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Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+
Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+
Lantern floating ceremony held in Ishinomaki
People floated lanterns on a river in disaster-affected Miyagi Prefecture to pray for the peaceful repose of the souls of the victims of the March earthquake and tsunami.....
Self-Defense Force members have ended their relief operations in northeastern Japan's Miyagi prefecture, an area that was hard hit by the March 11th disaster.....
Monday, August 01, 2011 14:57 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/01_22.html
Dollar remains weak despite US debt deal
......Usui suggested that moves by Japanese manufacturers to shift production out of Japan would increase after the March 11th disaster showed the need to diversify their production bases.....
Rising yen hits companies hard / Analysts fear hollowing out of industries
Companies struggling to recover from the impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake also have been rocked by the strengthening yen, which has risen to the 77 yen level against the U.S. dollar in Tokyo...... http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/business/T110731002445.htm
Ama divers doing best to keep tradition afloat
KUJI, Iwate--A group of about 20 woman divers in Kuji is determined to preserve a special feature of their area's summer--demonstrations of traditional ama free-diving for sea urchins--despite damage caused to facilities by the March 11 disaster......
Itochu's April-June net profit surges 125% on higher resource prices
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Itochu Corp. said Monday its group net profit surged 124.6 percent from a year earlier to 90.35 billion yen in the April-June quarter, backed by higher resource and energy prices.....
Honda group net profit plummets 88% in April-June on quake damage
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Honda Motor Co. said Monday its group net profit for the April-June quarter plunged 88.3 percent from a year earlier to 31.80 billion yen due mainly to the decline in automobile production caused by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami......
Japan's new vehicle sales down 27.6% on year in July
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- New vehicle sales in Japan excluding minivehicles fell 27.6 percent in July from a year earlier to 241,472 units, decreasing for the 11th consecutive month, an industry body said Monday......
Economists forecast annualized 2.6% fall in Japan's 2nd qtr GDP
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Private-sector analysts on average forecast the Japanese economy contracted at an annualized rate of 2.6 percent in the April-June quarter, after the March earthquake and tsunami slowed production and exports, a Kyodo News survey showed Monday....
Free public bath brings people together in disaster area
RIKUZENTAKATA, Iwate -- A free public bath run by a volunteer affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake has been bustling with local residents who enjoy friendly exchanges there......
Tsunami-stricken oyster-farming community at crossroads over 'special zone' plan
ISHINOMAKI, Miyagi -- In the coastal community of Momonoura, which was already struggling through the stagnancy following its oyster-farming heyday, the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami has brought about even further hardship......
No clear path for fishing industry devastated by March 11 tsunami
Over 4 1/2 months have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami ravaged northeastern Japan, and fishermen in many areas still have no idea when they can resume working.....
Popular barber shop in Iwate town reopens using mobile home
YAMADA, Iwate -- A popular barber shop in Yamada, Iwate Prefecture, reopened in a used mobile home on July 31, more than four months after its original shop was destroyed by the huge tsunami triggered by the March 11 temblor......
Honda Ups FY 2011 Profit Estimates on Supply Chain Restoration
Tokyo, Aug. 1 (Jiji Press)--Honda Motor Co. <7267> said Monday that it has revised up its group net profit estimate for fiscal 2011 to next March to 230 billion yen from 195 billion yen as the parts supply chains disrupted by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami are now being rapidly restored.......
Japan to Tighten Land Transaction Monitoring in Disaster Areas
Tokyo, Aug. 1 (Jiji Press)--Japan's land ministry plans to strengthen its monitoring of land transactions in areas devastated by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, due to concerns over possible land price surges in hilly areas with lower tsunami risks, informed sources said Monday......
Sendai, Miyagi Pref., Aug. 1 (Jiji Press)--Japan's Self-Defense Forces on Monday ended their 144 days of relief activities in Miyagi Prefecture, which was hard hit by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami......
Production Returns to Normal at 80 Pct of Japan Manufacturing Bases
Tokyo, Aug. 1 (Jiji Press)--Production has returned to predisaster levels at 73 of 91 manufacturing bases damaged by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in eastern and northeastern Japan, the industry ministry said Monday.......
Tokyo, Aug. 1 (Jiji Press)--Japan's gross domestic product is estimated to have shrunk at an annual rate of 2.5 pct in the April-June quarter, according to the average estimate of 11 think tanks.......
Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+
APEC Sendai to discuss corporate role in disasters
Members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation will discuss corporate responsibilities in the event of disasters. The conference is to start Tuesday for two days in the northeastern city of Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, which was hit hard by the March 11th earthquake and tsunami.....
Tuesday, August 02, 2011 06:33 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/02_04.html
Defense report focuses on China's naval beef-ups
....The paper also focuses on the deployment of a record 100,000 personnel from Japan's Ground, Air and Maritime Self-Defense forces to help victims of the March 11th disaster.....
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum has begun a 2-day conference on the role of corporations in disasters in northeastern Japan. The conference takes place in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, the largest city in the disaster zone from the March 11th quake and tsunami.....
Tuesday, August 02, 2011 12:23 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/02_16.html
Children from disaster areas invited to China
More than 90 children from areas hit by the March 11th disaster in Japan are visiting the southern Chinese resort of Hainan Island at the invitation of China's government.....
The nation's gross domestic product will likely show negative growth in the April- June quarter due mainly to a decrease in exports following the Great East Japan Earthquake, according to forecasts by seven private research institutes...... http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/business/T110801004870.htm
The Development Bank of Japan will provide low-interest loans to companies taking strong disaster-prevention countermeasures, grading the firms on a scale of one to five......
July electricity use down 20% / Efforts by corporations, households to save power behind decline
Electricity demand in the eastern part of the nation dropped by about 20 percent in July from the same month last year, largely due to power-saving efforts by corporations and ordinary households, it has been learned..... http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/business/T110801005581.htm
_________________________________________ Asahi com
Banking matchmaker helping disaster-hit companies
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. is playing the role of matchmaker in the Tohoku region......
While the government target of cutting power consumption by 15 percent will likely be achieved this summer, workers and small businesses are paying the price.......
Enrollment surges at driving schools in hard-hit regions
With rubble everywhere in sight and jobs nowhere to be found more than four months after the Great East Japan Earthquake struck, there is one obvious job for anyone with the proper training and licensing in the devastated regions.....
Dodgy data led to overestimate of electricity demand
The government's estimate of electricity demand for the area covered by Tokyo Electric Power Co. was based on flimsy data that was inflated by about 20 percent from actual figures compiled by the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy.......
Daihatsu Motor's net profit dives 65.8% on quake-induced sales drop
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Daihatsu Motor Co. said Monday its group net profit in the first quarter of fiscal 2011 plummeted 65.8 percent from a year earlier to 6.82 billion yen due to declines in production and sales stemming from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami......
M'bishi Motors swings into black on brisk overseas sales in 1st qtr
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Mitsubishi Motors Corp. said Monday it climbed back into the black in the first quarter of fiscal 2011 as strong overseas sales, especially in emerging economies, more than offset a double-digit fall in domestic sales caused in part by the March 11 earthquake-tsunami disaster......
