New Zealand's chief coroner said Thursday.

High radiation found outside of Fukushima exclusion zone: UN

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:04:00 +0200

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - Japan said on Thursday its stricken Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant will have to be scrapped, while pressure also grew for the evacuation zone around the crippled facility to be expanded.

In Japan, Scenes Of Much Destruction, Little Looting

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:02:00 +0200

In the town of Kamaishi, the black tide killed at least 600 people, threw an ocean freighter onto the wharf and blew open thousands of houses and shops, leaving many things to steal. But there have been few documented reports of thievery since the tsunami, in contrast to widespread looting that has happened after disasters in other countries.

Health Outlook in Japan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 19:58:00 +0200

Evolving Japanese estimates now report over 8,500 deaths, over 2,500 injuries, and over 12,500 missing persons. Approximately 350,000 people have moved into 2,500 evacuation centers, which have started to receive needed supplies of food, water, blankets, and fuel.

Radiation Levels Rise Again at Nuclear Plant

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 19:55:00 +0200

Workers made incremental progress at Japan’s stricken plant, but high radiation readings caused concern.

Japan orders more beef testing

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 19:46:00 +0200

TOKYO (AP) — Japan's health ministry says it has ordered more tests after a cow slaughtered for beef near the tsunami-stricken nuclear plant was found to have radioactive contamination slightly higher than the legal limit. Officials stressed that the meat was not ever put on the market.

Japan thanks Rescue SA

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 19:44:00 +0200

Japan has thanked Rescue South Africa for its support after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami which devastated the country, a spokesman said.

Jewish Federations Raise Nearly $1 Million to Support Victims of Japanese Quake and Pacific Tsunami

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 19:34:00 +0200

NEW YORK March 31, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Since opening the Japan, Hawaii and Pacific Relief Fund immediately following the tragic earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on March 11 , The Jewish Federations Movement has raised nearly $1 million to support relief and recovery efforts in the damaged areas.

Gallagher gig promoters slam 'distasteful' ticket touts

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 19:31:00 +0200

The organisers of LIAM GALLAGHER's upcoming charity gig for Japan have criticised touts for buying up tickets and selling them on for a profit, branding the practise "highly distasteful".

Honda, Mazda to resume some parts, vehicle production

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 19:28:00 +0200

31 Mar 2011 15:39 Source: reuters // Reuters * Honda partially restarts production for overseas parts * Mazda: limited vehicle output on April 4 at two plants * Timeline for restart of full-scale production not set (Adds announcement on Honda's North American plants) TOKYO, March 31 (Reuters) - Honda Motor Co <7267.

Japan crisis drags, France wants global nuclear reform

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 19:28:00 +0200

31 Mar 2011 16:05 Source: reuters // Reuters * Sarkozy wants international conference to set rules * U.S., Germany also offer technical help to Japan * High level of radiation found in ground water * Long battle foreseen to control crippled plant * Animals said to be eating each other in evacuation....

Japan earthquake aftermath: Aftershocks, Fukushima keep tensions high at children's home

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 19:28:00 +0200

31 Mar 2011 16:32 Source: member // Malteser International Cologne . “Many children have tried to re-enact the tsunami or the earthquake when they play”, reports Sister Caelina, director of the children’s home in Ichinoseki and project partner of Malteser International, the relief service of the Order of Malta for worldwide humanitarian aid.

Nuke groundwater 10,000 times too radioactive

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 19:28:00 +0200

Short-lived radioactive contaminants 10,000 times above health standards were found in groundwater below Japan's stricken nuclear power plant, the plant operator said Thursday.

Japan seeks French, US expertise in nuclear crisis (updated)

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 19:14:00 +0200

TOKYO, Japan (AP) Japan is increasingly turning to other countries for help as it struggles to stabilize its tsunami-stricken nuclear plant and stop radiation leaks that are complicating efforts to recover the bodies of some of the thousands swept away by the towering wave.

LDP considering grand coalition gov't with Kan's DPJ

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 19:14:00 +0200

TOKYO - The largest opposition Liberal Democratic Party in a policy shift is considering an idea sounded out...

Today on New Scientist: 30 March 2011

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 19:14:00 +0200

All today's stories on NewScientist.com, including: a proton puzzle, flying robots that can juggle, and the only primate that eats its dinner twice

Radioactivity in water under Japan nuclear plant measures 10,000 times the government standard

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 19:10:00 +0200

A spokesman for plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. said Thursday that radioactive contamination in groundwater 15 yards (meters) under one of six reactors there had been measured at 10,000 times the government standard. It was the first time the utility has released statistics for groundwater near the plant.

Bird's-Eye View Of Japan's Stricken Nuclear Plant Shows Vast Damage

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 19:00:00 +0200

Aerial photographs of the stricken Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in Japan show just how badly the facility was damaged by the earthquake, tsunami, explosions and fires.

Japan disaster sparks social media

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:51:00 +0200

As Japan grapples with an unprecedented disaster, the web has spawned creativity and innovation online amid a collective desire to ease suffering.

Foreign experts help stricken Japan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:48:00 +0200

Japan is increasingly turning to other countries for help as it struggles to stabilise its tsunami-stricken nuclear plant and stop radiation leaks that are complicating efforts to recover the bodies of some of the thousands swept away by the towering wave.

Japan fund repatriation to top views: PIMCO

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:48:00 +0200

Japan will repatriate more funds than markets expect to finance its reconstruction efforts following its devastating earthquake and tsunami, the co-chief investment officer of top bond fund PIMCO said on Thursday.

Homeless Japan: tsunami victims anxious over housing trouble

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:46:00 +0200

The earthquake and tsunami that caused massive destruction at Fukushima also wiped out entire communities. People who lost their homes are living in overcrowded shelters, while the painstaking clean-up operation...

Japan plant radioactivity 10,000 times standard

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:45:00 +0200

TEPCO: Elevated levels of iodine-131 found in groundwater below stricken nuclear plant; Japan seeks French, US expertise

Japan earthquake and tsunami: latest pictures

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:39:00 +0200

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/worldnews/8419438/Japan-earthquake-and-tsunami-latest-pictures.

Radioactivity at nuclear plant 10,000 times government standard

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:36:00 +0200

Authorities are increasingly turning to international help in stabilizing the plant and radiation, while also dealing with the affects of a tsunami.

Japan seeks French, US expertise in nuclear crisis

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:35:00 +0200

Stock futures flat as market awaits economic news

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:34:00 +0200

In this photo taken March 16, 2011, traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Having focused on Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami as well as the uprisings in the Arab ...

Japan crisis drags, France wants global nuclear reform

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:33:00 +0200

France called for new global nuclear rules as Japan's atomic crisis reached three weeks on Friday with widening radiation from its crippled power plant but scant hope of a quick resolution.

Sarkozy calls for nuclear rules

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:33:00 +0200

The French president calls for clear international standards on nuclear safety as the crisis at Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant continues.

Foreign experts help stricken Japan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:33:00 +0200

Japan being urged to expand evacuation zone

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:31:00 +0200

Pressure mounted on Japan on Thursday to expand the evacuation zone around its stricken nuclear power plants after high levels of radiation were found outside the zone and radioactivity in seawater reached more than 4,000 times its legal limit. The U.N.

Honda, Mazda to restart limited car production

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:30:00 +0200

DETROIT (AP) — Honda Motor Co. and Mazda Motor Corp. said Thursday they will resume limited production at several Japanese factories in April, but full production depends on the availability of parts. The moves are another sign that the Japanese auto industry is starting to come back from the....

Japan seeks French, US expertise in nuclear crisis

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:29:00 +0200

Japan crisis drags, France wants global nuclear reform

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:26:00 +0200

TOKYO (Reuters) - France called for new global nuclear rules as Japan's atomic crisis reached three weeks on Friday with widening radiation from its crippled power plant but scant hope of a quick resolution.

Radioactivity in water under nuclear plant 10,000 times the government standard

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:20:00 +0200

Authorities are increasingly turning to international help in stabilizing the plant and radiation, while also dealing with the affects of a tsunami.

Radioactivity 10,000 times standard at Japan plant

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:19:00 +0200

Officials with the company that operates Japan's tsunami-stricken nuclear plant say radioactive contamination in groundwater underneath a reactor has been measured at 10,000 times the government health standard.

Foreign experts help stricken Japan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:16:00 +0200

Japan seeks French, US expertise in nuclear crisis

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:12:00 +0200

Japan turns to other countries for help with nuclear disaster

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:05:00 +0200

Authorities are increasingly turning to international help in stabilizing the plant and radiation, while also dealing with the affects of a tsunami.

Japan seeks French, US expertise in nuclear crisis

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:04:00 +0200

Australia's 2010-11 Growth Will Be 0.25 Pct Pt Lower Due To Japan-Treasury

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:03:00 +0200

Dow Jones )- Japan's earthquake and tsunami will have a modest impact on Australia's economy, likely cutting around a quarter of a percentage point from growth over the course of the ...

Japan disaster sparks social media innovation

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:03:00 +0200

TOKYO (AP) -- As Japan grapples with an unprecedented triple disaster - earthquake, tsunami, nuclear crisis - the Web has spawned creativity and innovation online amid a collective desire to ease ...

New global nuclear review needed after Japan crisis

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:03:00 +0200

A man walks at a residential area destroyed by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Ishinomaki, northern Japan March 31, 2011. Pressure grew on Thursday for Japan to expand an evacuation zone ...

Radioactivity 10,000 times standard at Japan plant

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:57:00 +0200

TOKYO (AP) — Officials with the company that operates Japan's tsunami-stricken nuclear plant say radioactive contamination in groundwater underneath a reactor has been measured at 10,000 times the government health standard. A spokesman for plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co.

Report: Japan mulls nationalizing Tokyo Electric

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:57:00 +0200

The Japanese government could discuss a possible nationalization of Tokyo Electric Power among other options to deal with the operator of the plant at the center of the country's nuclear disaster, a senior cabinet minister said on Tuesday.

Utter Destruction: Japan's Nuclear Plant, Seen From The Air

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:57:00 +0200

Aerial photographs of the stricken Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant show just how badly the facility was damaged by the earthquake, tsunami, explosions and fires.

ASIA: Earthquakes highlight need for regional preparedness, say experts

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:57:00 +0200

BANGKOK, 31 March 2011 (IRIN) - Two back-to-back earthquakes in Japan and Myanmar, which left more than 27,000 people dead and thousands more injured, underscore the need for greater disaster preparedness in the region, experts say.

Engineers knew nuke plant was vulnerable to tsunami

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:57:00 +0200

A review of company and regulatory records shows that Japan and its largest utility repeatedly downplayed dangers and ignored warnings — including a 2007 tsunami study from Tokyo Electric Power Co's senior safety engineer.

Foreign experts help stricken Japan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:55:00 +0200

Foreign experts help stricken Japan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:49:00 +0200

Foreign experts help stricken Japan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:49:00 +0200

Second Harvest rallies support for Tohoku

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:48:00 +0200

By 9 a.m. on Thursday morning, March 24, several delivery trucks have deposited boxes of emergency supplies in front of the Taito Ward, Tokyo warehouse of Second Harvest Japan, a charity-based food bank. Ever since the Tohoku-Kanto earthquake, which brought with it a terrifying 14-meter tsunami,....

Radiation Fears Leave 1,000 Bodies Unclaimed Near Japan Plant

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:48:00 +0200

The confirmed death toll from the twin disasters is above 11,400; also more than 16,500 still missing

Japan-China relations warming up in crisis

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:48:00 +0200

HONG KONG — If there is a rainbow behind the dark clouds currently blanketing Japan — the country's gravest crisis since World War II — it could be this: Relations with China, which were at their worst in decades last year, are taking a turn for the better.

Japan seeks French, US expertise in nuclear crisis

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:47:00 +0200

FUKUSHIMA, Japan (AP) — Japan is increasingly turning to other countries for help as it struggles to stabilize its tsunami-stricken nuclear plant and stop radiation leaks that are complicating efforts to recover the bodies of some of the thousands swept away by the towering wave.

UPDATE1: Latest casualty figures for March 11 quake, tsunami

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:43:00 +0200

TOKYO - The following are the latest casualty figures related to the earthquake and tsunami that hit northea...

Golf: Women's tour players to collect quake donations

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:43:00 +0200

TOKYO - The Ladies Professional Golfers' Association of Japan plans to send a total of 124 players and offic...

Japan seeks French, U.S. expertise in nuclear crisis

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:39:00 +0200

Japan is increasingly turning to other countries for help as it struggles to stabilize its tsunami-stricken nuclear plant and stop radiation ...

Reports: Radiation may prevent recovery of some bodies in Japan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:38:00 +0200

Thousands of Japanese still awaiting answers on the fate of their loved ones nearly three weeks after an immense earthquake and subsequent tsunami were dealt another blow Thursday.

NVISION Laser Eye Centers Launches Two Fundraising Programs for Japan Earthquake Victims

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:33:00 +0200

NEWPORT BEACH, CA -- 03/31/11 -- Dr. Thomas Tooma, Medical Director of NVISION Laser Eye Centers, announced today that NVISION Laser Eye Centers is participating in two outreach programs in April to help the people of Japan and one very special NVISION employee's mother who is a victim of the earthquake.

Jewish groups raise at least 2 million dollars in Japan aid

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 16:51:00 +0200

"We are overwhelmed by the generosity of the Jewish community," chairman of JFNA Emergency C'tee says on earthquake effort.

Japan PM says stricken nuclear plant to be scrapped

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 16:35:00 +0200

Japan said Thursday its crisis-hit nuclear plant must be scrapped, but currently had no plans to evacuate more people, despite calls for a larger exclusion zone around the facility.

France proposes May G20 meeting on nuclear safety standards

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 16:27:00 +0200

31 Mar 2011 12:38 Source: reuters // Reuters TOKYO, March 31 (Reuters) - * Problem is not nuclear industry, it's safety - Sarkozy * Sarkozy is first foreign leader in Japan post-quake * IAEA draws up safety standards, but they are not binding (Adds Kan and further Sarkozy comments, background) By....

Japan: Radiation Hampers Search for Bodies

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 16:26:00 +0200

31 de marzo de 2011, 10:13 Tokyo, Mar 31 (Prensa Latina) Radiation levels in the evacuation area around the Fukushima-1 nuclear plant is hampering the search for about 1,000 victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

France urges world nuclear review after Japan crisis

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 16:01:00 +0200

TOKYO (Reuters) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy called on Thursday for a reform of global nuclear standards by the end of the year during a first visit by a foreign leader to Japan since the ...

'Dear Mommy. I hope you're alive. Are you okay'

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 16:01:00 +0200

In this March 22 photo, Manami Kon, using Japanese hiragana characters she just learned, writes a letter for her mother who's still missing after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami at the ...

Russia repeats warning against citizens visiting Japan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 16:01:00 +0200

Russia on Thursday once again advised its citizens against visiting Japan, where an earthquake and tsunami have triggered a nuclear disaster. "We repeat our calls for the Russian citizens to ...

Swan framing a budget for tough times

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 15:58:00 +0200

Natural disasters, at home and in Japan, mean that revenues will be hit, creating tough circumstances for Treasurer Wayne Swan's fourth budget.

Japan PM says stricken nuclear plant to be scrapped

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 15:58:00 +0200

Japan said on Thursday that its crisis-hit nuclear plant must be scrapped, but currently had no plans to evacuate more people, despite calls for a larger exclusion zone around the crippled facility.

Radiation rising beyond exclusion zone

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 15:58:00 +0200

TOKYO: Pressure is growing on Japan to expand the 20-kilometre exclusion zone around Fukushima after the International Atomic Energy Agency said radiation in one village 40 kilometres away had reached evacuation level.

Gillard warns of tough love budget

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 15:52:00 +0200

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has warned next month's federal budget will be painful as the Government makes cutbacks in order to return to surplus by 2013.

Radiation levels spike in seawater near Japanese plant

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 15:45:00 +0200

Swan framing a budget for tough times

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 15:41:00 +0200

TREASURER determined to bring budget back to surplus in despite latest advice that revenues will be hit by recent natural disasters.

Kenya: Car Spare Parts Shortage Looms

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 15:38:00 +0200

Kenyan vehicle manufacturers and garages are staring at an acute shortage of spare parts over the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. T

Japan nuclear crisis: Fukushima plant to be entombed in concrete after radiation leak

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 15:37:00 +0200

Japan's nuclear safety agency has revealed levels of radiation in the ocean near the Fukushima Daiichi plant have surged to 4,385 times the normal limit.

Gillard warns of budget pain

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 15:37:00 +0200

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has warned next month's federal budget will be painful as the Government makes cutbacks.

Japan nuclear crisis: Fukushima plant to be entombed in concrete after radiation leak

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 15:17:00 +0200

Japan's nuclear safety agency has revealed levels of radiation in the ocean near the Fukushima Daiichi plant have surged to 4,385 times the normal limit.

4 Countries For Foreign Investing (FXI, EWJ, EZJ, RSX, EWG)

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 15:15:00 +0200

Seeking a foreign addition to your investment portfolio? In this very interesting economic climate, there are opportunities to profit abroad. In addition to the potential for significant profits, investing internationally is a great way to diversify a portfolio, and serves to reduce total risk.

In France, Japanese Disaster Prompts a Nuclear Safety Audit

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:52:00 +0200

The head of the Nuclear Safety Authority in France said the authority would upgrade safety procedures at nuclear power plants across the country.

Delta to postpone launch of Tokyo-Guangzhou flight until July on quake

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:40:00 +0200

TOKYO - Delta Air Lines Inc. said Thursday it will postpone launching a flight between Tokyo and Guangzhou, ...

German foreign minister to visit Japan on Saturday

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:40:00 +0200

BERLIN - German Vice Chancellor and Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle will visit Japan on Saturday for talks...

Japan nuclear refugees feel 'betrayed'

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:39:00 +0200

Refugees who fled Japan's tsunami-hit nuclear reactors say they have been betrayed by the company that runs them, accusing embattled operator TEPCO of creating a "man-made disaster."

In shadow of nuclear crisis, tsunami toll mounts

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:36:00 +0200

"Bodies everywhere" from earthquake and tsunami, officials say; Debris, radiation scares complicate recovery efforts

'Dear Mommy. I hope you're alive. Are you okay?'

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:35:00 +0200

In this March 22 photo, Manami Kon, using Japanese hiragana characters she just learned, writes a letter for her mother who's still missing after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami at the devastated city of Miyako, northeastern Japan. The 4-year-old Manami wrote, "Dear Mommy. I hope you're alive.

Russia repeats warning against citizens visiting Japan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:33:00 +0200

Russia on Thursday once again advised its citizens against visiting Japan, where an earthquake and tsunami have triggered a nuclear disaster. "We repeat our calls for the Russian citizens to refrain from visiting Japan, especially the endangered areas," Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said.

Japan nuclear plant must be scrapped, says PM

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:31:00 +0200

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said that the stricken nuclear plant at the centre of the world's worst atomic accident since Chernobyl in 1986 must be scrapped, Kyodo news reported on Thursday.

France to host May G20 meet on nuclear standards

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:30:00 +0200

TOKYO (Reuters) - France wants to host a meeting of G20 nuclear industry officials in May to discuss ideas for new global standards in the wake of the disaster in Japan, President Nicolas Sarkozy ...

Japan radiation fears slow recovery of bodies

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:30:00 +0200

Radiation fears are slowing not only efforts to get the Fukushima nuclear plant under control, but also the recovery of bodies from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Ryo Ishikawa will give away 2011 earnings for Japanese earthquake victims

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:30:00 +0200

Ryo Ishikawa , one of golf's rising stars, says he is giving all of his tournament earnings this year to the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in his native Japan. Kyodo News reported last ...

'Minuscule' radiation in US milk

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:28:00 +0200

A "minuscule" amount of radiation from iodine-131 has been detected in a sample of milk that was tested from the US north-west, US authorities say.

EPA ups radiation monitoring

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:09:00 +0200

WASHINGTON, March 31 (UPI) -- U.S. regulators are monitoring milk, water and other sources for radiation from Japanese nuclear plants but stressed there was little cause for concern.

NADAguides Investigates Where the Car Market Is Headed

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:03:00 +0200

COSTA MESA, Calif. March 31, 2011 (Logo: News Highlights , the leading vehicle pricing and information provider on the Internet today, shares data and insights regarding the car market as a result of the earthquake in Japan and soaring gas prices. Car Market NADAguides analysts have seen both....

Japan's Nuclear Crisis Takes Its Toll On Utility

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:01:00 +0200

EPA ups radiation monitoring

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:52:00 +0200

WASHINGTON, March 31 (UPI) -- U.S. regulators are monitoring milk, water and other sources for radiation from Japanese nuclear plants but stressed there was little cause for concern. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it increased the level...

Feakle’s musical prayer for Japan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:51:00 +0200

ON hearing of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit her home country, Feakle resident, Erika Mochivuki, was concerned for her family but learning they were safe, she decided to organise an event to help those who weren’t so lucky in Japan’s devastated areas.

China sends third batch of aid to Japan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:50:00 +0200

China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC) told Xinhua that the third batch of humanitarian aid to Japan was sent on Thursday to support the country's disaster relief work.

What's in Store for Japan's Nuclear Workers?

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:34:00 +0200

It's becoming more and more evident that workers at the Daiichi power plant, feted as heroes since the early days of Japan's nuclear crisis, will be bearing their burden for years to come.

6.0-magtitude quake jolts northeast Japan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:30:00 +0200

An earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale jolted the waters off the east coast of Honshu, Japan at 15:15 p.m. Beijing Time Thursday, according to the China Earthquake Network Center. The epicenter, with a depth of 40 km, was monitored at 38.9 degrees north latitude and 142.1 degrees east longitude, the center said in a statement.

France to host May G20 meet on nuclear standards

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:27:00 +0200

31 Mar 2011 10:32 Source: reuters // Reuters * France to host G20 meeting on nuclear safety norms * Sarkozy is first foreign leader in Japan post-quake (Adds detail, quote, byline) By Yann Le Guernigou TOKYO, March 31 (Reuters) - France wants to host a meeting of G20 nuclear industry officials in....

