Japan's majority in favour of phasing-out of nuclear power: survey

Tokyo (Reuters) - a large majority of the Japanese to accept the gradual phase-out of nuclear power stations but that some reactors need to be restarted to enough, a survey of the newspaper makes short term, on Sunday to secure.

The survey, published in the newspaper Tokyo Shimbun and performed on the first anniversary of the tsunami-triggered nuclear crisis that arises before the decision by the Government, whether the restart of two idled nuclear reactors can soon be expected.

According to the survey of Japan Association for public opinion, 79.6 per cent of respondents at least more or less in favor of breaking with nuclear power eventually were research.

But 69 percent behind the restart some nuclear reactors, to ensure sufficient energy. Only 28 percent were opposed.

Currently only two of the 54 nuclear reactors in the country are operating, but both will be switched off expected may beginning, which makes potential shortages this summer.

The survey is in stark contrast to a poll in the Asahi Shimbun last week when 57 percent of those polled were opposed to restart reactors.

Die Debatte über die Kernenergie hat sich zunehmend beheizten nach einem mächtigen Erdbeben und Tsunami im März dieses Jahres gelähmt die Fukushima Atomkraftwerk nordöstlich von Tokio und seiner Art die schlimmste Katastrophe seit Tschernobyl 1986 ausgelöst.

The Government has stated that he eventually its dependence of Atomic-which reduced percent before the crisis 30 of electricity.

Trade Minister Yukio Edano said this month that no nuclear reactors in Japan in time for the summer, to continue and the operations can the country before an estimated 10 percent makes deficiency during demand hours in summer to leave.

The Government has run stress tests on the reactors for their safety prove a cynical public. But many local governments have requested a more comprehensive set of tests, taking into account the account damage in Fukushima to host nuclear reactors.

(Reporting by Osamu Tsukimori, editing by Jonathan Thatcher)

Japan Spurs solar energy, wind energy with subsidies for renewable energy

26 August 2011, 6: 51 am EDT by Rika Watanabe

(Updates with comments from sharp President in 12 paragraph.)

26 Aug. (Bloomberg)-Japan today a bill approved to subsidize electricity from renewable energy sources, European Nations in the transfer of nuclear energy after the law was undergone reactor Fukushima in March.The, the renewable energies by following upper House approval by the lower Chamber at the Aug. 23 and was one of the last acts of Prime Minister Naoto Kan, their support on his handling of Japan's biggest postwar sagged disaster. He said today that he is his resignation after Parliament passed the law.The law allows incentives, to ensure that the market prices for wind, solar and geothermal energy. The so-called feed-in tariff created a race, solar panels, the implementation in Germany and Spain to install. In Japan, it can help to take Chinese companies like Suntech Power Holdings Co. and Canadian Solar Inc., foot.Japan is about 9 percent of the electricity from CO2 sources. Kan called for this level to increase and for the country to phase out nuclear energy after 11 March earthquake and tsunami Tokyo Electric Power Co. Fukushima crippled nuclear plant. Prior to the crisis delivered nuclear plants had about 30 percent of the electricity of Landes.Sonnenkollektoren capacity of approx. 3.68 gigawatt power at the end of last year in Japan, and the Government aims at 28 gigawatts to 2020. installations can 1.4 gigawatts to 1.6 gigawatts according to London researchers Bloomberg of new energy finance this year as a whole. A new nuclear power plant produces generally more than 1 Gigawatt.Business lobby ObjectsThe is legislation on 1 July 2012, effectively and requiring utilities to electricity generation from renewable energy sources including buy solar, wind and geothermal energy prices on the market. "The Minister of trade and industry decides prices and times after consultation with experts and Ministers."A intensive measure to extend the use of renewable energy sources give special consideration of profit makes Minister to get the suppliers, "is the clean energy Act contained Keidanren, Japan's largest business lobby, the electric utilities among its members one additional Bestimmungen.Kritiker of measures." Legislators agreed to the revision of legislation to grant, a discount of at least 80 percent of the feed-in tariffs are passed the serious power users in electricity bills.Power rate Council for renewable energy sources other than solar will as much as 20 yen (26 cents) a kilowatt hour for about 15 years, trade and Industry Minister said Banri Kaieda in the Parliament on 14 July the rate for solar higher, on a plan, in 2009 buy excess solar energy can be established. "Currently the tariff for excess solar energy is generated by houses 42 yen per kilowatt-hour, while electricity produced by companies and schools compares 40 Yen.Dies with the price of grid electricity from 13.77 yen per kilowatt hour for commercial users, according to Japanese Agency for natural resources and energy."The rate must be high "said Mikio Katayama, Chairman of the Japan photovoltaic energy Association, reporters in Tokyo today." enough, to encourage investment,For the continuous growth of the industry, there should be no sudden changes in the system such as reduction of tariffs and stop, ", said Katayama, also President of average household because of the new rules, an additional 180 yen per month can pay sharp, Japan's largest manufacturer of Solarzellen.Ein, said Nobumori Otani, a Democratic Party of Japan's legislature, which the ruling party leads to renewable energy team."Hydro power and biomass also benefit from the subsidies.

-With the help of Sachiko Sakamaki in Tokyo. Editor: Alex Devine, Tony Barrett

The reporter on this story contact: Rika Watanabe in Tokyo, cwatanabe5@bloomberg.net

The editor for this story contact: Reed country mountain at landberg@bloomberg.net

View the original article here

Japan vows nuclear energy use cut

Japan swears nuclear energy use cut a speech keeps Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan during the service the 1945 as a memorial to us Atomic Hiroshima in Hiroshima Peace on think Park on 6 August 2011. Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan has vowed to cut the use of nuclear power, such as the Asian country of sixty-six years since the U.S. marked atomic bombings of Hiroshima.

"I will reduce Japan's dependence on nuclear energy, to create a society that is not to rely on nuclear energy," was quoted by AFP KAN: on Saturday.

Kan said in the Hiroshima Peace Park in a ceremony, the victims of the atomic bomb U.S. 1945 some 140,000 people devoted to, immediately, or due to Burns and after the explosion killed radiation disease.

Three days after the explosion of Hiroshima another U.S. nuclear attack in the port of Nagasaki, at least 70,000 people was killed.

Kan made the comments as the country with a nuclear crisis on the Fukushima nuclear power plant caused by the twin disasters of Quake and tsunami to fight on 11 March.

The Japanese Premier has come under fire for his handling of the crisis, since the incident took place. Foreign Media accusing the Japanese Government to hide the reality of the severity of the disaster.

Kan added that he would carry out a thorough investigation of the causes of the accident was "serious concern not only in Japan, but also in the world."

Mayor talking about Hiroshima Kazumi Matsui, during the ceremony, said that the March 11 disaster is reminiscent of the memories of the disaster sixty years ago indicating that the current threat, created by radiation from the Prefecture of Fukushima plant "enormous fear among the affected areas and many others."

"The Japanese Government should humbly accept this reality, quickly check our energy policy and Institute concrete countermeasures to recover the understanding and trust of the people," concluded Kazumi.

View the original article here

A bomb survivor in Japan opposed to nuclear energy

TOKYO - for more than 65 years was the worst event in the modern history of Japan alone, with nothing after important enough, to change their lessons. Those who survived the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki decided that similar bombs should never be deleted. To ensure this result, they called the abolition of nuclear weapons.

Nuclear power, was another matter. Japan's nationwide survivor group energy collecting never against nuclear-generated, perhaps because many saw a redeeming justice in using it peacefully. Reactors could be the country's economy, makes they hoped by you the same power that caused so much damage.