Nissan develops system to supply power to homes via EVs
YOKOHAMA (Kyodo) -- Nissan Motor Co. said Tuesday it has developed a system to supply electricity to ordinary households from batteries installed in its Leaf electric vehicle, showing that the car can serve as a power storage device at times of power outages......
Toyota ups earnings outlook for FY 2011 despite quake
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday its group net profit for the April to June period fell sharply from a year earlier due to effects of the March earthquake, but raised its business outlook for the year through next March on a faster-than-expected production recovery.....
Jazz pianist plays with local high school band to celebrate restart of disaster PA system
OTSUCHI, Iwate -- Jazz pianist Makoto Ozone joined the brass band of a local high school in a performance on Aug. 1 to celebrate the restart of the town's disaster PA system, which had been offline since the March 11 tsunami.....
ISS crewman Furukawa talks with students of tsunami-devastated school via transmission
TAIWA, Miyagi -- Japanese astronaut and crewman aboard the International Space Station (ISS) Satoshi Furukawa, 47, spoke via a real time transmission with around 150 victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake at two venues, sending them a message of support......
Tokyo, Aug. 2 (Jiji Press)--Toyota Motor Corp. <7203> said Tuesday that it has revised up its group net profit projection for fiscal 2011 to 390 billion yen from 280 billion yen.......
Tokyo, Aug. 2 (Jiji Press)--Nissan Motor Co. <7201> said Tuesday it plans to introduce by the end of next March a system that can be used to supply homes with electricity from the rechargeable battery of its Leaf electric vehicle......
Tokyo, Aug. 2 (Jiji Press)--Renesas Electronics Corp. <6723> said Tuesday that it now expects to suffer a group net loss of 40 billion yen in the year through next March, due to the negative effects of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.......
(Update) Toyota Revises Up FY 2011 Earnings Estimates
Tokyo, Aug. 2 (Jiji Press)--Toyota Motor Corp. <7203> said Tuesday it has raised its group net profit projection for fiscal 2011 to 390 billion yen from 280 billion yen as its production is recovering rapidly from a slump that reflected disruptions in the parts supply chains caused by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami......
Tokyo, Aug. 2 (Jiji Press)--The Bank of Japan is to consider an additional monetary easing measure at its two-day Policy Board meeting from Thursday as the dollar briefly plunged to 76.29 yen in New York overnight, close to 76.25 yen set on March 17........
Japan in Touch with Overseas Authorities on Yen's Rise: Noda
Tokyo, Aug. 2 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda suggested Tuesday that Japan is in touch with U.S. and European currency authorities about ways to cope with the yen's rapid appreciation against the dollar....
(Update) Japan in Touch with Overseas Authorities on Yen Rise: Noda
Tokyo, Aug. 2 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda suggested Tuesday that Japan is in touch with U.S. and European currency authorities following the yen's ongoing rapid appreciation.....
Japan Women's Soccer Team to Receive People's Honor Award
Tokyo, Aug. 2 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government decided Tuesday to present the People's Honor Award to the country's national soccer team for the historic championship in the FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany last month.......
Japan Ministry to Seek More Funds to Remove Tsunami Sludge
Tokyo, Aug. 2 (Jiji Press)--Japan's Environment Ministry plans to request tens of billions of yen more under the government's fiscal 2011 third supplementary budget to accelerate work to remove sludge in northeastern Japan coastal areas hit by tsunami caused by the March 11 earthquake, ministry officials said Tuesday......
U.N. Chief Aims to Encourage Japan Disaster Victims
New York, Aug. 1 (Jiji Press)--U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon said Monday he hopes to encourage people in northeastern Japan areas hit by the March 11 powerful earthquake and tsunami, and the subsequent nuclear crisis during his three-day visit to Japan starting Sunday. ...
Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+
Aomori Nebuta Festival kicks off
One of Japan's best-known summer events, the Aomori Nebuta Festival, kicked off on Tuesday in the disaster-hit Tohoku region.......
Wednesday, August 03, 2011 07:15 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/03_06.html
Record 1.46 million households on welfare
.....The ministry says the rising trend may continue as many people are applying for benefits in areas affected by the March disaster.
Japanese automakers' new car sales in the United States dropped more than 20 percent in July from a year earlier, while South Korea's automakers enjoyed brisk sales......
Toyota Motor says it will increase automobile production to a record 8.9 million units worldwide in 2012 to capture fast-growing demand in emerging Asian economies......
....Kan said Japan must boost its capabilities to better deal with risks at home and abroad as it recovers from the March disaster and seeks new ways of achieving economic growth.....
Participants in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum have visited a Japanese company that quickly recovered from the March disaster thanks to advanced disaster preparedness........
Wednesday, August 03, 2011 19:24 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/03_32.html
Nippon Paper to trim workforce by 1,300
The major Japanese paper producer, Nippon Paper Group, says it will cut its workforce by about 1,300 as part of the rehabilitation of its operations following the March 11th earthquake and tsunami......
Nadeshiko Japan head coach Norio Sasaki heaped praise on his World Cup-winning players Tuesday after it was announced the team would receive the People's Honor Award for helping restore the nation's spirits after the March 11 disaster......
"Someday I want to be a Nadeshiko player," a girl soccer player said, encouraged with the government's formal decision to give the People's Honor Award to Nadeshiko Japan, the national women's soccer team......
The government formally decided on Tuesday to give the People's Honor Award to Nadeshiko Japan, the national women's soccer team, in recognition of their winning the FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany last month.....
Toyota ekes out quarterly profit, raises forecast
*THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Toyota eked out a 1.1 billion yen ($14 million) quarterly profit and raised its annual earnings forecast Aug. 2 as it mounts a comeback from the devastation of the earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan.....
Nissan Leaf EV system can power homes
Nissan Motor Co. on Aug. 2 unveiled a system that allows home owners to use a Leaf electric vehicle as a back-up power supply......
Survey: Makers to keep buying parts overseas, hollowing out of industry feared
Forty-two percent of the manufacturers that switched to foreign suppliers after the March 11 earthquake plan to continue purchasing parts and materials from abroad, according to an industry ministry survey. .......
The strong yen and damage from the March 11 earthquake slashed combined pretax profits at 472 companies by 19 percent in the April-June period from a year earlier......
The Japan women's national soccer squad will be given the People's Honor Award, making it the first sporting team to collectively receive the award, the government announced Aug. 2......
APEC meeting on companies' disaster preparedness begins in Sendai
SENDAI (Kyodo) -- The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum began a meeting Tuesday to discuss companies' disaster preparedness in the Japanese city of Sendai, which was hit hard by the massive earthquake and tsunami in March.......
Renesas reports April-June sales plunge on March disaster
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Renesas Electronics Corp. said Tuesday its group sales in the April-June quarter plunged 29.0 percent from a year earlier to 207.23 billion yen as the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan disrupted its production.......
Sake shipments surge in 3 disaster-hit prefectures after promotional efforts
Shipments of refined sake from the three disaster-hit prefectures of Fukushima, Miyagi and Iwate boomed in May, apparently as a result of promotional events to help the areas recover from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.......
Free summer clothes bazaar held in tsunami-hit town
OTSUCHI, Iwate -- A free bazaar focused around summer clothing was held here on Aug. 2, supplying tsunami victims with seasonally-appropriate wear......