Fukushima plant to be decommissioned

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:27:00 +0200

3/31/2011 - 11:48:22 AM Japan says the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant will have to be shut down - after sustaining catastrophic damage during the earthquake and tsunami. Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said the facility at the centre of the worst atomic accident since Chernobyl in 1986 must be decommissioned.

Nuclear plants being checked for resistance to floods -Areva

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:27:00 +0200

31 Mar 2011 10:28 Source: reuters // Reuters March 31 (Reuters) - Nuclear plants around the world are being checked for safety and security, including resistance to flooding after an earthquake and tsunami knocked out the emergency systems at Japan's Fukushima nuclear complex, the CEO of France's Areva

World stocks gain as jobs report spurs confidence

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:17:00 +0200

World stocks, including equities in earthquake-battered Japan, showed resilience Thursday as investor sentiment perked up on a report that US employers were hiring more workers.

Miffy is crying for Japan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:12:00 +0200

Miffy, the cuddly little rabbit from the nursery picture books, is crying for the children of Japan.

Indiana prepares for major seismic event

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:12:00 +0200

Disasters Two of Indiana's earthquake preparedness drills, the Great Central U.S. Shake Out scheduled for 19 April, and a training program in May for emergency management and response agencies are receiving increased interest following the devastating quake in Japan Two of Indiana’s earthquake preparedness drills, the Great Central U.

Featured photojournalist: David Guttenfelder

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:09:00 +0200

Japan-based Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder documents the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated the north-east of the country

U.N. food program ready to deliver more aid to Japan from new depot

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:08:00 +0200

By Vivian Ho, KUALA LUMPUR - The World Food Program is on standby to deliver more relief to Japan in the aftermath of the devasta...

Grand Prince Hotel Akasaka ends 55-year history

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:08:00 +0200

TOKYO - The Grand Prince Hotel Akasaka in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on Thursday ended its 55-year history, after ...

In Japan, Sarkozy calls for new global nuclear standards

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:03:00 +0200

Japan's Kan backs the French president's push for a May meeting of G20 nuclear officials.French President Nicolas Sarkozy called on Thursday for a reform of global nuclear standards by the end of the year during a first visit by a foreign leader to Japan since the earthquake and tsunami that triggered its atomic disaster.

French president arrives in Japan to discuss nuclear crisis

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:03:00 +0200

Tokyo - French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrived in Tokyo Thursday for talks with Prime Minister Naoto Kan about Japan's ongoing nuclear crisis. Sarkozy is the first foreign leader to visit Japan since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. He offered support in the nuclear field as the country has....

France to host May G20 meet on nuclear standards

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:01:00 +0200

France wants to host a meeting of G20 nuclear industry officials in May to set out new global standards in the wake of the disaster in Japan, President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Thursday.

Sarkozy calls for nuclear review 11:43 French president says global standards should be reformed before 2012 during Japan visit

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:00:00 +0200

French president Nicolas Sarkozy has called for a reform of global nuclear standards by the end of the year during a first visit by a foreign leader to Japan since the earthquake and tsunami that triggered its nuclear crisis. Mr Sarkozy said France wants to host a meeting of the G20 bloc's nuclear....

Radiation in seawater hits record

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:59:00 +0200

France urges world nuclear review after Japan crisis

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:54:00 +0200

TOKYO (Reuters) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy called on Thursday for a reform of global nuclear standards by the end of the year during a first visit by a foreign leader to Japan since the earthquake and tsunami that triggered its atomic disaster.

In Japan, Scenes Of Much Destruction, Little Looting

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:52:00 +0200

To answer the question if there's been less crime after the Japanese tsunami, NPR's John Burnett and his translator, Chie Kobayashi, went to the town of Kamaishi where the black tide killed at least 600 people, threw an ocean freighter onto the wharf and blew open thousands of houses and shops, leaving lots of things to steal.

Business Bullet: Food security, Compass, Mothercare, LSE

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:50:00 +0200

Robert Miller with the latest City and business news on a Nikkei rebound after the earthquake and tsunami, although food security worries grow; catering services group Compass loses 5m in Japan but revenues rise; Mother and baby products retailer Mothercare looks to overseas expansion to cover....

Fukushima plant must be decommissioned – Japanese PM

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:46:00 +0200

Japan says the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant will have to be shut down after sustaining catastrophic damage during the earthquake and tsunami. Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said the facility at the centre of the worst atomic accident since Chernobyl in 1986 must be decommissioned. However there were no plans to widen a 12-mile exclusion [.

WFP/Government Of Malaysia Lay Foundation Stone For Asia’s Humanitarian Response Base

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:44:00 +0200

SUBANG The Government of Malaysia and the World Food Programme today celebrated the start of construction on a state-of-the-art United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot (UNHRD) facility in Subang.

France to host May G20 meet on nuclear standards

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:44:00 +0200

TOKYO (Reuters) - France wants to host a meeting of G20 nuclear industry officials in May to set out new global standards in the wake of the disaster in Japan, President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Thursday.

Japan crisis delays shipment of Nikon, Cannon products

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:41:00 +0200

Shipments of new products and accessories to Czech Rep may get delayed, but price hikes are not expected

Ryo Ishikawa to give 2011 golf earnings to victims of Japan earthquake

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:39:00 +0200

• 'I have enough money,' says Japanese golfer • Ishikawa aiming to raise £1.5m for charity Ryo Ishikawa, the world No45, has announced that he will giving all of his tournament earnings this year to the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in his native Japan.

Fukushima plant must be 'scrapped'

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:39:00 +0200

JAPANESE PM says stricken plant at centre of world's worst atomic accident since Chernobyl must be decommissioned.

Japan disaster sparks social media innovation

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:32:00 +0200

As Japan grapples with an unprecedented triple disaster - earthquake, tsunami, nuclear crisis - the Web has spawned creativity and innovation online amid a collective desire to ease sufering.

DTI reviews 2011 export target after Japan disasters

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:17:00 +0200

MANILA, Philippines - The government is reviewing its export targets this year to take into account the effects of the twin earthquake and tsunami disasters in Japan.

Japan disaster sparks social media innovation

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:15:00 +0200

TOKYO (AP) — As Japan grapples with an unprecedented triple disaster — earthquake, tsunami, nuclear crisis — the Web has spawned creativity and innovation online amid a collective desire to ease suffering. Once the magnitude of the March 11 disaster became clear, the online world began asking, "How....

Japan nuclear refugees feel betrayed

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:04:00 +0200

YOKOTE: Refugees who fled Japan's tsunami-hit nuclear reactors say they have been betrayed by the company that runs them, accusing embattled operator TEPCO of creating a "man-made disaster".

Nuclear plant must be scrapped: PM Kan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:04:00 +0200

TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said that the stricken nuclear plant at the centre of the world's worst atomic accident since Chernobyl in 1986 must be scrapped, Kyodo news reported on Thursday.

FACTBOX - Japan's disaster in figures

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:59:00 +0200

DEATH TOLL * A total of 11,438 people were confirmed dead by Japan's National Police Agency as of 0600 GMT on Thursday, while 16,541 were missing. NUMBER OF PEOPLE EVACUATED * More than 172,400 people were in shelters around the country as of 0600 GMT on Thursday following evacuation, the National Police Agency said.

6.2-magnitude quake hits northeast Japan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:54:00 +0200

6.2-MAGNITUDE earthquake hits area of north-eastern Japan jolted by massive quake and tsunami disaster earlier this month.

China denies copter too close to Japan's destroyer

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:49:00 +0200

China on Thursday dismissed Japanese claims that a Chinese helicopter Saturday flew too close to a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer in the East China Sea.

Airlines change schedules in wake of Japan disaster

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:43:00 +0200

TOKYO/CHICAGO -- At least three major airlines have added a stop in Seoul for flights in and out of Japan due to staffing and supply concerns. Japan has had fuel, food and power shortages in the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake and ensuing tsunami.

Big brewers fear a long, dry summer

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:43:00 +0200

Japan's major beer makers may not be able to meet demand for suds this summer after breweries in northern and eastern Japan suffered major damage in the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. Sapporo Breweries Ltd., Kirin Brewery Co., Asahi Breweries Ltd. and Suntory Holdings Ltd.

VOX POPULI: Humanity persists in the face of unfathomable tragedy

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:43:00 +0200

A haiku by Misao Iida goes: "Being alive/ Just being alive is enough/ Swallows come." It was one of more than 1,000 haiku sent to The Asahi Shimbun in response to a call for contributions from readers about the Great East Japan Earthquake. That tragedy is still unfolding. However, talking or writing about it can help us try to regain our footing.

UPDATE1: Soccer: Shimizu to play quake charity match in Netherlands

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:36:00 +0200

TOKYO - Shimizu S-Pulse are planning to play a charity match in Amsterdam on April 13 against Dutch club Aja...

French president arrives in Japan to discuss nuclear crisis

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:27:00 +0200

French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrived in Tokyo Thursday for talks with Prime Minister Naoto Kan about Japan's ongoing nuclear crisis.

The city feeling the fallout from Japan's nuclear nightmare

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:26:00 +0200

M 6.0 quake hits northeastern Japan, no injuries

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:10:00 +0200

TOKYO, March 31 (KUNA) -- A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.0 on the Richter scale shook northeastern Japan on Thursday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. There were no immediate reports of casualties from the 4:15 a.m. (0715 GMT) quake. No tsunami warning was issued.

Japan plant must be scrapped, says PM

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:09:00 +0200

JAPANESE PM says stricken nuclear plant at centre of world's worst atomic accident since Chernobyl must be scrapped entirely.

Death toll reaches 11,417 from great quake-tsunami in Japan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:09:00 +0200

&$ &$ People wait to get relief supplies in Yamada-machi of Iwate Prefecture, Japan, March 22, 2011. People in Yamada-machi can get a set of relief supplies, including one loaf of bread and a bottle of water, twice a day. The relief supply serve is still in pressing need in quake-affected areas.

Pressure mounts on Japan to expand evacuation zone (2)

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:09:00 +0200

But Hidehiko Nishiyama, an agency spokesman, said the contaminated water posed no immediate threat to human health. "We will do our utmost to stop it from rising," he said. After battling the radiation crisis for nearly three weeks, pressure to come up with new solutions mounted Wednesday, as Tokyo....

Mexico offers 17.3 tons of humanitarian aid to Japan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:09:00 +0200

The Mexican government on Wednesday delivered 17.3 tons of humanitarian aid to Japan to facilitate its efforts to assist thousands of victims from a deadly 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami that hit the country earlier this month. The aid package was delivered to the government of Japan at a....

Fukushima nuclear plant to be entombed in concrete as Japan admits battle with crippled reactors is lost

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:06:00 +0200

Details of what that will entail have yet to be revealed, but officials said it would mean switching off all power and abandoning attempts to keep the nuclear fuel rods cool.

World stocks gain as jobs report spurs confidence

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:01:00 +0200

BANGKOK (AP) — World stocks, including equities in earthquake-battered Japan, showed resilience Thursday as investor sentiment perked up on a report that U.S. employers were hiring more workers. Oil prices rose to near $105 a barrel after control of a key oil port swung back to forces loyal to....

Pressure on Japan to widen nuclear evacuation zone

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:00:00 +0200

Japan said there were no immediate plans to widen the exclusion zone around its stricken nuclear plant, hours after the U.N. atomic watchdog agency voiced its concern over the issue.

Japan nuclear plant's disaster plan inadequate: report

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:53:00 +0200

In 2002 TEPCO admitted to falsifying safety reports which led to all 17 of its boiling-water reactors being shut down for inspection, including Fukushima. And in an eerily familiar event, a 2007 earthquake paralyzed its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant – the world's biggest – and more radiation leaked than TEPCO initially acknowledged.

Radiation Levels Reach New High in Ocean Near Japanese Plant

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:45:00 +0200

Announcement raises fears of a still-undetected radiation leak from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant

Jackie Chan death rumours denied

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:45:00 +0200

Jackie Chan has reassured fans he is alive and well after rumours of his death began to circulate on the internet.

Japan pressed to widen no-go zone

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:39:00 +0200

• High levels of radiation detected outside current 20km zone • Prime minister plans to review nuclear energy policy • Concerns over water contaminated by reactor cooling operation Pressure is mounting on Japan to expand the evacuation zone around the Fukushima Daiichi power plant, as the prime....

Mass grave plan for NZ quake dead

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:39:00 +0200

New Zealand's chief coroner says some of those killed during earthquake may never be identified Some victims of Christchurch's earthquake may never be identified and their remains may be buried in a mass grave, New Zealand's chief coroner has said. Police have named 169 victims of the magnitude 6.

Asian stocks edge higher despite world woes

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:30:00 +0200

BANGKOK (AP) — Asian stocks showed resilience Thursday after a report U.S. employers are hiring more workers but Japan's benchmark index slipped as the country struggled to contain its nuclear reactor crisis. Oil prices rose to near $105 a barrel after control of a key oil port swung back to forces....

U.S. military radiation experts to visit Japan - Kyodo

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:28:00 +0200

TOKYO (Reuters) - About 140 U.S. military radiation safety experts will soon visit Japan to provide help as the nation deals with a stricken nuclear plant, Kyodo news agency said on Thursday, quoting an defense ministry official.

Q+A - What is going on at Japan's damaged nuclear reactor?

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:28:00 +0200

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese engineers are struggling to gain control of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, 240 km (150 miles) north of Tokyo, which was seriously damaged by a March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Honda, Mazda to resume parts, vehicle production

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:27:00 +0200

31 Mar 2011 06:56 Source: reuters // Reuters TOKYO, March 31 (Reuters) - Honda Motor Co said on Thursday it will resume production of parts for overseas use on April 4 and production at all its car factories on April 11. Honda said production of parts and vehicles will resume at about 50 percent of its original plan.

Japan PM may review plan for more nuclear plants-Kyodo

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:27:00 +0200

31 Mar 2011 06:13 Source: reuters // Reuters TOKYO, March 31 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Naoto Kan may review plans for Japan to build more than 14 additional nuclear plants by 2030, Kyodo news agency reported on Thursday. Japan is trying to avert a nuclear catastrophe at the Fukushima Daiichi plant....

Honda, Mazda to resume some parts, vehicle production

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:27:00 +0200

31 Mar 2011 08:15 Source: reuters // Reuters * Honda: Partial production restart for overseas parts Apr. 4; vehicles Apr. 11 * Mazda: Limited vehicle production from Apr. 4 at Hiroshima, Hofu plants * Timeline for restart of full-scale production not set (Adds details) TOKYO, March 31 (Reuters) -....

Some 140 US military radiation experts to visit Japan-Kyodo

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:27:00 +0200

31 Mar 2011 05:44 Source: reuters // Reuters TOKYO, March 31 (Reuters) - About 140 U.S. military radiation safety experts will soon visit Japan to provide help as the nation deals with a stricken nuclear plant, Kyodo news agency said on Thursday, quoting an defense ministry official.

Q+A-What is going on at Japan's damaged nuclear reactor?

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:27:00 +0200

Some questions and answers about efforts to end the world's worst nuclear crisis since the 1986 Chernobyl accident

Kutcher prepares for 'The Big One'

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:25:00 +0200

ASHTON KUTCHER is getting serious about the end of the world - or at least a very big Californian disaster - after he was spotted stocking up on survival gear in Los Angeles.

Bars empty in lonely city near Japan nuclear accident

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:23:00 +0200

FUKUSHIMA CITY, Japan (Reuters) - Daylight is fading in Fukushima, and Futoshi Sato is resigned to another cold and tiresome night seeking customers in a city where nobody wants to go drinking any more.

Fukushima nuclear plant to be entombed in concrete as Japan admits battle with crippled reactors is lost

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:21:00 +0200

Details of what that will entail have yet to be revealed, but officials said it would mean switching off all power and abandoning attempts to keep the nuclear fuel rods cool.

Japan pressured to widen nuclear exclusion zone

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:20:00 +0200

UN nuclear watchdog suggests Tokyo consider widening its 20-km zone after high radiation detected at twice that distance from Fukushima plant.

Nikon: Third Notice on the impact by the Major Earthquake in Northeastern Japan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:13:00 +0200

March 31, 2011 -- The Nikon Group would express our deepest condolences to the victims of the earthquake and extend our profound sympathy and heartfelt concern to those individuals and families suffering from the disaster. The following is an update regarding Nikon Corporation and its group manufacturing facilities.

ASAHI HAIKUIST NETWORK

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:13:00 +0200

Hokusai's wave moves the wall upsetting print --Richard Jodoin (Quebec) Basho's road throughout Tohoku-- hope remains --Stephen J. DeGuire (Los Angeles) Calm, placid ocean suddenly raised up and reared its venomous head --Kevin Kato (Iwate) Wings of the crane I too close my arms...

M6.0 quake jolts northeastern Japan, no tsunami warning issued

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:04:00 +0200

TOKYO - A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.0 jolted northeastern Japan on Thursday aftern...

Japan urged to widen nuke evacuation zone

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:58:00 +0200

Japan has no immediate plans to widen the exclusion zone around its stricken nuclear plant, despite pressure from the UN watchdog and Greenpeace.

Honda, Mazda to resume parts, vehicle production

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:58:00 +0200

Honda Motor Co said on Thursday it will resume production of parts for overseas use on April 4 and production at all its car factories on April 11.

Radiation levels in Japan rise

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:57:00 +0200

Radiation levels in the sea near Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant are over 4,300 times the legal limit, according to the UN's nuclear watchdog.

Japan plant must be scrapped, says PM: Kyodo

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:54:00 +0200

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said that the stricken nuclear plant at the centre of the world s worst atomic accident since Chernobyl in 1986 must be scrapped, Kyodo news reported on Thursday.

AAR JAPAN Enters the Demolished City, Two Weeks of Relief in Number

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:48:00 +0200

3.28.2011 On Sunday, March 27, AAR JAPAN's Emergency Relief Team made an expedition to the city of Rikuzen-Takata, one of the most heavily damaged towns along the Pacific coast, visiting two welfare facilities for people with disabilities for delivery of relief items.

Two states report radiation in milk

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:35:00 +0200

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is increasing its nationwide monitoring of radiation as two states reported very low levels of radiation in milk.

Damage and Restoration Status Regarding Tohoku-Pacific Ocean Earthquake and Future Prospects

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:32:00 +0200

TOKYO March 31, 2011 -- Due to the impact of the Tohoku-Pacific Ocean Earthquake that occurred on March 11, 2011 , some of NTT Group's services, including fixed-line and mobile communication services, remain unavailable, particularly in the Tohoku region.

Radiation levels top U.N. evacuation guidelines

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:31:00 +0200

Recent radiation readings outside the exclusion zone around Japan's nuclear disaster show radiation substantially higher than levels at which the U.N.'s nuclear agency would recommend evacuations, agency officials said Wednesday. The comments could add to the debate over how far people need to stay away from Japan's Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear .

Can Japan Overcome Economic Hurdles?

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:30:00 +0200

It's estimated that the cost of damage from the giant earthquake and tsunami in Japan could exceed $300 billion. That doesn't include the costs to the economy from lost production. On top of that, Japan faces an ongoing power shortage caused by its nuclear crisis and an already huge government debt burden.

In Quake-Struck Japan, Businesses Try To Rebuild

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:30:00 +0200

The March 11th earthquake in Japan destroyed countless businesses and left many others closed. Some suffered earthquake damage. Others were flooded by the tsunami. And some near the crippled Fukushima nuclear complex can't get supplies. But despite the challenges facing small businesses in the area, many owners are trying to reopen.

Fukushima plant may be continuously leaking

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:26:00 +0200

Japan's nuclear watchdog has said that the consistently high levels of radiation found in the sea outside the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant may mean that radiation is leaking out continuously.

US Marines being sent to Japan for nuclear response

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:25:00 +0200

The US military on Wednesday ordered a Marine unit specializing in emergency nuclear response to deploy to Japan to assist local authorities in addressing the massive crisis, officials said.

Radiation in sea off Japan N-plant 4,385 times limit

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:25:00 +0200

The level of radioactive iodine in the sea off Japan's disaster-hit Fukushima nuclear plant has soared to its highest reading yet at 4,385 times the legal limit, the plant operator said on Thursday.

Katy’s bringing her dreams tour to city

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:19:00 +0200

THERE will certainly be Fireworks in Cardiff tomorrow when pop star Katy Perry arrives in town on her latest tour.

Latest News : Incredible tales of rescue from Japan’s earthquake

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:11:00 +0200

Incredible tales of rescue from Japan’s earthquake We’ve been tuned into our televisions and news outlets since the earthquake devastated Japan two weeks ago, watching the tsunami hit the coast and observing the destruction from afar. Nuclear plants warn of meltdowns, the death toll is at 10,000, and there are nearly 20,000 people still missing.

Japan urged to extend nuclear exclusion zone

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:05:00 +0200

Radiation levels in village 40km from tsunami-damaged plant exceed "operational criteria for evacuation", IAEA warns

Youth performers to raise funds for Japan's quake survivors

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:56:00 +0200

SINGAPORE: Youths are banding together to perform at a concert to raise at least S$100,000 for the survivors of the Japan tsunami and earthquake.

In Japan, Scenes Of Much Destruction, Little Looting

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:55:00 +0200

To answer the question if there's been less crime after the Japanese tsunami, NPR's John Burnett and his translator, Chie Kobayashi, went to the town of Kamaishi where the tidal wave killed at least 600 people, plopped an ocean freighter onto the wharf and blew open thousands of houses and shops, leaving lots of things to steal.

Toxic levels in seawater hit record

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:50:00 +0200

UN: High radiation outside Japan's exclusion zone

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:48:00 +0200

Recent radiation readings outside the exclusion zone around Japan's nuclear disaster show radiation substantially higher than levels at which the U.N. nuclear agency would recommend evacuations, agency officials said.

Moderate earthquake hits east Japan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:47:00 +0200

An earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale on Wednesday hit Chiba Prefecture and its vicinity in east Japan, said the Japan Meteorological Agency. The focus of the quake, which occurred at 9:51 p.m. local time (1251 GMT), was located some 20 km under the sea off Chiba, north of Tokyo, said the agency.

