Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+
New bell installed in hope of reconstruction
A new hanging bell has been installed in front of the central train station in disaster-hit Kamaishi City, Iwate Prefecture, in hope of reconstruction.
Sunday, December 18, 2011 04:43 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20111217_18.html
Laden's death, March 11 disaster as No.1, 2 news
...The March 11th earthquake and tsunami as well as the subsequent accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was ranked second.
Three quake-hit prefectures and 33 coastal municipalities in those prefectures are expected to see about 100 billion yen less in tax revenue than they initially projected for this fiscal year, according to a Yomiuri Shimbun survey.
Feelings about U.S. are complex / Disaster relief operations appreciated, but major ally not fully trusted
Ninety-four percent of Japanese respondents to a recent opinion poll appreciate the U.S. military's relief operations for Japan in the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake. http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T111218003925.htm
___________________________________________ AJW
In quake debris, survivors find hope and means to earn a living
RIKUZENTAKATA, Iwate Prefecture--Enterprising women in this disaster-stricken northern city are not letting mountains of quake debris faze them.
1.16 mil. travelers expected to use Narita airport during holidays
CHIBA (Kyodo) -- An estimated 1,167,000 travelers are expected to use Narita airport during the year-end and New Year holidays, up 1 percent from the same period a year earlier, Narita International Airport Corp. said Friday.
No. of China visitors to Japan rises in Nov. for 1st time since March quake
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The number of Chinese travelers to Japan jumped 35.0 percent in November from a year earlier to 92,300, the first rise since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami and a record number for the month, the government said Friday.
Tokyo, Dec. 19 (Jiji Press)--Japan's public and academic sectors are working to make available scattered footage and information linked to the March 11 disaster and the ensuing nuclear crisis, with an eye to passing on the lessons to future generations.
A university research team is asking the government to take steps to ensure student safety, after finding that 225 schools are likely to lie on active faults, with 780 other schools located close to such rifts. http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...J201112200057n
______________________________________________ Mainichi jp(Kyodo, AP)
Japanese quake-hit youths visit Moscow school
MOSCOW (Kyodo) -- A group of 17 Japanese high school and university students who lost their relatives in the March 11 earthquake and tsunami disaster visited a Moscow school Monday to meet Russian youths.
Japan, Australia restart FTA talks suspended after March disaster
CANBERRA (Kyodo) -- Japan and Australia resumed negotiations Tuesday on a bilateral free trade agreement, after they were suspended in the wake of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that hit eastern and northeastern Japan.
China to contribute to recovery of tourism in Tohoku: diplomat
SENDAI (Kyodo) -- China will encourage more Chinese tourists to visit the Tohoku region to help revive local tourism following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, Minister Han Zhiqiang of the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo said Monday.
Japan 2011 Paper, Paperboard Shipments Seen Down Due to Disaster
Tokyo, Dec. 20 (Jiji Press)--Paper and paperboard shipments in Japan are expected to fall 1.7 pct to 25.77 million tons in 2011 from the previous year, the first decline in two years, the Japan Paper Association said Tuesday.
Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+
Japan projects 2.2% growth in FY 2012 on quake reconstruction work
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The government estimates that the Japanese economy will grow a real 2.2 percent in fiscal 2012 from the previous year, helped by stronger domestic demand related to reconstruction in areas affected by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, government officials said Tuesday.
Japan keeps assessment that economy recovering slowly
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Japanese economy has been slowly recovering, although downward pressure from the March earthquake and tsunami remains, the government said Wednesday, maintaining its basic economic assessment for the second straight month.
Gov't to spend over 3 tril. yen for quake relief under FY 2012 budget
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The government is set to earmark between 3 trillion and 3.5 trillion yen (about $38.5 billion to $45 billion) for reconstruction work following the March earthquake and tsunami under an initial budget for the next fiscal year, government sources said Tuesday.