Juvenile reform school students volunteer to help survivors of earthquake and tsunami
SENDAI -- Students from juvenile reformatories in Miyagi Prefecture have launched volunteer work at welfare facilities for survivors of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in a move that could help themselves get back into society.......
Toyota, Honda Suffer Big Falls in U.S. Auto Sales in July
New York, Aug. 2 (Jiji Press)--Japan's Toyota Motor Corp. <7203> and Honda Motor Co. <7267> continued to suffer major falls in their new vehicle sales in the United States in July due to inventory shortages stemming from output cuts following the March 11 disaster in Japan, industry data showed Tuesday......
Washington, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)--Toyota Motor Corp.'s <7203> recovery from supply chain disruptions following the March 11 catastrophe has been "amazing," a U.S. researcher has said in a written interview with Jiji Press.....
2 of 8 Japan Automakers Log Operating Losses in April-June
Tokyo, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)--Two of Japan's eight major automakers incurred group operating losses in April-June due to production halts caused by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, and the adverse impacts of the yen's appreciation, according to their earnings reports released by Wednesday.....
Tokyo, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)--Some 100 Singapore university students arrived in Japan on Wednesday to visit the Tohoku northeastern region, which was badly hit by the March 11 disaster, under a goodwill ambassador program designed to help boost bilateral ties and entice tourists to the country.........
Japan's Kan Seeks Close Watch, Action on Yen's Sharp Rise
Tokyo, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan instructed his economic ministers Wednesday to consider action to cope with the yen's ongoing sharp appreciation while keeping a close watch on currency market developments.......
(Update) Japan's Kan Seeks Close Watch, Action on Yen's Sharp Rise
Tokyo, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan instructed his economic ministers Wednesday to consider action to cope with the yen's ongoing sharp appreciation while keeping a close watch on currency market developments......
Cigarette Smuggling into Japan Soars after March 11
Narita, Chiba Pref., Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)--The Narita branch of Tokyo Customs has confiscated 48,800 cigarettes so far this year, already an annual record, as smuggling soared after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, branch officials said Wednesday......
Sendai, Miyagi Pref., Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)--Asia-Pacific officials ended their two-day meeting here Wednesday agreeing to beef up regional cooperation to protect businesses from natural disasters.......
Japan's government has created a map of destruction by the March 11th tsunami showing that the severity of structural damage increased significantly in areas where waves exceeded a height of 2 meters......
Thursday, August 04, 2011 17:15 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/04_26.html
Intervention lowers yen to 80 level against dollar
....Japan's intervention is the first in about 4 and half months, several days after the massive quake and tsunami of March 11.....
One month has passed since the government issued an order to limit electricity use. Corporations have been obliged to reduce usage to 15 percent below levels last summer....... http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T110803003542.htm
___________________________________________ Asahi com
Automakers, electric appliance manufacturers focus on batteries for houses
Lingering concerns about power outages during natural disasters have changed the way automakers and electric appliance manufacturers are viewing their batteries.....
Families beating the summer heat with Showa Era ideas
To save energy this summer, families such as Kanako Azuma's in Akiruno, about 50 kilometers west of central Tokyo, are going "back to the future" in their search for new ideas......
Nebuta festival carries hope for disaster-affected Tohoku
AOMORI--The Aomori Nebuta Festival, one of the three major festivals in the disaster-affected Tohoku region, kicked off on Aug. 2, carrying people's hope for a quick return to normalcy in the region nearly five months after the Great East Japan Earthquake......
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan Airlines Corp. said Wednesday it secured group net and operating profits in the April to June period as restructuring efforts helped mitigate the adverse impact of the March earthquake.....
Strong yen hurts Japan automakers' faster-than-expected recovery
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The persistent strength of the yen is proving a headache for top Japanese automakers as they attempt to make up for losses caused by the massive March 11 earthquake and tsunami......
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Japanese government and central bank launched a joint assault Thursday on the persistently strong yen as volatility in the currency market casts a shadow over the nation's economic outlook, with struggling exporters calling for action by the authorities.....
Dollar surges to near 80 yen in Tokyo on intervention, monetary easing
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The U.S. dollar staged a strong rebound to near 80 yen Thursday in Tokyo as the Japanese government and central bank took coordinated steps to weaken the yen, including the first market intervention in four-and-a-half months and monetary easing......
Japan steps into currency market to stem yen's rise
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's monetary authorities intervened in the foreign exchange market Thursday in a bid to arrest the yen's appreciation against the U.S. dollar and help boost the flagging Japanese economy, Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda said........
Hitachi, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries may merge to increase competitiveness
Hitachi Ltd. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. will consider setting up a joint venture to merge their main businesses, such as infrastructure, to increase their competitiveness against their European and North American rivals in emerging economies such as those in Asia.......
Disaster-hit Fukushima students invited on homestays in Austria
VIENNA (Kyodo) -- The Rotary Club of Austria has invited 21 high school students from Fukushima Prefecture affected by the March quake and tsunami disaster in Japan to spend some time in the country to help recover from the experience.......
Tokyo, Aug. 4 (Jiji Press)--Oriental Land Co. <4661>, the operator of Tokyo Disney Resort, said Thursday it logged a group net loss of 3,803 million yen in the April-June quarter against a profit of 6,216 million yen a year before......
Tokyo, Aug. 4 (Jiji Press)--Japanese authorities launched unilateral currency market intervention Thursday morning to weaken the yen, Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda said.....
(Update) Japan Intervenes into Market to Weaken Yen
Tokyo, Aug. 4 (Jiji Press)--Japanese authorities conducted yen-selling currency market intervention Thursday morning to prevent the country's economy, which is recovering from the damage caused by the March 11 disaster, from being hurt by the sharp appreciation of the Japanese currency........
Project Starts in Miyagi Pref. to Help Revive Oyster Farming
Sendai, Miyagi Pref., Aug. 4 (Jiji Press)--A project to raise seed oysters has started in Miyagi Prefecture in the Tohoku northeastern Japan region with the aim of reviving the region's oyster farming, which was severely damaged by the March tsunami.........
Biz Executives Welcome Japan's Yen-Weakening Intervention
Tokyo, Aug. 4 (Jiji Press)--Corporate executives express their support Thursday for Japan's foreign exchange market intervention to weaken the yen, which had approached a postwar high against the dollar......
Details of March Tsunami Damage on Buildings Unveiled
Tokyo, Aug. 4 (Jiji Press)--The percentage of buildings completely destroyed by the massive March 11 tsunami increased dramatically among those immersed in 2 meters or more of water, a Japanese land ministry survey revealed Thursday.....
Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+
Small Japanese firms taking part in China fair
Small Japanese companies, including those based in regions affected by the March 11th earthquake and tsunami, are taking part in a trade fair in the Chinese city of Shanghai......
Friday, August 05, 2011 00:21 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/05_01.html
Tokyo stocks fall to low since mid-March
Tokyo stocks have dropped to their lowest level since the March disaster, following an overnight plunge in New York.....
.....Biden is to arrive in Japan on August 22nd and meet Prime Minister Naoto Kan. Biden plans to tell Kan that the US will continue providing support for Japan's reconstruction efforts following the March 11th disaster.....
Japan's government says a key index for the country's economy rose in June for a 3rd consecutive month......