UN: High radiation outside Japan's exclusion zone

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:46:00 +0200

Recent radiation readings outside the exclusion zone around Japan's nuclear disaster show radiation substantially higher than levels at which the UN nuclear agency would recommend evacuations, agency officials said. The comments Wednesday could add to the debate over how far people need to stay....

Pressure on Japan to widen nuclear evacuation zone

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:39:00 +0200

SENDAI, Japan, March 31, 2011 (AFP) - Japan said Thursday there were no immediate plans to widen the exclusion zone around its stricken nuclear plant, hours after the UN atomic watchdog agency voiced its concern over the issue. In Washington, the Pentagon ordered a Marine emergency nuclear response....

Disaster hits Japan manufacturing

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:35:00 +0200

-- Japanese manufacturing activity sank to a two-year low in March underlining the impact of the earthquake and tsunami on economic activity in the country. The damage caused by the March 11 disaster, which has taken the lives of more than 11,000 people, severely disrupted the production of car....

UPDATE1: IAEA data prods Japan to boost radiation monitoring, eye evacuation

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:34:00 +0200

TOKYO - Japan said Thursday it will boost its monitoring of radiation contamination near a crippled nuclear ...

UPDATE1: Keidanren urges gov't to revise budget to fund reconstruction

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:34:00 +0200

TOKYO - Japan's largest business lobby, Nippon Keidanren, on Thursday urged the government to revise its bud...

Pressure on Japan to widen nuclear evacuation zone

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:28:00 +0200

Japan said Thursday there were no immediate plans to widen the exclusion zone around its stricken nuclear plant, hours after the UN atomic watchdog agency voiced its concern over the issue.

Golfer Ishikawa to give 2011 earnings to victims

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:24:00 +0200

TOKYO (AP) -; Golf sensation Ryo Ishikawa says he is giving all of his tournament earnings this year to the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in his native Japan.Kyodo News reported Wednesday ...

Pressure on Japan to widen nuclear evacuation zone

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:23:00 +0200

Japan said Thursday there were no immediate plans to widen the exclusion zone around its stricken nuclear plant, hours after the UN atomic watchdog agency voiced its concern over the issue.

Radioactive iodine level in sea off Fukushima high

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:20:00 +0200

The level of radioactive iodine has soared to 4.385 times the legal limit, compared to 1.250 times the legal maximum last week.

Christchurch earthquake: victims may be buried in mass grave

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:19:00 +0200

Some victims of the Christchurch earthquake may never be identified and could be buried in a mass grave, officials in New Zealand have said.

Presure mounts on Japan to widen nuclear exclusion zone

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:12:00 +0200

TOKYO (Reuters) - Pressure mounted on Japan on Thursday to expand the evacuation zone around its stricken nuclear power plant while officials said radiation may be flowing continuously into the nearby sea, where contamination was now 4,000 times the legal limit.

Presure mounts on Japan to widen nuke exclusion zone

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:12:00 +0200

TOKYO (Reuters) - Pressure mounted on Japan on Thursday to expand the evacuation zone around its stricken nuclear power plants after high levels of radiation were found outside the zone and radioactivity in seawater reached more than 4,000 times its legal limit.

Airlines change schedules in wake of Japan disaster

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:12:00 +0200

TOKYO/CHICAGO (Reuters) - At least three major airlines have added a stop in Seoul for flights in and out of Japan due to staffing and supply concerns.

Zespri sends NZ water to Japan with kiwifruit

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:03:00 +0200

Kiwifruit exporter Zespri says it has sent relief supplies of New Zealand water to earthquake-torn Japan with its first shipment of kiwifruit for the season.A Japanese refrigerated freighter left Tauranga yesterday for Kobe and...

Edited by Alex Brewer :Use the Experience of Operation Tomodachi to Deepen Japan-U.S. Alliance

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:02:00 +0200

Rescue teams from all over Japan and the world have rushed to the areas stricken by the great east Japan earthquake. We would like to express our sincerest thanks and respect for all of the support from overseas. The U.S., especially, is continuing full-scale relief efforts in keeping with President....

06:46 Japan's evacuation zone queried

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:01:00 +0200

Pressure mounted on Japan today to expand the evacuation zone around its stricken nuclear power plants after high levels of radiation were found outside the zone and radioactivity in seawater reached more than 4,000 times its legal limit. The UN nuclear watchdog suggested Japan consider widening its....

Pressure mounts on Japan to widen nuke exclusion zone

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:53:00 +0200

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - Pressure mounted on Japan on Thursday to expand the evacuation zone around its stricken nuclear power plants after high levels of radiation were found outside the zone and radioactivity in seawater reached more than 4,000 times its legal limit.

Report reveals inadequate disaster plan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:51:00 +0200

TOKYO, March 31 (UPI) -- Operators of Japan's crippled-Fukushima nuclear plant didn't seem adequately prepared to handle big emergencies, an examination of their disaster plan showed. The Wall Street Journal reported its findings Thursday after examining...

EPA boosts radiation monitoring after low levels found in milk

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:50:00 +0200

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is increasing its nationwide monitoring of radiation as two states reported very low levels of radiation in milk.

Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Update Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:47:00 +0200

Overview A powerful 9.0-magnitude earthquake hit Japan on March 11 at 1446 local time (0546 GMT), unleashing massive tsunami waves that crashed into Japan's northeastern coast of Honshu, the largest and main island of Japan, resulting in widespread damage and destruction.

Report reveals inadequate disaster plan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:44:00 +0200

TOKYO, March 31 (UPI) -- Operators of Japan's crippled-Fukushima nuclear plant didn't seem adequately prepared to handle big emergencies, an examination of their disaster plan showed.

Pressure mounts on Japan to widen nuke exclusion zone

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:29:00 +0200

Pressure is on Japan to expand the evacuation zone around a stricken nuclear power plant after high levels of radiation were found outside the zone.

Mental health concerns mount as Japan tsunami realities sink in

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:26:00 +0200

31 Mar 2011 02:53 Source: reuters // Reuters By Paul Eckert RIKUZENTAKATA, Japan, March 31 (Reuters) - Japanese tsunami survivors mourning lost loved ones and struggling to replace shattered homes and workplaces also face daunting mental health concerns, experts warn.

Pressure mounts on Japan to widen nuclear exclusion zone

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:26:00 +0200

31 Mar 2011 04:42 Source: reuters // Reuters * Radiation detected in U.S. milk and in cabbages in Singapore * France's Sarkozy to be first leader to visit since disaster * Japan urges world not to impose unjustifiable curbs on imports (Refiles to reset headline) By Chizu Nomiyama and Chisa Fujioka....

Mental health concerns mount as Japan tsunami realities sink in

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:26:00 +0200

RIKUZENTAKATA, Japan (Reuters) - Japanese tsunami survivors mourning lost loved ones and struggling to replace shattered homes and workplaces also face daunting mental health concerns, experts warn.

Japan nuclear watchdog: radiation may be leaking continuously into sea

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:26:00 +0200

31 Mar 2011 03:06 Source: reuters // Reuters TOKYO, March 31 (Reuters) - The consistently high levels of radiation found in the sea outside Japan's tsunami-damaged nuclear plant complex may mean that radiation is leaking out continuously, Japan's nuclear watchdog said on Thursday.

Presure mounts on Japan to widen nuke exclusion zone

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:26:00 +0200

31 Mar 2011 04:10 Source: reuters // Reuters * Radiation detected in U.S. milk and in cabbages in Singapore * France's Sarkozy to be first leader to visit since disaster * Japan urges world not to impose unjustifiable curbs on imports (Updates with latest radiation concerns) By Chisa Fujioka and....

Radiation in sea off Japan nuclear plant 4,385 times limit

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:22:00 +0200

OSAKA: The level of radioactive iodine in the sea off Japan's disaster-hit Fukushima nuclear plant has soared to its highest reading yet at 4,385 times the legal limit, the plant operator said on Thursday.

Smoke temporarily seen at Fukushima Daini turbine building: reports

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:13:00 +0200

Smoke was temporarily seen at Fukushima Daini turbine building, but it soon disappeared, Japan's public broadcaster NHK and Kyodo News reported Wednesday. Tokyo Electric Power Co. said smoke was detected at around 5:56 p.m. from a power distribution panel on the first floor of the turbine building at the reactor.

Radiation in sea off Japan hits new high

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:10:00 +0200

The level of radioactive iodine in the sea off Japan's disaster-hit Fukushima nuclear plant has soared to its highest reading yet at 4,385 times the legal limit, the plant operator said.

Japan cut for American Airlines

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:08:00 +0200

American Airlines is reducing the number of flights to Japan as travel demand falls after the earthquake and tsunami.

IAEA data prods Japan to boost radiation monitoring, eye evacuation

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:03:00 +0200

TOKYO - Japan said Thursday it will boost its monitoring of radiation contamination near a troubled nuclear ...

Pressure mounts on Japan to widen nuclear exclusion zone

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 06:59:00 +0200

UN nuclear watchdog suggests Tokyo consider widening its 20-km zone after high radiation detected at twice that distance from Fukushima plant; Sarkozy to be first leader to visit since disaster.

Lessons in Recovery

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 06:57:00 +0200

Compared to most of its Asian neighbors, Japan seems like a very different society. Unlike in Bangkok or Rangoon or Jakarta, schedules run on time in Japanese cities, and essential services, from street cleaning to tax collection, work effectively. Though it slipped this year from the second largest....

Pressure mounts on Japan to widen nuke exclusion zone

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 06:52:00 +0200

Japan considers entombing nuclear plant

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 06:38:00 +0200

Japan will consider entombing its crippled atomic plant in concrete as workers grapple to reduce radiation and contain the worst nuclear disaster in 25 years. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano on Wednesday ruled out the possibility that two of the six reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi plant would ever be salvaged.

Equities lift as Japan gets back to business

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 06:31:00 +0200

RON DERBY THE JSE rose yesterday to its highest level since Japan’s earthquake and tsunami jolted markets earlier this month, with heavyweight mine shares leading the all share index higher. Resources stocks soared on the news that large Japanese raw materials consumers, including Hitachi and....

Japan's manufacturing plunged in March in aftermath of devastating earthquake/ tsunami

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 06:23:00 +0200

March PMI (Purchasing Managers' Index) data pointed to a sharp deterioration in Japan's manufacturing sector operating, as production was severely disrupted by events following the ...

Japan cut for American Airlines

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 06:23:00 +0200

American Airlines is reducing the number of flights to Japan as travel demand to the country continues to fall. The airline said it will suspend two of its six daily flights to Japan from April 6. ...

IAEA suggests Japan widen exclusion zone near nuclear plant

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 06:16:00 +0200

TOKYO - The U.N. nuclear watchdog suggested Japan consider widening an evacuation zone around a stricken nuclear plant as French President Nicolas Sarkozy was due to arrive on Thursday, the first leader to visit since a devastating earthquake and tsunami sparked the worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl in 1986.

Japan to scrap stricken nuclear reactors, boss treated for stress

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 06:14:00 +0200

TOKYO - Japan is to decommission four stricken reactors at the quake-hit Fukushima nuclear plant, the operator says, quoted by BBC. Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco) made the announcement three weeks after failing to bring reactors 1 - 4 under control. Locals would be consulted on reactors 5 and 6, which were shut down safely.

Ghana, A Developed Country By 2025?

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 06:14:00 +0200

- Let Us Start By Re-Locating The Capital By Dr. A. Ofori Quaah (Flitwick, Bedfordshire, UK) Prologue I began making half-hearted notes for this article after the images of the 11th March Japanese earthquake and Tsunami began to appear on television screens around the world.

Japan's battle to save reactors is lost

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 06:08:00 +0200

The firm's chairman said it had 'no choice' but to scrap reactors No 1-4, but held out hope that the remaining two could continue to operate Japanese officials have conceded that the battle to salvage four crippled reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant has been lost.

Consumer confidence tumbles in March

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 05:58:00 +0200

Canada and the U.S may be in different stages of economic recovery but record-high oil prices in March had the same dampening effect on consumer confidence in both countries.

Powerful Earthquake in Japan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 05:58:00 +0200

The nuclear crisis at Fukushima was prompted by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that killed more than 11,000 people in northeastern Japan © AFP/ TEPCO via JIJI PRESS ALTERNATIVE CROP 15:48 18/03/2011 RIA Novosti political commentator Andrei Fedyashin ....

Cosmic Log: How radiation affects the fish

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 05:54:00 +0200

Science editor Alan Boyle's Weblog: Experts say that fish and other marine species shouldn't be as affected by Japan's nuclear crisis as species on land, in part because of the different dispersion patterns.

New problems at Japan nuclear plant

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 05:29:00 +0200

Japan's embattled nuclear facility faced new setbacks Wednesday as nearby seawater reached its highest radiation levels to date.

Japanese town finds comfort in routine

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 05:29:00 +0200

In the town of Yamada, people trekked to city hall Wednesday in search of proof for claims that their home was washed away by the tsunami.

Rawlings Console Japan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 05:28:00 +0200

Former First Lady and President of the 31st December Women¹s Movement, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings has praised the people of Japan for their sense of resilience following the disastrous earthquake and tsunami that wreaked havoc and claimed thousands of lives in the Fukushima Prefecture earlier this month.

Japan nuclear refugees feel 'betrayed'

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 05:13:00 +0200

YOKOTE, Japan: Refugees who fled Japan’s tsunami-hit nuclear reactors say they have been betrayed by the company that runs them, accusing embattled operator TEPCO of creating a “man-made disaster”.

Asian stocks edge higher despite world woes

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 05:13:00 +0200

Most Asian stocks showed resilience early Thursday, although Japan's benchmark index slumped as the country struggled to contain the effects of a giant earthquake and tsunami nearly three weeks ago.

IAEA suggests Japan widen exclusion zone near nuclear plant

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 05:09:00 +0200

Radiation >4000 times safety limit at plant

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 05:05:00 +0200

RADIOACTIVE iodine 4385 times the safety standard was found in seawater around Japan's troubled Fukushima nuclear plant.

Japan prepared to accept help

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:51:00 +0200

TOKYO, March 30 (UPI) -- Japan is getting expert help from France and the United States at the Fukushima nuclear plant, the government's top spokesman said Wednesday. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal,...

Because of Japan’s Problems, Auto Dealers See Trouble Ahead in Meeting Demand

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:41:00 +0200

A research firm said predicted that up to a third of the industry’s production capacity could be affected by the disaster.

Japan prepared to accept help

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:35:00 +0200

TOKYO, March 30 (UPI) -- Japan is getting expert help from France and the United States at the Fukushima nuclear plant, the government's top spokesman said Wednesday.

Japan Plant Had Barebones Risk Plan

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:33:00 +0200

Tokyo Electric Power's disaster plans greatly underestimated the scope of a potential accident at its Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, calling for only one stretcher, one satellite phone and 50 protective suits in case of emergencies.

Asian stocks edge higher despite world woes

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:32:00 +0200

BANGKOK (AP) — Most Asian stocks showed resilience early Thursday, although Japan's benchmark index slumped as the country struggled to contain the effects of a giant earthquake and tsunami nearly three weeks ago. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 index was down less than 0.1 percent to 9,705.

Focus turns to mental health of quake-tsunami survivors

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:29:00 +0200

Japanese who experienced traumatic stressful events are at risk of long-term mental health without psychological first aid, researchers say.

IN the past month the news has been all bad, but here an academic puts it into perspective

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:24:00 +0200

IN the past month the news has been all bad, but here an academic puts it into perspective

Washington Hosts Annual Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 03:56:00 +0200

The trees are in full bloom as their home country seeks to recover from a devastating earthquake and tsunami

Japan carmakers take steps in North America to fight disruption

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 03:37:00 +0200

Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) and Honda Motor Corp (7267.T) took fresh steps to scale back output or reduce orders of some parts in North America as supplies remain disrupted after the March 11 Japan earthquake. The global auto industry is grappling with disruptions to its production and supply base in....

Honda to cut output at US, Canadian auto plants

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 03:37:00 +0200

Honda Motor Co (7267.T) will cut production at its U.S. and Canadian automotive plants starting Wednesday due to disruptions in the supply of auto parts after the Japanese earthquake more than two weeks ago. The temporary changes to the production schedule will vary plant by plant based on the availability of certain parts.

ANIME NEWS: 'Tofu Boy' anime premieres at Hong Kong filmfest

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 03:27:00 +0200

The 3-D anime adventure "Little Ghostly Adventures of the Tofu Boy," which stars the vocal talents of familiar Japanese actors, premiered at the 35th Hong Kong International Film Festival on March 22 ahead of its Japan release on April 29. The feature-length, full-CG anime was screened with English....

TEPCO to sound out residents' views on No. 5, 6 reactors

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 03:27:00 +0200

Tokyo Electric Power Co., the operator of Japan's crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex, said it will sound out the opinions of the government and local residents on whether to continue operating the plant's No. 5 and No. 6 reactors, as well as the companion Fukushima Daini plant.

With parents missing, brothers split up after disaster

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 03:27:00 +0200

MINAMI-SANRIKU, Miyagi Prefecture--Ryusei Murata waved farewell to his brother Tensho on Sunday as he left for Tottori, western Japan, to search for their parents in their hometown by himself. "Good luck! Be good!" Ryusei, 17, shouted to his brother as he boarded a bus.

IAEA suggests Japan widen exclusion zone near nuclear plant

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 03:21:00 +0200

IAEA suggests Japan widen exclusion zone near nuclear plant

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 03:21:00 +0200

Can Japan Overcome Economic Hurdles?

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 03:16:00 +0200

In Quake-Struck Japan, Businesses Try To Rebuild

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 03:16:00 +0200

Nissan to resume output at Japan plants mid-April

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 03:06:00 +0200

Nissan Motor Co Ltd (7201.T) said on Wednesday it would resume normal operations at all its Japanese plants, except its Iwaki engine facility, by mid-April. Nissan said the production schedules of its Japanese plants will be determined by the availability of parts.

EPA boosts radiation monitoring, says levels are low

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 02:55:00 +0200

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday it is increasing its nationwide monitoring of radiation in milk, precipitation, drinking water, and other outlets in response to the ongoing nuclear crisis in Japan.

More sites detect Japan radiation

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 02:51:00 +0200

More locations around Scotland have recorded very low levels of radioactive iodine believed to be from Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan. The chemical was detected in air samples in Lerwick in ...

Japan to scrap four reactors

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 02:45:00 +0200

FOUR reactors at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant are set to be decommissioned

Tokyo Sees Its Lights Go Dim, And Lifestyles Change

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 02:45:00 +0200

In normal times, Tokyo thrives on electricity. Dazzling digital billboards overlook the shopping districts, and doors glide open automatically. But the earthquake and tsunami have forced the city to reduce its power usage, forcing residents to alter their lifestyles.

Workers Give Glimpse of Japan’s Nuclear Crisis

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 02:40:00 +0200

Interviews, e-mails and blog posts offer a view of problems faced by the thousands of anxious but eager Tokyo Electric Power employees working to re-establish order.

Japan mulls covering Fukushima reactors

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 02:21:00 +0200

to prevent fallout 09:51 30/03/2011 TOKYO, March 30 (RIA Novosti) - The Japanese government is considering new measures to stem radiation fallout from the troubled reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, including covering them with cloth, Kyodo news reported on Wednesday.

Japan sec. suggests scrapping Fukushima plant

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 02:21:00 +0200

Japanese cabinet secretary suggests scrapping Fukushima plant 15:11 30/03/2011 MOSCOW, March 30 (RIA Novosti) - Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said on Wednesday it was time to start thinking about closing down all six reactors at the troubled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, the Kyodo news agency reported.

Japan spacecraft survive earthquake-tsunami

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 02:21:00 +0200

Japanese spacecraft survive powerful earthquake and tsunami 06:31 30/03/2011 MOSCOW, March 30 (RIA Novosti) - Japan's HTV-3 space freighter and two satellites were not damaged in the 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami, the Spaceflight Now portal reported, citing space industry officials.

Qantas cutting costs

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 02:09:00 +0200

SYDNEY: Qantas Airways plans to scale back flights and cut management jobs to help offset soaring fuel prices and an estimated A$140mil hit to its earnings from a string of natural disasters in key markets.

Nuclear plant chief hospitalized

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 02:07:00 +0200

TOKYO - The president of the utility that owns Japan's tsunami-damaged nuclear complex was hospitalized with hypertension as setbacks mounted at the plant, where experts on Wednesday logged the highest radiation yet in nearby seawater.

Disasters cost estimated $218 billion last year

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 01:59:00 +0200

GENEVA: The economic cost of natural and man-made disasters jumped threefold to $218 billion in 2010 from $68 billion the previous year, with earthquakes the main cause of death and destruction, insurer Swiss Reinsurance Co. said on Tuesday. Some 304,000 people died in disasters last year, a sharp rise from 15,000 in 2009.

Japan unemployment at 2-year low in Feb

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 01:59:00 +0200

OSAKA: Japan’s unemployment rate unexpectedly fell in February to a two-year low, in a snapshot of the economy before a devastating earthquake and tsunami, data showed Tuesday. The unemployment rate fell to 4.6 percent in February, down from 4.9 percent in January, government data showed.

Japan may nationalise troubled Tokyo Electric

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 01:59:00 +0200

TOKYO: The Japanese government could discuss a possible nationalisation of Tokyo Electric Power among other options to deal with the operator of the plant at the centre of the country’s nuclear disaster, a senior cabinet minister said yesterday.

Japan car industry still on low gear

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 01:59:00 +0200

TOKYO: Nissan Motor Co said yesterday it would be some time before it would return to full production after Japan’s devastating March 11 earthquake and tsunami disrupted supplies to its plants.

AirAsia not planning fuel surcharges, airfares to remain at current level

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 01:59:00 +0200

SINGAPORE: AirAsia has no intention to introduce fuel surcharges at the moment despite the hike in crude oil prices following the political uprising in the Middle East.

Two Koreas Agree on Need for Joint Volcano Research

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 01:58:00 +0200

Scientists from North and South Korea have agreed on the need for joint research into volcanic activity on the Korean peninsula's highest mountain. A 13-member team from North Korea met with South Korean counterparts Tuesday at the South Korean border city of Munsan to discuss potential re...