Then the damage was on 11 March, also. The tsunami triggered meltdowns at three Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactors were nowhere near acute or deadly as the disaster, which swallowed up Hiroshima. In both cases have been thousands of people to radiation, exposed to.

In both, thousands lost their homes. That's why, for Hiroshima of survivor Akira Yamada, which seem not so final of 1945 bombings. Saturday is the 66th anniversary of the bombing of his city, but the first on which he will vote against civilian nuclear energy.

"Yes, the are connected," said Yamada. "I can with both regrets."

To be seen as positive energy

Since the crisis of Fukushima, Japan has launched a nationwide debate on the merits and risks of nuclear energy program. The most ardent Atom activists are typically a history leave to speak, as if racing reactors in the 1970s the country ignored clear years to build, warning Aug. 6 and 9 August 1945.

But the most bomb survivors, known as Hibakusha, have long had a much more complex, and often positive view of nuclear power - explains partly why Japan now has reactors of along almost every rural swath of coastline, 54 in all, accounting for about 30 percent of national energy supply.

Some Hibakusha saw civilian nuclear energy as the opposite of the destruction that they had experienced. Some were nuclear energy researchers, paving the way for country-wide acceptance of the technology.

In its Charter documents Nihon Hidankyo, Japan nuclear bomb victims organisation, called for the prevention of nuclear war and the Elimination of nuclear weapons. But his statements on nuclear energy, even after accidents at Chernobyl and three mile Iceland, have been limited to occasional and unemphatic tenders better safety testing and research.

"Even if we had gone through the terrible experience, nuclear energy energy at that time was seen as the discovery of a second fire", said Nagasaki survivor Sueichi Kido 71. "were in a way we hope that nuclear power could be used as a great tool to make our lives better."

Now debated

In June instead of three months in the nuclear emergency unfolding of the northeast coast of Nihon Hidankyo of its annual meeting of the General Assembly in Tokyo. In recent years Yamada, said the event had grown predictable: survivors talking about their health and their friends, who had died. Sometimes they shared details of an ongoing lawsuit.

This time it was different. About 120 survivors in a conference room, where they spent two days in debate whether Hidankyo should call for a phase-out of nuclear energy, crowded. Two participants said an overwhelming majority, was killed. But several survivors from Hiroshima spoke about the nuclear energy plays key role in the Japanese economy. There were enough resistance to a debate fuel.

Yamada, 85, felt also conflict. 1951 Had moved to Fukushima city, where he taught the history of Economics at the University of Fukushima. In the 1960s he had studied, work migration trends and he pointed out, such as children and young people in isolated parts of Fukushima Prefecture were forced all but jobs in Tokyo. This changed with the construction, in 1967 the first nuclear reactor in Fukushima Daiichi.

As one of two representatives of Fukushima at the meeting of Yamada said "I was in a difficult situation." He about 30 bomb survivors still live in Hama-Dori, in which close said the plant, and all were concerned with plant activities. It had sustained her career and her children. "she hung on this work," he said. At the same time, he found too notable to ignore the similarities between meltdown and the bombings. A bomb had blown sechsundsechzig years ago shingles off the roof of his house, and he had climbed up there to see "A fireball swallow the whole city."

Now he lived 40 miles from the exploding buildings at a nuclear power plant, and he felt compelled to urge local authorities to provide full life that were subjected to medical treatment.

"People, been through radiation exposure of whatsoever - they all have the same risks" Yamada said. "It is consistent with the ideas of Hidankyo to speak."

That's what Nihon Hidankyo decided to do. Called after the 8th June session Terumi Tanaka, Secretary General of the Organization for the decommissioning of the reactors, which was shut down for the controls. A month later, after an executive group for the first time for the "Elimination of the nuclear power generation." meet called

Kido, Nagasaki survivor, called him a "historical transition". He regrets, however, that the Group of the change earlier in time to prevent that a new horror made had not.

Special correspondent Ayako Mie contributed to this report.

View the original article here

Yoko Ono says that Japan to Iceland should look like

Tokyo - YOKO Ono has an idea for their disaster scarred country Japan - abandon nuclear energy, renewable energy and tap the geothermal energy under the unstable ground of the volcanic island nation.

Is in Japan the artist and widow of John Lennon for the first time since the March 11 Quake and tsunami triggered a nuclear crisis and the country the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki remembers.

With its new exhibition, which says the hope Street, that she would like to stress that have Japan, is after the second world war and the atomic bombings rebuilt also strengthened from the Quake and Fukushima radiation disaster can emerge.

In an interview, she said 'the Hiroshima and Nagasaki suffered situations, and now Japan' of the AFP. ' Right now it is horrible and of course we have a decision to abolish,' she said Japan's nuclear energy program. "This is not only something that happens it happened to the world after Japan,." We are all together in it, not only Japan. "

As a growing number of Japanese favors makes a shift to renewable energies such as wind, solar and geothermal Ono, which she said that she Tectonically was familiar with unstable land Iceland to another. The Imagine Peace Tower in the vicinity of Iceland's capital, Reykjavik, a memorial to Lennon, who was shot outside her New York apartment in 1980 is one of Ono's projects.

The stone monument - which has carved the words "Put themselves before peace" into in 24 languages - send a column of light into the sky with electricity from Icelandic geothermal power network. Iceland produces more than 80 percent of energy from geothermal energy and hydropower and the warm steam from the Earth used for 90% of domestic and water heater. The land free to fossil by 2050. --AFP

View the original article here

Japan PM Naoto Kan brings his nuclear-free vision in Hiroshima

HIROSHIMA, Japan (Reuters) - Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Saturday took his campaign against nuclear energy in Japan to Hiroshima the 66 years ago which was a world's first victim of the atomic bomb.

The pen in a country that has until now carefully avoided, their fast link growing, and now nuclear power industry to his trauma as the only country discredited, with atomic bombs, has been invaded, it designates a change.

Kan, being reviewed at an anniversary ceremony for the victims of the bomb on Hiroshima, that the world's worst nuclear crisis during 25 years in Fukushima a post-earthquake March him convinced that Japan its dependence on nuclear power is to end.

The damage from the earthquake and the subsequent tsunami at the nuclear power station Fukushima, the authorities still trying to contain, led to widespread calls for an end to dependency of nuclear reactors in the quake-prone country.

"I will nuclear power"Myth of security"think deeply about study thoroughly the causes of the accident and fundamental measures for safe security, as well as and reduce dependence on nuclear power plants and aim for a society that does not depend on nuclear power plants," Kan said.

Kazumi Matsui, Hiroshima of's Mayor, and the son be of an atomic bomb of survivor, also pressed Tokyo, after the Fukushima crisis traumatize the public.

"The Japanese Government should sincerely accept this reality and quickly check its energy policy", he said.

It was observed for decades, politics had consulted all the Mayor of Hiroshima Japan the development of nuclear energy during the annual ceremony, in which tens of thousands a minute of silence as the peace Bell meant the first time.

Matsui said, it was heartbreaking to see devastation left by 11 March earthquake and tsunami on the northeast coast and how it was similar to, what was left after the bombing of Hiroshima.

A U.S. warplane the atomic bomb "Little Boy", with the nickname of this Western City on 6 August 1945 are deleted in the last days of World War II. The number of casualties by the end of the year were approximately 140,000 of total estimated 350,000 lived there at the time.

The United States dropped a second atomic bomb on the southern town Nagasaki on Aug 9. Japan surrendered six days later.

BLURRED LINES

Japan has a self-imposed ban against nuclear weapons, part of its pacifist post-war Constitution.

But also many Atom groups were you not draw parallels between happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and threats by the peacetime use of nuclear reactors.