Friday, August 05, 2011 17:36 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/05_25.html
Disney Resort operator posts biggest sales drop
The operator of the 2 Disney amusement parks in Japan says it posted its biggest quarterly sales decline because of the March 11th earthquake......
Friday, August 05, 2011 19:32 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/05_31.html
_________________________________________ Yomiuri online
Automakers losing ground overseas
Japanese automakers are struggling in overseas markets, especially the United States and China, weighed down by reduced production after the March 11 disaster and the appreciation of the yen...... http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/business/T110804005597.htm
Flies overwhelming disaster victims / Feeding on tsunami debris, insects threaten to bring disease to survivors
Hordes of flies continue to plague areas devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake, some of them threatening survivors with serious disease......
IN THE NEWS / Man seeking help to reforest disaster-hit areas
"My goal is to comfort the souls of earthquake victims and pray for Japan's recovery through reforestation," 66-year old Tadashi Inamoto said of his project to plant more than 20,000 trees in disaster-hit areas.....
Japan intervenes to stem yen's rise against dollar
*THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Japan intervened in the foreign currency market on Aug. 4 to stem the yen's rise against the dollar, which is threatening to undermine the country's recovery from the March earthquake and tsunami......
Nippon Paper Group Inc. will cut 1,300 jobs from its paper division, a 15-percent reduction in the division's workforce, while slashing production capacity by the same figure, the company said Aug. 3.....
Tokyo Disneyland operator remains in red in April-June amid disaster
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Tokyo Disneyland operator Oriental Land Co. said Thursday it posted a consolidated net loss of 3.80 billion yen for the April to June quarter, remaining in the red for the second quarter in a row, as it closed the amusement park and other facilities for more than a month due to damage caused by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.......
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Online shopping mall operator Rakuten Inc. said Thursday it fell into the red in the January to June period with a group net loss of 41.35 billion yen, against a net profit of 17.15 billion yen a year earlier, as it posted an extraordinary loss of 81.38 billion yen on reconstructing its credit card business.......
Toyota Prius stays atop new car sales ranking for 2nd month
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Toyota Motor Corp.'s Prius hybrid car was Japan's best-selling vehicle in July, clinching the top spot for the second straight month, as supply recovered from a temporary shortage resulting from the March 11 earthquake-tsunami disaster, industry groups said Thursday......
Japan logs 317 bil. yen trade deficit in first 20 days of July
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan registered a 317.43 billion yen trade deficit in the first 20 days of last month, affected by slower production following the March earthquake and tsunami, the Finance Ministry said Friday......
U.S. Vice President Biden to visit Japan on Aug. 22-24: Edano
WASHINGTON (Kyodo) -- U.S. Vice President Joe Biden will visit Japan on Aug. 22-24 and meet with Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan to express steadfast U.S. support for Japan's efforts to rebuild following the March 11 earthquake and address its nuclear crisis, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said Friday........
1,040 paper cranes made by 96-year-old woman to honor tsunami victims displayed at festival
SENDAI -- A local woman who says the devastation caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami is far worse than the damage left by the firebombing of Sendai during World War II has made some 1,000 paper cranes in honor of the recent disaster's victims......
Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)--About 10 pct of major Japanese companies have raised their group recurring profit forecasts for the year that ends in March 2012, a Jiji Press survey found Friday.........
Washington, Aug. 4 (Jiji Press)--U.S. Vice President Joe Biden will start on Aug. 16 a tour of Japan, China and Mongolia, with a plan to visit a northeastern Japan region hit by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, the White House said Thursday.......
Japan to Delay Deadline for FY 2012 Budget Requests by One Month
Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)--Japan's Ministry of Finance decided Friday to push back the deadline for fiscal 2012 budget requests by government agencies by one month until the end of September.......
Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)--The number of people who committed suicide in Japan for reasons related to the March 11 earthquake and tsunami totaled 16 in June, the Cabinet Office said Friday.....
Singapore Students Join Volunteer Work in Tsunami-Hit City
Rikuzentakata, Iwate Pref., Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)--Some 70 Singapore university students participated in volunteer activities on Friday in this northeastern Japan city devastated by the March 11......
Japan to Cover 2.5-T.-Yen Pension Shortfall with Disaster Bonds
Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government has decided to use special bonds to finance postdisaster reconstruction projects for covering 2.5 trillion yen it needs to secure in the public pension field, officials said Friday.....
Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+
Summer festivals underway in Tohoku
The summer Tanabata star festival is underway in Sendai, northeastern Japan......
Saturday, August 06, 2011 14:52 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/06_17.html
________________________________________ Yomiuri online
Disaster strikes community ties / Local associations disband, go dormant as neighborhoods disperse
Their members forced into temporary housing units or living in other prefectures, many neighborhood associations in areas devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake have been dissolved or stopped functioning.....
Nikkei hits 5-month low, investors hold breath ahead of US jobs
*REUTERS
TOKYO-- Japanese stocks on Friday tumbled to their lowest since the post-quake rout in March as investors ran for exits after the worsening financial crisis in Europe compounded anxiety over a weak U.S. economy that has come close to stalling......
Tokyo Disney Resort operator suffers 1st loss in 1st quarter
Fewer visitors to the Tokyo Disney Resort in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, following the March 11 disaster resulted in an operating loss of 3 billion yen ($37.56 million) during the April-June period for Oriental Land Co., the operator of the theme park.......
U.S. VP Biden to visit China, Japan, Mongolia
*REUTERS
WASHINGTON-- U.S. Vice President Joe Biden will travel to China later this month to help strengthen U.S. ties with Beijing in a trip that will also include stops in Japan and Mongolia, the White House said on Thursday.....
AIU Insurance Co. is blazing a trail that would have been unthinkable not so long ago in terms of the government's 'Super Cool Biz' energy saving campaign......
Higher taxes are in the cards following the government's decision to increase the value of post-quake reconstruction bonds by 2.5 trillion yen ($31.30 billion)......
Listed firms expect 26% rise in earnings in 2nd half of FY 2011
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Listed nonfinancial companies in Japan are expecting a steep rebound in earnings in the second half of fiscal 2011 as supply chains of industrial products will recover from disruptions following the March 11 disaster and reconstruction work will stimulate demand, Mizuho Securities Co. said Friday......
Japan's key economic index marks record gain in June
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's index of leading economic indicators, which shows how the economy is likely to perform in coming months, marked a record rise for the second consecutive month in June, adding to signs that the nation's economy is on a recovery track after the devastating March earthquake and tsunami, a government report showed Friday......
Disaster-related suicides reach 16 in June; 80% over 50
Suicides in June due solely to the March 11 megaquake and tsunami reached 16, with those aged 50 and over topping 80 percent of the total, the Cabinet Office revealed on Aug. 5 in the first release of disaster-related suicide statistics......
After-effects of quake, tsunami, nuclear crisis hobble job market in disaster-hit areas
The after-effects of the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami and ensuing Fukushima nuclear crisis have cast a shadow over job opportunities for graduating students in the disaster-hit areas......
March disaster denies 427 graduates job offers, delays hiring of 2,472 others
Some 126 companies have revoked job offers to a total of 427 new high school and university graduates in the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry said on Aug. 5......