Grim conditions add to misery of nuclear heroes

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 01:55:00 +0200

TOKYO - Biscuits and vegetable juice for breakfast, no lunch and a packet of rice with canned fish or meat for supper. No showers, no beds and virtually never a change of clothes.

City to have disaster shelters in 30 parks

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 01:55:00 +0200

SHANGHAI - More than two weeks after an earthquake and a tsunami struck Japan, the Shanghai government said it plans to better deal with disasters by building emergency shelters in 30 parks within five years.

Japanese automakers keep the cars rolling

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 01:55:00 +0200

Businesses say March 11 quake had limited effect on production in China BEIJING - Japanese automakers are optimistic about production in China saying that there has been "almost no effect" on the supply of parts following the earthquake in their home country, thanks to a gradual resumption of output in Japan.

'Suicide squads' paid huge sums to stabilise nuclear reactor

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 01:32:00 +0200

Workers at Japan's stricken nuclear plant are reportedly being offered huge sums to brave high radiation and bring its overheated reactors under control, as plant operator, the Tokyo Electric Power Company, battles to stop a spreading contamination crisis which could see another 130,000 people forced to leave their homes.

Commander discusses Yokota's role in Operation Tomodachi

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 01:31:00 +0200

Yokota Air Base's role as the sole airlift hub of the western Pacific increased in significance following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in northern Japan.

Hug of hope for Japan earthquake kids

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 01:31:00 +0200

PUPILS hug each other as they bravely return to school for the first time since quake & tsunami

Chinese oil tanker leaves for Japan

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 01:25:00 +0200

The oil tanker "Shengchi", loaded with 10,000 tons of gasoline and 10,000 tons of diesel to help earthquake relief in Japan, is ready to leave a deepwater port in China's northeastern city of Dalian for Japan on March 29, 2011. The tanker is expected to arrive in Japan within three to four days.

Japan Shortages Hit U.S. Units

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 01:23:00 +0200

Parts shortages are spreading to U.S. assembly and repair operations of Japanese auto makers. Toyota warned its U.S. dealers they face a shortage of some replacement parts while Honda and Subaru are slowing North American output.

OshKosh B'Gosh Announces Cranes for Kids Initiative

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 01:23:00 +0200

ATLANTA March 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- World-renowned children's clothing brand, OshKosh B'Gosh, announced today an initiative to inspire kids to help families in Japan and raise awareness of children affected by the recent tragedy. The program, entitled Cranes for Kids , has a direct, and an....

Japan to Keep Dousing Plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 01:23:00 +0200

Japanese authorities vowed to continue using water for the critical task of cooling reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear-power plant—even as they raced for ways to keep the radioactive runoff from the process from spilling into the ocean.

Hugh Muir's diary

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 01:17:00 +0200

They used to shout, they liked to swear, the mood was black, their teeth were bared. Ah the spads, we remember them well • New Labour. Remember them? Remember the hard-faced advisers rushing around barking, bullying? The Thick of It's Malcolm Tucker was modelled on them.

France, U.S. to help Japan in nuclear crisis

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 01:15:00 +0200

29 Mar 2011 21:06 Source: reuters // Reuters * Nuclear crisis compounds disaster from quake, tsunami * French nuclear experts to aid Japan's plant operator * U.S. to send robots to expore volatile reactors * Anger mounts over government response to crisis (Adds details) By Shinichi Saoshiro and....

Japan mulls nuke company bailout

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 01:13:00 +0200

This news was brought to you by www.7days.ae Japan may nationalise Tokyo Electric Power Co. as mounting costs and public anger threaten the future of the company at the centre of the country’s deepening nuclear crisis. The outlook for Tokyo Electric, known as TEPCO, has been uncertain since the....

Japan quake victims to get 100,000 Crocs

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 00:56:00 +0200

US shoemaker Crocs donates 100,000 pairs of its colorful rubber clogs to victims of Japan's devastating earthquake disaster.

Japan on ’maximum alert’ over nuclear crisis

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 00:54:00 +0200

Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan says his government is in a "state of maximum alert" over the crisis at the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant.

MARKET REPORT: Whispers cause Hardy Oil and Gas shares to gush

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 00:42:00 +0200

Whispers that shareholders of Hardy Oil & Gas could soon strike it lucky left shares of the India-focused oil and gas explorer 9pc higher at 181p. Punters piled in amid rumours of a bid approach from one of the oil majors.

Japan vows to review its nuclear standards

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 00:39:00 +0200

TOKYO | Japan's government vowed Tuesday to overhaul nuclear safety standards once its radiation-leaking reactor complex is under control, admitting that its safeguards were insufficient to protect the plant against the March 11 tsunami. The struggle to contain radiation at the complex has unfolded with near-constant missteps - including two .

Japan finds plutonium in soil at stricken nuclear plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 00:31:00 +0200

Published Date: March 30, 2011 TOKYO: Plutonium found in soil at the Fukushima nuclear complex heightened alarm yesterday over Japan's battle to contain the world's worst atomic crisis in 25 years, as pressure mounted on the prime minister to widen an evacuation zone around the plant.

Toyota restricts parts orders; Honda cuts output

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 00:27:00 +0200

Shortages of auto parts from Japan are hitting North American operations at Honda and Toyota.

Dot Earth: The Varied Costs of Catastrophe

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 00:25:00 +0200

catastrophes tallied in lost lives or wealth, depending the longitude and latitude.

StorageCraft Offers Free Disaster Recovery Software in Japan

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 00:23:00 +0200

DRAPER, Utah - (Business Wire) StorageCraft Technology Corporation is now offering free downloads of ShadowProtect IT Edition v.3 to help businesses in Japan that need to backup or recover their servers and workstations following the recent earthquake and tsunami.

Parts Shortage Hit U.S. Units of Japanese Auto Makers

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 00:23:00 +0200

Business › Toyota restricts parts orders; Honda cuts output

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 00:20:00 +0200

Shortages of auto parts from Japan are hitting Honda and Toyota's North American operations. Toyota Motor Corp on Tuesday said it wants its U.S. car…

Lifestyle › To rebuild or not? Japan's tsunami coast wonders

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 00:20:00 +0200

When he was younger, the carpenter picked a spot just off the Shikaori River and built his house. Toshio Onodera chiseled the joints for the…

MARKET REPORT: Katherine the Great is raided

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 23:48:00 +0200

The chief executive of Dundee-based Alliance Trust, who was nicknamed 'Katherine the Great' during her early stellar career, needed news that another activist shareholder has raided the group's share register like a hole in the head.

London's insurance market can 'withstand Japan claims'

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 23:48:00 +0200

Lord Levene, chairman of Lloyd's of London, said the cost of this month's Japanese catastrophe won't come close to wiping out its profits this year.

Japanese Survivors To Get New Eyeglasses At Op Blessing Clinic

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 23:42:00 +0200

Patients will have the option to choose from 5 different frames. OBI will initially be offering free prescription glasses to 800 people and free reading glasses to 600 people.

For Linkin Park vocalist, aid for Japan is personal

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 23:40:00 +0200

Mike Shinoda saw images of the devastation in Japan and knew he had to do something.

Japanese Carmakers Struggle With Parts Logistics

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 23:39:00 +0200

Honda will start reducing production at North American factories Wednesday because of a shortage in parts. Toyota is asking U.S. car dealers to stop ordering certain replacement parts made in Japan — it's worried about running out of them. Carmakers still have supply chain problems because of this month's earthquake and tsunami.

Woes Could Linger for Japan's Jobless

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 19:30:00 +0200

The Japanese earthquake and tsunami left potentially hundreds of thousands of people jobless or unable to reach those workplaces that have even reopened.

Is region tsunami-ready? - Japan quake raises preparedness question

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 19:28:00 +0200

The tsunami that devastated Japan recently has led many Jamaicans to question whether Jamaica and, by extension, the Caribbean would be prepared if one should occur in our region....

Japan urges calm over food export fears

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 19:24:00 +0200

Jackie Chan death rumours denied

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 19:21:00 +0200

Jackie Chan has reassured fans he is alive and well after rumours of his death began to circulate on the internet.

Japan urges calm over food export fears; Sarkozy due

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 19:19:00 +0200

30 Mar 2011 15:40 Source: reuters // Reuters * Japan calls for calm over fears radiation has tainted exports * France's Sarkozy to be first leader to visit since disaster * Decades may be needed to scrap damaged nuclear plant * Thousands struggle to rebuild their lives By Shinichi Saoshiro and Risa....

G20 energy heads to discuss nuclear safety -France

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 19:19:00 +0200

30 Mar 2011 16:31 Source: reuters // Reuters PARIS, March 30 (Reuters) - Energy ministers from the Group of 20 countries will discuss safety tests on nuclear plants following the Japanese crisis before the end of June, French Energy Minister Eric Besson said on Wednesday.

Areva CEO, French nuclear experts, land in Japan

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 19:19:00 +0200

30 Mar 2011 14:19 Source: reuters // Reuters * Areva CEO to see with Tepco how to help deal with crisis * Company also sent experts in radioactive water treatment * Nuclear safety body to send own expert during Sarkozy trip (Adds ASN nuclear safety body planning visit) By Sybille de la Hamaide and....

Britons not traced since Japan tragedy

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 19:18:00 +0200

The Government is "very concerned" about the safety of a small number of Britons who have still not been traced following the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Jackman vows to press ahead with Wolverine movie

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 19:17:00 +0200

HUGH JACKMAN has assured fans he is not giving up on his second WOLVERINE movie after the project was thrown into jeopardy by the departure of director DARREN ARONOFSKY and the recent disasters in Japan.

Four reactors at Fukushima nuclear complex will have to be scrapped, utility chairman says

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 19:13:00 +0200

Tsunehisa Katsumata, chairman of the Tokyo Electric Power Co., expresses deep remorse for the problems at the Fukushima plant. Meanwhile, authorities are considering ways to limit radiation damage, including placing a tarp over the reactors and pumping radioactive water into a barge.

MAXX12 Supports Japan, Plays San Francisco’s Week of Omoiyari (Compassion) on April 14th

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 19:00:00 +0200

SAN JOSE, Calif. - (Business Wire) MAXX12 will contribute a heartfelt acoustic set to help with the recent crisis in Japan at San Francisco's Week of (Compassion) on April 14th The full event is a week-long observation, featuring musical entertainment, prayer and other happenings around the city.

iPad to boost 2011 IT spend to $3.6 trillion

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:55:00 +0200

Explosive demand for Apple's iPad will cause global spending on IT to rise 5.6pc to $3.6 trillion (£2.24 trillion) in 2011, according to new figures from influential research firm Gartner.

Life slowly returns to Japan's disaster zone

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:54:00 +0200

(Eric Talmage) Bundled up against the wind, Junpei Endo gets off his bicycle, sets it on its kickstand and ponders the dusty mementos he has collected in its wire basket. There is a stained and torn photo album. A few magazines. An old Pentax SLR camera. The kind that still uses film. Endo dusts off the lens.

Life slowly returns to Japan's disaster zone

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:53:00 +0200

NATORI, Japan (AP) Bundled up against the wind, Junpei Endo gets off his bicycle, sets it on its kickstand and ponders the dusty mementos he has collected in its wire basket. There is a stained and torn photo album. A few magazines. An old Pentax SLR camera. The kind that still uses film.

Satellite images could aid long-term disaster recovery

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:52:00 +0200

High-resolution satellite images could be used for long-term disaster recovery plans, say researchers.

Cycling: Tour of Japan cancelled after disaster

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:51:00 +0200

OSAKA, Japan: The 2011 Tour of Japan has been cancelled following a massive earthquake and tsunami that ravaged the country's northeast, organisers said on Wednesday.

Supply of shipbuilding materials from Japan still normal: CSBC

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:50:00 +0200

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - CSBC Corp., Taiwan's leading shipbuilder, yesterday said supplies from Japan have remained normal even after the earthquake.

Magnitude-4.7 earthquake shakes eastern Hualien

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:50:00 +0200

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - A magnitude-4.7 earthquake struck eastern Taiwan's Hualien County yesterday but did not cause any damage or casualties, according to the Central Weather Bureau.

Disaster won't affect Japan attendance at COMPUTEX

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:50:00 +0200

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - Japan's attendance at this year's COMPUTE-- TAIPEI will not be affected even after the devastating earthquake in the country at the beginning of March, said officials with the two co-organizers, the Taiwan External Development Trade Council (TAITRA) and Taipei Computer Association (TCA), yesterday.

Japan industrial production up before quake

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:50:00 +0200

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - Japan's industrial production rose for a fourth straight month in February, data showed Wednesday, in another sign the economy was picking up before a devastating earthquake and tsunami.

Toyota limits parts orders; Honda cuts output

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:50:00 +0200

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - Shortages of auto parts from Japan are hitting Honda and Toyota's North American operations.

Renault Samsung to cut output on quake

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:45:00 +0200

Renault Samsung Motors said yesterday it will cut production by 20 percent from next month due to the disruption of component supplies from Japan as a result of the recent earthquake. The announcement by the local unit of the French automaker Renault, which has an alliance with Japan’s Nissan Motor,....

Valeant's bid for Cephalon helps fuel TSX advance at midday

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:37:00 +0200

North American stocks were trending higher at midday Wednesday despite continuing worries about radiation leaks in Japan and unrest in Libya

Setbacks mount at Japan nuclear plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:28:00 +0200

Setbacks have mounted in the crisis over Japan's tsunami-damaged nuclear facility, with nearby seawater testing at its highest radiation levels yet.

High Mineral Prices Help Bolivian Economy

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:19:00 +0200

30 de marzo de 2011, 12:13 La Paz, Mar 30 (Prensa Latina) High mineral prices on the international market are helping the Bolivian economy.

Japan urges calm over food export fears

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:18:00 +0200

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan called on the world not to impose "unjustifiable" import curbs on its goods as French President Nicolas Sarkozy was due to arrive on Thursday, the first leader to visit since an earthquake and tsunami damaged a nuclear plant, sparking the worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl in 1986.

The Observatory announces the latest radiation monitoring information

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:12:00 +0200

Hong Kong (HKSAR) - Since the earthquake and tsunami event in Japan on March 11, the Hong Kong Observatory has strengthened the monitoring of concentration of radioactive substances in the air. The frequency of sample collection from the air samplers at ...

Lloyd's warns insurance premiums may rise after series of disasters

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:06:00 +0200

London insurance market's chief executive expects 2011 to be 'challenging' as he reports 43% plunge in profits for 2010 Lloyd's of London, the world's largest insurance market, refused to rule out rises in premiums as it reported a sharp fall in profits last year following a series of natural disasters that have rolled over into 2011.

Setbacks mount in Japan at leaking nuclear plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 17:52:00 +0200

Setbacks mounted Wednesday in the crisis over Japan's tsunami-damaged nuclear facility, with nearby seawater testing at its highest radiation levels yet and the president of the plant operator checking into a hospital with high blood pressure. Nearly three weeks after a March 11 earthquake and....

Japan’s SoftBank To Offer Free Phones, Waive All Communication Fees For Quake Orphans

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 17:50:00 +0200

Japan's telecommunications juggernaut SoftBank , the third largest mobile carrier of the country, had to register quite a lot of damage after the big earthquake that hit Japan on March 11. 3,800 of SoftBank's base stations were knocked out, meaning no customer in the affected areas could make or....

Government response to Japan earthquake

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 17:30:00 +0200

Foreign Office Minister Jeremy Browne has updated Parliament on the Government response to the earthquake in Japan.

UPDATE2: Latest casualty figures for March 11 quake, tsunami

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 17:23:00 +0200

TOKYO - The following are the latest casualty figures related to the earthquake and tsunami that hit northea...

Setbacks mount in Japan at leaking nuclear plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 17:21:00 +0200

TOKYO (AP) Setbacks mounted Wednesday in the crisis over Japan's tsunami-damaged nuclear facility, with nearby seawater testing at its highest radiation levels yet and the president of the plant operator checking into a hospital with high blood pressure.

Lloyd's says ready for Japan claims

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 17:03:00 +0200

The Lloyd's of London insurance market has said it will be able to deal easily with claims from Japan's earthquake. It is confident that its…

French President to Visit Crisis-Stricken Japan

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 17:02:00 +0200

Nicolas Sarkozy's visit comes in midst of Europe's growing debate over safety of nuclear energy and viability of nuclear power

Nuclear samurai recalls meltdown struggle

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 17:01:00 +0200

A Japanese nuclear official who spent five days inside the Fukushima nuclear plant has described the tough working and living conditions inside the crippled nuclear facility.

Lloyd's profit drops after natural disasters

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 17:01:00 +0200

Profits before tax at specialist insurance market Lloyd's of London plummeted 43% to £2.2 billion ($3.5 billion) after a series of natural disasters drove up claims, according to its full year results for 2010 released Wednesday.

Bengkulu to check Japanese imports for radiation

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 16:57:00 +0200

The Bengkulu Food and Drugs Monitoring Agency had said it will conduct scan imported Japanese foods, especially those sold in mini-markets and supermarkets around Bengkulu, South Sumatra, for radioactive contamination.

Readout of the President's call with Japanese Prime Minister Kan

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 16:55:00 +0200

Release Time: For Immediate Release President Obama spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan this evening from Air Force One. This was their third telephone conversation since the earthquake and tsunami struck Japan on March 11. The President reiterated that the United States is determined to....

Stocks open higher as traders overlook global news

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 16:48:00 +0200

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks opened higher Wednesday as traders focused on a big pharmaceutical deal instead of the Japanese nuclear crisis and the battle for control of Libya. Cephalon Inc. surged 28 percent after Valeant Pharmaceuticals International offered to take over the biopharmaceutical company for $5.

Setbacks mount in Japan at leaking nuclear plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 16:42:00 +0200

Setbacks mounted on Wednesday in the crisis over Japan's tsunami-damaged nuclear facility, with nearby seawater testing at its highest radiation levels yet and the president of the plant operator checking into a hospital with hypertension.

A legacy of love

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 16:41:00 +0200

The Great Kanto Highway is how the world looks without the NRA or county councils to mess things up.

Japan crisis: Concerned dad's pointers for MFA

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 16:26:00 +0200

I am writing to share valuable lessons to be learnt when our citizens seek help from our embassies abroad during catastrophes in a foreign country. My son and his wife were on holiday in Japan during the 9.0 earthquake/tsunami on March 11....

Local Japanese agencies meeting needs where country's resources still overwhelmed

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 16:18:00 +0200

Nearly three weeks after the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami that devastated the northeastern coast of Japan, Church World Service reports that the country’s domestic resources alone aren’t sufficient to deal with the disaster, and there are still thousands who haven’t yet received assistance.

Network of EPA labs monitors radiation threats

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 16:17:00 +0200

U.S. set up more than 100 high-tech monitoring stations nationwide following 9/11 attacks

Setbacks mount in Japan over nuke facility

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 15:55:00 +0200

Setbacks are mounting in the crisis over Japan's tsunami-damaged nuclear facility, with nearby seawater testing at its highest radiation levels yet.

Junta's Disaster Response Contrasts with Thailand

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 15:53:00 +0200

One day after the magnitude 7.0 earthquake shook Burma's eastern Shan State, its neighbor Thailand underwent serious flooding in the south. Heavy rain and three-meter-high waves buffeted popular tourist islands in the Thai Gulf causing nine deaths to date.

Stocks open higher as traders await economic data

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 15:53:00 +0200

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are opening slightly higher as traders turn their focus to U.S. economic news rather than the Japanese nuclear crisis and battle for control of Libya. The ADP National Employment Report said Wednesday that fewer private sector jobs were added in March than February, but the....

FOCUS: Scale of tsunami proves necessity of quick action

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 15:50:00 +0200

TOKYO - The home of Ichiko Sato in Minamisanriku, on the Pacific coast of Miyagi Prefecture in northeastern ...

Poll finds sharp decline in business confidence in Japan after disaster

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 15:50:00 +0200

TOKYO - A recent Kyodo News poll of 101 major Japanese companies has found a sharp deterioration in business...

Wall Street moves higher amid new data

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 15:41:00 +0200

Wall Street moved higher at Wednesday’s open, as traders turn their focus to U.S. economic news from the Japanese nuclear crisis and battle for control of Libya.

Softbank to offer free phones to earthquake orphans, free replacement for lost iPhones

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 15:25:00 +0200

Following the catastrophic earthquakes and tsunami in Japan, surviving victims from the affected region are going to face a tough time over the coming months, if not years. Many of those who are more fortunate have been actively contributing in one way or another, regardless of distance, to help put Japan on its road to recovery.

Japan to scrap stricken reactors

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 15:06:00 +0200

News Source BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12903725 Japan is to decommission four of the quake-hit reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, after failing to bring them under control. Photos Relevant: Japan nuclear: Workers evacuated as radiation soars Japan reactor core may....

Disasters cause profits at insurance market Lloyds of London to fall 43 per cent in 2010

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 15:01:00 +0200

LONDON - Lloyd's of London says its profits dropped by 43 per cent last year as the insurance market took big losses from earthquakes in Chile and New Zealand and from BP's oil rig spill ...

Futures Higher After ADP Jobs News

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 14:59:00 +0200

U.S. stock futures pointed to a higher open after a measure of private-sector hiring met expectations, raising optimism about Friday's much anticipated monthly report on payrolls.

High radiation levels found in seawater near Fukushima plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 14:53:00 +0200

Radioactive iodine at more than 3,000 times the normal level has been found in ocean water near the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, where workers are struggling to keep reactors cool and prevent radioactive water from entering the Pacific.

The Japanese virtue of 'gaman'

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 14:48:00 +0200

A Christian Science perspective: The fortitude of the Japanese people is one of those universal, old-fashioned values that is serving them well.

Japan orders check of all nuclear reactors

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 14:39:00 +0200

JAPAN orders check of all nuclear reactors to ensure there will be no repeat of the crisis currently unfolding at stricken Fukushima plant.

24 hours in pictures

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 14:35:00 +0200

Sendai, Japan: A school girl sheds tears during her graduation ceremony at Rokugou junior high school in a city badly damaged by this month's earthquake and tsunami Photograph: Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP/Getty Images ....

