Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+

[makoto]

Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+

Town to build evacuation platforms for tsunami

A town in central Japan says it will build evacuation platforms over municipal roads to protect residents from tsunami after a major earthquake.

Monday, February 27, 2012 11:47 +0900 (JST)
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120227_12.html
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AJW

Agency plans to forecast ground motions that shake high-rises

The Meteorological Agency plans to forecast long-period earthquake ground motions, which maintain much of their momentum and can violently shake high-rises far from the temblor’s epicenter.

High-rise buildings in Tokyo's Nishi-Shinjuku district (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...AJ201202270001

14 jets issued emergency landing declarations after March 11 quake

The Great East Japan Earthquake created chaos in the skies, forcing 86 passenger jets to find new destinations and 14 to issue emergency landing declarations, transport ministry officials said.

Chubu Airport had the most diverted landings on March 11, 2011, as five of the 14 passenger jets that issued emergency declarations ended up landing there. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...AJ201202270038
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Mainichi jp(Kyodo, AP)

Many hospitals in quake-hit areas ill-equipped to meet patients' needs

SENDAI (Kyodo) -- Seventeen of 45 major hospitals in coastal areas of the three prefectures hit hard by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami are still being forced to curtail the range of their services compared with predisaster levels because they remain understaffed, a Kyodo News survey showed Sunday.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...dm034000c.html

Massive force applies to Kamaishi breakwater in March disaster

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The tsunami of March 11, 2011, hit the breakwater at the bay entrance of Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture, with two-and-a-half times the force of one caused by a massive earthquake in 1896, a study by a government-affiliated research institution showed Monday.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...dm036000c.html

FM radio station in tsunami-hit Miyagi town faces possible closure

ONAGAWA, Miyagi -- Onagawa Saigai FM, a radio station established as a vital source of information after the huge tsunami triggered by the Great East Japan Earthquake devastated this town, is in danger of shutting down.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na004000c.html

Father of city employee lost to tsunami still wants answers from mayor

MINAMISANRIKU, Miyagi -- The father of an employee of this city who disappeared in the March 11 tsunami held a funeral for his son on Feb. 26, while continuing to doubt whether the mayor made the right choices when the city was struck by the disaster.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na006000c.html
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Sankei news

police box car at Kamaishi city, Iwate pref


Unosumai school reopens in Kamaishi city, Iwate pref

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JMA

20:32 JST 27 Feb 2012 39.9N 142.1E 50 km M4.0 Iwate-ken Oki


http://www.jma.go.jp/en/quake/2/2012...91-272032.html

[makoto]

Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+

Volunteers trim cherry trees in quake-hit city

Volunteers have trimmed cherry trees in the northeastern city of Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture. The city was devastated by the earthquake and tsunami last March.

Sunday, February 26, 2012 15:02 +0900 (JST)
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120226_14.html
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Sankei news

broken beakwater in Kamaishi port, Iwate pref

[makoto]

Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+

Director reflects on 3/11 disaster documentary

The British director of a documentary film depicting the aftermath of last year's earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan says she wants people around the world to learn about the realities of disaster survivors.

Saturday, February 25, 2012 22:11 +0900 (JST)
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120225_18.html
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Yomiuri online

Docomo to launch disaster voice message service

NTT Docomo Inc. has announced it will begin offering a disaster voice message service from March 1, a service that will allow voice messages to be sent via its mobile phones' Internet network in the event of a disaster.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T120224005493.htm
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AJW

Rice from salt-damaged paddies made into 'sake of rebuilding'

They said the salt left by the March 11 tsunami had left his paddies barren, but Kazuyoshi Otomo, a 67-year-old farmer in Sendai's Wakabayashi Ward, refused to believe them.

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...AJ201202250001

Indonesia's answer to AKB48 sings at quake memorial event

JAKARTA--Members of JKT48, Indonesia's answer to the all-girl idol group AKB48, performed two of the Japanese ensemble's songs at an event held here Feb. 24.

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...AJ201202250024

Masterpiece to be loaned to Sendai museum

The "Red and White Plum Blossoms" folding screen, a masterpiece by the renowned artist Ogata Korin (1658-1716), will shortly be displayed in the quake-hit Tohoku region for a limited run.

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...AJ201202250045
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Mainichi jp(Kyodo, AP)

Japanese automakers expand domestic output by 18.8% in Jan.