Before the crisis of Fukushima nuclear energy were almost one-third of Japan's energy supply. Hiroshima, an industrial city 1.2 million, had also for decades utility company Chugoku electric Shimane nuclear power plant, 600 km (370 km) West of Tokyo, for some of the electricity invoke.

But since 11 March Quake and tsunami radiation leaks in the Tokyo Electric Power Co. Fukushima plant 240 km (150 miles) northeast of Tokyo trigger, public mood has moved to.

"We still not so deeply about it previously thought." "But I think it (nuclear power plant) is not so different from the atomic bomb", said Michiko Kato, 73-year-old of survivor who lost her sister, the bomb.

"There is nothing made by people, which is ideal..." "I want to use something like this."

About a thousand demonstrators marched after the ceremony, holding banners saying: "No more Fukushima, no more Hiroshima."

Unpopular kan, who said that he when will retire without clarification, seized the shift in public sentiment and calls for a revision of Japan's energy policy. Over 70 percent of the voters again his vision a recent survey showed.

But it remains unclear what will happen to his vision after he comes back. Support rating for Kan is under 20 percent and calls between the legislators and the public for him to grow quickly.

Local communities are carefully down reactors when for regular maintenance and inspections, despite fears deficiency makes, and all 54 could be shut down Japan's nuclear reactors until may 2012.

(Writing and additional reporting by Yoko Kubota;) (Editing by Tomasz Janowski and Jonathan Thatcher)

View the original article here

Japan marks anniversary of Hiroshima bomb

Today, Prime Minister Naoto Kan announced his campaign against nuclear energy in Japan to Hiroshima the 66 years ago which was a world's first victim of the atomic bomb.

The pen in a country that has until now carefully avoided, their fast link growing, and now nuclear power industry to his trauma as the only country discredited, with atomic bombs, has been invaded, it designates a change.

Kan, being reviewed at an anniversary ceremony for the victims of the bomb on Hiroshima, that the world's worst nuclear crisis during 25 years in Fukushima a post-earthquake March him convinced that Japan its dependence on nuclear power is to end.

The damage from the earthquake and the subsequent tsunami at the nuclear power station Fukushima, the authorities still trying to contain, led to widespread calls for an end to dependency of nuclear reactors in the quake-prone country.

"I will nuclear power"Myth of security"think deeply about study thoroughly the causes of the accident and fundamental measures for safe security, as well as and reduce dependence on nuclear power plants and aim for a society that does not depend on nuclear power plants," Kan said.

Kazumi Matsui, Hiroshima of's Mayor, and the son be of an atomic bomb of survivor, also pressed Tokyo, after the Fukushima crisis traumatize the public.

"The Japanese Government should sincerely accept this reality and quickly check its energy policy", he said.

It was observed for decades, politics had consulted all the Mayor of Hiroshima Japan the development of nuclear energy during the annual ceremony, in which tens of thousands a minute of silence as the peace Bell meant the first time.

Matsui said, it was heartbreaking to see devastation left by 11 March earthquake and tsunami on the northeast coast and how it was similar to, what was left after the bombing of Hiroshima.

A U.S. warplane dropped the atomic bomb "Little Boy" on this Western City Aug. 6, 1945 in the last days of World War II with the nickname. The number of casualties by the end of the year were approximately 140,000 of total estimated 350,000 lived there at the time.

The United States dropped a second atomic bomb on the southern town Nagasaki on Aug 9. Japan surrendered six days later.

BLURRED LINES

Japan has a self-imposed ban against nuclear weapons, part of its pacifist post-war Constitution.

But also many Atom groups were you not draw parallels between happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and threats by the peacetime use of nuclear reactors.

Before the crisis of Fukushima nuclear energy were almost one-third of Japan's energy supply. Hiroshima, an industrial city 1.2 million, had also for decades utility company Chugoku electric Shimane nuclear power plant, 600 km (370 km) West of Tokyo, for some of the electricity invoke.

But since 11 March Quake and tsunami radiation leaks in the Tokyo Electric Power Co. Fukushima plant 240 km (150 miles) northeast of Tokyo trigger, public mood has moved to.

"We still not so deeply about it previously thought." "But I think it (nuclear power plant) is not so different from the atomic bomb", said Michiko Kato, 73-year-old of survivor who lost her sister, the bomb.

"There is nothing made by people, which is ideal..." "I want to use something like this."

About a thousand demonstrators marched after the ceremony, holding banners saying: "No more Fukushima, no more Hiroshima."

Unpopular kan, who said that he when will retire without clarification, seized the shift in public sentiment and calls for a revision of Japan's energy policy. Over 70 percent of the voters again his vision a recent survey showed.

But it remains unclear what will happen to his vision after he comes back. Support rating for Kan is under 20 percent and calls between the legislators and the public for him to grow quickly.

Local communities are carefully down reactors when for regular maintenance and inspections, despite fears deficiency makes, and all 54 could be shut down Japan's nuclear reactors until may 2012.

View the original article here

Japan Prime Minister criticized safety regulator, says it promotes nuclear energy

Tokyo - Prime Minister of Japan on Sunday criticized the country's nuclear safety agency for allegedly trying to questions to support nuclear energy in public forums of plants.

Prime Minister Naoto Kan said the nuclear and Agency for industrial side of the industry was, rather than as a regular. He said that it stressed a cosy relationship and the deep-rooted problem which must be corrected tsunami and the nuclear crisis following on the 11 March.

"NISA that nuclear safety, to check the interest to the general public, provided support for the promoter represented." "It, if true was more than just a help," Kan said at an energy Symposium.

Kan's comment followed a report from the Government show that NISA allegedly tried to manipulate public opinion on town meeting on the promotion of nuclear energy.

Public support towards nuclear energy has moved since March disaster that crippled the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant.

International atomic and Energy Agency has criticized Japan's murky nuclear regulation system, while NISA separate the Government recognized the need of the trade and industry Ministry, promoting nuclear energy.

In its report Friday to the Department of Commerce in the Chubu Electric Power Co. said, based in Central Japan, NISA asked the company had in fans, bring it in 2007 organized a public forum and let issues offset anti-nuclear views.

The report was part of the Ministry survey of Japanese nuclear power operator on their public forums in the last five years. Another operator, Shikoku electric power co., said that it had received a similar application from NISA.

Chubu said it encourages enterprise staff participate in the meeting, but not give them with questions as it considers it inappropriate.

Trade Minister Banri Kaieda apologized for NISA the question of planting and promised an independent probe.

The problem surfaced in early July, when another utility, Kyushu electric power co., acknowledged June to send mobilization of dozens of people in supporting comments to a public hearing on whether two of its nuclear reactors restart.

Currently Japan 35 54 reactors idle, cause power bottlenecks in the midst of heat wave. The Government has ordered that all reactors security checks after the worst nuclear crisis since Chornobyl.

Kan called for a long-term effort Friday to scale back Japan's nuclear energy directed policy Overtrhe four decades and to renewable energies.

View the original article here

Japan PM criticises nuclear safety agency

Tokyo (AP) - criticised Prime Minister of Japan on Sunday of the country's nuclear safety agency for allegedly trying to questions, to support nuclear energy in public forums of plants.

Prime Minister Naoto Kan said the nuclear and Agency for industrial side of the industry was, rather than as a regular. He said that it stressed a cosy relationship and the deep-rooted problem which must be corrected tsunami and the nuclear crisis following on the 11 March.

"NISA that nuclear safety, to check the interest to the general public, provided support for the promoter represented." "It, if true was more than just a help," Kan said at an energy Symposium.

Kan's comment followed a report from the Government show that NISA allegedly tried to manipulate public opinion on town meeting on the promotion of nuclear energy.