Gov't plans law revision to enhance high-rise disaster readiness
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The government's Fire and Disaster Management Agency plans to introduce a bill to parliament, possibly next year, to enhance disaster preparedness at high-rise buildings in light of lessons learned from the massive earthquake in March, agency sources said Wednesday.
50 percent of people in quake-stricken region have no prospects for rebuilding homes
Nearly 50 percent of people in disaster-hit northeastern Japan, who have been regularly surveyed by the Mainichi, said they have no prospects for repairing or rebuilding their homes in the future, and 20 percent of them still do not have jobs, according to the latest poll.
Disaster survivors in Japan look back on year of hardship, lessons
As 2011 draws to a close, people in areas ravaged by the March 11 earthquake disaster and subsequent nuclear crisis are looking back on a year filled with pain and devastation -- and a period that has taught them the importance of family bonds.
Job Climate Still Severe in Tsunami-Hit Areas: Govt Report
Tokyo, Dec. 21 (Jiji Press)--Northeastern Japan's Pacific coast areas ravaged by the tsunami caused by the March 11 powerful earthquake have not fully benefited from postdisaster reconstruction demand in terms of employment, a government report said Wednesday.
Tokyo, Dec. 21 (Jiji Press)--Winter bonuses at major Japanese companies rose for the second straight year this year following a slump amid the global financial crisis, a private-sector survey showed Wednesday.
Domestic Trips by Japanese Seen Recovering in 2012
Tokyo, Dec. 21 (Jiji Press)--The number of overnight or longer domestic trips by Japanese people in 2012 is expected to recover after a drop this year thanks partly to new iconic broadcasting tower Tokyo Sky Tree, JTB Corp. said Wednesday.
Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+
Picture books for toddlers in Iwate
KAMAISHI, Iwate--Illustrator Yusaku Narushi turned his life around making picture books, and this year he is using his talent to bring Christmas cheer to children in the region hit by the March 11 tsunami.
Students from Los Angeles learn about tsunami damage in Ishinomaki
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Twenty-three college students from Los Angeles on Wednesday visited the city of Ishinomaki in northeastern Japan, which was ravaged by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, in an educational tour to learn about the scale of the devastation.
Gov't to prepare 3.8 tril. yen under new account for reconstruction
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The government will prepare around 3.8 trillion yen ($48.8 billion) under a new budget account earmarked for reconstruction work following the March earthquake and tsunami, officials said Wednesday.
Winter bonuses at major firms rise for 2nd year in row
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- This winter's average bonus at major companies rose 3.62 percent from the previous year to 802,701 yen, rising for the second year in a row and rebounding to above 800,000 yen for the first time in three years, the Japan Business Federation said Wednesday.
Tsunami hit Iwate city faster than most people could run: research
The massive tsunami that ravaged northeastern Japan on March 11 surged into the Iwate Prefecture city of Miyako at a speed of 8 meters per second, faster than many people could run, a team of researchers has calculated. http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na016000c.html
_____________________________________________ Jiji press
KDDI to Open Mobile Phone Subscription Center in Quake-Hit Sendai
Sendai, Miyagi Pref., Dec. 22 (Jiji Press)--KDDI Corp. <9433> said Thursday it will set up a mobile phone subscription center in Sendai, the capital of disaster-hit Miyagi Prefecture, in February.
Tokyo, Dec. 22 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government's key policy panel on Thursday set a target of achieving some 3 pct nominal growth on average between fiscal 2011 and 2020.
....In his address, the Emperor noted many lives were lost this year in the earthquake and tsunami that hit northeastern Japan in March, along with the flooding and mudslides in the fall. He said his heart aches when he thinks of the victims and grieving families.