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The combined domestic vehicle production of Japan's eight major automakers in January increased 18.8 percent from a year earlier to 798,968 units for the fourth straight month of rise, as the revival of subsidies for the purchase of eco-friendly cars stimulated domestic demand, according to their data released Friday.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/busin...bu037000c.html

Noda asks public to offer silent prayers for March 11 victims

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda on Friday called on the public to offer silent prayers at 2:46 p.m. on March 11 for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan at that time last year.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...dm001000c.html

Disaster victim with cancer not given qualification for care until three days after death

ISHINOMAKI, Miyagi -- At a temporary housing unit here on Feb. 10, a baby boy turned his head and looked around the room. "He looks just like his grandfather," said the baby's grandmother, 57-year-old Nobuko Kimura. In the corner of the room over a shelf was a portrait of the child's grandfather, Fumiyuki, who passed away at the age of 61 after a battle with lung cancer.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na008000c.html
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JMA

00:59 JST 25 Feb 2012 38.3N 142.4E 20 km M4.0 Miyagi-ken Oki


http://www.jma.go.jp/en/quake/2/2012...91-250059.html

[makoto]

Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+

Shanghai event marks Japan-China ties

....On display at the venue are photos showing how much Japan's northeast has recovered from last year's earthquake and tsunami as well as panels promoting various tourist spots.

Friday, February 24, 2012 06:26 +0900 (JST)
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120224_02.html

A moment of silence on March 11th

The government will call on the people of Japan to observe a moment of silence on March 11th, the anniversary of last year's massive earthquake and tsunami.

Friday, February 24, 2012 13:24 +0900 (JST)
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120224_19.html

Domestic output of Japan's carmakers up 19%

Japan's major carmakers are catching up on lost production caused by local and overseas disasters. January figures show a rise in domestic output by nearly 19 percent from a year earlier.

Friday, February 24, 2012 17:57 +0900 (JST)
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120224_31.html

Guitars made from tsunami-felled tree

Guitars made of wood from a pine tree felled by the tsunami last March will feature in a musical depicting people striving to rebuild from the disaster.

Friday, February 24, 2012 20:00 +0900 (JST)
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120224_35.html
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Yomiuri online

Foreign residents decrease by 55,000

The Justice Ministry has reported that the preliminary number of registered foreign residents in Japan was 2,078,480 as of the end of 2011, down 55,671 from the previous year.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T120223006804.htm

Teams to fight delinquency / Ministry to send former teachers, police to disaster-hit areas

The education ministry plans to dispatch about 50 former teachers and former police officers to three prefectures devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake to help prevent an increase of juvenile delinquency there.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T120223004375.htm
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AJW

REMEMBERING 3/11: Oscar-nominated documentary finds hope amid devastation of March 11

Japan?s cherry blossoms were never more poignant than last spring, when stunning canopies of pink and white spread across the Tohoku coast just weeks after the March 11 tsunami had claimed thousands of lives.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lcgRr5WzMfI?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
British documentary maker Lucy Walker (Provided by Lucy Walker)

Cherry blossoms bloom against a backdrop of destruction (Provided by Lucy Walker)
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...AJ201202240057
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Mainichi jp(Kyodo, AP)

Bereaved boy questions meaning of life after March 11 disasters

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Yuji Hamada, 15, was born on March 11. His birthday was always a day of celebration, on which he typically shared a cake with his family. But after the major earthquake and tsunami last year, he now wonders if he should be happy or not. "It's a day that appears to be both happy and bad, perhaps," he said.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/features/arch...fe081000c.html

Japan's condo supply rises 2.2.% in 2011

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The supply of condominiums in Japan in 2011 rose 2.2 percent from the previous year to 86,582 units, posting gains for two years in a row, a private research agency said Thursday.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/busin...bu134000c.html

Advertising spending falls 2.3% in 2011, down for 4th year

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Total advertising spending in Japan declined 2.3 percent in 2011 from the year before to 5.71 trillion yen, marking the fourth straight year of decline, Dentsu Inc. said Thursday.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/busin...bu135000c.html

Panel calls for steps in Tokyo Bay against biggest tsunami in 1,000 yrs

YOKOHAMA (Kyodo) -- A land ministry panel agreed Thursday on basic policies calling for infrastructure measures in the Tokyo area to address a huge tsunami expected every 1,000 years or so, in the aftermath of the massive earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan last March, panel officials said.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...dm013000c.html

Last evacuation facility in 3 disaster-hit prefectures closes

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...dm021000c.html
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Jiji press

Japan Fair Opens in Shanghai

Shanghai, Feb. 24 (Jiji Press)--A fair organized to express Japan's gratitude for Chinese support in the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami last year opened in Shanghai on Friday.

http://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2012022400864
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JMA

04:28 JST 24 Feb 2012 39.0N 142.3E 60 km M4.7 Iwate-ken Oki



http://www.jma.go.jp/en/quake/2/2012...91-240428.html

[makoto]

Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead &amp; missing - March 27+

Transport ministry to develop tsunami lifeboat

Japan's transport ministry will develop lifeboats that allow evacuees to live at sea for several days after a tsunami.

Thursday, February 23, 2012 09:56 +0900 (JST)
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120223_12.html

Foreign registrants in Japan down for third year

The number of foreigners registered in Japan has dropped for the third straight year.

Thursday, February 23, 2012 09:56 +0900 (JST)
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120223_13.html

NHK wins British TV journalism award

NHK has won a journalism award from Britain's leading television forum for its coverage of last year's earthquake and tsunami.