Japan to Study Public-Private Partnerships for Reconstruction
Tokyo, Aug. 6 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese infrastructure ministry plans to study the feasibility of public-private partnerships in projects to rebuild areas devastated by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, officials said Saturday.....
Japan Eyes Discretionary Money for Disaster-Hit Municipalities
Sendai, Miyagi Pref., Aug. 6 (Jiji Press)--Reconstruction Minister Tatsuo Hirano revealed Saturday that the Japanese government is studying ways to provide disaster-hit municipalities with money they can use at their discretion.......
Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+
Yomiuri online
Helping nurses help more / How does the govt envisage expanding nurses' role in health care?
Q: Are there special nurse systems in other countries?
A: Some advanced nations, including the United States, have introduced a system of national practitioners (NPs). NPs are nurses who are allowed to perform examinations, make diagnoses and prescribe drugs, among other things.
Amid the shortage of doctors after the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake, Japanese who have been certified as NPs in the United States visited the stricken areas to treat people......
Sixteen people committed suicide in June due to problems triggered by the March 11 disaster, according to the Cabinet Office in its first-ever release of such data.....
Ray of light in debris cleanup / Wreckage in residential areas in 3 prefs should be gone this month
The mounds of debris the March 11 disaster dumped in residential areas and near temporary shelters are expected to be completely removed this month, an Environment Ministry survey has found....... http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T110806002832.htm
___________________________________________ Asahi com
World Bank to tell how Japan mitigated quake damage
The World Bank will serve as an "ambassador" to help developing countries understand how Japan minimized damage from the Great East Japan Earthquake, an official in charge of disaster prevention strategies said.....
Post-tsunami Iwate fishing industry faces uncertain future
OTSUCHI, Iwate -- Fishermen, around a dozen of them, silently set to work with scissors, cutting scallop farm nets from a mass of metal wires -- just one small part of the awesome damage inflicted on this port town by the March 11 tsunami......
Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+
Minus growth expected for 3rd quarter in Japan
Private research firms expect Japan's gross domestic product for the April-to-June period to shrink for a 3rd consecutive quarter.......
Monday, August 08, 2011 06:09 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/08_01.html
Mid-term review of tsunami warning system released
Japan's Meteorological Agency has unveiled an interim report on the country's tsunami warning system, based on information learned in the March 11th disaster....
Monday, August 08, 2011 23:47 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/08_31.html
________________________________________ Yomiuri online
Many Kesennuma evacuees fled tsunami by car
KESENNUMA, Miyagi--Despite authorities' advice to escape on foot, about half of this city's residents fled by car when the March 11 disaster occurred, a recent survey has found....
The trauma of disaster victims / Jobs, consultation services needed to assuage bleak future of survivors
Anxiety over a jobless future, fears of being a burden--these apparently are major reasons why some people in disaster-stricken areas decided to put an end to it all by committing suicide.....
Dollar falls to upper 77 yen as G-7 fails to reverse downtrend
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The U.S. dollar fell to the upper 77 yen level Monday in Tokyo following Standard & Poor's downgrading of the U.S. credit rating, with the Group of Seven countries' commitment to seek stability in financial markets failing to reverse the dollar's downtrend.....
July business failures rise for 3rd month in row due to quake
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The number of corporate failures in July increased 1.4 percent from a year earlier to 1,081 with many firms still being forced into bankruptcy due to the effects of the March earthquake and tsunami, a credit research agency said Monday.....
'Economy watcher' sentiment improves for 4th month in July
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Business sentiment among people with jobs sensitive to domestic economic conditions improved for the fourth straight month in July, adding to signs that the Japanese economy has been recovering following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, the government said Monday......
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko visited a public housing complex in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward on Monday to encourage those who have evacuated from Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures in the wake of the March earthquake and tsunami and subsequent nuclear emergency......
INTERVIEW: Murata to Make Products at Multiple Bases
Tokyo, Aug. 8 (Jiji Press)--Major Japanese electronics component maker Murata Manufacturing Co. <6981> plans to make the same products in more than one place to hedge the risk of supply chain disruptions, company President Tsuneo Murata said in a recent interview......
Major Japan Brewers Log 1st-Half Operating Profit Growth
Tokyo, Aug. 8 (Jiji Press)--All of Japan's four major brewers scored year-on-year growth in group operating profit in the January-June first half thanks to substantial declines in advertising spending......
Kirin to Launch Nonalcoholic Beer-Like Drink in U.S. in Sept.
Tokyo, Aug. 8 (Jiji Press)--Kirin Brewery Co. said Monday that it will start to sell its Free beer-flavored beverage with zero alcoholic content on a trial basis in the U.S. West Coast including Los Angeles in late September....
Sekisui to Sell House with Fuel, Solar, Storage Cells
Tokyo, Aug. 8 (Jiji Press)--Sekisui House Ltd. <1928> said Monday that it will launch in Japan a house with an electricity supply system that uses fuel cells, solar panels and storage batteries.....
METI to Set Up Fund with Pref. for Double Loan Problem
Tokyo, Aug. 8 (Jiji Press)--The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said Monday it will set up a fund with the government of disaster-hit Iwate Prefecture to help firms tackle the "double loan" problem.....
Tokyo, Aug. 8 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government will consider having a backup of Tokyo's capital functions to prepare for possible terrorist attacks or large-scale natural disasters like the one that hit northeastern Japan in March....
Japan disaster survivor wins soroban contest event
A survivor of the March 11th disaster in eastern Japan has won a calculation event in a national contest for use of the soroban, or Japanese abacus.......
Intervention, easing impact fading as Nikkei plummets
*REUTERS
Japan's Nikkei stock benchmark tumbled on Aug. 8 to its lowest since the immediate aftermath of the March 11 earthquake, hit by sharp falls in the U.S. market as worries over the global economy dominated the mood, offseting a boost from Japan's currency intervention and monetary easing the previous day......
The Bank of Japan allowed 4.8 trillion yen ($61.5 billion) to flood the money market on Aug. 8 in an attempt to suppress the value of the yen and provide extra liquidity amid rising concerns about the effect on the global economy of the U.S. and European debt crises......
Karuta reader from quake-hit area gets 2nd place in competition
FUKUSHIMA--Rina Okabe was determined to enter the karuta reading segment of the all-important 35th All Japan High School Cultural Festival but was so distracted by the March 11 disaster that she had to start from scratch in preparing for it......
MIYAKO, Iwate Prefecture--People displaced by the Great East Japan Earthquake prepared for Bon, Japan's traditional festival of the dead, on Aug. 7 by burning pine roots in front of temporary homes in the grounds of the Greenpia Sanriku Miyako hotel......
SENDAI--Hundreds of thousands of people visited the quake-hit city of Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, over the weekend for the Sendai Tanabata Festival, one of the most famous festivals in Japan...... http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201108080277.html
____________________________________________ Mainichi jp(Kyodo, AP)
Bridgestone half-year group net profit up 22%
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Bridgestone Corp. said Monday its group net profit in the January-June period increased 21.6 percent from a year earlier to 54.12 billion yen on brisk sales of tires, its mainline product, both in Japan and overseas.......
Gov't needs to study economic stimulus to fight yen's surge: Noda
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The government needs to study additional measures to boost Japan's economic growth by overcoming the negative impact from the recent sharp rise of the yen in the currency market, Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda said Tuesday......