CORRECTED: UPDATE1: Latest casualty figures for March 11 quake, tsunami

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 14:19:00 +0200

TOKYO - The following are the latest casualty figures related to the earthquake and tsunami that hit northea...

Karate for Japan

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 14:11:00 +0200

THE Drogheda School of Karate Wado-Kai are holding special classes to raise money for the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami appeal.

Sendai struggles to regain footing

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 14:09:00 +0200

SENDAI — Nearly three weeks since the 9.0-magnitude temblor sent shock waves through the city and the massive tsunami devastated a long stretch of the coast, Sendai, the largest city in the Tohoku region, is slowly trying to get back on its feet. But frequent aftershocks and the tired expressions on....

6.4-magnitude earthquake hits off east coast of Japan's Honshu

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:58:00 +0200

An earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale jolted the waters off the east coast of Honshu, Japan at 13:29 p.m. Beijing Time Wednesday, according to the China Earthquake Network Center. The epicenter, with a depth of 30 km, was monitored at 36.2 degrees north latitude and 142.4 degrees east longitude, the center said in a statement.

Tokyo Electric Power Co. president hospitalized amid nuke woes

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:58:00 +0200

Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) President Masataka Shimizu was hospitalized for hypertension and dizziness Tuesday while the company continued to battle the Fukushima nuclear plant crisis, Kyodo News Agency reported Wednesday. The hospitalization came after reports said Monday Shimizu fell sick on....

S. Korea condemns Japan's renewed claim to disputed islets

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:58:00 +0200

In a move that has been repeated all too often, South Korea on Wednesday railed against Japan's latest territorial claim to a set of disputed islets lying half way between the two Asian neighbors. The islets have been a source of recurring diplomatic feud between South Korea and Japan, whose....

Radioactive iodine in Russia's Far East harmless: report

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:58:00 +0200

Radioactive iodine-131 has been detected in the air here, but the concentration poses no threat to public health, media reported Wednesday. According to PrimaMedia, tests of possible transfer of pollutants from quake-hit Japan to the Primorsky Territory have been conducted daily by specialists.

MC Endeavors’ Subsidiary Lamisteel LLC Announces a New Earthquake Resistant Building Design for Reconstruction of Communities Located in Disaster Areas around the Globe

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:57:00 +0200

MC Endeavors' Subsidiary Lamisteel LLC Announces a New Earthquake Resistant Building Design for Reconstruction of Communities Located in Disaster Areas around the Globe SUNDANCE, Wyo. - (Business Wire) (PinkSheets: MSMY) MC Endeavors, Inc. subsidiary Lamisteel LLC announced that has designed a new....

Lloyds insurance market 2010 profits down after disasters

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:57:00 +0200

London - Pre-tax profits at Lloyd's of London insurance market dropped by 43 per cent to 2.2 billion pounds (3.4 billion dollars) last year as a result of rising claims from natural disasters, the firm said in London Wednesday. The specialist insurance market, which is made up of 85 underwriting....

Premarket: Futures herald gains at open

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:53:00 +0200

Global stocks and U.S. stock futures rose as investors got a whiff of economic stability. Wall Street was poised for a stronger opening Dow futures were up 51 points, or 0.4 per cent, at 12,276 while the broader Standard & Poor's 500 futures were up 6.3 points, or 0.5 per cent, at 1,323.

Seawater tests high for radioactive iodine

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:51:00 +0200

TOKYO, March 30 (UPI) -- Radioactive iodine-131 3,355 times the legal limit was detected in a seawater sample near the damaged nuclear plant in Japan, the country's nuclear agency said.

Seawater tests high for radioactive iodine

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:49:00 +0200

TOKYO, March 30 (UPI) -- Radioactive iodine-131 3,355 times the legal limit was detected in a seawater sample near the damaged nuclear plant in Japan, the country's nuclear agency said. The highest concentration found so far in seawater from the earthquake-crippled...

Record radiation levels found in seawater outside Japan nuclear plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:48:00 +0200

Seawater outside the hobbled nuclear power plant in northeastern Japan was found to contain 3,335 times the usual amount of radioactive iodine — the highest rate yet and a sign that more contaminated water was making its way into the ocean, officials said Wednesday.

Futures Higher After Rally in Tokyo

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:29:00 +0200

U.S. stock futures rose, as gains in overseas markets pushed futures higher ahead of U.S. Automatic Data Processing employment data due later in the day.

Japan orders immediate safety upgrade at nuclear plants

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:20:00 +0200

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan ordered an immediate safety upgrade at its 55 nuclear power plants on Wednesday in its first acknowledgement that standards were inadequate when an earthquake and tsunami wrecked one of the facilities nearly three weeks ago.

Areva CEO arrives in Japan to help with nuclear crisis

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:18:00 +0200

30 Mar 2011 11:12 Source: reuters // Reuters PARIS, March 30 (Reuters) - Areva Chief Executive Anne Lauvergeon arrived in Japan on Wednesday, broadening out a French delegation that has flown out to help Tokyo Electric Power bring its crippled Fukushima nuclear plant under control.

WITNESS - Japan tsunami survivors at loss to restore life

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:18:00 +0200

Reuters journalist Yoko Nishikawa tells of her experience on returning to her homeland to cover the aftermath of the Japan quake

Japanese cabinet secretary suggests scrapping Fukushima plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:16:00 +0200

MOSCOW, March 30 (RIA Novosti) - Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said on Wednesday it was time to start thinking about closing down all six reactors at the troubled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, the Kyodo news agency reported. Tsunehisa Katsumata, the director of the Tokyo Electric Power Co.

Warning of disaster ignored:quake expert

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:08:00 +0200

LEADING earthquake researcher says he tried to alert operator of the Fukushima plant to risks of natural disaster, but warnings not heeded.

Qantas cuts to deal with fuel costs, disasters

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:05:00 +0200

Qantas Airways will add fewer new flights, retire aircraft early and shed managers in response to natural disasters and rising fuel costs.

Japan mulls reactor covers in nuclear crisis

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:05:00 +0200

Japan is set to decommission with special covers of four quake-hit reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant, after failing to bring them under control. Radioactive steam has also wafted into the air, contaminating regional farm and dairy produce, and last week led to elevated iodine levels....

Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant lost

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:01:00 +0200

The radioactive core in the Unit 2 reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant appears to have melted through the bottom of its containment vessel and is now resting on a concrete floor; officials are now struggling with two crucial but contradictory efforts: pumping in water to keep the fuel....

Japan to scrap stricken reactors

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:58:00 +0200

Japan is to decommission four stricken reactors at the quake-hit Fukushima nuclear plant, the operator says. Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco) made the announcement three weeks after failing to bring ...

Operations Resume at Many Japanese Metals and Minerals Plants, an Industrial Info News Alert

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:57:00 +0200

KOFU-SHI, JAPAN -- 03/30/11 -- Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas) -- Japan's March 11 earthquake, the subsequent tsunami and regional power shortages have hampered many projects in the affected areas. Metals & Minerals Industry Most of the affected plants belonging to....

Miffy is crying for Japan, too

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:37:00 +0200

Miffy, the cuddly little rabbit from the nursery picture books, is crying for the children of Japan. Its Dutch creator Dick Bruna made the drawing to...

Japanese Carmakers Struggle With Parts Logistics

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:35:00 +0200

Japan's industrial output edges up in February

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:33:00 +0200

Japan's industrial production edged up a seasonally adjusted 0.4 per cent in February from the previous month, which marks its fourth-consecutive monthly increase, government authorities said Wednesday.

Jackie Chan in internet death hoax

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:28:00 +0200

Chinese actor Jackie Chan is the latest celebrity to fall victim to internet death hoax.

Japan's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko talk with an evacuee from the March 11th earthquake and tsunami at a shelter in Tokyo today. Photograph: Issei Kato/Reuters

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:23:00 +0200

Japan has pledged to upgrade its nuclear safety standards after the government conceded there was no end in sight to the problems caused t the Fukushima plant by this month’s earthquake and tsunami. Plutonium finds in soil at the plant this week have raised public alarm over the situation and the....

Japan orders check of all nuclear reactors

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:13:00 +0200

Japan on Wednesday ordered a check of all nuclear reactors to ensure there will be no repeat of the crisis currently unfolding at the Fukushima plant in the wake of the devastating March 11 quake.

Warning of disaster ignored: quake expert

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:10:00 +0200

A leading Japanese earthquake researcher said he tried to alert the operator of the crisis-hit Fukushima nuclear plant to the risk of natural disaster.

DIHAD conference and exhibition commences in its second day with participation from key international humanitarians

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:04:00 +0200

DIHAD conference and exhibition commenced in its second day with participation from key international humanitarians, whom highlighted different topics such as; How new technologies impact on the manner in which all concerned collectively deal with the crucial issue of "Food Security", New....

Lenovo launches 'LePad' tablet in China

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:03:00 +0200

SHANGHAI, China - Chinese computer giant Lenovo has warned that supplies of its just-released tablet computer could be restricted after the earthquake and tsunami in Japan disrupted production of memory chips.

Euro-Zone Confidence Falls

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 11:59:00 +0200

Economic sentiment in the euro zone deteriorated in March as unrest across the Arab world drove up oil prices and Japan was hit by a devastating earthquake, tsunami and fears of a nuclear disaster.

Renault Samsung to cut production due to Japanese parts shortage

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 11:57:00 +0200

Seoul - Renault Samsung Motors Co said Wednesday it was to cut production by 20 per cent due a shortage of parts from earthquake- and tsunami-hit Japan. The South Korean unit of French automaker Renault SA said the cut in production would apply in April.

Tokyo Electric says $24 billion loans not enough

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 11:51:00 +0200

Tokyo Electric Power <9501.T> has secured $24 billion in bank loans but said it would not be enough to keep the company running, adding to fears the utility may collapse under the strain of paying for Japan's worst nuclear disaster.

Japan to scrap four reactors

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 11:29:00 +0200

FOUR reactors at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant are set to be decommissioned

Noritz Group Offering $150,000 in Aid to Earthquake and Tsunami Survivors in Japan

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 11:27:00 +0200

FOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., March 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Noritz Group has announced that it will donate a total of $150,000 to help relief and recovery efforts in Japanese communities affected by the earthquake and tsunami that struck the northern region of the country on March 11 As part of its....

Japan quake stirs unease about global supply chain

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 11:20:00 +0200

BEIJING A shortage of auto parts and other components after Japan's earthquake has stirred unease about two pillars of manufacturing: the country's role as a crucial link in the global supply chain and "just in time" production.

Seawater radiation rise compounds Japan's nuclear crisis

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 11:11:00 +0200

Radiation levels in seawater near Japan’s stricken Fukushima nuclear plant are up to 3,355 times the legal limit. The shock statistic adds to evidence of leaks from the reactors in the world’s worst atomic disaster since Chernobyl. Pollution of the ocean is a concern, with fish key to the national diet.

Iran to send 2nd aid shipment to Japan

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 11:05:00 +0200

Head of Iran's Rescue and Relief Organization Mahmoud Mozaffar says the Islamic Republic will send its second shipment of humanitarian aid to earthquake-hit Japan

LVL 7,050 donated to Latvian Red Cross to assist with relief efforts in Japan

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 11:04:00 +0200

During the past two weeks, March 14-28, LVL 7,050 has been donated to the Latvian Red Cross to help with relief efforts in earthquake and tsunami hit Japan, LETA was informed by Latvian Red Cross spokeswoman Eva Ikauniece.

Japan nuclear 'suicide squads' paid huge amounts as claims battle is lost

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 11:01:00 +0200

Their efforts, however, may be in vain according to a former head of safety research who said Japan had "lost the race" tackle the problem.

South-east Asia's auto industry sees gain from Japan's pain - Feature

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:56:00 +0200

Bangkok/Jakarta - South-east Asia's integrated automotive assembly line has suffered a slight hiccup from Japan's earthquake disaster, but the disruption may benefit the region's auto industry in the long term, industry sources said.The March 11 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear plant catastrophes....

Japan considers draping reactors

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:55:00 +0200

Japan is considering draping crippled reactor buildings at the Fukushima plant with a fabric to reduce radiation, and using a tanker to siphon off contaminated water.

Japan quake expert says atomic warnings not heeded

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:37:00 +0200

A leading Japanese earthquake researcher said Wednesday he tried to alert the operator of the crisis-hit Fukushima nuclear plant to the risk of natural disaster, but his warnings were not heeded.

Radiation Spike Detected in Ocean Near Japanese Nuclear Plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:37:00 +0200

Officials say that the water sample, with the highest levels yet recorded, was collected about 300 meters from the Fukushima plant

South Korea protests Japan's claim to islets

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:34:00 +0200

SEOUL, South Korea South Korea is protesting Japan's renewed claims to a cluster of tiny islets at the center of a long-running territorial dispute.

President of Japan utility that owns leaking nuclear plant hospitalized in Tokyo

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:26:00 +0200

TOKYO - The president of the utility that owns Japan's tsunami-damaged nuclear complex was hospitalized with hypertension as setbacks mounted at the plant, where experts Wednesday logged the ...

France and US help Japan fight nuclear crisis

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:26:00 +0200

France and the US are sending help to Japan as part of the battle to contain radiation from a damaged nuclear complex. Paris is sending two experts from the state-run nuclear sector and the US is ...

Qantas slashes jobs, flights amid rising fuel costs

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:21:00 +0200

Qantas (ASX: QAN), Australia's national carrier, says it is decreasing staffs and flights in response to high oil and jet fuel prices and the impact of significant natural disasters in Japan, New Zealand and Australia.

Lloyds of London profits fall 43pc on earthquake and flood losses

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:20:00 +0200

Lloyds of London suffered a 43pc fall in profit last year, as a string of natural disasters around the world led to "significant" claims.

Lanterns in Solidarity with Japan

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:19:00 +0200

On Tuesday night, one thousand lanterns were released into the sky in Warsaw as a sign of hope and solidarity with the Japanese people, who have suffered from the earthquake and tsunami. Money was also collected to help victims. Lanterns of Happiness Ceremony a part of the charity event for Japan,....

LCQ6: Impact of the recent political instability and natural disasters in other countries

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:18:00 +0200

Hong Kong (HKSAR) - Following is a reply by the Acting Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Gregory So, to a question by the Hon Lan Tai-fai in the Legislative Council today (March 30): Question: Regarding the impact on ...

TEPCO: to sound out residents' views on No. 5, 6 reactors

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:17:00 +0200

30 Mar 2011 06:44 Source: reuters // Reuters TOKYO, March 30 (Reuters) - Tokyo Electric Power , the operator of Japan's crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex, said it will sound out the opinions of the government and local residents on whether to continue operating the plant's No. 5 and No.

Japan to upgrade nuclear safety standards after plant disaster

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:17:00 +0200

Japan said it would upgrade its safety standards for nuclear power plants on Wednesday, its first acknowledgement that norms were insufficient when a tsunami wrecked one of its facilities, triggering the world’s worst atomic disaster since Chernobyl in 1986.

Cash scramble?

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:15:00 +0200

Some UK charities are facing criticisms that they were too quick to start fundraising for Japan and did not have a clear idea about whether the money was actually needed. With around 28,000 people dead or missing three weeks after the earthquake, the relief effort in Japan continues to support the survivors and those left homeless.

Japan quake stirs unease about global supply chain

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:09:00 +0200

BEIJING (AP) — A shortage of auto parts and other components after Japan's earthquake has stirred unease about two pillars of manufacturing: the country's role as a crucial link in the global supply chain and "just in time" production. Manufacturers slashed costs by adopting Japanese-style small....

Obama, Japanese PM discuss devastating effects of tsunami

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:07:00 +0200

WASHINGTON, March 30 (KUNA) -- US President Barack Obama late on Tuesday talked with Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan and discussed joint efforts to deal with the devastating effects of the Tsunami on Japan. A White House statement said that Obama spoke with Naoto Kan from Air Force One on his....

Crisis worsens, Japan mulls reactor covers

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:57:00 +0200

Japan is considering plans to drape shattered nuclear reactor buildings with special covers to limit radiation.

Hungarian Suzuki Fears For Japanese Suppliers

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:48:00 +0200

"Car assembler Magyar Suzuki had enough parts in storage to maintain production for two months when the March 11 earthquake and tsunami struck Japan, but is threatened by the closure of suppliers in Japan, Napi Gazdaság reports.

UPDATE1: Tokyo Electric chief Shimizu hospitalized amid nuclear crisis

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:46:00 +0200

TOKYO - Tokyo Electric Power Co. President Masataka Shimizu was hospitalized Tuesday for hypertension and di...

Japan: Nuclear plant sees biggest radiation spike

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:46:00 +0200

Seawater outside the crippled nuclear power plant in north-eastern Japan was found to contain 3,335 times the usual amount of radioactive iodine – the highest rate yet and a sign that more contaminated water was making its way into the ocean, officials said today.

FEATURE: UPDATE1: Boston doctor, ex-English teacher, rushes to aid quake-hit Kesennuma

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:46:00 +0200

By Scott Dixon, BOSTON - Within days of the March 11 earthquake that struck the Tohoku region of northeastern Japan, N. Stuar...

Higher levels of radiation at Fukishima

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:36:00 +0200

There is reportedly a higher level of radioactive iodine in seawater near the Fukishima nuclear plant in Japan than previously estimated.

Japan upgrades nuclear safety standards after plant disaster

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:31:00 +0200

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan upgraded its safety standards for nuclear power plants on Wednesday, the first official acknowledgement that norms were insufficient when an earthquake wrecked one of its facilities, triggering the world's worst atomic disaster since Chernobyl in 1986.

74,000 children remain displaced in Japan

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:30:00 +0200

Save the Children estimates that about 74,000 Japanese children still remain displaced and are at risk following the earthquake and tsunami that hit northeast of Japan on March 11. Save the Children has opened up 12 Child Friendly Spaces as part of the relief efforts.

Japan: The 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku earthquake - Situation Report 10

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:30:00 +0200

I. Overview II. Relief Supply Needs and Coordination III. Situation by Affected Prefectures IV. Relief Operation by Japanese Humanitarian NGOs V. Active Japanese Humanitarian Organizations VI.

Japan: Meeting between Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Ikuo Yamahana and Mexican Ambassador Ruiz-Cabañas(Relief supplies for the victims of the Tohoku - Pacific Ocean Earthquake)

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:30:00 +0200

On March 29, from 11:00 to 11:30 a.m., Mr. Ikuo Yamahana, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, had a meeting with H.E. Mr. Miguel Ruiz-CabaÃ±as Izquierdo, Ambassador of Mexico to Japan.

TEPCO President Hospitalized In Tokyo

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:29:00 +0200

Radiation leaking into seawater from Japan's tsunami-damaged reactor complex reached its highest level yet Wednesday and the president of the plant's utility company was hospitalized, as setbacks accumulated in Japan's nuclear crisis.

Nuclear plant boss hospitalised

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:25:00 +0200

The president of Tokyo Electric Power, which operates Japan's stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, has been admitted to hospital.

Radioactivity near Japan's Fukushima Plant Higher than Reported

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:19:00 +0200

The water near the reactor 1 of Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant has been found to have a much higher level of radioactive iodine than previously reported. Japan's nuclear safety watchdog said on Tuesday that the water contained radioactive iodine at 3,355 times the legal limit, CNN reported.

Japan upgrades nuclear safety standards after plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:16:00 +0200

Japan upgraded its safety standards for nuclear power plants on Wednesday, the first official acknowledgment that norms were insufficient when an earthquake wrecked one of its facilities, triggering the world's worst atomic disaster since Chernobyl in 1986.

Obama calls Japanese Prime Minister on after-quake support

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:14:00 +0200

U.S. President Barack Obama Tuesday spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan to extend the nations' support for Japan's reconstruction efforts after the devastating earthquake. Obama spoke with Kan this evening from Air Force One, their third telephone conversation since the deadly quake and....

Govt may lift wheat export ban in April, May

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:10:00 +0200

The world's second-biggest wheat producer and consumer banned exports in 2007 to bolster domestic supplies as bad weather hit crops.

Japan plant sees biggest radiation spike

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:59:00 +0200

3/30/2011 - 7:28:49 AM Seawater outside the crippled nuclear power plant in north-eastern Japan was found to contain 3,335 times the usual amount of radioactive iodine – the highest rate yet and a sign that more contaminated water was making its way into the ocean, officials said today.

Tokyo Sees Its Lights Go Dim, And Lifestyles Change

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:59:00 +0200

Radiation levels soar in Japan sea water

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:58:00 +0200

Search for quake and tsunami survivors goes on, as readings show radioactive iodine levels hit 3,355 times legal limit.

Japan shows record radiation in seawater

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:52:00 +0200

Asian stocks rally as investors snap up risky assets

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:50:00 +0200

Asian stocks rallied on Wednesday as investors snapped up riskier assets on attractive valuations, while Japanese exporters were helped by the yen's weakness on expectations of interest rate rises in Europe and the United States.

WITNESS - Japan tsunami survivors at loss to restore life

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:46:00 +0200

Many people asked me that when I came back to Tokyo from a week reporting in Japan's tsunami-stricken coastal towns. I tried to find the proper words to explain, but couldn't. Instead, faces of people I met on the street and at evacuation centres in the devastated northeast came to mind.

Spike in seawater radiation compounds Japan's nuclear crisis

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:46:00 +0200

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan said there was no end in sight to the crisis at its earthquake-wrecked nuclear power plant on Wednesday as a spike in radioactive iodine levels in seawater added to evidence of reactor leakages around the complex and beyond.

Radiation levels soar near nuclear plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:32:00 +0200

RADIATION levels in the sea off Japan's stricken nuclear plant hit their highest reading yet, officials said.

TEPCO president hospitalized in Tokyo

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:27:00 +0200

TOKYO: Radiation leaking into seawater from Japan’s tsunami-damaged reactor complex reached its highest level yet Wednesday and the president of the plant’s utility company was hospitalized, as setbacks accumulated in Japan’s nuclear crisis.