Thursday, February 23, 2012 12:07 +0900 (JST)
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120223_17.html
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Yomiuri online

Miyagi base eyed for volunteers

Private universities in the Tokyo area plan to jointly set up a base for student volunteers in Minami-Sanriku, Miyagi Prefecture, to help restoration work in areas hit hard by the Great East Japan Earthquake.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T120222005778.htm
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AJW

Hope fades for lone pine tree survivor of tsunami
*REUTERS

RIKUZENTAKATA, Iwate Prefecture -- Very little was left standing in the city of Rikuzentakata after a huge tsunami tore through nearly a year ago. Even the centuries-old pine forest by the sea that had long been a symbol of the city was obliterated.

The lone surviving pine tree in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, is now dying. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...AJ201202230026

Only half of Tohoku rebuilding budget used

Only about half of the budgeted 6.7 trillion yen ($83.7 billion) has been used to rebuild areas devastated by last year’s disasters, as labor shortages, unfinished paperwork and persistent confusion have bogged down the process.

No work has been done to repair Arahama Junior High School in Watari, Miyagi Prefecture. (Masaru Komiyaji)
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...AJ201202230039

Photos capture disaster area from children’s angles

Yumi Goto wanted children in areas hit hard by the March 11 disaster to record the devastation and reconstruction from their own perspectives, because they are the future.

Rui Ogawa’s photo of railway tracks of JR Yamada Line

Reina Tamada’s photo of satchels damaged by the tsunami
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...AJ201202230001
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Mainichi jp(Kyodo, AP)

1 mil. tofu packs made from Paraguay soy beans sent to disaster victims

RIO DE JANEIRO (Kyodo) -- A total of 1 million packets of tofu made from Paraguayan soy beans have been delivered to those affected by the March disaster in Japan, people involved in the project said Wednesday.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...dm022000c.html

At least 4.37 million chickens died from lack of feed after quake shut ports

After the Great East Japan Earthquake damaged and closed ports, at least 4.37 million chickens being raised in Aomori, Iwate and Miyagi Prefectures died, leading to a shortage of eggs in eastern Japan.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na011000c.html
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Jiji press

Japan Ad Spending Down for 4th Straight Year in 2011

Tokyo, Feb. 23 (Jiji Press)--Ad spending in Japan in 2011 fell 2.3 pct from the previous year to 5,709.6 billion yen, down for the fourth straight year, Dentsu Inc. <4324> said Thursday.

http://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=ind&k=2012022300886

Condo Supply in Disaster-Hit Tohoku Drops 33.1 Pct in 2011

Tokyo, Feb. 23 (Jiji Press)--The number of new condominiums put up for sale in 2011 sank 33.1 pct from the previous year to 967 units in the Tohoku northeastern Japan region hit by the March earthquake and tsunami, a private think tank said Thursday.

http://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2012022300837
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Sankei news

panorama photo

pine tree like a dragon in Kesennuma city, Miyagi pref
http://photo.sankei.jp.msn.com/panor...012/0223matsu/

tsunami lifeboat

[makoto]

Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead &amp; missing - March 27+

S.Korea to open tourism office in quake-hit Sendai

South Korea will open an office in northeastern Japan to help revive tourism in the region after last year's earthquake and tsunami.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 06:06 +0900 (JST)
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120222_05.html

Int'l conference on natural disasters planned

Japan will host a ministerial level meeting on natural disasters in July to share lessons from the great earthquake and tsunami last year.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 06:07 +0900 (JST)
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120222_07.html
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Yomiuri online

Study: Tokyo quake could register 7

A major earthquake a government panel presumes could occur centered under northern Tokyo Bay could register 7--the strongest on the Japanese seismic intensity scale--in central Tokyo, a ministry study has found.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T120221005585.htm
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AJW

Tokyo could be hit with stronger earthquake than thought

Studies by a project team of the science and technology ministry indicate that the Tokyo area could be hit by an earthquake with a maximum seismic intensity of 7 on the Japanese scale, instead of an upper 6 as previously believed, sources said.

Firefighters transfer a woman, playing the role of an injured person, during an earthquake drill in Tachikawa, Tokyo, on Jan. 22, 2011. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...AJ201202220001

Tohoku fishing industry determined to defeat tsunami

After Kaneo Miura built a new fishing vessel, he proudly displayed colorful "tairyo-bata"--the flags indicating a successful haul from the sea--on the boat near a fish market in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture.