Public support towards nuclear energy has moved since March disaster that crippled the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant.

International atomic and Energy Agency has criticized Japan's murky nuclear regulation system, while NISA separate the Government recognized the need of the trade and industry Ministry, promoting nuclear energy.

In its report Friday to the Department of Commerce in the Chubu Electric Power Co. said, based in Central Japan, NISA asked the company had in fans, bring it in 2007 organized a public forum and let issues offset anti-nuclear views.

The report was part of the Ministry survey of Japanese nuclear power operator on their public forums in the last five years. Another operator, Shikoku electric power co., said that it had received a similar application from NISA.

Chubu said it encourages enterprise staff participate in the meeting, but not give them with questions as it considers it inappropriate.

Trade Minister Banri Kaieda apologized for NISA the question of planting and promised an independent probe.

The problem surfaced in early July, when another utility, Kyushu electric power co., acknowledged June to send mobilization of dozens of people in supporting comments to a public hearing on whether two of its nuclear reactors restart.

Currently Japan 35 54 reactors idle, cause power bottlenecks in the midst of heat wave. The Government has ordered that all reactors security checks after the worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl.

Kan called for a long-term effort Friday to scale back Japan's nuclear energy directed policy Overtrhe four decades and to renewable energies.

View the original article here

Dog days of summer in Japan are calling for quirky because cool stay

TOKYO - is it a scorcher of a summer in Japan, and Tokyo is bathed in sweat on behalf of the conservation of electricity. Air conditioning is set in most offices at 82 degrees when it is enabled at all. And it is not only the people who suffer.

The set brews produced energy-conservation campaign in Japan has developed an industry of quirky products to the heat-including cooling suits for hot download hit. The WSJ Mariko Sanchanta reports from Tokyo.

"He much appetite this year not because I have not been using the air conditioning," said Miyuki Mori, the ownership of the name of Merlot, one toy poodle pet salon in a suburb of Tokyo had visited. Merlot was getting his annual summer haircut. "This is, why I want to buy this for him, birthday," said she, gesturing, developed a special tank top with water from the dog sprayed cooling. "I buy him usually frilly dresses, not something like this handy."

Alphaicon, a manufacturer of dog clothing, so sales for its "summer cooling tank-top"-priced between ? 3150 (approx. $40) for the model Chihuahua and ? 6,510 golden retriever size and in five colours available - have five-fold jumped since it was introduced this summer. "Not sweat dogs." "You overheat, and we needed something to cool, keep inventing", Kiyoshi Takahashi, the Chief Executive of Alphaicon, says Dachshund has. "It took a few tries," he gave, saying that first made discover with Terry, that it links the dog sopping wet and shivering.

Includes such as Japan set brews, or electricity due to power that offline store is quite Japan, the phenomenon has led quirky products against the heat to a small industry, that are oh-so-Japanese.

The political and corporate elites in Tokyo have already taken a no suit, no-tie "super cool biz" summer uniform with hot Office, but simply shedding clothes to deal with is not enough with the repressive, 100 degrees to cope with summer heat. That cool items to keep Japanese from splashing are asked to reduce consumption of electricity by 20%, to prevent power outages. And manufacturers and retailers ensure that they cash in on the opportunity.

Zug Corporation A package of "cool" leggings.

IIDA industry co. is a small company with about 200 employees based in Aichi in Central Japan west of Tokyo, mainly sound specialized, and rubber materials for the production of purposes. "We were looking to a commercially viable"Cool-off"to make product, and encountered a cooling substance called dimethyl ether," says Hiroya IIDA, management officer at IIDA.

And so "cool foam North Pole story" was born: a spray can, which spits cool, flexible foam. The foam is a solid gel, as soon as it is located on the skin and are discarded, can as soon as the cooling effect wears off.

The foam is main part of vinyl acetate, a connection in chewing gum, used and contains dimethyl ether, a gas and menthol, to offer, as they evaporate the cooling effect. It costs a mere ? 680 per can.

Mr. IIDA says the number of sales as the company now have exceeded the goal of the annual 10 million yen. "We think that set brews awareness promotes sales anyway."

But users say it is crucial for the instructions follow. On 28 may, someone wrote a review on Yahoo Japan shopping: "I am satisfied with the product." "But be sure to keep it because you have out a hard time of cleaning of your hair."

In Sugamo, a neighborhood in the Northern Tokyo known for its relatively high proportion of active ageing of the population, is the view of people "cool-off scarves" bear so often in these days orthopaedic footwear and hikers.

Scarves that come in an array of patterns and colors of Leopard print-to bright pink, consist of a chemically treated material that stays cool for up to three hours after it is dipped in water.

Masashi Dan, a 75-year-old man who has a fortune telling booth at the entrance to Sugamo shopping, says he is satisfied with the product, the approximately 1,000 ? costs. "That's good!" It over and over again to use, "he said."

But not all agree. Mr. Yoshida, a 73 - year old man who owns a bike shop, which rejected it, his first name offer says that the cool ties can be further improved.

"I don't care if I pay more, or if it look weird." This one costs ? 700, but it takes only 2 or 3 hours, "he said." He used a more traditional remedy: he puts it on the head with his hat and a towel in ice water sharp edges.

Mayumi Mayo, a representative of Takashimaya Department store in Tokyo, saying that cut consumers, cool-off summer goods, new in this year and much advertised search awareness of the need, in this summer again on air conditioning led. "We were already getting calls about whether we carry eludes leaves heat and gel mats awaits at the end of March,", she said.

Their most popular products were elements with the aim to keep cool as they sleep people. Takashimaya began also selling one sneak grow-your-own plant kits this year called him a "green curtain". The product was shadow in which close to create from their veranda and sold until mid-June, only a month and a half after it was on the shelf out residents for the apartment.

For women who want to stay cool, but not their character check, train Corp. introduced "cool" version of a corrective leg wear series, Onna no Yokubo (A woman wants to). The leggings and stockings containing chemicals such as xylitol, a common ingredient in mint flavour gum. Train says that demand has been five times as high as expected for the leggings ? 1,050.

The rise of cool inventions could spread overseas. Mr. Takahashi of Alphaicon says he would tank to sell top for dogs in other markets like to summer cooling. "We'd love to bring it to the United States and Europe but we're a small business only 10 people," he says.

Ms Mori, who bought a tank top, her dog, says that Japan will soon lead the world in energy-conservation techniques. "We should have done long ago." My daughter, who is five, now growing with an appreciation of how to save energy. "It is the future."

Write to Mariko Sanchanta at mariko.sanchanta@wsj.com

View the original article here

Japan to test-drill for seabed 'burning ice'

Desire to extract natural gas from sea bed also known look Tokyo (AFP)-Japan deposits of methane hydrate, as "burning ice", first in the world such as offshore experiment, a news report said Monday.

The test is to a distance of the ocean to the southwest of Tokyo, between Shizuoka and Wakayama, prefectures for several weeks in the fiscal year through March 2013, who told financial daily Nikkei.

The report is to request more than 10 billion yen ($127.5 million) for the project, the Ministry of economy, trade and industry.

The Government will continue to support research and goals for commercial drilling early start in the next decade the newspaper said.

Methane hydrate are found in environments with high pressure and low temperatures, such as the ocean floors, often in the vicinity of continental consensus where cold disposed of the gas in contact with sea water.

The offshore experiment, if successful, would, that the the Nikkei said world's first. Methane was previously extracted were developed from methane hydrate ashore in Canada in 2008 with technology in Japan.

Japan has its energy resources since the mighty March 11 diversify searched earthquake and tsunami caused the world's worst nuclear accident in 25 years in the Fukushima Daiichi plant northeast of Tokyo.