Areas devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake were projected in the dome of a planetarium in Tokyo on Dec. 20 to provide a better perspective of the extent of the damage. http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...J201112230005w
_____________________________________________ Mainichi jp(Kyodo, AP)
Japanese quake-hit youths visit Kremlin at Russia's invitation
MOSCOW (Kyodo) -- A group of 17 Japanese high school and university students who lost family members in the March 11 earthquake and tsunami disaster visited the Kremlin in Moscow, the seat of Russia's presidential office, on Thursday. http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...dm004000c.html
China likely to lease pandas to zoo in disaster-hit Sendai
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- China is likely to agree to leasing giant pandas to a zoo in the city of Sendai, which was affected by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, to cheer up children there, government sources said Thursday.
Emperor turns 78, shows concern for people in disaster-hit areas
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japanese Emperor Akihito expressed concern and support for people who have been affected by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, reflecting on the past year on the occasion of his 78th birthday Friday.
Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+
Fashion, beauty firms' support warms heart of disaster victims
ISHINOMAKI (Kyodo) -- As a severe winter revisits areas ravaged by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, supportive services offered by two firms focused on fashion and beauty appear to be warming the hearts of people who have lost everything and now live in temporary housing.
Soccer: Dortmund pull Kagawa from Sendai charity match after blood tests
SENDAI (Kyodo) -- Borussia Dortmund stopped Japan midfielder Shinji Kagawa from playing in a charity match on Friday after blood tests on the local favorite came back with less than encouraging results. http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/sport...sp063000c.html
Japan's outstanding debt to rise to record 937 tril. yen in FY 2012
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The outstanding balance of state and local government debt at the end of fiscal 2012 is expected to rise to an all-time high of 937 trillion yen, the government said Saturday, revealing its draft budget that will leave the country with the worst fiscal health among major economies.
Disaster-struck Japan set for record-high spending
TOKYO (AP) -- Disaster-struck Japan is headed to record-high budget spending of 96 trillion yen ($1.2 trillion) as the nation tackles the costs of recovery from the March earthquake and tsunami.
120 students died in March disaster after being picked up by parents
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- More than a third of the pupils and students aged 15 or under who died or went missing in the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan lost their lives after being picked from school up by their parents, a survey by Kyodo News showed Friday.
TOYKO (Kyodo) -- The earthquake and tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan on March 11 and the ensuing crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant was the top-ranked domestic news story of 2011 in a Kyodo News poll released Friday.
Japan's outstanding debt to rise to record 937 tril. yen in FY 2012
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The outstanding balance of state and local government debt at the end of fiscal 2012 is expected to rise to an all-time high of 937 trillion yen, the government said Saturday, revealing its draft budget that will leave the country with the worst fiscal health among major economies.
Cabinet agrees to record 93.56 tril. yen FY 2012 budget
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Cabinet of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda agreed Saturday to a record-high 93.56 trillion yen ($1.20 trillion) initial budget for the next fiscal year, highlighting the pressures on the government to fund social security and quake-reconstruction work while trying to maintain fiscal discipline.
New budget fails to accelerate Noda's austerity drive
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has pledged fiscal restoration in Japan but he has apparently failed to match his words with deeds, with the country's new budget signaling the need for more government spending while showing shortages in tax revenues.
Tsunami death rate higher among residents with disabilities
The death rate from the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami hit the disabled in northeastern coastal municipalities twice as hard as those without disabilities, the Mainichi has found.
Volunteers clad in Santa Claus costumes pose in Tono, Iwate Prefecture, before leaving for the prefecture's devastated coastal areas Saturday morning. About 100 volunteer Santas from around the nation entertained children living in temporary housing units and handed them sweets as part of the "100 Santas coming to town!" project led by Tono Magokoro Net, a nonprofit organization based in the city. More than 10 million yen was donated to buy Christmas presents for the children. http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20111225dy01.htm
______________________________________________ AJW
100 Santas coming to town!
New Year's good luck charms ready for shipment
OFUNATO, Iwate Prefecture--In a normal year, "shimenawa" craftsman Tetsuo Suzuki would be making his New Year's good luck charms of thick cords of rope fashioned from dried rice husks from an acquaintance's rice fields.