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...AJ201202220054
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Mainichi jp(Kyodo, AP)

Dragon-shaped snow sculpture designed to encourage disaster-hit regions wins contest

YOKOTE, Akita -- A dragon-shaped snow sculpture carved by members of a high school baseball team for their counterparts in nuclear disaster-hit regions has won the grand prize in a contest here.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/arts/archive/...na003000c.html

Fujitsu, Tohoku Univ. launch research on tsunami simulation system

SENDAI (Kyodo) -- Fujitsu Ltd. and Tohoku University said Tuesday they have launched joint research to develop a three-dimensional tsunami simulation system by utilizing the world's fastest "K" supercomputer.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...fp013000c.html
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Jiji press

Japan to Give Overseas Aid Linked to Disaster Area Products

Tokyo, Feb. 22 (Jiji Press)--Japan will provide aid to developing countries as funds to procure industrial products made in areas hit by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, the Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.

http://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2012022200182

Budget Proposals Surge in 3 Most Disaster-Affected Japan Prefs

Tokyo, Feb. 22 (Jiji Press)--Budget proposals for fiscal 2012 starting in April of three northeastern Japan prefectures hardest hit by last year's disaster surged to record levels above one trillion yen, according to data compiled by Jiji Press Wednesday.

http://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2012022200733

Foreign Residents Decrease 14.3 Pct in 3 Disaster-Hit Prefs

Tokyo, Feb. 22 (Jiji Press)--The number of registered foreign residents at the end of 2011 in the three northeastern Japan prefectures of Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima, hardest hit by the March disaster, plunged 14.3 pct from a year before to 28,828, the Justice Ministry said Wednesday.

http://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2012022201016
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Sankei news

altitude sign in Himeji city, Hyogo pref

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JMA

07:43 JST 22 Feb 2012 37.8N 142.6E 10 km M4.3 Miyagi-ken Oki


http://www.jma.go.jp/en/quake/2/2012...91-220743.html

10:55 JST 22 Feb 2012 39.1N 142.5E 30 km M4.2 Iwate-ken Oki


http://www.jma.go.jp/en/quake/2/2012...91-221055.html

17:28 JST 22 Feb 2012 40.1N 142.2E 60 km M4.0 Iwate-ken Oki


http://www.jma.go.jp/en/quake/2/2012...91-221728.html

[makoto]

Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead &amp; missing - March 27+

Chinese delegation to visit disaster-hit Tohoku

A Chinese business delegation is to visit northeastern Japan to buy local products to help the region recover from last year's disaster.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012 13:08 +0900 (JST)
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120221_16.html

Special coins to commemorate disaster

Japan's government plans to issue commemorative coins to individual investors who buy a certain amount of bonds to help recovery from last year's March 11th disaster.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012 13:56 +0900 (JST)
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120221_18.html
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AJW

Father who survived tsunami wants to take 'step forward'

RIKUZENTAKATA, Iwate Prefecture--"I want to cry, it’s just that I don't know how best to cry. Tears just don't come naturally to me."

Yukihisa Ojima strolls on a vacant lot in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, where his house once stood. (Naoko Kawamura)
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...AJ201202210052
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Mainichi jp(Kyodo, AP)

Tourism agency chief wants Japanese to become more traveler friendly

Hiroshi Mizohata, commissioner of the Japan Tourism Agency (JTA), called on the Japanese people on Feb. 21 to be more receptive to foreign tourists and revitalize the domestic economy along the way in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami and subsequent Fukushima nuclear crisis.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/travel/archiv...na013000c.html

China ready to promote cooperation with disaster-hit Japanese firms

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A senior Chinese trade official on Tuesday expressed hope of strengthening cooperation with Japanese companies hit hard by the powerful earthquake last March, as the two countries commemorate this year the 40th anniversary of the normalization of bilateral relations.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/busin...bu107000c.html

Ratio of nonregular workers to labor force at record 35.2&#37; in 2011

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The percentage of nonregular workers to the labor force in 2011 hit a record high at an average 35.2 percent in Japan excluding three prefectures severely affected by the March earthquake and tsunami, up 0.8 point from 2010, the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry said Monday.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/busin...bu110000c.html

Jan. department store sales down 1.1% on year

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Department store sales in Japan fell 1.1 percent in January from a year earlier on a same-store basis for the first decline in two months, due to heavy snowfall as well as cold weather conditions that dampened private consumption especially from the middle of the reporting month, an industry body said Monday.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/busin...bu114000c.html

Paper imports hit record high in 2011 on decline in domestic production

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Paper imports increased 24.4 percent in 2011 from the previous year to a record 1.74 million tons, amid a decline in domestic production following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, which resulted in damage to some domestic plants, the Japan Paper Association said Monday.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/busin...bu116000c.html

Japan to issue commemorative coins in support of reconstruction efforts

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan will issue 1,000-yen and 10,000-yen commemorative coins in fiscal 2015 to investors holding bonds being sold next month to support efforts to rebuild areas hit by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, the government said Tuesday.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...dm076000c.html

Greater jolts may hit capital in future Tokyo Bay quake: gov't study

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A future earthquake in the northern part of Tokyo Bay could register the maximum 7 on the Japanese intensity scale in the capital, stronger than the previously assumed upper 6, a recent study by an education ministry project team showed Tuesday.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...dm158000c.html
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Jiji press

Japan to Launch Campaign of Gratitude for Foreign Tourists

Tokyo, Feb. 21 (Jiji Press)--The Japan Tourism Agency said Tuesday it will launch a campaign to express the nation's gratitude for foreign tourists who visit Japan following the devastating earthquake and tsunami last March.