Intervention effects fade, credit negative for Japan economy: Moody's
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Moody's Investors Service said Monday the impact of Japan's currency market intervention last Thursday to weaken the yen was limited, so the recovery of the export-led Japanese economy from the March earthquake remains threatened by a strong yen.....
Gov't to upgrade economic view amid signs of recovery from disaster
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The government is set to upwardly revise its basic assessment on Japan's economic conditions, encouraged by recovery in production and exports from a significant slowdown in the wake of the March earthquake and tsunami, officials said Monday.....
Dollar slides to lower 77 yen level after falls in global stocks
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The U.S. dollar fell to the lower 77 yen range Tuesday in Tokyo as a U.S. credit rating downgrade and subsequent sharp falls in global stocks prompted investors to seek the perceived safety of the yen......
Tokyo, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government plans to upgrade its basic assessment in its monthly economic report for August, informed sources said Tuesday......
FEATURE: Singapore Youngsters Discover Allure of Tohoku
Tokyo, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)--Although Tohoku is recognized around the world as the area devastated by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, some 100 Singapore students discovered different sides to the northeastern Japan region during a six-day stay in the country through Monday......
Japan's Population Shrinks in FY 2010: Ministry Data
Tokyo, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)--Japan's population decreased 827,235 from a year earlier to 126,230,625 as of the end of fiscal 2010, registering a fall for the second straight year, the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry said Tuesday......
Japan White Paper Lauds Twitter's Role in Disaster Areas
Tokyo, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)--Social media such as the microblogging service Twitter played a role in supporting people in Japan's disaster areas soon after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, the government said in a white paper on Tuesday....
3rd Extra Budget Should Address Strong Yen: Yosano
Tokyo, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government should include additional economic stimulus measures including those to deal with the yen's rise in a third supplementary budget for fiscal 2011, Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Kaoru Yosano said Tuesday.....
Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+
Fed to keep low rates until mid-2013
....This marks a change from previous statements when the Fed predicted the slowing economy was due to temporary disruptions in the supply chain following the March 11th disaster in Japan......
A group of Japanese students from areas hard-hit by the March disaster that is visiting the United States has met US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton......
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 11:32 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/10_10.html
NASA: Japan tsunami broke Antarctic ice
US researchers say the tsunami generated by Japan's March 11th earthquake broke off chunks of an iceberg in Antarctica about 13,000 kilometers away......
Tourists trickling back to Tohoku / Some areas see signs of recovery, others still suffering as visitors stay away
MORIOKA--Some tourist spots in three prefectures in the Tohoku region hit hard by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami have seen a rebound in visitor numbers, but others are facing desperate times as tourists stay away..... http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T110809005562.htm
______________________________________________ Asahi com
Sekisui House to market battery-powered home
In a rush to tap into a super-charged market, major home builder Sekisui House Ltd. will market a house equipped with solar batteries, fuel cells and a storage battery earlier than expected, company officials said on Aug. 8.....
Young ambassadors from disaster area to visit Geneva
Fittingly, one of this year's "High School Student Ambassadors of Peace" selected by a citizens's group in Nagasaki is a survivor from disaster-stricken Rikuzentakata in Iwate Prefecture of the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake......
Japan revises tsunami warnings to drive home urgency
To better convey a sense of alarm and urgency to evacuate, the Japan Meteorological Agency will issue "an enormous tsunami will likely follow" warning after earthquakes that measure greater than magnitude 8.0....
Economists voice concerns about Japan's economic outlook
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Economists voiced concerns Tuesday about Japan's economic outlook amid global stock plunges and the yen's appreciation following Standard & Poor's downgrading of United States debt a notch from its AAA credit rating..........
Gov't closely consulting with other countries over yen's rise: Noda
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan is carefully monitoring development in the currency market and consulting closely with other countries, Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda said Wednesday......
Strong yen hits small factories, threatens to undermine Japan's technology
As the yen is almost at record-high levels against the U.S. dollar, rising to the lower 77 yen range on Aug. 9 against a postwar high of 76.25 yen in March, small factories in Tokyo and elsewhere are struggling frantically to deal with the exchange rate due to their heavy dependence on exports.......
Japan's population down for 2nd straight year on register basis
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's population fell during the year to March 31 for the second straight year of decline on a basic resident register basis, the government said Tuesday.....
Clinton cheers Japanese youths from quake-hit areas
WASHINGTON (Kyodo) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Tuesday encouraged young Japanese baseball and softball players from disaster-hit northeastern Japan under the department's bilateral sports exchange program.....
Japan's key bond-issuance bill to be enacted by end of Aug.
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A bill to enable the Japanese government to issue debt-covering bonds in fiscal 2011 will be enacted by the end of this month, increasing the likelihood that Prime Minister Naoto Kan will step down in the foreseeable future, lawmakers said Tuesday......
Families of children killed in tsunami sue kindergarten for 266.8 million yen
SENDAI -- The bereaved families of four kindergarteners killed by the March 11 tsunami have filed suit against the kindergarten accusing it of failing to fulfill its duty to protect the children, and demanding 266.8 million yen in compensation......
Tokyo, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)--Leading Japanese ad agency Dentsu Inc. <4324> said Wednesday its group operating profit in April-June dropped 39.6 pct from a year before to 4,227 million yen, mainly because companies refrained from advertising after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami......
Tokyo, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)--Nikon Corp. <7731> said Wednesday it has raised its earnings forecasts for the year ending next March on the back of an earlier-than-expected recovery from supply-chain disruptions triggered by the March 11 disaster......
Washington, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)--U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton invited a group of students from disaster-hit areas in northeastern Japan to the State Department Tuesday to give words of encouragement.....
87,000 Still Living as Evacuees 5 Months after Disaster
Tokyo, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)--The total number of those dead or missing in the March 11 earthquake and tsunami stands at more than 20,000, while some 87,000 people are still living as evacuees in many parts of Japan, five months after the disaster, according to data available as of Wednesday.....
Tokyo, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)--Japan's Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that on Sept. 1 it will further relax requirements for the issuance of Chinese individual tourist visas....
Disaster-Caused Job Losses Could Top 90,000: Report
Sendai, Miyagi Pref., Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)--Job losses in areas devastated by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami could exceed 90,000 in a year, Tokyo Shoko Research Ltd. said Wednesday.....
Tokyo, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)--The government plans to raise about 600 billion yen by selling its shareholdings in Japan Tobacco Inc. <2914> to cut temporary tax hikes for financing postdisaster reconstruction projects, sources said Wednesday.....
Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+
Economic outlook made downward due to 3/11
The Japanese government is set to downgrade its economic growth forecast for fiscal 2011 to 0.5 percent, down one percentage point from its previous estimate.....
Machinery orders in June jumped 7.7 percent from the previous month, marking the 2nd straight month of increase as orders resumed in many industries.....
Flower altars were set up across Kesennuma City, Miyagi prefecture on Thursday, exactly 5 months after the March 11th earthquake and tsunami......
Thursday, August 11, 2011 13:45 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/11_24.html
Japan's food self-sufficiency rate in the last fiscal year through March dropped below 40 percent for the first time in 4 years. It marked the second straight year of decrease.....