Resource-poor Japan relies heavily on energy imports from the Middle East and was until recently one-third of the electricity needs with nuclear power, but now also as renewable energy plans boost solar and wind power.

View the original article here

The Governor makes, shaping the future of the nuclear Japan

Governor, Yasushi Furukawa of Prefecture, saga, must decide in the coming days, whether you are a support request from Prime Minister Naoto Kan, nuclear winter for regular maintenance shut down to two reactors in a local plants that since the last start. Warnings, that if he decides no and other Governors his follow, idle could each nuclear reactor in Japan in less than a year end it grow here.

This is because Japan's reactors legal obliged to shut down all 13 months for routine maintenance. 35 The nation 54 reactors are now offline, some due to the damage on 11 March earthquake and tsunami, but the most due to maintenance. If some of them are turned back on, the last reactor at Japan by April of next year, will deprive the nation of the source of almost one third of electricity down.

Turning on the reactors hit back, the Central Government requires approval, which granted not for the accident of Fukushima. In the public backlash against nuclear power, which has followed the disaster, the Government of Kan calls for local political leaders, which also emerging restarts.

Mr Furukawa is the first Governor, who is called to make a decision. This was him way on Japan's nuclear future, in a bellwether, because his decision is closely observed by other local leaders that bottlenecks must weigh the same issues of the public fears about security against the threat posed by the current.

"I feel a great responsibility suddenly have placed on me," said Mr Furukawa, 52, in an interview. "Decision does not, start the reactors could turn into a non-nuclear country faster than Germany," scrap refers to that country's decision, nuclear power, 2022.

All eyes are Mr Furukawa, because most appear Governors on the fence to restart reactors. The newspaper Mainichi Shimbun reported last month that Governors of 10 prefectures, the home of nuclear facilities are had said in interviews that they not supported restart of its reactors with most say, that they needed more information about security measures. (The Governors not surveyed by two other such prefectures.) On Monday, the Governor of Fukushima went a step further, for an end to his Prefecture economic and energy dependence of nuclear power plants.

Mr Furukawa has publicly agonized decision, which he said he wanted to make until mid-July. On Wednesday, he said that he was pleased by the central government safety statements, indicate that he the reactors could be leaning toward fresh start in his Prefecture.

The situation in saga offers an eloquent look at some of the design of the debate about the nation nuclear future forces. While Japan has seen only a few large street demonstrations, which inspired the Fukushima accident abroad, it has a clear public backlash against nuclear power. The most recent polls show an overwhelming majority – 82 percent last month for Tokyo Shimbun - support in a poll which, get rid of the nation reactors.

The same polls show that most respondents prefer not immediate halt, but a gradual phasing out of nuclear power as alternatives are found. Talks here on the streets of the saga as a nation torn between the dangers of Fukushima accident and the need for a resource-poor nation show in Tokyo also with decision makers, their only serious energy alternative to keep available to imported coal and oil are made.

"There is deep concern over the safety of nuclear power, but there are also deep unease about getting rid of," said Izuru Makihara, political scientist at the Tohoku University in Sendai.

The prospect of the reactors, which goes offline has alarmed, the economy and the country's powerful nuclear lobby, which have issued warnings of the terrible economic consequences if nuclear power is lost. You warn higher price for electricity or even power failures that could harm Japanese earthquake-shaken economy.

In the sign of the looming energy reactor more also shortages here without shutdown, ordered the Government on Friday, factories and other large electricity users in Tokyo to use this summer by 15 percent compared to the previous cut.

"Would If the nuclear reactors are stopped, enormous be the effects on the economy," Mr Kan warned late last month.

Japan's still-tiny anti-nuclear movement has won credibility since the accident Fukushima, although it is also considered part of the left edge. Activists complain, that a deep apathy as a fear of the proscribed prevents that many Japanese measures to take.

"Many people support us out of the shadows, but they have before fear disliked as a radical," Hatsumi Ishimaru, 59, said a housewife who leads a group of anti-nuclear in saga.

View the original article here

Japan approved Tepco nuclear claims plan, reactor leaks

Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan (C) speaks during a cabinet ministers' meeting to discuss crippled nuclear power plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company's (TEPCO) compensation plan in Tokyo May 12, 2011.
Credit: Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon
By Kiyoshi Takenaka and Yoko Kubota
TOKYO | Sat May 14, 2011 2:31am EDT

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan on Friday announced a plan to help Tokyo Electric Power compensate victims of the crisis at its tsunami-crippled nuclear plant without going broke while it struggles to resolve the worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl.

The plan, agreed after weeks of wrangling between government officials, bankers and Tokyo Electric executives over who should pay for the crisis, allays investors' fears that a collapse of the power firm would roil financial markets.

It comes as engineers are still working to bring reactors under control at Tokyo Electric's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant north of Tokyo two months after the earthquake and tsunami that led to radiation leaks.

Ratings agency Standard and Poors lowered Tokyo Electric, known as Tepco, to BBB from BBB+, saying in a statement: "The upper limit of compensation remains unclear at this stage, and we expect Tepco's profitability to remain under significant pressure for a very long period."
The government will issue special-purpose bonds to help finance a fund that will allow Asia's largest utility to handle compensation claims expected to run into tens of billions of dollars. No ceiling was set on Tokyo Electric's liabilities.

The government is also considering buying preferred shares from Tokyo Electric, also known as Tepco, if it runs short of capital. It did not provide details on the size of its planned fund injection but lawmakers told reporters earlier this week the bond issue would total about 5 trillion yen ($62 billion).
In return for public backing, the government said it will exert control "for a certain period of time" over management of Tokyo Electric and other power utilities, which will also be asked to pay annual premiums into the fund.

Though relieved that the worst may have been averted, investors sold utility stocks, unsettled by the prospect of the government's hands-on role in running the sector.

Bank shares also slid after Japan's top government spokesman said a distinction should be made between loans made before the March 11 earthquake and tsunami and those extended after the disaster and that banks should be asked to cooperate in easing Tokyo Electric's financial burden.

The market interpreted the comments from Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano as an indication banks may be asked to forgive loans or make other concessions. Shares of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, the utility's main creditor bank, dropped 3.8 percent.

"The government is infringing on private firms' profits. It has violated the profits of utilities and now it's trying to lower the burden for the taxpayer by encroaching on banks' profits," said Kiyoshi Noda, chief fund manager at MU Investments.
PUBLIC BURDEN
Government officials made great efforts to fend off criticism of the scheme as an unjustified use of taxpayer funds. Some have argued the utility, which has a history of safety lapses and is known for its cozy ties with regulators, should have been allowed to fail.

"This framework is not meant as a bailout of Tepco. We made this framework so that compensation can take place swiftly for the victims ... and so that Tepco can supply electricity in a stable way," Trade Minister Banri Kaieda told reporters.
Ministers also sought to alleviate concerns that consumers would end up shouldering much of the burden either in the form of higher electricity tariffs or new taxes, saying the implications for both should be kept to a minimum.

The government will need to pass a new law in parliament to implement the plan and analysts said the opposition, however critical of the scheme, will find it hard to block it as it will effectively mean a delay in compensating disaster victims.
The special-purpose bonds can be turned into cash to handle the initial burst of payouts and Tepco said it aimed to make the first payments to farmers and fishermen affected by the disaster by the end of this month.

More than 70,000 people living in a largely rural area within a 20-km (12 mile) radius of the plant were forced to evacuate. About 136,000 people living within a zone extending another 10 km were advised to stay indoors.
Some analysts have estimated that compensation claims could be anywhere between $20 billion and $130 billion, depending on how long the crisis continues.
S&P said the likelihood that Tepco would receive extraordinary support from the government was very high, but among other factors an increase in radiation leaks from the nuclear plant could raise the risk of further ratings cuts.