http://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2012022100788

Japan to Reward Buyers of Reconstruction Bonds with Memorial Coins

Tokyo, Feb. 21 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government decided on Tuesday to cast coins in fiscal 2015 that will be given to individuals who buy bonds issued to raise funds for reconstruction from the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

http://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2012022101122

Japan to Create 3-D Tsunami Software with Fastest Supercomputer

Sendai, Miyagi Pref., Feb. 21 (Jiji Press)--Japan's Fujitsu Ltd. <6702> and Tohoku University said Tuesday that they will jointly develop software that will forecast detailed tsunami damage through three-dimensional images.

http://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2012022101137
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Sankei news

Memorial Coins

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JMA

04:16 JST 21 Feb 2012 38.8N 142.4E 40 km M4.1 Miyagi-ken Oki


http://www.jma.go.jp/en/quake/2/2012...91-210416.html

[makoto]

Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead &amp; missing - March 27+

Yomiuri online

Machine tools sent to disaster-hit factories / Business owners thrilled at donations from around the country; many were on brink of closing

Factory operators in areas struck by the Great East Japan Earthquake have been thrilled to receive hundreds of machine tools that had been sitting idle at small factories across the country.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T120219003256.htm

Disaster victims wish Emperor well

March 11 victims who were visited by the Emperor after the disaster have spoken of their relief at hearing that his heart operation Saturday went smoothly and urged him not to strain himself during his recovery.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T120219003289.htm
__________________________________________________ ______
AJW

INTERVIEW/ Ken Watanabe: If Hayabusa probe can do the impossible, so can Japan

Critically acclaimed actor Ken Watanabe is a man of his word, not forgetting the evacuees he visited in the Tohoku region following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami disaster.

Actor Ken Watanabe (Yoshiyuki Suzuki)
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/cool_ja...AJ201202200030

Nephew of Hiroshima A-bomb girl sings for disaster victims

At the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture, a bronze statue of a girl who holds a large paper crane up to the sky is one of the poignant symbols, along with the nearby A-Bomb Dome.

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...AJ201202200001
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Sankei news

panorama photo

Tsuriishi Shrine
http://photo.sankei.jp.msn.com/panor...220ishinomaki/

Search for Okawa school children missing in tsunami

[makoto]

Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead &amp; missing - March 27+

Tsunami debris to drift back from US West Coast

A US research institute says some of the debris created by a massive tsunami that hit Japan last March will likely wash ashore on Hawaii after drifting close to the US West Coast.

Sunday, February 19, 2012 14:55 +0900 (JST)
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120219_14.html
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Yomiuri online

Iwate salmon haul at record low in 2011

Iwate Prefecture's salmon catch, normally Honshu's largest, fell sharply in fiscal 2011, and is almost sure to be the worst ever since salmon farming began in 1984, due mainly to damage to fixed salmon nets by the tsunami March last year, according to sources.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T120218003489.htm
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Mainichi jp(Kyodo,AP)

Man seeks posthumous name for unborn daughter killed in tsunami

RIKUZENTAKATA, Iwate -- A man who lost his pregnant wife to the tsunami in March last year is considering acquiring a posthumous name for his unborn daughter.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na004000c.html
_______________________________________________
JMA

06:44 JST 19 Feb 2012 38.0N 141.9E 50 km M4.4 Miyagi-ken Oki


http://www.jma.go.jp/en/quake/2/2012...91-190644.html

[makoto]

Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead &amp; missing - March 27+

AJW

AKB48 draws a crowd at Beijing goodwill concert

BEIJING--Six members of pop idol group AKB48 performed in Beijing on Feb. 17, part of the "Vibrant Japan" campaign to mark the 40th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China.

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/asia/china/AJ201202180037
__________________________________________________ _________
Mainichi jp(Kyodo, AP)

AKB48 members take stage in Beijing to thank China for quake support

BEIJING (Kyodo) -- Six members of Japanese all-girl pop group AKB48 took the stage in Beijing on Friday in a mini concert, expressing gratitude for support provided by Chinese people following the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/arts/archive/...sp047000c.html

Household spending down 1.7% in 2011, lowest since 2000

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's average monthly household spending in 2011 fell 1.7 percent in real terms to 247,219 yen, the lowest since 2000 when comparable data became available, the government said Friday.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/busin...bu038000c.html

Number of foreign visitors to Japan down in Jan. for 11th month

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The number of foreign visitors to Japan in January fell 4.1 percent from a year earlier to 685,000, declining for the 11th straight month since the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, an estimate by the Japan National Tourism Organization showed Friday.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...dm007000c.html


________________________________________________
JMA

16:07 JST 18 Feb 2012 38.7N 141.7E 60 km M4.2 Miyagi-ken Oki


http://www.jma.go.jp/en/quake/2/2012...91-181607.html

[makoto]

Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead &amp; missing - March 27+

2011 household spending lowest in decade

Japan's household spending slumped to a record low last year, due largely to the March 11th earthquake and tsunami.

