Japan

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Japan Kept Worst-Case Nuclear Fears Under Wraps

Fukushima report warned that all of Tokyo might need to be evacuated

(Newser) - Japanese officials were told that last year's nuclear disaster could have required the evacuation of tens of millions—but they didn't mention it, worried that the information might cause a panic. A 15-page report, given to the prime minister two weeks after the earthquake, was obtained by the...

Japan Reports 1st Trade Deficit in 30 Years

And that could mean trouble for its national debt

(Newser) - Japan reported its first trade deficit since 1980 today, a $32 billion shortfall caused in part by the tsunami that struck the country, and in part by the strengthening yen. And while the tsunami may have been a freak occurrence, experts tell the AP that the deficit isn't. "...

Japan PM: Act Now, or We'll End Up Like Europe

He wants to double the national sales tax

(Newser) - With Japan's public debt twice the size of its GDP, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said the country needs to start making massive cuts to avoid the credit turmoil that has rocked Europe in recent months and caused credit downgrades across the eurozone yesterday , reports the AP . "Even France...

Activists Tangle With Japanese Whaler

Sea Shepherd up to its usual tricks; Japan not amused

(Newser) - It's whaling season in the Antarctic Ocean, which means the rotten-butter-wielding activists at Sea Shepherd were busy making life miserable for the Japanese whaler Yushin Maru No. 2 today. Activists hurled paint and butyric acid—found in the aforementioned rotten butter—at the ship, as well as ropes designed...

New Pain for Iran: Japan Jumps Aboard Embargo

Meanwhile, the US sends two new aircraft carriers to the Arabian Sea

(Newser) - It looks like things are about to get a little bit more uncomfortable for Iran: Japan today agreed to align itself with Washington and reduce the amount of oil it imports from Iran. Japan is extremely dependent on foreign fuel, and currently gets about 10% of its oil from Iran;...

Japan to Shut Nuke Plants at 40 Years

Public concerns force stiffening of safety regulations

(Newser) - Nuclear reactors in Japan will be retired after 40 years of use, as part of the government's efforts to step up nuclear safety in the aftermath of the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant disaster last March, reports the AP . There are 54 reactors in Japan, 18 of which will be 40...

Tuna Sells for Record $736K
 Tuna Sells for Record $736K 
Jan 5, 2012 11:59 AM CST

Tuna Sells for Record $736K

That breaks down to about $1,238 per pricey pound

(Newser) - Japan's first tuna auction of the year generally sees millions of yen tossed around—in 2011, the top bluefin sold for 32.49 million yen, the equivalent of about $423,000. But hold on to your hats, because 2012 makes that look like chump change. A 593-pound fish sold...

Now North Korea Lashes Out at Japan

New regime does not appear eager to improve relations

(Newser) - North Korea reprimanded Japan last night and today for what it sees as a failure to show respect for Kim Jong Il's death, the latest sign that a regime change in Pyongyang will not bring improved relations with rival countries. The state news agency last night admonished Japan for...

7.0 Quake Shakes Tokyo
 7.0 Quake Shakes Tokyo 
Jan 1, 2012 9:28 AM CST

7.0 Quake Shakes Tokyo

But no injuries, damage reported

(Newser) - A 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck under the sea south of Japan today, shaking buildings in the capital but causing no apparent damage or tsunami. The quake struck near the uninhabited island of Torishima in the Pacific Ocean, about 370 miles south of Tokyo, and its epicenter was about 230 miles...

New Source of WiFi: Japanese Vending Machines

And it's totally free

(Newser) - Want some WiFi with that soda? A Japanese soft drink company has unveiled new vending machines that offer a free wireless Internet signal, TechCrunch reports. Users needn't register or even shell out for a drink: They can simply connect to the public signal for 30 minutes, landing on a...

Wendy's Return to Japan Marked by ... a $16 Burger

It comes topped with foie gras

(Newser) - For two years, Japan's fast-food lovers were forced to go without Wendy's. Now the chain is back—with a bang. Its first new store to open in the country will serve up the Foie Gras Rossini Burger, which, yes, is topped with foie gras and costs 1,280...

Japan, China Cut Currency Deal, Shun Dollar

Leaders also discuss North Korea

(Newser) - Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda met with Chinese President Hu Jintao in Beijing today, and emerged with a number of deals—including one that will marginalize the US dollar in Asia. The countries agreed to promote direct yuan-yen trades, the Wall Street Journal reports; until now, the money has usually...

Bathroom Bling— It's the $130K Toilet

Crystal-covered commode ideal for those flush with cash

(Newser) - Some people can't help pissing away money. And for them, a Japanese company has introduced a $130,000, crystal-covered toilet, reports CNET . Called the Satis, this luxury commode is covered with 72,000 Swarovski crystals, and is on display at the company's Tokyo showroom. "2011 was a...

Japan: 40 Years to Fully Shut Down Fukushima

Removing nuclear fuel will require tech not yet invented

(Newser) - The predictions are getting worse: Japanese officials today said that it could take as many as 40 years to decommission the Fukushima nuclear plant, upping the previous estimate of 30 years. According to the detailed roadmap, TEPCO intends to spend the next two years clearing the spent fuel rods out...

Fukushima Plant Is Stable: Japan

Experts say it will still take decades to close the site safely

(Newser) - Japan's prime minister said today that the country's tsunami-damaged nuclear plant has achieved a stable state of "cold shutdown," a crucial step toward the eventual lifting of evacuation orders and closing of the plant. Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's announcement was intended to reassure the nation...

Japanese Scientists Track Radiation With Monkeys

They'll gather data from collars attached to wild ones

(Newser) - Japanese scientists are recruiting some unusual agents to investigate the radiation levels in the forests around the Fukushima reactor: wild monkeys. A professor of robotic technology at Fukushima University is leading a team that plans to capture up to three wild monkeys and outfit them with a collar that will...

Google Street View Shows Tsunami Destruction

Images have been updated to reflect damage

(Newser) - Google Street View has been updated to show what Japan looks like after the tsunami and earthquake in March. Google also launched a site called Memories for the Future where users can compare before-and-after shots of the disaster zone. Between July and November, Google dispatched its camera-clad vehicles through 27,...

Japan Uses Disaster Budget to Fund Whaling Hunt

Official defends the controversial move

(Newser) - Of Japan's $230 billion in supplementary budgets meant for tsunami reconstruction, $29 million will be used for … a whaling hunt. An official confirmed the move today, and simultaneously defended it, noting that some whaling towns were hit badly by the March 11 tsunami, and the funding will help...

Radiation Found in Japanese Baby Formula

Levels not high enough to pose health risk, parents told

(Newser) - Nearly nine months after the 9.0 earthquake and tsunami wrought havoc on Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant, the country's nuclear nightmare is continuing. Traces of radiation have been found in infant formula for the first time and while government experts say the levels aren't high enough to...

Reviled Japanese Admiral Hoped to Avoid War With US

Isoroku Yamamoto attacked Pearl Harbor after losing that argument

(Newser) - Isoroku Yamamoto was once one of the most reviled men in America, and no wonder: He was the Japanese admiral who devised and carried out the attack on Pearl Harbor. But author Ian W. Toll uses the 70th anniversary to point out that before the attack, Yamamoto led the debate...

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