DELAY

While the government tried to navigate the political minefield surrounding the compensation plan, workers at the Fukushima Daiichi plant 240 km north of Tokyo faced another setback after a water leak was discovered in one of the reactors this week.
Tepco said on Friday that the discovery of leaking water from the stricken plant's No.1 reactor could complicate its plan to set up a more permanent cooling system for the facility. Some outside experts have been skeptical for weeks about Japan's plan to stabilize the Fukushima Daiichi reactors by January.
Kaieda said a delay in that timetable was now likely.

"I think this is a major factor that will require a change in Tokyo Electric's road map for bringing the situation under control," Kaieda said.
Earlier in the week, Tepco said it had sealed a leak of radioactive water outside the plant's No.3 reactor. The No.2 reactor developed similar leaks which were sealed in April with liquid glass and other substances.
The 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami that followed killed more than 15,000 people, the National Policy Agency said. More than 9,500 people are still missing.

Since the disaster disabled the Fukushima Daiichi plant's cooling systems, Tepco has poured water on the reactors to forestall disastrous meltdowns. The utility has scrambled to find means of storing the contaminated water, some of which has seeped into the ocean.
The world's worst nuclear crisis in a quarter of a century prompted Tokyo to rethink its energy policy that heavily relied on nuclear power as the main alternative to fossil fuels.

Last week, Prime Minister Naoto Kan asked another power utility to close a nuclear plant in an earthquake-prone area. He drew both applause for bold action and fire for what critics said was a rash and poorly planned policy move.
The move also rekindled fears that household and businesses will be hit by rolling blackouts during the summer when electricity use is the highest.
Tepco on Friday said it planned to restart conventional thermal plants shut since the March 11 quake and that by the end of July it should be able to supply enough power to meet peak demand.

Kaieda also said the government would do its best to avoid power blackouts.
(Additional reporting by Yoshifumi Takemoto, Leika Kihara, Yoko Kubota, Chikako Mogi, Kevin Krolicki, and Antoni Slokowski; Writing by Nathan Layne and Tomasz Janowski; Editing by Edmund Klamann and Neil Fullick)
View the original article here

Savior on Japan earthquake of affected nuclear plant dies at 60

A Savior, the debris at the site of the nuclear power plant was Japan's clearing, which strongly died on 11 March Saturday earthquake was damaged, said Kyodo News quote operators.

The TEPCO companies the nuclear power plant in Fukushima, said the 60-year-old a year man began in the early hours of the morning and almost an hour later felt unwell and was in the hospital, where he fell fainting and died three hours later.

Doctors found no injuries on his body.

The earthquake and a tsunami, which swept Northeastern Japan damaged two months ago the cooling system in Fukushima, which led to collapse. Mid-April assigned to Japan's highest risk of the Fukushima nuclear regulators disaster for the first time after the disastrous Chernobyl nuclear accident in the Soviet Union in 1986.

Moscow, May 14 (RIA Novosti)

View the original article here

As more nuclear plant damage is found, press Japan repair efforts

Military personnel prepared to transfer workers from radiation to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in a hospital. «More photos»

TOKYO - with new characters you have the severe of the damage and contamination at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant crippled emerged, geruht employee repair efforts Saturday plans in fresh water for days spraying the reactors with salt water for pumping. At the same time, a new reading a sample of sea water in addition to the plant showed an increase in contamination of some days ago.

TimesCast | Radiation in Tokyo's water an elderly couple sat a man Center for radiation leaking from the damaged Fukushima of nuclear installations on Friday in soma, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. «More photos»

The developments followed a decision evacuated by the Japanese authorities on Friday to encouraging people a larger band of territory to the complex start, in the midst of signals, the plant under control anytime soon would be difficult.

In an interview with a national audience at a press conference on Friday night, two weeks after the earthquake of magnitude 9.0 and the devastating tsunami, which it followed Prime Minister Naoto Kan dodged a reporter of the question whether the Government was ordering a complete evacuation, said officials were simply follows the recommendation of the Commission for Japan nuclear safety.

"The situation requires more caution," Mr Kan, heavy and tired looking, said the nation. "Our measures are designed to prevent, that the circumstances worse." The authorities said she would now help people leave wanted the range of 12 to 19 miles outside the plant, and that they now "voluntary evacuation" promotion, from the area.

These people indoors, had stay March 15 get, while to evacuate the facility had ordered within a 12-mile radius. The United States has to remain at least 50 miles recommended its citizens.

Mr Kan said "The State of the system is still very precarious,". "We work hard to ensure that it not be worse." "We must ensure that it no further deterioration."

On Saturday, the nuclear and industrial agency said that a test of sea water of a monitoring station Friday taken from the level of iodine-131 in 50 becquerel per cubic centimeter showed in the work - 1,250 times of the permitted. That was up from 147 times of the normal level on Wednesday, the Agency said. to make it not accurate for Wednesday.

Drink a half litre of water would be tantamount to getting a 1 milliSievert dose, the Agency said, as the amount that a person obtains a year from natural sources.

Hidehiko Nishiyama, Deputy Director of the Agency, said that he expected the iodine quickly, dilute to minimize the impact on wildlife, General and noted that fishing activities in the area was suspended after the Quake and tsunami. "It is unlikely that immediate impact on local residents are," he said.

A sign of the possible deterioration of the plant itself came to the reactor workers, the attempted, an electric cable with a pump in a turbine connect no. 3. building next to the reactor were injured when she entered into water, which was found significantly more radioactive than normal be. On Friday, officials and experts offered conflicting explanations of what wrong gegangen-but stressed all greater damage to the reactor systems and more pollution had earlier indicated it as officials.

Two workers were when poured water over their boots and said to their feet and ankles, officials burned and exposed to radiation. A third worker was not the same exposure higher boots and suffering.

As the affected workers, many of those are subcontractors of Tokyo electric power, who are paid a small daily wage for hours of work in dangerous conditions risk of their lives. They are sometimes ill-equipped and trained for their job.

On the Saturday concentrated to the workers to try, the lighting reactor No. 2 central control room, an important step towards the restoration of unity cooling system restore. You were also in fresh water pump for no. 1, no. 2 and no. 3 units in the midst of concerns. Days of dumping salt water on the units had raised concerns about possible corrosion.

Said the National Institute of radiological sciences, that the radioactivity of the water, the the three injured workers in joined had 10,000 times the level normally in the coolant water was seen in the work. It said that the amount of radiation that the workers were intended, to the water exposed to have two to six Sieverts was.

Hiroko Tabuchi and David Jolly reported from Tokyo and Keith Bradsher from Hong Kong. Takeshi Takizawa from New York reporting helped Tokyo and Denise Grady.

View the original article here

Japan promotes a wider evacuation of reactor area

TOKYO - developed new characters on Friday that parts crippled nuclear power station Fukushima Daiichi were so damaged and contaminated that it would be even more difficult to bring the plant under control soon.

At the same time, Japanese began officials who encourage people to evacuate a larger band of territory around the complex.

In an interview with a national audience at a press conference on Friday night, two weeks after the earthquake of magnitude 9.0 and the devastating tsunami, which it followed Prime Minister Naoto Kan dodged a reporter of the question whether the Government was ordering a complete evacuation, said officials were simply follows the recommendation of the Commission for Japan nuclear safety.