Friday, February 17, 2012 17:49 +0900 (JST)
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120217_35.html

March tsunami traveled at 25km/h in Sendai

Japanese scientists say the tsunami triggered by the March 11th earthquake last year was traveling as fast as an elite-level marathon runner when it hit the Sendai Plain in northeastern Japan.

Friday, February 17, 2012 19:24 +0900 (JST)
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120217_38.html

Taiwan businesses welcome young quake survivors

A group of young Japanese survivors of last year's earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan is visiting Taiwan at the invitation of a local business group.

Friday, February 17, 2012 20:04 +0900 (JST)
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120217_39.html

March 2011 disaster digital archives in the making

Almost a year on from the catastrophic earthquake that hit northeastern Japan, a wide range of organizations is building digital archives to preserve memories of the events of March 11th for future generations.

Friday, February 17, 2012 21:09 +0900 (JST)
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120217_40.html
__________________________________________________ ____
Mainichi jp(Kyodo,AP)

Japan-China trade hits record high in 2011

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan-China trade in 2011 expanded 14.3 percent from the previous year to a record high $344.91 billion, reflecting a rise in imports from China of smartphones, food, auto parts and other products, the Japan External Trade Organization said Thursday.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/busin...bu129000c.html

New condo supply in Tokyo area surges 32.6&#37; in Jan.

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The number of new condominiums put on sale in Tokyo and three neighboring prefectures in January surged 32.6 percent from a year earlier to 1,819 units, marking the third straight month of increase, a research agency said Thursday.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/busin...bu132000c.html

Rebuilding in quake areas estimated to create 7.3 tril. yen effects

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Reconstruction work after the earthquake and tsunami disaster of last March 11 is expected to generate economic effects totaling 7.3 trillion yen in fiscal 2011 and 2012, the Japan Federation of Construction Contractors said Thursday.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/busin...bu146000c.html

Japan economy 'picking up,' gov't retains monthly assessment

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The government on Thursday maintained its basic assessment that the Japanese economy is "picking up," while upgrading its evaluations of private consumption and public spending.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/busin...bu147000c.html

U.S. children make drawings to cheer Japanese kids in quake-hit areas

WASHINGTON (Kyodo) -- Nineteen fifth-grade students from a public elementary school gathered Thursday to create works of art for elementary school students in the earthquake-hit areas of Japan.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...dm003000c.html

Kyoto encourages residents to make emergency exits out of dead-end streets

KYOTO -- As part of measures to better prepare Japan's ancient capital for a potential disaster while preserving the cityscape, the municipal government here will encourage residents to put emergency escape openings in fences on dead-end roads, officials said.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na005000c.html
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Jiji com

Japan High School Student Job-Securing Rate Improves

Tokyo, Feb. 17 (Jiji Press)--The job-securing rate for Japanese high school students graduating this spring stood at 80.4 pct as of the end of December, up 2.5 percentage points from a year before, the education ministry said Friday.

http://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2012021700763

Japan Household Spending Falls 1.7 Pct in 2011

Tokyo, Feb. 17 (Jiji Press)--Japan's monthly household spending dropped 1.7 pct in 2011 from the previous year in price-adjusted terms due primarily to the March disaster, government data showed Friday.

http://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2012021700968
__________________________________________________ ________
Sankei news

557 still missing in Ishinomaki city

[makoto]

Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead &amp; missing - March 27+

Yomiuri online

Ministry survey finds key sewage lines not quake resistant

Less than 30 percent of the major sewage lines in 44 prefectures throughout the nation that connect evacuation centers to sewage facilities are earthquake resistant, a ministry survey has found.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T120215006040.htm

Sendai wants special zone for farming

SENDAI--The Sendai municipal government Wednesday filed an application with the Reconstruction Agency for the creation of a special reconstruction zone to promote farming and agriculture.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T120215005683.htm
__________________________________________________ ____
AJW

PHOTO/ Gunma's hanging dolls recognized by Guinness World Records

SHINTO, Gunma Prefecture--A display of 7,045 handmade dolls in a shop here has been certified by the Guinness World Records as the world?s largest.