Thursday, August 11, 2011 15:25 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/11_27.html
________________________________________ Yomiuri online
Parents sue kindergarten / Allege response to earthquake, tsunami caused children's deaths
SENDAI--On March 11, a school bus belonging to Hiyori Kindergarten, a private school in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, was overwhelmed by the tsunami. A total of five children aged 4 to 6 years old died..... http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T110810005975.htm
_______________________________________ Asahi com
Tax hikes looming as focus of DPJ presidential poll
Ruling party lawmakers are stepping up moves to replace Prime Minister Naoto Kan and take over a country still reeling from the March 11 disaster and now struggling with financial and political turmoil.......
Conductor leads student orchestra in quake-hit area
KAMAISHI, Iwate Prefecture--When Maestro Yutaka Sado assembled a "Superkids Orchestra" to pay homage to victims of the March 11 disaster, he chose a spot much beloved by residents of this quake-ravaged area: a pine forest on Nehama Beach......
Japan's machinery orders up 7.7% in June, 2nd straight month of rise
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's core private-sector machinery orders in June grew a seasonally adjusted 7.7 percent from the previous month for the second straight month of rise, underscoring that the March 11 devastating earthquake and tsunami did not dampen companies' appetites for capital investment, the Cabinet Office said Thursday.......
Japan upgrades economic assessment on recovering production
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The government on Wednesday upwardly revised its monthly assessment of the Japanese economy, citing a recovery in production and exports after a significant downturn following the March earthquake and tsunami, but it also warned of signs of a slowdown in overseas economies.......
Dollar nears postwar record low vs. yen in volatile Tokyo trade
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The U.S. dollar fell to within a whisker of its postwar record low against the yen Thursday in Tokyo amid concerns over the course of the U.S. economy, while caution about possible yen-selling intervention helped keep the dollar's slide in check......
Big Japan firms to boost capital spending in Japan, abroad
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Major Japanese companies are planning to boost capital spending both at home and abroad in fiscal 2011 in the wake of the March 11 disaster that has stimulated demand for reconstruction work in Japan and added fuel to the relocation of production facilities to other countries, the Development Bank of Japan said Thursday....
Kan's U.S. trip in early Sept. unlikely as resignation looms
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Prime Minister Naoto Kan's visit to the United States in early September will be cancelled given the increasing likelihood that he will announce his resignation by the end of this month, government sources said Wednesday.......
LDP head denies possibility of grand coalition even after Kan leaves
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The leader of the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party on Wednesday ruled out the possibility of forming a grand coalition with the ruling Democratic Party of Japan even after Prime Minister Naoto Kan steps down.......
March 11 tsunami snapped off central Tokyo-sized pieces of Antarctic ice shelf
As yet more proof of the destructive power of the tsunami triggered by March 11's earthquake, satellite images have confirmed the waves reached even distant Antarctica, breaking off slabs of ice the size of central Tokyo.....
Last evacuees in Iwate city moving from shelters to temporary housing
RIKUZENTAKATA, Iwate -- Mixed feelings were in the air as the last people in evacuation shelters here moved into temporary housing units ahead of the shelters' closure.....
Tire retailer starts over after losing shop, house and mother to tsunami
OFUNATO, Iwate -- A tire retailer here restarted his business and his life from scratch late last month after he lost his shop, home and mother to massive tsunami triggered by the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake....
Life at evacuation shelter no longer tolerable for Miyagi woman who survived tsunami
ISHINOMAKI, Miyagi -- Even five months after the March 11 disasters, many survivors are still unable to move out of temporary evacuation shelters......
Tokyo, Aug. 11 (Jiji Press)--The number of condominiums put up for sale in the greater Tokyo area in July fell 1.3 pct from a year before to 4,073 units, the Real Estate Economic Institute said Thursday......
Tokyo, Aug. 11 (Jiji Press)--Japan's government plans to cut its real gross domestic product forecast for fiscal 2011 to 0.5 pct from the current 1.5 pct, Cabinet Office sources said Thursday........
Tokyo, Aug. 11 (Jiji Press)--Japan's food self-sufficiency rate hit a 17-year low in fiscal 2010 that ended in March due to bad weather, the farm ministry said Thursday.....
57,000 Local Govt Workers Dispatched to Disaster Areas
Tokyo, Aug. 11 (Jiji Press)--Nearly 57,000 local government employees across Japan were sent to support areas hit by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in a period of more than three months after the catastrophe, an internal ministry survey revealed Thursday.......
Economists See 2.8 Pct Japan GDP Fall for April-June
Tokyo, Aug. 11 (Jiji Press)--Economists believe that Japan's real gross domestic product shrank at an annual rate of 2.80 pct in April-June in the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, a survey showed on Thursday......
Tohoku Region Commemorates Victims 5 Months after Disaster
Sendai, Miyagi Pref., Aug. 11 (Jiji Press)--Events to remember victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami were held across the Tohoku region, northeastern Japan, on Thursday, marking five months since the disaster......
Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+
Moment of silence at retirement home in Miyagi
A moment of silence was observed at a retirement home in northeastern Japan on Thursday to mark the 5-month anniversary of the March 11th disaster.......
Friday, August 12, 2011 02:06 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/12_01.html
2,400 lanterns lit for disaster victims
About 2,400 lanterns were lit in Iwate Prefecture, northeastern Japan, on Thursday night to pray for the victims of the March 11th disaster......
Friday, August 12, 2011 02:06 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/12_02.html
Nearly 57,000 officials sent to disaster-hit areas
Nearly 57,000 local government officials from around Japan have been sent to disaster-hit areas to help out in recovery and rebuilding efforts since the March 11th earthquake and tsunami......
The Japanese government has downgraded its economic growth forecast for fiscal 2011 to 0.5 percent, down one percentage point from its previous estimate.....
YOMIURI SHIMBUN PROPOSAL / Deep rift forms over disaster measures / Kan administration's slow response prevents local authorities from making recovery plans
The failure of Prime Minister Naoto Kan's administration to properly aid areas struck by the March 11 disaster has caused a deep rift between the national government and affected municipalities..... http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T110811006302.htm
Sunflowers blooming in debris inspire
ISHINOMAKI, Miyagi--Large sunflowers are blooming among debris in the quake-hit area of Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, inspiring a woman who lost her house and a longtime friend in the tsunami following the Great East Japan Earthquake.......
Tohoku eyes mass relocations / Central govt funds lacking, but 26 coastal municipalities want to move
Twenty-six out of of 37 municipalities in coastal areas of Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures are considering large-scale residential relocations to higher or inland ground, according to a Yomiuri Shimbun survey......
YOMIURI SHIMBUN PROPOSAL / Reconstruction blueprint / Yomiuri plan sets goals for Japan's next administration
Alarmed by the slow progress of recovery from the March 11 disaster, The Yomiuri Shimbun has put together a five-point proposal that includes the need to form a new government that can facilitate cross-party cooperation in post-disaster restoration efforts...... http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T110811006314.htm
Monument built 5 months after disaster
SHICHIGAHAMAMACHI, Miyagi--Volunteers completed a monument Thursday built of driftwood and parts of trees felled by the March 11 tsunami in a bid to pass along lessons learned from the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake to future generations.......