"The situation requires more caution," Mr Kan, heavy and tired looking, said the nation. "Our measures are designed to prevent, that the circumstances worse." The authorities said she would now help people leave wanted the range of 12 to 19 miles outside the plant, and that they now "voluntary evacuation" promotion, from the area.

These people indoors, had stay March 15 get, while to evacuate the facility had ordered within a 12-mile radius. The United States has to remain at least 50 miles recommended its citizens.

Mr Kan said "The State of the system is still very precarious,". "We work hard to ensure that it not be worse." "We must ensure that it no further deterioration."

In a new sign of the contamination problem that said nuclear and industrial Agency on Saturday a sample of sea water taken Friday from a monitoring station in the work the level showed the iodine-131 to 50 becquerel per cubic centimeter - 1,250 times of the permitted.

Drink a half litre of water would be tantamount to getting a 1 milliSievert dose, the Agency said, as the amount that a person obtains a year from natural sources.

Hidehiko Nishiyama, Deputy Director of the Agency, said that he expected the iodine quickly, dilute to minimize the impact on wildlife, General and noted that fishing activities in the area was suspended after the Quake and tsunami.

A sign of the possible deterioration of the plant itself came to the reactor workers, the attempted, an electric cable with a pump in a turbine connect no. 3. building next to the reactor were injured when she entered into water, which was found significantly more radioactive than normal be. On Friday, officials and experts offered conflicting explanations of what wrong gegangen-but stressed all greater damage to the reactor systems and more pollution had earlier indicated it as officials.

Two workers were when poured water over their boots and said to their feet and ankles, officials burned and exposed to radiation. A third worker was not the same exposure higher boots and suffering.

As the affected workers, many of those are subcontractors of Tokyo electric power, who are paid a small daily wage for hours of work in dangerous conditions risk of their lives. They are sometimes ill-equipped and trained for their job.

On the Saturday concentrated to the workers to try, the lighting reactor No. 2 central control room, an important step towards the restoration of unity cooling system restore. You were once again pump prepare units, the No. 1, no. 2 and no. 3 after days with salt water to fresh water.

Said the National Institute of radiological sciences, that the radioactivity of the water, the the three injured workers in joined had 10,000 times the level normally in the coolant water was seen in the work. It said that the amount of radiation that the workers were intended, to the water exposed to have two to six Sieverts was.

Eight times, the new 250 milliSievert is even two Sieverts annual exposure limit value for workers in total be set in the days following the disaster; the previous limit was 100. Tokyo Electric officials said that water had been found with an equally high radiation in the reactor No. 1 building, reported the associated press.

Skin demands from two to six of Sieverts j. Brenner, Director of the Center for radiological research at Columbia University caused severe burns, according to Dr. David. But if these cans reach the whole body and not only the skin "You are a very high risk of dying," he said.

Hiroko Tabuchi and David Jolly reported from Tokyo and Keith Bradsher from Hong Kong. Takeshi Takizawa from New York reporting helped Tokyo and Denise Grady.

View the original article here

China bans some food from Japan

The measures were announced on the same day Chinese officials said that she had detected radioactivity increases on a Japanese merchant ship that was docked in the South-Eastern China. Further along the coast, two Japanese tourists who came early in the week are "abnormal" have high radiation output.

Officials not specified, the extent of the pollution and it said no threat to the public, but China's anxiety about the possible effects of the nuclear crisis of Japan highlighted the episodes. Last week, fears about the spread toxicity prompted one salt buying panic among Chinese in the mistaken belief that it could protect them from radiation sickness.

The concerns are not only China. In the two weeks since countries including the United States, have an earthquake and devastating tsunami which hit Fukushima plant, Russia, Australia, Singapore and South Korea specific banned Japanese products or announced increased surveillance of imports, which have been contaminated by radioactive emissions from the installation concerned could. Taiwan has limited also imports.

Although it blocked some reported instances of contamination outside of Japan, on Thursday Hong Kong shipments of radishes and spinach from the five prefectures closest to the plant, after detecting the levels of emissions in some batches as much as 10 times higher than allowed.

Posted a statement on its Web site China's General Administration for quality supervision said, to step up inspection and quarantine that it temporarily, would restrict dairy products, vegetables and fish from the five prefectures during the checks on foods from all over Japan.

The case of Japanese airline passengers questions were more than answered. According to health officials the passengers landed in the eastern city of Wuxi on Wednesday have been found and has the levels of emissions, which "seriously exceeded standards." But they said that the contamination was not a threat to the tourists for the public and the two given iodine tablets and been released after their luggage was and clothing had been "decontaminated," the Agency said.

As for the Japanese ship city of Xiamen in the province of Fujian said Friday officials in the port, that she "abnormally" readings on board a ship had found radiation, Xinhua, the State news agency said.

View the original article here

Sea in the vicinity of Japan plant radioactive

26 March 2011 at 07:06 am, which says the Japanese Government most recently updated BBC Chris Hogg in Tokyo has tried to ensure that people about the work of SafetyLevels of radioactive iodine in the Sea close to the tsunami-stricken Fukushima are 1,250 times higher than the maximum safety of nuclear power plant, Officials say.

The readings were taken over about 300 m (984 ft) offshore. It is feared that the radiation in groundwater from one of the reactors be seeping could.

But the radiation can risk no longer after eight days, officials say.

There are areas of radioactive water in four of the reactors at the plant, and two workers are in the hospital.

The operator says, that the core of one of the six reactors victim.

She announced that fresh water instead of sea water to cool the damaged reactors, in the hope that this will be used more effectively.

Prime Minister Naoto Kan said the situation was "very unpredictable".

The official death toll of 11 March earthquake and tsunami has passed 10,000 and more than Dramburg missing people.

Hundreds of thousands of people made homeless; about 250,000 people live in shelters. Food, water and fuel are in short supply.

The Japanese Government has the reconstruction put costs at $309bn (? 191 billion).

Security measures

The levels of emissions in the Sea close to the facility found more than eight times were higher than in the same area last week, Japanese officials said.

A spokesman for Japan's nuclear agency said the radioactivity in the sea before the nuclear power plant was "relatively high", but the impact on the marine life would be minor.

"Generally" spokesman Hidehiko Nishiyama said a press conference, "radioactive material into the sea expands as a result of the tides, so must you much more for algae and sea live, to take."

He continued: "and because [iodine] has a half-life of eight days, from the time people eat the seafood be will have expected to be considerably reduced."

The contamination probably came from two airborne radiation from the reactors or Mr Nishiyama said tainted water released spilled into the sea.

Prime Minister Kan in a televised speech on Friday, said: "The situation is still very unpredictable." We are working to stop the situation from worsening. "We must be remain extremely vigilant."

He thanked also the workers to try fire-fighters and self-defense that cool reactors in the Prefecture Fukushima Daiichi plant forces for "Danger".

Japan's chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano a rigorous investigation is in progress said establish the cause of a leak at the plant after testing water into the turbine showed halls of reactors 1 and 3 had 10,000 times higher than normal radiation levels.

Japan's nuclear agency reaffirms has confirmed, that it believes the reactor was damaged, but it goes no further than that, says the BBC's Mark Worthington in Tokyo.

The Agency has denied any suggestion that the reactor core may have cracked, Kyodo news reports.

The two affected workers who remain in the hospital, had allegedly was not wearing the correct protective boots and had ignored a radiation alarm in the work.

A review of security measures has been appointed.

The Government has asked the nuclear plant to voluntarily leave more people in 20-30 km (12-18 miles). So far, residents had come in the zone, stay indoors.

Food fears

Japan has banned nuclear grown deliveries of food in several prefectures around the damaged plants.

Search further with Dramburg people still missing

Fukushima Prefecture people has been said not to eat, 11 types provide green leafy vegetables because of the contamination.