Japan's industrial output up for fourth month in February - Summary

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:26:00 +0200

slug Tokyo - Japan's industrial production edged up a seasonally adjusted 0.4 per cent in February from the previous month, marking its fourth-consecutive monthly increase, the government said Wednesday. The figure was above the 0.1-per-cent fall forecast by economists in an earlier survey by the Kyodo News agency.

TEPCO president hospitalized in Tokyo

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:18:00 +0200

TOKYO The president of the beleaguered Tokyo utility company that owns the tsunami-damaged nuclear power plant leaking radiation in the northeast has been hospitalized with high blood pressure, the company said on March 30.

Kyodo Industry Brief (March 30) -1-

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:16:00 +0200

TOKYO - ---------- Japan's Feb. industrial output rises for 4th month TOKYO - Japan's industrial production ...

Japan mulls covering Fukushima reactors to prevent fallout

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:13:00 +0200

The Japanese government is considering new measures to stem radiation fallout from the troubled reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, including covering them with cloth, Kyodo news reported on Wednesday.

Japan mulls shattering nuclear reactor buildings with special covers

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:10:00 +0200

"We are in an unprecedented situation, so we need to think about different strategies, beyond what we normally think about," an official said.

Japan nuclear radioactivity rises

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:08:00 +0200

Seawater near Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear plant has a higher level of radioactive iodine than previously reported, officials say.

France and US help Japan fight nuclear crisis

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:08:00 +0200

France and the US are sending help to Japan as part of the battle to contain radiation from a damaged nuclear complex. Paris is sending two experts from the state-run nuclear sector and the US is sending robots to help examine reactor cores and spent fuel pools.

Japanese power company chief hospitalized

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:04:00 +0200

The president of the embattled utility that owns the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has been hospitalized due to "fatigue and stress," the company said Wednesday.

Radiation levels soar in sea near nuclear plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:02:00 +0200

Radiation levels in the sea off Japan's stricken nuclear plant hit their highest reading yet, says officials, amid a struggle to deal with large amounts of radioactive water at the site.

Japan: Plant sees radiation spike

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:01:00 +0200

Seawater outside the crippled nuclear power plant in north-eastern Japan was found to contain 3,335 times the usual amount of radioactive iodine - the highest rate yet and a sign that more contaminated water was making its way into the ocean,...

SPECIAL REPORT - Japan engineers knew tsunami could overwhelm Fukushima plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:01:00 +0200

TOKYO (Reuters) - Over the past two weeks, Japanese government officials and Tokyo Electric Power executives have repeatedly described the deadly combination of the most powerful quake in Japan's history and the massive tsunami that followed as "soteigai," or beyond expectations.

Sea water, reservoirs face contamination

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:55:00 +0200

WASHINGTON, March 29, (Agencies): Groundwater, reservoirs and sea water around Japan’s earthquake damaged nuclear plant face “significant contamination” from the high levels of radiation leaking from the plant, a worrying development that heightens ...

Quake toll may pass 18,000

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:55:00 +0200

TOKYO, March 29, (Agencies): Japan’s government vowed Tuesday to overhaul nuclear safety standards once its radiation-leaking reactor complex is under control, admitting that its safeguards were insufficient to protect the plant against the March 11 ...

Japan nuclear radiation levels soar

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:55:00 +0200

Radiation levels in the sea off Japan's stricken nuclear plant have hit their highest reading yet, officials have said.

Japan engineers knew tsunami could overwhelm Fukushima plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:55:00 +0200

TOKYO, March 29 (Reuters) - Over the past two weeks, Japanese government officials and Tokyo Electric Power executives have repeatedly described the deadly combination of the most powerful quake in Japan's history and the massive tsunami tha...

Radiation levels soar in sea near nuclear plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:53:00 +0200

OSAKA: Radiation levels in the sea off Japan's stricken nuclear plant hit their highest reading yet, officials said Wednesday, amid a struggle to deal with large amounts of radioactive water at the site.

Japan's industrial production up in February

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:53:00 +0200

OSAKA: Japan's industrial production rose for a fourth straight month in February, data showed Wednesday, in another sign the economy was picking up before a devastating earthquake and tsunami.

Embattled Japanese power company chief hospitalized due to 'fatigue'

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:49:00 +0200

The president of the embattled utility that owns the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has been hospitalized due to "fatigue and stress," the company said Wednesday.

Japan on 'maximum alert'

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:45:00 +0200

Japan said it was on "maximum alert" over the crippled nuclear plant Fukushima where radioactive water has halted repair work and plutonium has been found in the soil.

US, France offer Japan help 06:15 Nuclear experts to travel to assist in work of controlling stricken Fukushima power plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:43:00 +0200

France and the United States will help Japan in its battle to contain radiation from a crippled nuclear complex where plutonium finds have raised public alarm. The problems at the Fukushima plant have added to Japan's humanitarian disaster, with 27,500 people dead or missing from a March 11th earthquake and tsunami.

Radiation levels soar near nuclear plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:39:00 +0200

Radiation levels in the sea off Japan's stricken nuclear plant have hit their highest reading yet, officials say.

Biggest spike in radiation yet at power plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:33:00 +0200

Seawater outside the hobbled nuclear power plant in northeastern Japan was found to contain 3,335 times the usual amount of radioactive iodine - the highest rate yet and a sign that more contaminated water was making its way into...

Japan tsunami survivors at loss to restore life

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:33:00 +0200

TOKYO - "How was it?" Many people asked me that when I came back to Tokyo from a week reporting in Japan's tsunami-stricken coastal towns. I tried to find the proper words to explain, but couldn't. Instead, faces of people I met on the street and at evacuation centres in the devastated northeast came to mind.

Radiation in Japan seawater spikes

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:33:00 +0200

The operator of Japan's crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear complex said Wednesday that it is unclear how the seawater around the plant became radioactive.

Qantas to curb flights, cut jobs to offset fuel

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:30:00 +0200

Qantas shares rose on Wednesday after the airline announced a string of measures aimed at cutting costs and boosting revenues.

Japan Encourages a Wider Evacuation From Reactor Area

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:29:00 +0200

Officials suggest that people living from 12 to 19 miles outside the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant should leave, as new signs emerged that it will be hard to bring the plant under control.

Remember the Suffering of the Japanese People

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:24:00 +0200

It is a terrible thing to live in constant fear of death. But that is how things are in Japan right now. Foreigners can leave, but for the people of Japan there is nowhere to run. A sudden, unexpected death may seem like a blessing compared to the constant fear of dying slowly. A 6.5 magn...

Japan 2 J-League All-Stars 1

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:22:00 +0200

Asian champion Japan beat a J-League select team 2-1 in an emotional charity match last night - the nation's first major sporting event since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. Ahead of kickoff and a poignant moment of silence, national team...

Plant sees biggest radiation spike

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:20:00 +0200

Seawater outside the damaged nuclear power plant in northeastern Japan has been found to contain 3,335 times the usual amount of radioactive iodine - the highest rate yet and a sign that more contaminated water was making its way into the ocean, officials said.

SPECIAL REPORT-Japan engineers knew tsunami could overwhelm Fukushima plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:16:00 +0200

30 Mar 2011 04:57 Source: reuters // Reuters (Reissues to update PDF link and add Special Reports blog link) * Tokyo Electric ignored own study on tsunami risk * Utility decided safety issues, not regulators * Kept vulnerable vent systems despite quake data * Tokyo Electric cited the most for....

Japan's first extra budget likely at 2 trln yen-Nikkei

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:16:00 +0200

30 Mar 2011 04:28 Source: reuters // Reuters * More extra budgets needed, spending may top Y10 trln - Nikkei * Some in govt want income tax hike to pay for costs - Nikkei (Adds details, background) By Leika Kihara and Tetsushi Kajimoto TOKYO, March 30 (Reuters) - Japan's government is likely to set aside 2 trillion yen ($24.

WITNESS-Japan tsunami survivors at loss to restore life

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:16:00 +0200

30 Mar 2011 04:00 Source: reuters // Reuters * Overwhelming destruction in every direction * Refugees grateful to be alive, anxious for future By Yoko Nishikawa TOKYO, March 30 (Reuters) - "How was it?" Many people asked me that when I came back to Tokyo from a week reporting in Japan's tsunami-stricken coastal towns.

CORRECTED - SPECIAL REPORT - Japan engineers knew tsunami could overwhelm Fukushima plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:15:00 +0200

By Kevin Krolicki, Scott DiSavino and Taro Fuse TOKYO (Reuters) - Over the past two weeks, Japanese government officials and Tokyo Electric Power executives have repeatedly described the deadly combination of the most powerful quake in Japan's history and the massive tsunami that followed as "soteigai," or beyond expectations.

Radiation levels soar in sea near nuclear plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:08:00 +0200

A shopper checks the producing area of vegetables at a supermarket in Tokyo on March 29, 2011 after the government ordered a halt to shipments of certain foods following abnormal radiation levels found in products near the quake-hit nuclear plant. PHOTO/ AFP OSAKA, March 30, 2011 (AFP) - Radiation....

Plant sees biggest radiation spike

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:07:00 +0200

Biggest spike in radiation at Japan power plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:02:00 +0200

Seawater outside nuke plant was found to contain 3,335 times usual amount of radioactive iodine, say officials Complete coverage

Blanket response to radiation threat

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:00:00 +0200

JAPAN considering draping crippled reactor buildings with a fabric to reduce radiation and using a tanker to siphon off contaminated water.

Tepco President Admitted To Hospital

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:54:00 +0200

Tokyo Electric Power Co. said that its president Masataka Shimizu was admitted to hospital in Tokyo due to elevated blood pressure and dizziness.

Obama calls Kan on nuclear crisis

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:54:00 +0200

US President Barack Obama has spoken to Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan and the leaders have agreed to cooperate closely on the nuclear crisis.

Plant sees biggest radiation spike

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:53:00 +0200

Plant sees biggest radiation spike

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:53:00 +0200

Plant sees biggest radiation spike

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:53:00 +0200

Plant sees biggest radiation spike

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:52:00 +0200

Engineers knew tsunami could overwhelm plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:51:00 +0200

Officials and Tokyo Electric Power executives have described the combination of a powerful quake and tsunami as "soteigai", or beyond expectations.

Japan factory output rises again in February

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:48:00 +0200

TOKYO Japan's industrial production climbed for the fourth straight month in February, but the government warned Wednesday output would plunge in the coming months due to production and supply disruptions following the March 11 tsunami disaster.

Gov't mulling limiting summer electricity use by major companies

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:46:00 +0200

TOKYO - The government is considering limiting the use of electricity by major firms to deal with anticipate...

Latest casualty figures for March 11 quake, tsunami

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:46:00 +0200

TOKYO - The following are the latest casualty figures related to the earthquake and tsunami that hit northea...

Tokyo Electric Power Pres. Shimizu hospitalized amid nuclear crisis

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:46:00 +0200

TOKYO - Tokyo Electric Power Co. President Masataka Shimizu was hospitalized for hypertension and dizziness ...

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:40:00 +0200

By ANDREW DOWELL Japan's devastating combination of and nuclear accident was a wakeup call reminding companies across the world just how much they rely on the island nation. Tracing the Supply Chain View Slideshow Reuters Many global industries count on Japanese companies for the raw and processed goods they use to make their finished products.

TEPCO nationalization an option: Japan gov't

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:37:00 +0200

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - Japan on Tuesday said nationalizing the beleaguered operator of the stricken Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant was “an option” but denied it had immediate plans to do so.

Incredible tales of rescue from Japan’s earthquake

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:29:00 +0200

We’ve been tuned into our televisions and news outlets since the earthquake devastated Japan two weeks ago, watching the tsunami hit the coast and observing the destruction from afar. Nuclear plants warn of meltdowns, the death toll is at 10,000, and there are nearly 20,000 people still missing.

Japan finds plutonium in soil at stricken nuclear plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:29:00 +0200

TOKYO (Reuters) - Plutonium found in soil at the Fukushima nuclear complex heightened alarm on Tuesday over Japan’s battle to contain the world’s worst atomic crisis in 25 years, as pressure mounted on the prime minister to widen an evacuation zone around the plant.

Japan vows to review nuclear safety standards

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:29:00 +0200

TOKYO (AP) – Japan’s government vowed Tuesday to overhaul nuclear safety standards once its radiation-leaking reactor complex is under control, admitting that its safeguards were insufficient to protect the plant against the March 11 tsunami. The struggle to contain radiation at the complex has....

Business › Gov't considers limiting summer electricity use by major companies

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:24:00 +0200

The government is considering limiting the use of electricity by major firms to deal with anticipated power shortages this summer as Tokyo Electric Power Co…

Biggest spike in radiation at Japan power plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:22:00 +0200

Japan's Industrial Production Rises 0.4% In Feb.

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:22:00 +0200

LOS ANGELES -- Japan's industrial production rose for the fourth-straight month in February, according to government data Wednesday, though the index is expected to fall sharply during the ...

Radioactive iodine hits 3,355 times limit in Japan

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:19:00 +0200

OSAKA: The level of radioactive iodine in the sea off Japan's disaster-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has reached its highest reading yet at 3,355 times the legal limit, Jiji press said on Wednesday.

Japan vows to boost nuclear safety

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:19:00 +0200

Corrected-Engineers knew tsunami could overwhelm Fukushima plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:14:00 +0200

(In eighth paragraph below the subheadline PREVENTION NOT CURE, corrects target date for 50 percent of power from nuclear to 2030, not June 2010; in sixth paragraph under subheadline VENTS AND GAUGES, corrects date of report to November 1988, not 2008.)

Global consequences of Japanese quake

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:13:00 +0200

The figure more than doubled since Monday, when levels of radioactive iodine in the sea near reactors 5 and 6 were 1,150 times higher than normal. © REUTERS/ Kyodo Global consequences of Japanese quake The earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on March 11 will have serious consequences for the global economy and nuclear energy.

US, Japan: Close cooperation vital in nuke crisis

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:11:00 +0200

President Barack Obama has reaffirmed U.S. support for the people of Japan as they continue to recover from the massive earthquake and tsunami that struck the island nation.

Japan on 'maximum alert' as toxic soil leak found

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:01:00 +0200

JAPAN'S prime minister has declared a state of "maximum alert" over the country's nuclear disaster after highly toxic plutonium was found to have leaked into soil near the plant.

Radiation found in Japan seawater

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:01:00 +0200

The operator of Japan's crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear complex said Wednesday that it is unclear how the seawater around the plant became radioactive.

Oil slips below US$104 as traders eye Libya

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:51:00 +0200

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - Oil prices extended losses below US$104 a barrel Tuesday in Asia as traders eyed gains by Libyan rebels seeking to topple Moammar Gadhafi and restart crude exports from the OPEC nation.

Cathay cuts Japan flights in first half of April amid low demand

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:51:00 +0200

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - Cathay Pacific Airways says it's cutting flights to Japan in the first half of April because of weakening demand for travel to the country, which has been hit by an earthquake, tsunami and nuclear reactor crisis.

Japan passes budget, focus shifts to quake relief

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:51:00 +0200

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - Japan's parliament passed a US$1.1 trillion budget on Tuesday for the year from April 1 but the government faces a struggle to win approval for bills on related spending, clouding the outlook for an emergency budget to cope with damage from the March 11 earthquake.

Chinese overtake Japanese in arrivals to Bali: officials

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:51:00 +0200

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - Japan's earthquake and tsunami catastrophe has hit tourism in Indonesia's Bali resort island, where officials said Chinese had overtaken Japanese in the second rank of visitor arrivals.

Japanese unemployment rate falls to 4.6% in Feb., lowest in two years

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:51:00 +0200

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - Japan's unemployment rate unexpectedly fell in February to a two-year low, in a snapshot of the economy before a devastating earthquake and tsunami, data showed Tuesday. The unemployment rate fell to 4.6 percent in February, down from 4.9 percent in January, government data showed.

UWT campaign collects NT$100 mil.

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:51:00 +0200

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - Citibank Taiwan and United Way Taiwan (UWT) held the 2010 Citi-United Way Fundraising Campaign donation ceremony to thank individual donors and corporations for their all-out support. The four-month campaign successfully collected record-breaking donations totaling NT$100.43 million (US$3.

Biggest spike in radiation at Japan power plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:51:00 +0200

TOKYO (AP) — Seawater outside the hobbled nuclear power plant in northeastern Japan was found to contain 3,335 times the usual amount of radioactive iodine — the highest rate yet and a sign that more contaminated water was making its way into the ocean, officials said Wednesday.

Tsunami-triggered toilet paper crisis hits Tokyo

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:51:00 +0200

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - An acute shortage of toilet paper has hit Tokyo, as Japan's people react to the earthquake and tsunami by stocking up on essentials.

Japan factory output rises again in February

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:45:00 +0200

Letter: Invaluable lessons from Japan

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:37:00 +0200

Here is a forwarded email that I received recently on how the Japanese faced the calamities that befell them after the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami, further compounded by the nuclear crisis.

Obama calls Kan on nuclear crisis

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:24:00 +0200

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama spoke to Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan Tuesday and the leaders agreed to cooperate closely on a crisis over an earthquake-damaged nuclear plant, officials said.

'Crying is useless'

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:24:00 +0200

You might think they'd be pampered, risking their lives in a nuclear hell. One of the Fukushima 50 says otherwise.

Japan mulls draping fabric over reactors

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:24:00 +0200

OSAKA Japan is considering draping crippled reactor buildings at the Fukushima nuclear plant with a fabric to reduce radiation, and using a tanker to siphon off contaminated water, a report said Wednesday.

Radioactive iodine hits 3,355 times limit in Japan

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:24:00 +0200

OSAKA: The level of radioactive iodine in the sea off Japan’s disaster-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has reached its highest reading yet at 3,355 times the legal limit, Jiji press said Wednesday.

Japan's industrial output edges up in February

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:22:00 +0200

6.5-magnitude earthquake hits off east coast of Japan's Honshu

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:19:00 +0200

An earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale jolted the waters off the east coast of Honshu, Japan, at 6:54 p.m. Beijing Time Tuesday, according to the China Earthquake Network Center. The epicenter, with a depth of 20 km, was monitored at 37.4 degrees north latitude and 142.4 degrees east longitude, the center said in a statement.

Magnitude-6.4 quake jolts northeast Japan

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:19:00 +0200

A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit seas off Fukushima Prefecture in northeastern Japan late Tuesday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. The agency said the depth of the quake, which occurred at 19:54 p.m. (1054 GMT), was "very shallow".

Death toll rises to 11,102 from great quake-tsunami in Japan

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:19:00 +0200

The National Police Agency said on Tuesday that the catastrophic earthquake and ensuing tsunami have left 11,102 people dead and 16,493 others unaccounted for in Japan by 18:00 p.m. local time (0900 GMT). A 9.0-magnitude earthquake hit the Pacific coastal areas of northeastern and eastern Japan on March 11, triggering enormous tsunami.

Japanese automakers keep cars rolling in China

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:19:00 +0200

Japanese automakers are optimistic about production in China saying that there has been "almost no effect" on the supply of parts following the earthquake in their home country, thanks to a gradual resumption of output in Japan. "Our inventory of Japanese-made auto parts can support local production....

Radioactive iodine hits 3,355 times limit in Japan

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:18:00 +0200

The level of radioactive iodine in the sea off Japan's disaster-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has reached its highest reading yet at 3,355 times the legal limit, Jiji press said Wednesday.

Tohoku survivors endure shortages even 3 weeks after disaster

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:15:00 +0200

SENDAI - Three weeks after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami disaster, many people in the Tohoku area in no...

U.S. military personnel clean up tsunami-hit school in Ishinomaki

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:15:00 +0200

ISHINOMAKI, Japan - Around 50 U.S. military personnel on Wednesday started cleaning up mud and debris at a school in Ish...

UPDATE1: Honda to cut output in U.S., Canada due to parts supply shortage

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:15:00 +0200

NEW YORK - Honda Motor Corp. will cut back on production in the United States and Canada from Wednesday due to ...

France and U.S. to help Japan in nuclear crisis

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:14:00 +0200

TOKYO (Reuters) - France and the United States will help Japan in its battle to contain radiation from a crippled nuclear complex where plutonium finds have raised public alarm over the world's worst atomic crisis since Chernobyl in 1986.

Radioactive iodine hits 3,355 times limit in Japan

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:02:00 +0200

Osaka. The level of radioactive iodine in the sea off Japan's disaster-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has reached its highest reading yet at 3,355 times the legal limit, Jiji press said Wednesday, AFP informed. On Sunday, iodine-131 measuring 1,850 times the legal maximum were reported a few....

France, U.S. to help Japan in nuclear crisis

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 04:59:00 +0200

TOKYO (Reuters) - France and the United States are to help Japan in its battle to contain radiation from a crippled nuclear complex where plutonium finds have raised public alarm over the world's worst atomic crisis since Chernobyl in 1986.

National › U.S. military personnel clean up tsunami-hit school in Ishinomaki

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 04:53:00 +0200

Around 50 U.S. military personnel on Wednesday started cleaning up mud and debris at a school in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, in cooperation with local people…

National › American Red Cross donations to Japan top $120 million

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 04:53:00 +0200

The American Red Cross said Tuesday the public has donated $120.5 million to help Japanese people following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that devastated…

In Britain, many already weary of royal wedding mania

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 04:51:00 +0200

LONDON - There’s still a month to go until the royal wedding and yet some Britons are already asking: Is it over yet? While millions around the world are following every detail of the ...

British blogger creates 'Quakebook' to help disaster victims

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 04:51:00 +0200

LONDON - A British blogger based in Chiba Prefecture east of Tokyo has just completed a ‘‘Quakebook’’ detailing people’s experiences of the March 11 earthquake and ...

Japanese spacecraft survive powerful earthquake and tsunami

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 04:42:00 +0200

Japan's HTV-3 space freighter and two satellites were not damaged in the 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami.

Asian stocks higher after Wall Street gains

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 04:34:00 +0200

BANGKOK (AP) — Asian stocks were higher early Wednesday, boosted by a display of confidence on Wall Street. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 index was up 1.2 percent to 9,574.68 following the release of data showing the country's industrial production climbed for the fourth straight month in February. Factory output rose 0.