The Japan Meteorological Agency announced starting Aug. 11 that it will implement improvements to boost the accuracy of its emergency earthquake alert system, which notifies the public beforehand of major tremors.......
Food self-sufficiency rate slips below 40% for 1st time in 4 yrs
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's food self-sufficiency rate on a calorific intake basis slipped to 39 percent in fiscal 2010, down one percentage point from a year earlier, dropping beneath the 40 percent line for the first time in four years, the farm ministry said Thursday......
Law for speeding up clearing debris in tsunami-hit areas enacted
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Legislation enabling the central government to remove and dispose of debris from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami disaster on behalf of afflicted municipalities at their request was enacted in parliament Friday, a measure that local authorities have repeatedly called for......
Police investigate fake doctor in quake-hit Ishinomaki
SENDAI (Kyodo) -- Police said Friday they have begun an investigation of a man who provided health care services without a proper license in Ishinomaki after the northeastern Japan city was hit by the March earthquake and tsunami.......
Fears of major quake in capital rise after Great East Japan Earthquake
Over five months after the magnitude 9.0 earthquake on March 11, active faults running though the Tokyo metropolitan area and other districts remain capable of producing another devastating earthquake at any time. Of particular concern to earthquake analysts is the threat of a quake under the capital that could be stronger than the magnitude 7.3 Great Hanshin Earthquake of 1995......
Search for missing schoolchildren continues 5 months after quake-triggered tsunami
ISHINOMAKI, Miyagi -- Police officers are combing through rubble and mud under the scorching heat around an elementary school here in a desperate search for schoolchildren and other local residents missing since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami......
Over 110 schoolchildren die or go missing in tsunami after being picked up by parents
At least 115 children from 33 schools died or went missing after being picked up by their parents or guardians shortly before the March 11 tsunami, the Mainichi has learned......
Japan Cigarette Sales Up for 1st Time in 10 Months
Tokyo, Aug. 12 (Jiji Press)--Cigarette sales in Japan in July increased 0.2 pct from a year before to 20 billion pieces, the first rise since September 2010, when there was a surge in demand before a tax hike, an industry group said Friday........
3 Disaster-Hit Regional Banks Perform Poorly in April-June
Tokyo, Aug. 12 (Jiji Press)--Three of the eight regional banks in the three northeastern Japan prefectures hit hardest by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami performed poorly in April-June, their latest earnings data show.......
Japan Projects Fiscal 2020 Primary Budget Deficit at Max 18 T. Yen
Tokyo, Aug. 12 (Jiji Press)--The primary budget deficit of Japan's central and local governments is expected to reach up to 18.3 trillion yen in fiscal 2020 even if the consumption tax is raised to 10 pct by fiscal 2015 from the current 5 pct, the Cabinet Office said Friday.......
Japan Vows to Limit New Debt Issuance to 44 T. Yen
Tokyo, Aug. 12 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government pledged Friday to limit its new debt issuance to some 44 trillion yen in fiscal 2012 that begins next April.....
Disaster-Hit Fishermen Set Up Seafood-Processing Firm
Ishinomaki, Miyagi Pref., Aug. 12 (Jiji Press)--A group of fishery industry people in the Ogatsu district of Ishinomaki in Miyagi Prefecture have jointly established a seafood-processing company as they look to recover from the March 11 disaster that devastated Miyagi and other parts of northeastern Japan......
Japan's Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda has expressed his intention to seek a grand coalition government if he is elected as the nation's next leader......
Japan's former land minister says it will not be easy to achieve the finance minister's goal of a grand coalition with the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party and its smaller ally the New Komeito.......
The upcoming presidential election of Japan's governing Democratic Party is likely to focus on whether to seek a grand coalition with opposition parties......
The four-day Bon period began in Japan on Saturday, during which Buddhists honor the spirits of their ancestors and deceased family members......
Sunday, August 14, 2011 06:01 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/14_10.html
Japan considers comprehensive economic package
Faced with the yen's record high levels against other currencies, the Japanese government and governing coalition are considering a comprehensive economic package to be included in a 3rd supplementary budget.....
A group of lawyers in Tokyo is providing free telephone consultations to people who were forced to evacuate from their home towns after the March 11th disaster.....
People returning home for the Buddhist Bon holidays are looking for their families' belongings in tsunami-hit Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture.....
Sunday, August 14, 2011 22:51 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/14_22.html
____________________________________ Yomiuri online
Evacuees slow to leave shelters
SENDAI--Five months after the Great East Japan Earthquake, a number of evacuees remain reluctant to move into temporary housing units, leaving some municipal governments unable to close evacuation centers in Miyagi Prefecture..... http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T110812004937.htm
Disaster victims honor souls on Bon
People from areas affected by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami gathered to offer flowers and pray before tombstones on Saturday, the first day of the Bon Festival....
Of 37 coastal municipalities damaged by tsunami in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures on March 11, nearly 40 percent have not received enough backup staff from other municipalities around the country, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned......
An international research team will use the deep-sea drilling vessel Chikyu to bore into an area where two tectonic plates meet to study the movements of the plates that caused the Great East Japan Earthquake, according to sources.....
BIZ BRIEF: Orix to use solar power to reduce electric bills
Orix Electric Power announced Aug. 12 that it will begin a new service to reduce electricity costs by combining its bulk electric purchasing service with a solar power system.....
Japan slashed its projection for economic growth in fiscal 2011 on Aug. 12 because of declines in production and consumption following the Great East Japan Earthquake.....
Tsunami survivors have heavy hearts on eve of obon
Buddhist priest Honen Tanno in Sendai's Wakabayashi Ward is reading a sutra in the stifling hot August air while standing in a pine forest on the beach.....
Quake survivors show their moves in Awa Odori dance festival
TOKUSHIMA--A traditional Awa Odori folk dance festival opened Aug. 12 in Tokushima featuring a dance troupe from disaster-hit Sendai.....
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________________________________________ Mainichi jp(Kyodo, AP)
Japan's June industrial output rise slightly revised down to 3.8%
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's industrial output grew a seasonally adjusted 3.8 percent in June from the previous month, revised slightly downward from a preliminary 3.9 percent rise as a result of additional data not available in the earlier report, the industry ministry said Friday.....
Over five months have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, but many victims of the disaster are still only temporarily buried, with cremations expected to take until the end of October......
Taxi company on the road again after losing entire fleet in tsunami
MORIOKA -- After losing its entire fleet of cars in the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck northeastern Japan on March 11, a taxi company has made a comeback in the Iwate Prefecture town of Otsuchi.....
Maehara against reconstruction tax hike, unsure on DPJ leader bid
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Former Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara said Sunday he is still undecided on whether to run in the coming ruling party leadership race to replace Prime Minister Naoto Kan, but clarified his reluctance to see a tax hike to finance reconstruction from the March disaster.....
Tokyo, Aug. 13 (Jiji Press)--Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda, who appears ready to run in a coming election for the next leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan, said Saturday that he would seek a grand coalition with the nation's biggest opposition Liberal Democratic Party and the second-biggest New Komeito.....
Postdisaster Reconstruction "Chance in Million" to End Deflation: Noda
Tokyo, Aug. 14 (Jiji Press)--Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda made a remark Sunday suggesting Japan capitalize on demand for its postdisaster reconstruction to end deflation......
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