A visitor checks out a doll at the Chikyuya store in Shinto village, Gunma Prefecture. (Azusa Ushio)
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...AJ201202160023
__________________________________________________ _____
Mainichi jp(Kyodo, AP)

Disaster-hit Ishinomaki manga museum launches display in local shops

ISHINOMAKI, Miyagi -- How could a manga museum that was heavily damaged in the March 2011 tsunami help restore liveliness to this city while awaiting reconstruction? By transforming the city's shops into a showcase for manga art, officials say.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/arts/archive/...na014000c.html

Video relay service helping hard of hearing in disaster-hit areas

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A Sendai-based company is offering a remote video relay service free of charge for people with hearing problems in areas hit by last year's massive earthquake and tsunami, employing the expertise it has developed in a business venture largely unknown in Japan.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/features/arch...fe069000c.html

Kirin Brewery's quake-hit Sendai plant resumes production of all items

SENDAI (Kyodo) -- Kirin Brewery Co. said Wednesday it has resumed bottled beer production at its plant in Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture, which was severely damaged by last March's earthquake and tsunami, meaning all items are now back in production at the plant.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/busin...bu099000c.html

Yamaha Motors posts 47% rise in group net profit in 2011

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Yamaha Motor Co. said Wednesday its group net profit climbed 47.3 percent in the year ended December from the year before to 26.96 billion yen due to sales increase, cost reduction efforts and a reversal of accrual for product liabilities.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/busin...bu101000c.html

Japan crown prince hopes for strengthening anti-disaster measures

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito expressed hope Thursday for taking lessons from the March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami to strengthen anti-disaster measures in Japan and the rest of the world.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...dm151000c.html
__________________________________________________ _______
JMA

14:09 JST 16 Feb 2012 38.5N 142.1E 40 km M4.4 Miyagi-ken Oki



http://www.jma.go.jp/en/quake/2/2012...84-161409.html

[makoto]

Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead &amp; missing - March 27+

Yomiuri online

Emergency repairs stalled for 35,000 homes

Emergency repairs of houses damaged by last year's March 11 earthquake and disaster have stalled despite the fact that 11 months have passed since the disaster as of Saturday.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T120214005440.htm
__________________________________________________ ____
AJW

Billions in 'idle' funds to be seized to help struggling firms

The government plans to seize tens of billions of yen lying in “dormant accounts” at banks and other financial institutions to help cash-strapped companies and organizations battered by last year's great earthquake and tsunami.

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...AJ201202150025

Two experiments under way to revive the sea in Iwate

OFUNATO, Iwate Prefecture--Scientists are coming to the assistance of a coastal city ravaged by tsunami, with two experimental projects aimed at cleaning contaminated seawater so that farming of oysters and marine produce can be restored.

A device set near an oyster farming raft in Ofunato Bay in Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture, produces micro bubbles that help purify contaminated seawater. (Hiroyuki Kobayashi)

Volunteers work to remove oil-slicked debris along the coast of Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture. (Provided by the Ofunato municipal government)
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...AJ201202150037
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Mainichi jp(Kyodo, AP)

Gov't mulls tapping dormant accounts for reconstruction money

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Japanese government is considering tapping bank deposits left untouched for over 10 years for funds to help rebuild areas devastated by last March's earthquake and tsunami, sources close to the matter said Wednesday.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...dm157000c.html

Sendai population tops 1.05 million amid influx of tsunami evacuees

SENDAI -- The population of Sendai topped 1.05 million for the first time in November as a result of a large influx of residents from tsunami-hit coastal areas of the Tohoku region, officials said.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na004000c.html

Failed tenders spark review of public works bidding in disaster areas

The Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry is set to drastically review a public works bidding system, as many tenders for reconstruction work in earthquake- and tsunami-hit areas have failed amid rising labor and material costs, officials said.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na012000c.html
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Jiji press

Japan May Use Dormant Bank Deposits for Postdisaster Reconstruction

Tokyo, Feb. 15 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government is considering tapping deposits at "dormant" bank accounts to help finance projects to rebuild areas hit by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami last year, officials said Wednesday.

http://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2012021500446

Japan Govt to Host Food Exhibition in Hong Kong

Hong Kong, Feb. 15 (Jiji Press)--Japan's agriculture ministry said Wednesday it will host a Japanese food exhibition in Hong Kong, the biggest export market for Japanese foods, in early March.

http://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2012021500836

(Update) Japan May Use Dormant Bank Deposits in Disaster Areas

Tokyo, Feb. 15 (Jiji Press)--Japanese cabinet ministers Wednesday agreed to consider tapping deposits at so-called dormant bank accounts to help entrepreneurs start businesses in areas hit by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

http://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2012021501018
__________________________________________________ ____________
Sankei news

photo exhibition in Beijing airport

[makoto]

Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead &amp; missing - March 27+

Search begins for children missing in tsunami

A search for missing victims of last year's devastating tsunami has begun on a river in Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, by draining part of the stream.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 14:03 +0900 (JST)
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120214_23.html
__________________________________________________ _
Yomiuri online

GDP drops annual 2.3&#37; in Oct.-Dec.

The nation's economy shrank 2.3 percent in the October-December quarter on an annualized basis due mainly to slowing exports, posting the first drop in two quarters, the government said Monday.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/business/T120213005497.htm

Exhibit features photos of babies born on March 11

A photo exhibition of babies born on the day of the Great East Japan Earthquake opened Friday at Miyagi Children's Hospital in Sendai.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T120213004771.htm

Japan, U.S. monitor drifting tsunami debris

A Japan-U.S. joint project is under way across the Pacific to monitor the paths of debris swept into the sea in the aftermath of the huge tsunami that followed on the heels of the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T120213005317.htm

U.S. waits for impending arrival of debris

LOS ANGELES--The impending arrival of debris swept into the Pacific after the tsunami following the Great East Japan Earthquake has many residents of the West Coast of the United States and Hawaii on their toes.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T120213004672.htm
_______________________________________________
AJW

Concert in Paris to commemorate quake anniversary

Famed classical music maestros from Japan will hold a concert at the UNESCO House in Paris on March 11 to mark the first anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake.