Shanghai to have disaster shelters in 30 parks

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 04:32:00 +0200

More than two weeks after an earthquake and a tsunami struck Japan, the Shanghai government said it plans to better deal with disasters by building emergency shelters in 30 parks within five years. According to a plan released by the Shanghai municipal greening and city appearance bureau, 500....

China's Red Cross donates another 20 mln yuan to quake-stricken Japan

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 04:32:00 +0200

The Red Cross Society of China decided Tuesday to donate an extra 20 million yuan (about 3.05 million U.S. dollars) in emergency aid to its Japanese counterpart in supporting the latter's quake relief and recovery efforts. A statement issued by the Chinese organization said the decision was made....

Japan on 'maximum alert' over nuclear plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 04:30:00 +0200

SENDAI - Japan said Tuesday it was on "maximum alert" over a crippled nuclear plant where radioactive water has halted repair work and plutonium has been found in the soil.

Japanese stocks attract Scottish strategists

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 04:22:00 +0200

Scottish fund managers overseeing about 530 billion pounds are joining the overseas investors pouring into Japanese stocks in the wake of the country's most severe earthquake.

Japan PM considers tax hike to meet quake costs

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 04:22:00 +0200

Japan does not rule out any sources of funding relief and reconstruction after the devastating earthquake and tsunami, including a tax increase or dropping a plan to cut corporate tax, Prime Minister Naoto Kan said on Tuesday.

Qantas slashes capacity and staff due to natural disasters, fuel price

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 04:20:00 +0200

rising fuel prices and the impact on its business from Japan's recent earthquake, the airline said on Wednesday. Qantas said it planned to cut domestic capacity growth in the second-half of the ...

Robots, experts winging to Japan

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 04:19:00 +0200

TOKYO - France and the United States are to help Japan in its battle to contain radiation from a crippled nuclear complex where plutonium finds have raised public alarm over the world's worst atomic crisis since Chernobyl in 1986. The...

The UMCOR Hotline for March 29, 2011

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 04:16:00 +0200

30 Mar 2011 01:23 Source: member // UMCOR In Today's Hotline: Read how UMCOR is responding to needs around the world: UMCOR: ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING THIS SUNDAY! JAPAN: UMCOR AND PARTNERS RESPOND TO QUAKE SURVIVORS US: TORNADO AFFECTS VULNERABLE FAMILIES IN LOUISIANA COTE D’IVOIRE: UNREST....

Japan's 1st extra budget likely to be Y2 trln - Nikkei

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 04:16:00 +0200

30 Mar 2011 00:16 Source: reuters // Reuters * More extra budgets needed, spending may top Y10 trln - Nikkei * Some in govt want income tax hike to pay for costs - Nikkei (Adds details, background) By Leika Kihara TOKYO, March 30 (Reuters) - Japan's government is likely to compile a first emergency budget of 2 trillion yen ($24.

Japan may require back-up emergency power at nuke plants

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 04:16:00 +0200

30 Mar 2011 01:15 Source: reuters // Reuters TOKYO, March 30 (Reuters) - Japan's trade ministry is considering requiring nuclear plant operators to have backup emergency power in place to cool reactors and spent nuclear fuel pools in case an earthquake or tsunami knocks out external power supplies....

Naek visits Japan envoy?s residence

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 04:15:00 +0200

F.P. Report ISLAMABAD: Chairman Senate Farooq H. Naek along with Deputy Chairman Senate Jan Muhammad Khan Jamali and Leader of the Opposition in the Senate ...

Nikkei gains on weaker yen, but in range

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 04:14:00 +0200

Japan's Nikkei average made modest gains on Wednesday after the dollar rose against the yen, but remained tethered in a narrow range for a seventh straight session.

Japan may require back-up emergency power at nuke plants

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 04:14:00 +0200

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's trade ministry is considering requiring nuclear plant operators to have backup emergency power in place to cool reactors and spent nuclear fuel pools in case an earthquake or tsunami knocks out external power supplies and existing emergency power systems, a ministry official said on Wednesday.

Students have special bond with Japan

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 04:14:00 +0200

BUKIT MERTAJAM: More than 100 students in Bukit Mertajam High School here have a special relationship with Japan from learning its language.

Disasters cost estimated $218-billion last year

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 04:07:00 +0200

The economic cost of natural and man-made disasters jumped threefold to $218-billion in 2010 from $68 billion the previous year, with earthquakes the main cause of death and destruction, insurer Swiss Reinsurance Co. said Tuesday. Rise in lives lost Some 304,000 people died in disasters last year, a sharp rise from 15,000 in 2009.

Helping pets in post-disaster Japan

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 03:54:00 +0200

A loose network of groups is working to assist animals stressed by the ordeal and, in some cases, separated from their owners. Many find that animals' welfare is often integrally linked to that of people. The dog had been left tied up in a yard in Fukushima, the largely emptied city synonymous with the words "nuclear disaster.

American Red Cross donations to Japan top $120 million

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 03:44:00 +0200

WASHINGTON - The American Red Cross said Tuesday the public has donated $120.5 million to help Japanese people fo...

FEATURE: Boston doctor, ex-English teacher, rushes to aid quake-hit Kesennuma

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 03:44:00 +0200

By Scott Dixon, BOSTON - Within days of the March 11 earthquake that struck the Tohoku region of northeastern Japan, N. Stuar...

Manufacturers fret about shortages of materials

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 03:24:00 +0200

Japanese manufacturers, battered by the March 11 mega-earthquake and tsunami, say a prolonged shortage of material supplies will likely affect the production of many consumer goods. The damage to facilities and equipment caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake is more extensive than many companies....

Survivors share single copy of latest 'One Piece' episode

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 03:24:00 +0200

SENDAI--Although most recent issues of popular magazines have yet to arrive in this earthquake-stricken city, at one store, a single precious copy of a manga magazine is being passed from hand to hand. More than 100 children who survived the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake have shared one copy of the weekly Shonen Jump's March 19 issue.

Japan PM says tax hike among options to meet quake costs

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 03:24:00 +0200

POINT OF VIEW/ Yoshiyasu Ono: Buy Tohoku products to support rebuilding efforts

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 03:24:00 +0200

Japan has been battered by a gigantic earthquake of unprecedented magnitude. The immediate priority should be placed on making all-out efforts to provide relief to survivors. But that will only be the first step in tackling the tremendous challenge of engineering the nation's recovery from the....

BASEBALL/ Quake-hit Tohoku High loses in Koshien tourney

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 03:24:00 +0200

Tohoku High School from quake-devastated Sendai was knocked out of the National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament at Koshien Stadium in the first round Monday. The team lost 7-0 to Ogaki Nihon University High School of Gifu Prefecture, which made it to the semifinals in last spring's tournament.

VOX POPULI: Clocks stopped forever for parents who lost children

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 03:24:00 +0200

A poem titled "Tokei" (Watch) goes: "The watch drawn on Kinya's hand/ Remains still throughout the day/ It is drawn in red ink/ It's always time for afternoon snack." The observation by the 10-year-old girl who wrote it is also kind to her mischievous classmate.

Tomomi Odajima, with daughters Yu, 4, left, and Yua, 3, at her parents' home in Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture (Yasunori Sakamoto)

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 03:24:00 +0200

YAMADA, Iwate Prefecture--After the water rose above her head, Tomomi Odajima could feel her young daughters kicking their feet desperately. "You're in pain. I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Odajima begged for forgiveness in a voice that would not reach the two children. As she desperately gulped what little air was left in her tract, she prepared to die.

Japan pledges action in wake of nuclear plant crisis

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 03:24:00 +0200

JAPAN’S government vowed to overhaul nuclear safety standards once its radiation-leaking reactor complex is under control, admitting that its safeguards were insufficient to protect the plant against the March 11 tsunami.

Two Tsunamis: Japan Contrasts with '04

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 03:23:00 +0200

The disaster has thrown one of the world's wealthiest countries off its axis, leaving once-affluent victims in desperation, while underscoring how even the best-prepared places aren't immune from disaster.

Safeguards at Fukushima Dai-ichi were inadequate, Japan admits

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 03:22:00 +0200

Government vows to overhaul safety standards for the country’s nuclear power plants

Technology › British blogger creates 'Quakebook' to help disaster victims

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 03:21:00 +0200

A British blogger based in Chiba Prefecture east of Tokyo has just completed a ''Quakebook'' detailing people's experiences of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami…

Sports › Zaccheroni trying to set up Japan-Italy friendly

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 03:21:00 +0200

Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni hopes to help organize a friendly between Japan and his native Italy, the former AC Milan boss said. ''It will be…

Japan admits inadequate nuke safeguards

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 03:11:00 +0200

JAPAN'S government has admitted its safeguards were insufficient to protect a nuclear plant against the earthquake and tsunami.

Japan admits inadequate nuke safeguards

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 03:09:00 +0200

Japan's government has admitted that its safeguards were insufficient to protect a nuclear plant against the earthquake and tsunami that crippled it.

Tokyo Approves Budget Amid Fight

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 02:53:00 +0200

Japan's budget for the next fiscal year passed parliament, but funding the budget is likely to take more time due to political deadlock and could prevent the government from quickly implementing efforts to bolster its economy.

Back to work at some Toyota factories in Japan

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 02:49:00 +0200

Workers are back at work in some Toyota factories in Japan Irish Sun Tuesday 29th March, 2011 Workers are now back at some of Toyota’s factories in Japan. All of Toyota’s 18 factories had been closed after the devastating earthquake and tsunami that seriously disrupted the car industry.

Alarm over plutonium

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 02:46:00 +0200

Plutonium found in soil at the Fukushima nuclear complex heightened alarm yesterday about Japan's battle to contain the world's worst atomic crisis in 25 years as pressure mounted on the prime minister to widen an evacuation zone around the plant.

Two Koreas in talks on potential volcano threat

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 02:44:00 +0200

SEOUL: North and South Korea held talks Tuesday about a potential volcanic threat from the peninsula’s highest mountain, in a rare interlude of cooperation after months of confrontation. The meeting at the South Korean border town of Munsan follows heightened concern about natural disasters, after....

Japan relief album tops iTunes charts in 18 nations

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 02:44:00 +0200

“Songs for Japan”, the charity album released to raise funds for disaster relief after Japan was devastated by an earthquake and tsunami this month, has rocketed to the top of iTunes charts in 18 nations. Featuring artists such as John Lennon (“Imagine”), U2 (“Walk On”) and Lady Gaga (“Born This Way”), the 38-track album has been available for $9.

France, U.S. to help Japan in nuclear crisis

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 02:44:00 +0200

Bloggers join hands to create Japan ‘Quakebook’

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 02:44:00 +0200

Inspired by a desire to help victims of Japan’s deadly earthquake, a group of bloggers and writers have come together through the Internet to create a book of stories about the disaster. The result, “Quakebook”, is a moving collection of photos, memories and reflections about the massive tremor and....

Japan on maximum alert over nuke crisis

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 02:44:00 +0200

* nuclear plant has been leaking radiation that has made its way into vegetables, raw milk and tap water TOKYO: Japan’s prime minister insisted Tuesday that the country was on “maximum alert” to bring its nuclear crisis under control, but the spread of radiation raised concerns about the ability of....

France, U.S. to help Japan in nuclear crisis

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 02:44:00 +0200

Honda to cut production on parts shortages

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 02:36:00 +0200

Honda Motor Co. says it will temporarily cut production at its North American auto factories starting Wednesday due to parts shortages.

Workers scramble to contain radioactive water at nuclear plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 02:34:00 +0200

Workers at Japan's crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant faced a difficult balancing act Tuesday as they struggled to keep reactors cool and prevent radioactive water from leaking into the ocean.

Japan Faces Up to Failure of Its Earthquake Preparations

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 02:21:00 +0200

By David Cyranoski of Nature magazine TOKYO Japan has the world's densest seismometer network, the biggest tsunami barriers and the most extensive earthquake early-warning system. [More]

Qantas slashes capacity and staff due to natural disasters, fuel price

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 02:17:00 +0200

Australia's Qantas Airways will cut capacity, retire aircraft and reduce management positions to help offset rising fuel prices and the impact on its business from Japan's recent earthquake, the airline said on Wednesday.

Japan engineers knew tsunami could overwhelm nuclear plant

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 02:14:00 +0200

A review of company and regulatory records shows that Japan and Tokyo Electric Power repeatedly downplayed dangers and ignored warnings.

Toyota may face repair parts shortage in U.S.

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 02:12:00 +0200

NEW YORK - Toyota Motor Corp. on Tuesday notified its dealers across the United States that they may face a sho...

Overhaul planned as safety standards 'not stringent enough'

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 02:02:00 +0200

JAPAN has promised to overhaul nuclear safety standards once it regains control of the Fukushima complex, admitting current safeguards were not enough.

Radiation fallout detected in Glasgow

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 02:02:00 +0200

RADIATION fallout from the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan has travelled 5,800 miles to Scotland as testing equipment in Glasgow detected tiny particles of radioactive

Plutonium fear reignites concern as Japan struggles to find its feet

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 01:57:00 +0200

Plutonium found in soil around the crippled Fukushima nuclear complex has added to mounting problems as Japan battles to contain the world's worst atomic crisis since Cher

Angela Merkel is damaged - but safe for now as challengers scarce

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 01:57:00 +0200

GERMAN chancellor Angela Merkel - smarting from her party's worst defeat in more than half a century - is scrabbling to restore her credibility after a string of mis-steps

IAEA calls for nuclear safety summit amid Japan crisis

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 01:56:00 +0200

VIENNA - The world's nuclear watchdog agency on Monday called for a top-level summit in the coming months to try to learn lessons from the ongoing nuclear crisis in Japan.

Study: No big 'domino' earthquakes

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 01:54:00 +0200

MENLO PARK, Calif., March 28 (UPI) -- Major earthquakes like the Sendai quake that devastated Japan don't cause similar disasters on the other side of the world, U.S. researchers say.

'Songs for Japan' album tops iTunes store charts in 18 nations

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 01:51:00 +0200

NEW YORK - ''Songs for Japan,'' an album dedicated to supporting victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami...

Fuel to assist Japan being loaded in NE China

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 01:45:00 +0200

The loading of 10,000 tons of gasoline and 10,000 tons of diesel to help earthquake relief in Japan started Monday afternoon at a deepwater port in China's northeastern city of Dalian, a port official said.

Japan defers $400m loan for Bangladesh bridge

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 01:45:00 +0200

DHAKA: Japan has put on hold a promised $400 million loan for a river bridge in Bangladesh, as it focuses instead on reconstruction at home following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, a senior Bangladeshi official said on Monday. “Tokyo has officially conveyed this to us as the country needs to....

RAM: Japan earthquake unlikely to exert rating impact on M'sian firms

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 01:45:00 +0200

KUALA LUMPUR: The recent earthquake in Japan is unlikely to exert any rating impact on most rated Malaysian corporates, said RAM Ratings.

Radiation leak worsens at Japan nuclear plant

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 01:45:00 +0200

* Operators appeal for overseas help, fearing highly contaminated water may leak into ocean * New crisis disrupts efforts to restart cooling system SENDAI: Highly contaminated water has escaped from a reactor building at Japan’s stricken nuclear plant and may leak into the ocean, the operator said Monday, appealing for overseas help in the crisis.

Tepco chief spent week secluded in office

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 01:44:00 +0200

-- As Japan's nuclear crisis deepened following the earthquake and tsunami that struck the country on March 11, the president of Tokyo Electric Power, operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi power plant, spent a week in virtual seclusion in his office, people at the company now say.

Fears for food supply as radioactive water pours from stricken reactor

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 01:26:00 +0200

Radioactive water was pouring from a damaged reactor at Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear plant last night, with officials warning it will soon reach the sea. The contaminated samples were found outside the reactor building for the first time, causing concern that soil and sea in the surrounding area will be poisoned.

Plutonium detected in soil at Japan nuclear plant

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 01:24:00 +0200

SENDAI, Japan – Plutonium has been detected in soil at a stricken nuclear plant in Japan and highly contaminated water has leaked from a reactor building, the operator said Monday, fanning environmental fears.

BNSF Foundation Donates $250,000 To Red Cross Japan Relief Efforts

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 01:14:00 +0200

FORT WORTH, Texas - (Business Wire) BNSF Foundation (BNSF) today announced it has donated $250,000 to the American Red Cross for on-going relief efforts in Japan and will match donations from BNSF employees for Japan relief fund drives. The devastating earthquake that hit Japan on March 11, 2011,....

Plutonium Found In Soil At Japan Nuclear Plant

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 01:13:00 +0200

The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan says plutonium has been detected in soil at five places at the plant.

Radioactive Plutonium Found in Soil Around Damaged Japanese Nuclear Plant

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 01:13:00 +0200

Plutonium has been detected in the soil in five locations around Japan's earthquake-disabled nuclear reactor.

Japan Gov: Radiation Error 'Unacceptable'

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 01:13:00 +0200

Japan Government Says Radiation Reading Error 'Unacceptable' March 28, 2011 Japan's government has denounced as "absolutely unacceptable" a radiation-level reading error by the operator of the earthquake- and tsunami-hit Fukushima atomic plant. Top government spokesman Yukio Edano put forward the....

Proposal for NATO Ground Surveillance

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 01:13:00 +0200

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) submitted its final proposal last week for the NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) core capability a trans-Atlantic cooperation that will meet the security challenges of the 21st century.

Tehran issues Nowruz declaration

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 01:10:00 +0200

The second International Nowruz Celebrations has wrapped up in Iran with a declaration of peace, justice and compassion for the people of the world, Press TV reported.

US experts: significant water contamination in Japan

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 01:09:00 +0200

28 Mar 2011 20:36 Source: reuters // Reuters * Significant contamination of surface water, sea water seen * Ocean dilution mitigates risk to marine organisms * Exact health impact hard to assess without more data By Deborah Zabarenko, Environment Correspondent WASHINGTON, March 28 (Reuters) -....

Worries Grow Over Supplies of Japanese Cars

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 01:09:00 +0200

The impact of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami on the supply of made-in-Japan vehicles is just starting to become clear on the lots of Main Street car dealers and on Wall Street earnings outlooks for Japan's big car makers.

Offer of Assistance from Foreign Countries and Regions(Tohoku - Pacific Ocean Earthquake): update as of 19:00 on Monday, March 28, 2011

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 01:04:00 +0200

With regard to the Tohoku - Pacific Ocean Earthquake, which occurred at 14:46 on Friday, March 11, 2011, as of 19:00 on Monday, March 28, 2011, Japan has received offers of assistance from the 134 countries and regions (increased from 133 in the previous press release) and 39 international

Acceptance of Relief Supplies and Medical Assistance Team from Israel

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 01:04:00 +0200

In response to the Tohoku-Pacific Ocean Earthquake, the relief supplies from the Government of Israel is scheduled to arrive at Narita Airport on a charter flight on the afternoon of March 27, 2011.

U.S. experts: significant water contamination in Japan

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 01:00:00 +0200

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Groundwater, reservoirs and sea water around Japan's earthquake damaged nuclear plant face "significant contamination" from the high levels of radiation leaking from the plant, a worrying development that heightens potential health risks in the region.

‘Nasty’ plutonium in soil outside Japan nuclear plant

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:59:00 +0200

But officials insist key ingredient in nuclear weapons pose no threat to public health

More radioactive water at Japan plant

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:52:00 +0200

Workers have discovered new pools of radioactive water leaking from Japan's crippled nuclear complex.

National › Plutonium detected in soil at Fukushima nuclear plant

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:47:00 +0200

Plutonium has been detected in soil at five locations at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi atomic power plant, Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) said Monday, adding…

Politics › 30% cut in lawmakers' salaries eyed to help quake reconstruction

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:47:00 +0200

Prime Minister Naoto Kan's ruling party agreed Monday with two major opposition parties on a 30% cut in each parliamentarian's salary for six months to…

Technology › Nippon Foundation releases donation-oriented app for mobile phones

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:47:00 +0200

The Nippon Foundation has developed an application through which people can make donations via their iPhone or Android-based phone. The foundation is currently accepting contributions…

Commentary › TEPCO dismissed important scientific evidence in planning nuclear plant's defense

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:47:00 +0200

In planning their defense against a killer tsunami, the people running Japan's now-hobbled nuclear power plant dismissed important scientific evidence and all but disregarded 3,000…

Radioactive Plutonium Found in Soil Around Damaged Japanese Nuclear Plant

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:37:00 +0200

Officials say highly radioactive plutonium has been detected in the soil in five locations around Japan's earthquake-disabled nuclear reactor, adding to the problems faced by workers struggling to get the power plant under control. The Tokyo Electric Power Company, TEPCO, that runs the Fuk...

Analysis: Germany: The lights go out

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:36:00 +0200

To the outside world, it may be hard to understand how a provincial election can shake the political establishment in Berlin and endanger the authority of Angela Merkel, German chancellor and Europe’s most powerful politician. It is also hard to conceive how a disastrous earthquake and tsunami in....

Japan: More than 10,600 Killed

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:20:00 +0200

Tokyo, Mar 28 (Prensa Latina) The death toll of the earthquake and tsunami of March 11 in Japan increased to 10,668 while the missing total 16,574 police said today. These data correspond to a report issued at 15:00 local time. The prevailing tragedy since then in that country is also significant in....

NY official knocks fire safety at nuke plant

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:13:00 +0200

The state attorney general says federal regulators should take action against nuclear plants in the New York suburbs for what he called failure to comply with fire safety regulations.

Wall St rally fizzles in lowest volume of 2011

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:10:00 +0200

Wall St rally fizzles in lowest volume of 2011US stocks fell on Monday as corp outlook was clouded ahead of earnings and uncertainty continued to creep from abroad.

Tepco chief spent week secluded in office

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:05:00 +0200

By Jonathan Soble in Tokyo Published: March 28 2011 18:13 | Last updated: March 28 2011 18:13 As Japan’s nuclear crisis deepened following the earthquake and tsunami that struck the country on March 11, the president of Tokyo Electric Power, operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi power plant,....