Importers of Japanese products find low radiation in some food, but the amounts found no risk to the health represent.

China, Singapore, Hong Kong and other Asian importers have already placed restrictions on some imports of vegetables, fish and dairy products.

Followed this example Russia, Australia, the European Union and the United States.

The Fukushima plant is 250 km North East of the capital Tokyo.

Radioactive iodine was found in Tokyo's water earlier this week. Levels have since plummeted, but in other areas of Northern Japan remain high.

Send pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text to 61124 (UK) or + 44 7725 100 100 (International). If you can upload a large file, that you here.

Read the terms and conditions

View the original article here

Staff withdrawn from the work of Japan

16 March 2011, last updated at 06:25 am explosions and fires at the Fukushima Daiichi plant have an increase in the levels of emissions on Japan's damaged its cooling systems knit Fukushima nuclear plant workers forced has to suspend operations, a Government spokesman says.

He spoke after smoke billowing from reactor three was seen. Earlier, a fire struck four for the second time reactor in two days.

Friday's 9.0 earthquake and tsunami, the thousands killed, damaged the plant cooling functions.

The site was hit by several explosions, triggering radiation leaks.

France has asked to leave its nationals in Tokyo life, the country or the head of South Japan due to the risk of radiation.

'On standby'

On Wednesday Japanese Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano told a news briefing, that workers in the Prefecture Fukushima Daiichi plant after had withdrawn the sudden increase in the levels of emissions.

Cabinet Secretary Edano said radiation levels were fluctuating

It is believed that to try around 50 people North of Tokyo - cool its four nuclear reactors and avert a meltdown worked had in the works - 220 km (140 km).

Mr. Edano also said that the radiation levels now dropped by 1,000 millisieverts on Wednesday morning to 600-800.

But that was still more than average, Mr Edano said, adding that "workers now can run even the smallest work at the plant." "Because of the radiation hazard, we are on stand by mode."

The new fire to the reactor four was early on Wednesday announced. Three hours later Japan's nuclear safety agency said flames could no longer be seen.

But later from reactor three was white smoke. Officials investigate the cause of incidents and the damage, the smoke steam from the evaporation of water, which caused the higher radiation was probably say with Mr Edano.

"A part of the ship is broken containment and it seems like the steam from there comes out." So... "[it] seems to be that steam from the broken part comes out."

Continue reading the most important story Roland Burk BBC News, Tokyo

Tokyo is still deceptively normal on the surface.

But a bit closer and people feel concern here about radiation leaks is clear.

There are fewer cars on the roads than normal. There are queues, for an hour and more, for petrol. Shelves are in some shops naked people buy food.

Tokyo Stock Exchange has seen heavy casualties from two days.

Foreigners have left in increasing numbers. Adding to the nervousness as people to bed went there on Tuesday night an another tremor was this time slightly larger and longer, as before.

But most people in their homes remained and went to sleep.

Another fire in the pond broke 'Boiling pool' on Tuesday morning, storage of spent nuclear fuel at the reactor four.

The reactor was shut down before the quake for maintenance, but its spent nuclear fuel rods are stored on the site.

Agency says Kyodo News storage pool can cooking and more radiation leaks are feared.

The Tokyo Electric Power Co. (Tepco), which operates the Fukushima plant, said it can pour water and fire retardant from helicopters to stop fuel rods, are exposed to the air and releasing even more radioactivity.

Start of the crisis in the work - has - the six nuclear reactors when the earthquake hit. Explosions rocked the building reactors 1 and 3 on Saturday and Monday.

On Tuesday morning, the reactor two met the construction of a third explosion.

Officials say the explosions in the first three reactors and possibly the fourth as well as caused by a buildup of hydrogen.

Mr Edano said that cooling sea water in reactors one and three is pumped, is - are back to normal - and in reactor two, remained the unstable.

People in 20-30 km (12-19 miles) of the site has been said, the field or at home.

Aftershocks

More than 3,300 people have been confirmed that dead and thousands after Friday Quake and tsunami are not available.

In the north eastern town of Otsuchi the fate of the half of the population - to about 8,000 people - it is not yet known.

More than 500,000 people were from the Quake and tsunami made homeless.

Many are sustainable snow and freezing temperatures, as supplies begin to reach the most affected areas.

The Government has 100,000 troops, aid efforts have provided and the army is also using helicopters in basic care.

Strong aftershocks continue to rock the country. A 6.0 tremor struck brightness in the Pacific Ocean off Chiba Prefecture, East of Tokyo, on Wednesday.

The Nikkei index the day more than 5%, some ground after plummeting about 17% restore in the two days ended on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

The UK Foreign Office has its travel advice before all non-essential travel to Tokyo and North Eastern Japan warn updated. British nationals and friends and related those in Japan reach of the Foreign Office on + 44 20 7008 0000.

View the original article here

ExxonMobil contributes to the recovery and relief efforts in Japan

{"s": "Xom", "k": "a00, a50, b00, b60, c10, g00, h00, l10, p20, t10, v00", "o": "","j": ""} Press release Source: Exxon Mobil Corporation on Wednesday March 16, 2010, 1: 14 on the EDT

IRVING, Texas (BUSINESS WIRE)--Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM - News) said today it would $1 million to the Japanese Red Cross Society for disaster relief assistance in response to the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan donations. The company has a worldwide programme according to employees, retirees, distributors and retailers donations to the Japanese emergency aid, up to another 2 million $ implements.

"ExxonMobil and its employees deeply suffered the devastation and loss of life the people of Japan of this terrible event, are saddened," said Rex W. Tillerson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

ExxonMobil related companies employ approximately 2,800 people in Japan, and have oil and petrochemical refineries and distribution, gas and power marketing and project engineering companies in the country.

ExxonMobil yugen Kaisha and Proton General, ExxonMobil's operations in Japan, work closely with Japanese authorities on the adequate fuel supply to emergency responders and the areas hit, to support the recovery.

"Our people are exceptional efforts to maximize gasoline production at our refineries and stable supply of our service centres, especially in the most affected areas, to deliver," said Philippe Ducom, Representative Director of ExxonMobil yugen Kaisha and President of the Proton General Sekiyu k.k. "our Kawasaki refinery is its local makes production to help to the densely populated Kanto electricity supply companies maximize area."

About ExxonMobil

Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM - News) and ExxonMobil Foundation, the primary philanthropic arm of Exxon Mobil Corporation in the United States, are involved in a number of philanthropic activities that promote education, health, women's economic leadership and public policy in the communities where ExxonMobil has significant operations. In the United States, ExxonMobil supports initiatives to improve the mathematics and science education at the K-12 and higher education. Worldwide promotes ExxonMobil help women their economic potential and fight against malaria and other infectious diseases in the developing countries to meet. In the year 2010 ExxonMobil together with its employees and pensioners and the ExxonMobil Foundation $ 237 million in contributions made available worldwide. More information on ExxonMobil's community partnerships and contributions programs is available at www.exxonmobil.com/community.

About the ExxonMobil Japan group

The ExxonMobil Japan group consists of ExxonMobil yugen Kaisha and its affiliates and subsidiaries including Proton General Sekiyu k.k. and is a leading manufacturer and marketer fuels, lubricants and petrochemicals in Japan of crude oil. Elements of the Group was in 1893 in Japan. ExxonMobil yugen Kaisha 100 is indirect subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation in the United States %. Proton General Sekiyu k.k., a subsidiary of ExxonMobil yugen Kaisha, the 50.02 percent of the shares, is listed on the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. For more information, see our websites www.exxonmobil.jp and www.tonengeneral.co.jp.

View the original article here