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...AJ201202140014
__________________________________________________
Mainichi jp(Kyodo, AP)

Hirano to double as minister to review gov't response to 2011 disaster

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Reconstruction minister Tatsuo Hirano will double as minister in charge of reviewing the government's response to the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura said Tuesday.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...dm082000c.html

Ishinomaki city launches major operations to find missing students and teachers

ISHINOMAKI, Miyagi -- Authorities here launched large-scale operations on Feb. 14 to find students and teachers of Okawa Elementary School who went missing after the Great East Japan Earthquake and ensuing tsunami devastated northeastern Japan on March 11, 2011.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na017000c.html


__________________________________________________ _________
Jiji press

Hirano to Evaluate Govt Responses to March 11 Disaster

Tokyo, Feb. 14 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government on Tuesday decided to give postdisaster reconstruction minister Tatsuo Hirano a new task of evaluating the government's responses to the March 11 earthquake and tsunami last year.

http://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2012021400417

Japan Govt Likely to Face Difficulty with Disaster Response Review

Tokyo, Feb. 14 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government is expected to face difficulty in reviewing its responses to last March's earthquake and tsunami due to a lack of materials.

http://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2012021400981
__________________________________________________ __
JMA

19:48 JST 14 Feb 2012 39.4N 144.2E 10 km M4.7 Sanriku Oki


http://www.jma.go.jp/en/quake/2/2012...91-141948.html

[makoto]

Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead &amp; missing - March 27+

Japan economy shrinks 1st time in 2 years

Japan's economy in 2011 shrank for the first time in 2 years, as the March quake and tsunami knocked it off a recovery path.

Monday, February 13, 2012 10:00 +0900 (JST)
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120213_11.html

Water pipes to be made quake-resistant

The Japanese government says it will help local communities go ahead with making tap water infrastructure quake resistant in the Pacific coast areas.

Monday, February 13, 2012 13:18 +0900 (JST)
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120213_12.html
__________________________________________________ ________
AJW

Japan's GDP dipped in the last three months of 2011

Outside factors dented Japan's gross domestic product during the last three months of 2011, which fell 0.6 percent in real terms, or discounting the effects of price changes, from the July to September period after seasonal adjustments, according to the Cabinet Office.

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/economy...AJ201202130067

Cyndi Lauper wants disaster areas to see her March 11 concert

Theaters in the three disaster-stricken prefectures in northeastern Japan on March 11, the one-year anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake, will offer free admission to the live broadcast of U.S. pop singer Cyndi Lauper’s concert in Tokyo.

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...AJ201202130004 love Cyndi
__________________________________________________ _________
Mainichi jp(Kyodo, AP)

Japan's 4th qtr GDP falls faster than expected on slowing exports

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's economy contracted a faster-than-expected real 2.3 percent in annualized terms during the last three months of 2011 on slowing exports, affected by the massive flooding in Thailand and gloomier prospects for the world economy amid the sovereign debt crisis in Europe, the government said Monday.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/busin...bu112000c.html

New 'mental gymnastics' program to assist disaster victims' recovery, interaction

ISHINOMAKI, Miyagi -- In a bid to assist disaster victims' recovery from last year's triple calamities, a group of nurses here are preparing to launch a "mental exercise" program that will promote interaction between survivors, it has been learned.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na005000c.html

Man works to restore specimens of tsunami-devastated museum

RIKUZENTAKATA, Iwate -- When the Iwate Prefecture city of Rikuzentakata was hit by a deadly quake on March 11, 2011, hundreds of thousands of items at local museums were engulfed by the tsunami waves. Now, however, the efforts of the city's only surviving curator have sparked hope that many items will be restored and put back on display.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na009000c.html
__________________________________________________ _________
Jiji press

Slow Export Recovery Fears Persist despite GDP Growth Forecasts

Tokyo, Feb. 13 (Jiji Press)--Japan's economy is expected to return to growth after shrinking in October-December, but concerns remain about sluggish exports on global economic uncertainties amid Europe's sovereign debt crisis.

http://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2012021300870
__________________________________________________ _______
JMA

05:58 JST 13 Feb 2012 38.2N 142.5E 40 km M4.3 Miyagi-ken Oki


http://www.jma.go.jp/en/quake/2/2012...91-130558.html

19:03 JST 13 Feb 2012 39.4N 142.5E 30 km M4.0 Iwate-ken Oki


http://www.jma.go.jp/en/quake/2/2012...91-131903.html