Radiation from Japan shows up along East Coast

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:03:00 +0200

Massachusetts is adding to the list of states in the U.S. reporting trace amounts of radiation from a nuclear reactor in Japan that was damaged ...

Two Koreas begin rare talks on research into volcano

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 23:47:00 +0200

Experts from North and South Korea have begun rare talks about research into an active volcano touted in the North as leader Kim Jong Il's birthplace. The talks yesterday were arranged after North Korea offered to discuss joint research on its...

Turbulent times for air-traffic growth: IATA

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 23:47:00 +0200

MONTREAL - Growth in air-passenger traffic slowed last month as political unrest in Arab states curbed flying, and will diminish further following the earthquake in Japan, according to the International Air Transport Association. Demand...

Wall Street advances on tech, retail gains

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 23:47:00 +0200

NEW YORK: US stocks rose on Tuesday in a light volume session, erasing initial declines as investors moved into sectors that lost ground after Japan's earthquake as the quarter draws to a ...

Japan on maximum alert: PM

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 23:47:00 +0200

TOKYO - Japan's Prime Minister insisted yesterday that the country was on "maximum alert" to bring its nuclear crisis under control but the spread of radiation raised concerns about the ability of experts to stabilise the crippled reactor complex.

No 'unfair' nuclear-linked export bans, Japan pleads

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 23:47:00 +0200

Radiation spikes in seawater by Japan plant Japan asked importers not to impose any "unfair" import bans on its goods as a result of the nuclear accident that resulted from an earthquake ...

Japan: 3 workers "drenched" in radioactive water

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 23:44:00 +0200

Somber prime minister addresses nation after officials find toxic plutonium pools around stricken reactor Complete coverage

The Tories massage the medium, kneading and feeding it

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 23:36:00 +0200

So far, the focus is on Harper meeting the ubiquitous ‘middle-class families,’ posing with the kids

Japan: Earthquake and tsunami situation update

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 23:24:00 +0200

Overview On March 11, 2011 a 9.0 earthquake and ensuing tsunami devastated the northeastern coast of Japan, leaving hundreds of thousands homeless and taking more than 10,000 lives, with more than 17,000 people still unaccounted for.

Nuclear samurai recalls meltdown struggle

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 23:22:00 +0200

A Japanese nuclear official who spent five days inside the Fukushima nuclear plant has described the tough working and living conditions inside the crippled nuclear facility.

Japan's Affluence Complicates Recovery

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 23:22:00 +0200

Workers scramble to contain radioactive water at nuclear plant

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 23:18:00 +0200

Workers at Japan's crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant faced a difficult balancing act Tuesday as they struggled to keep reactors cool and prevent radioactive water from leaking into the ocean.

Obama to turn attention to energy issues, barring disaster or global crisis

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 23:13:00 +0200

After a speech meant to bring clarity to U.S. engagement in crises abroad, President Barack Obama will turn his attention to what aides say will be a sustained focused on energy issues in the coming weeks.

Engineers knew nuke plant was vulnerable to tsunami

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 23:12:00 +0200

Nearly $52,000 Raised At Cherry Blossom Festival

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0200

More than $50,000 was raised at Saturday's Cherry Blossom festival for disaster relief in Japan.

Tokyo fish monger fears more radiation leaks

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:56:00 +0200

By Yuka Tachibana, NBC News Producer TOKYO At Tsukiji, Tokyo's main fish market, fishmonger Kazuya Yamamoto’s business has plummeted since the earthquake and tsunami struck northern Japan on March 11. “Business has been slow. We used to have many customers from the north where the earthquake and....

300 000 pilgrims expected at beatification

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:53:00 +0200

The number of pilgrims expected to attend pope John Paul II's beatification has dropped dramatically, an organisation says.

Beach City Baseball Academy Hosts Japanese Team For Upcoming Tournament

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:52:00 +0200

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. - (Business Wire) The Beach City Prospects, a Southern California championship baseball club organization run by the Beach City Baseball Academy of El Segundo, will host Tokyo Kitasuna, a championship little league team from Japan, April 11-20, 2011.

Tears as 34 surviving pupils (out of 108) return to school decimated by Japanese tsunami

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:49:00 +0200

The Okawa children realised that of the 108 students enrolled last month, they were the only ones left, following the horrific size 9.0 magnitude earthquake.

Top in Category › Cathay cuts Japan flights in first half of April

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:49:00 +0200

Cathay Pacific Airways says it's cutting flights to Japan in the first half of April because of weakening demand for travel to the country, which…

Commentary › Kan: neither hero nor flop in quake crisis

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:49:00 +0200

A few weeks ago, in a seemingly distant time, Naoto Kan appeared a doomed leader in need of a miracle to keep his job. He…

Politics › Kan eyes Y2-3 tril extra budget for post-quake reconstruction

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:49:00 +0200

Prime Minister Naoto Kan is exploring the possibility of crafting a 2 trillion to 3 trillion yen extra budget in fiscal 2011 to help reconstruct…

Entertainment › Fujiwara collects money for earthquake charity in theater lobby

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:49:00 +0200

Norika Fujiwara, 39, who is currently appearing in the stage musical “Marguerite” in Akasaka, is standing in the lobby collecting money for Japan's earthquake relief…

Technology › Thailand to send 2 generators to Japan

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:49:00 +0200

Thailand's main electricity producer has agreed to send two electrical generators to Japan to ease the power shortage there in the wake of the devastating…

Radioactive iodine from Japan in UK

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:21:00 +0200

Traces of radioactive iodine believed to be from Japan’s damaged nuclear plant have been detected in Britain, officials said today, adding that they posed no threat to the public.

Canadian Artists Unite to Raise Money for Disaster Relief in Japan

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:21:00 +0200

TORONTO, ONTARIO -- 03/29/11 -- We have all seen the tremendous devastation that has taken place in Japan which has led to human suffering and serious economic loss. The images that cross our television screens leave us feeling compassionate but yet grateful that we, as Canadians, have not yet had to endure such devastation and suffering.

SGI Offers Free Technical Computing Cloud Services in Japan to Help Customers in Affected Areas

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:21:00 +0200

FREMONT, Calif. - (Business Wire) SGI (NASDAQ: SGI), a trusted leader in technical computing, announced today that SGI Cyclone Technical Computing Cloud services will be available immediately, free of charge for up to ninety days, to customers in Japan affected by the earthquake and tsunami that struck the northern prefectures earlier this month.

Students pay respects

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:21:00 +0200

INTERNATIONAL School Suva organised a memorial service for the victims of the Japan earthquake and tsunami yesterday.

Honda to cut production due to parts shortages

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:20:00 +0200

Honda Motor Co. says it will temporarily cut production at its North American auto factories starting Wednesday due to parts shortages.

Toyota restricts parts orders; Honda cuts output

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:18:00 +0200

DETROIT (AP) — Shortages of auto parts from Japan are hitting Honda and Toyota's North American operations. Toyota Motor Corp. on Tuesday said it wants its U.S. car dealers to stop ordering more than 200 replacement parts made in Japan because it's worried about running out of them. Honda Motor Co.

Severely damaged Japan nuclear plants in slow recovery - US officials

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:17:00 +0200

WASHINGTON, March 29 (KUNA) -- Current information suggests that the severely damaged nuclear plants in Japan are in a slow recovery from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, Peter Lyons, US acting assistant energy secretary of the Office of Energy Policy, said on Tuesday.

Japan radioactivity found in UK

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:15:00 +0200

Low levels of radioactive iodine believed to be from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan have been detected in the UK. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) said an air sampler ...

Call for seismic risk control data centre for Mideast

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:08:00 +0200

Experts at a recent workshop organised by the Municipality of Abu Dhabi have called for equipping a seismic risk control and management data centre to serve all countries in the region in case of an earthquake.

Japan disaster images from DubaiSat

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:08:00 +0200

DUBAI - The Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST), the UAE's premier scientific and technology organisation, has provided recent images of Japan from its UAE-owned and operated DubaiSat-1 satellite.

Japan on 'maximum alert' over nuclear plant

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:08:00 +0200

Sendai, Japan - Japan said Tuesday it was on "maximum alert" over a crippled nuclear plant where radioactive water has halted repair work and plutonium has been found in the soil.

France, US to help Japan in nuclear crisis

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:08:00 +0200

Honda to cut production due to parts shortages

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:03:00 +0200

DETROIT (AP) — Honda Motor Co. says it will temporarily cut production at its North American auto factories starting Wednesday due to parts shortages. The company says in a statement that it will keep all plants open. But it will cut the number of hours that some assembly lines operate each day. Cuts will vary by plant and model.

Japan: Not enough safeguards to protect nuke plant

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 21:46:00 +0200

TOKYO (AP) Japan's government admitted Tuesday that its safeguards were insufficient to protect a nuclear plant against the earthquake and tsunami that crippled the facility and caused it to spew radiation, and it vowed to overhaul safety standards.

Russia to double oil supply to quake-hit Japan

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 21:45:00 +0200

Russia plans to double oil exports to Japan to 18 million metric tons and increase oil product supply by 28.5% to 4.5 million tons in 2011 to help the country recover from a devastating earthquake ...

Japan: Not enough safeguards to protect nuke plant

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 21:44:00 +0200

Japan's government admitted Tuesday that its safeguards were insufficient to protect a nuclear plant against the earthquake and tsunami that crippled the facility and caused it spew radiation, and it vowed to overhaul...

France and U.S. to help Japan in nuclear crisis

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 21:43:00 +0200

France and U.S. to help Japan in nuclear crisis

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 21:43:00 +0200

Japan toll rises, as power bosses are accused of inaccurate reporting

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 21:35:00 +0200

The death toll in Japan from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami has climbed to 11-thousand-63, with another 17-thousand-258 people listed as missing.

Fear and loyalty sees Japanese stay put in tsunami zone - Feature

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 21:21:00 +0200

Tokyo - Tani Hayakawa feels a sense of unease when she sees the television images of the evacuation centre close to her home. "I am on medication because of my high blood pressure. If I had to go to one of these centres, my condition would deteriorate," explains the 78-year-old to the Jiji news agency.

U.S. Lays Out Nuclear Review

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 21:20:00 +0200

Backup power sources and emergency-response plans at nuclear plants will be two focuses of a U.S. nuclear-safety review, a top Nuclear Regulatory Commission official said.

Entertainment / Arts › CNN mobilizes its news gathering troops for Japan, Middle East

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 21:18:00 +0200

CNN sent 11 crews to cover Japan's earthquake and tsunami, including headliners Anderson Cooper and Sanjay Gupta. Anchors Wolf Blitzer and Piers Morgan were elsewhere…

Tech firms fret over length of Japan disruption

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 21:13:00 +0200

Worries over component supply continued to weigh on the technology sector on Tuesday, in the wake of Japan's devastating March 11 earthquake and tsunami which have disrupted production and deliveries of key parts.

Japan: Not enough safeguards to protect nuke plant

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 21:07:00 +0200

TOKYO (AP) — Japan's government admitted Tuesday that its safeguards were insufficient to protect a nuclear plant against the earthquake and tsunami that crippled the facility and caused it spew radiation, and it vowed to overhaul safety standards. The struggle to contain radiation at the Fukushima....

Japan on maximum alert over plutonium leak

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 21:00:00 +0200

Japan's prime minister has declared a state of "maximum alert" over the country's nuclear disaster after highly toxic plutonium was found to have leaked into soil near the plant.

High school baseball unifies Japan after disasters

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 20:57:00 +0200

The high school baseball players lined up in straight rows on the outfield grass with almost military precision, their heads bowed in silent prayer.

High school baseball unifies Japan after disasters

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 20:52:00 +0200

TOKYO (AP) — The high school baseball players lined up in straight rows on the outfield grass with almost military precision, their heads bowed in silent prayer. Shinsuke Noyama, a team captain chosen to represent all the competitors at an opening ceremony for last week's tournament, stood at a....

Japan to Keep Dousing Plant; Sea Threatened

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 20:50:00 +0200

2 Koreas Hold Rare Meeting About Volcano

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 20:50:00 +0200

Steve Herman | Seoul March 29, 2011 Representatives of the two Korea's held face-to-face talks on Tuesday. The rare cross-border meeting was prompted by this month's earthquake and destructive tsunami in Japan. The delegations discussed cooperation in researching a potential eruption of a North Korean volcano.

Japan nuclear no-man's land: Only living things left in Fukushima exclusion zone

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 20:48:00 +0200

A Japanese film crew drove deep into the heart of the Fukushima exclusion zone from which tens of thousands have fled.

Japan vows to review nuclear safety standards

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 20:43:00 +0200

Japan's government vowed Tuesday to overhaul nuclear safety standards once its radiation-leaking reactor complex is under control, admitting that its safeguards were insufficient to protect the plant against the March 11 tsunami.

Special Report - Engineers knew tsunami could overwhelm plant

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 20:43:00 +0200

Renowned Pakistani Columnist Nusrat Mirza Accuses U.S. Of Artificially Causing Japanese Earthquake: 'The U.S. has Carried Out a Second Nuclear Attack on Japan'

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 20:35:00 +0200

In a recent article, renowned Pakistani columnist Nusrat Mirza accused the U.S. of artificially causing the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, calling the radiation leaks resulting from damage to nuclear plants the U.S.'s "second ... No. 3714 - March 29, 2011

Kuwaiti Columnist: It Is Ignorant to Claim that the Japanese Tsunami Was Punishment from Allah

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 20:35:00 +0200

Arab clerics have recently claimed that the massive earthquake and resulting tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, 2011 were Allah's way of punishing the "infidels." For example, Saudi sheikh Abd Al-Rahman Al-Barrak wrote on the Islamic website ... No. 3715 - March 29, 2011

Obama to turn attention to energy issues – barring disaster or global crisis

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 20:22:00 +0200

President Obama is expected to outline his plan for energy security in a speech this week, followed by visits to companies operating energy-efficient vehicles. Japan's earthquake and tsunami, and Middle East turmoil, have overshadowed his earlier efforts to discuss energy.After a speech meant to bring clarity to U.

Consumer confidence tumbles in March

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 20:21:00 +0200

Canada and the U.S may be in different stages of economic recovery but record-high oil prices in March had the same dampening effect on consumer confidence in both countries.

N. Korea on High Alert for Radiation From Japan: Scholar

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 20:17:00 +0200

Munsan, South Korea, March 29 (Saba) - North Korea is on high alert for any possible radioactive damage from an unfolding nuclear crisis in neighboring Japan, a senior North Korean scholar said Tuesday during talks with South Korea on a possible volcano e

Japan vows to review nuclear safety standards

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 20:10:00 +0200

Japan's government vowed Tuesday to overhaul nuclear safety standards once its radiation-leaking reactor complex is under control, admitting ...

Japan vows to review nuclear safety standards

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 20:10:00 +0200

Brit creates 'Quakebook' to help disaster victims

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 20:08:00 +0200

LONDON - A British blogger based in Chiba Prefecture east of Tokyo has just completed a ''Quakebook'' detaili...

Wall Street advances on tech, retail gains

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:58:00 +0200

Wall Street advances on tech, retail gainsUS stocks rose in a light volume session, erasing initial declines as investors moved into sectors that lost ground after Japan's earthquake.

Japan vows to boost nuclear safety

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:45:00 +0200

Japan has promised to overhaul nuclear safety standards once it regains control of the wrecked Fukushima complex, admitting its current safeguards were not enough.

Special Report: Japan engineers knew tsunami could overrun plant

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:42:00 +0200

Special Report - How Japan lost calculated nuclear risk

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:42:00 +0200

Japan pledges to overhaul nuclear safety policy

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:36:00 +0200

3/29/2011 - 6:21:05 PM Japan has promised to overhaul nuclear safety standards once it regains control of the wrecked Fukushima complex, admitting its current safeguards were not enough. The struggle to contain radiation at the complex has unfolded with near-constant setbacks – including two....

Japan vows to boost nuclear safety

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:34:00 +0200

Japan has promised to overhaul nuclear safety standards once it regains control of the wrecked Fukushima complex, admitting its current safeguards were not enough.

Japan on 'maximum alert' over nuclear plant

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:34:00 +0200

Japan said Tuesday it was on "maximum alert" over a crippled nuclear plant where radioactive water has halted repair work and plutonium has been found in the soil.

300,000 pilgrims expected at John Paul II's beatification

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:27:00 +0200

ROME, Italy - The number of pilgrims expected to attend late pope John Paul II's beatification on May 1 has dropped dramatically, the Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi (ORP) organisation in charge of preparations said Tuesday.

Japan engineers knew tsunami could overrun plant

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:22:00 +0200

(Repeats to add PDF link) * Tokyo Electric ignored own study on tsunami risk * Utility decided safety issues, not regulators * Kept vulnerable vent systems despite quake data * Tokyo Electric cited the most for safety violations By Kevin Krolicki, Scott DiSavino and Taro Fuse TOKYO, March 29....

Japan's agony offers key lessons to an increasingly vulnerable world - but governments & UN fail to take right course of action

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:22:00 +0200

Randolph Kent. He believes the abiding lesson globally of Japan's present agony is that so many of the risks that the world will face can be anticipated.

(Map) Japan: Major Damage & Recovery in MLIT Tohoku Regional Bureau (as of 10:00 26 Mar 2011)

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:22:00 +0200

Date: 26 Mar 2011 Type: Natural Disaster Keyword(s): Natural Disaster; Earthquake; Tsunami; Landslide; Damage Assessment; Technological Disaster Format: With the exception of public UN sources, reproduction or redistribution of the above text, in whole, part or in any form, requires the prior consent of the original source.

Latest News : Plutonium found, problems mount at Japan nuclear plant

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:20:00 +0200

Plutonium found, problems mount at Japan nuclear plant TOKYO (Reuters) - Plutonium found in soil around the crippled Fukushima nuclear complex added to mounting problems on Tuesday in Japan’s battle to contain the world’s worst atomic crisis since Chernobyl.

Japan vows to boost nuclear safety

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:16:00 +0200

Japan has promised to overhaul nuclear safety standards once it regains control of the wrecked Fukushima complex, admitting its current safeguards were not enough.

Fighting the Nuclear Shutdown: German Reactor Operators Weigh Legal Action

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:16:00 +0200

Following the center-right election debacle in state votes on Sunday, Chancellor Angela Merkel's government is moving to make the temporary shutdown of seven aging nuclear reactors permanent. But she may encounter stiff resistance from plant operators.

Japan vows to boost nuclear safety

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:13:00 +0200

Japan has promised to overhaul nuclear safety standards once it regains control of the wrecked Fukushima complex, admitting its current safeguards were not enough.

Tech firms fret over length of Japan disruption

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:12:00 +0200

HELSINKI (Reuters) - Worries over component supply continued to weigh on the technology sector on Tuesday, in the wake of Japan's devastating March 11 earthquake and tsunami which have disrupted production and deliveries of key parts.

Japan vows to boost nuclear safety

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:11:00 +0200

Japan has promised to overhaul nuclear safety standards once it regains control of the wrecked Fukushima complex, admitting its current safeguards were not enough.

Japan faces up to failure of its earthquake preparations

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:02:00 +0200

Systems for forecasting, early warning and tsunami protection all fell short on 11 March.

Japan vows to boost nuclear safety

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:02:00 +0200

Japan has promised to overhaul nuclear safety standards once it regains control of the wrecked Fukushima complex, admitting its current safeguards were not enough.

Toyota Parts Shortage to Hit U.S. Customers

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 18:46:00 +0200

Toyota warned its U.S. dealers that they face a shortage of some made-in-Japan replacement parts that could delay or preclude some customer repairs.

Japan on 'maximum alert' over nuclear plant

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 18:45:00 +0200

Japan said on Tuesday it was on "maximum alert" over a crippled nuclear plant where radioactive water has halted repair work and plutonium has been found in the soil.

Japan nuclear plant in “slow recovery”- U.S. DOE

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 18:44:00 +0200

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant seems to be in “slow recovery” from damage incurred this month from an earthquake and tsunami, the head of the U.S. Energy Department’s nuclear program said today. “However, long-term cooling of the reactors and the pools is essential....

Fidel CastroÂ´s Reflections: NATOÂ´s Fascist War

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 18:29:00 +0200

29 de marzo de 2011, 11:19 Havana, Mar 29 (Prensa Latina) "NATO´s Fascist War" is the title of the most recent reflection by the leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro.

Tax hike among options to meet quake costs: Japan PM

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 18:25:00 +0200

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - Japan has not ruled out any source of funding for reconstruction after the devastating earthquake and tsunami, including a tax increase or dropping a planned corporate tax cut, Prime Minister Naoto Kan said on Tuesday.

Plutonium found in soil at nuclear plant

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 18:25:00 +0200

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - Plutonium found in soil at the Fukushima nuclear complex heightened alarm on Tuesday over Japan's battle to contain the world's worst atomic crisis in 25 years, as pressure mounted on the prime minister to widen an evacuation zone around the plant.

Hong Kong detects small amount of radiation in air

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 18:22:00 +0200

TOKYO, March 29 (KUNA) -- The Hong Kong Observatory said on Tuesday that it has detected very minute amount of radioactive iodine-131 from air samples collected on March 26-27, but said it poses no threat to human health. "The amount of radioactive iodine detected is still very minute that will....

Japan quake may affect tourism inflows

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 18:18:00 +0200

The effects of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan a fortnight ago could affect tourism receipts into the country in the second half-year, an official has said. Speaking on the sidelines of the anti-sanctions campaign, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) chief executive officer said....

Japan may nationalise Fukushima firm

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 18:14:00 +0200

Doubt over Tepco's future coincides with mounting criticism of its handling of the worst nuclear accident in country's history Japan's government is reportedly ready to consider nationalising the operator of the crippled power plant at the centre of the worst nuclear accident in the country's history.

Japan vows to review nuclear safety standards

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 18:07:00 +0200

TOKYO (AP) Japan's government vowed Tuesday to overhaul nuclear safety standards once its radiation-leaking reactor complex is under control, admitting that its safeguards were insufficient to protect the plant against the March 11 tsunami. The struggle to contain radiation at the complex has unfolded with near-constant missteps including .

Japan vows to review nuclear safety standards

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 18:00:00 +0200

France's noble gesture resonates in midst of crisis