A new project is under way that is giving a new leash on life to man's best friend.
Toru Oki and four canine pals who will undergo training to become therapy dogs are flanked by two animals who already have successfully completed their training. (Makoto Kaku) http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_...J201112250003a
_____________________________________________ Mainichi jp(Kyodo, AP)
Japanese actor portrays tsunami survivor in Hollywood play
LOS ANGELES (Kyodo) -- "Why? Why am I the only one left?!" cried actor Yuki Matsuzaki into the imaginary night sky between him and his audience.
Beijing, Dec. 25 (Jiji Press)--Premier Wen Jiabao of China on Sunday expressed its intention to lease a giant panda to the city of Sendai at the request of Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda.
Firms shun Tohoku public works / Unprofitable small-scale projects in disaster-hit region go begging
Many public works projects that have been opened for bids in the Tohoku region have attracted few or even no takers, as businesses appear to be shunning small-scale work as unprofitable, especially amid a labor shortage caused by increased building activity as the region recovers from the March 11 disaster.
March 11 disasters, fading interest in 3D drag down Japan box office totals
In addition to the effects of the triple March 11 disasters, loss of interest in 3D movies and fewer hit titles have the Japanese movie industry suffering one of the worst years at the box office in recent memory, preliminary ticket sales results show.
Wen expresses willingness to lease giant pandas to Japan
BEIJING (Kyodo) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao expressed willingness to lease giant pandas to a zoo in the disaster--hit Japanese city to cheer up children there, a Japanese government official said Sunday, saying Wen talked about the matter with a smile during a meeting with Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda.
Tsunami Evacuation Plan Compiled for Haneda Airport
Tokyo, Dec. 26 (Jiji Press)--The transport ministry on Monday unveiled an emergency plan for evacuation of passengers and staff at Tokyo International Airport at Haneda in case a warning of huge tsunami is issued for areas facing Tokyo Bay including the airport.
Japan SDF Troops to Fully Withdraw from Disaster Areas
Tokyo, Dec. 26 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Self-Defense Forces troops who have been sent to northeastern and other areas after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, and the subsequent nuclear crisis are poised to fully end their rescue and support missions in the affected areas.
Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+
Japanese children clean up beach in Thailand
Japanese children have cleaned up a beach in Phuket, southern Thailand. The effort was part of a project to thank Thai people for supporting the March disaster victims in Japan.
A Japanese government panel says a huge earthquake of magnitude 9.0 could strike central to western Japan in future.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011 18:00 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20111227_25.html
______________________________________________ Yomiuri online
Evacuees face serious noise dilemma / Mothers worried thin walls at temporary housing units create stress for children
KAMAISHI, Iwate--Thin walls and a lack of soundproofing have led to noise problems for people living in temporary housing units built after the Great East Japan Earthquake. http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T111226002283.htm
_____________________________________________ AJW
German hoping people can knit Tohoku communities together
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- About a week after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami devastated northeastern Japan and shocked the entire nation, Bernd Kestler, who teaches knitting in Yokohama, unexpectedly received a parcel from a friend in Germany.
Ishinomaki residents rebuilding disaster-damaged shrine in bid to revive area
ISHINOMAKI, Miyagi -- A group of residents here have taken on the herculean task of restoring a quake and tsunami-damaged local shrine in a bid to attract evacuees to return and revive the area.
Tokyo, Dec. 27 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government Tuesday revised the country's basic disaster guidelines substantially, including beefing up measures against tsunamis.
Japan Panel Sees Larger Epicentral Area for Possible Huge Quake
Tokyo, Dec. 27 (Jiji Press)--A Japanese panel of experts said Tuesday that it now sees a doubled area south of the country's main island as the epicentral region of a possible gigantic earthquake.
Tsunami Awareness Varies between Coastal, Inland Dwellers
Tokyo, Dec. 27 (Jiji Press)--Immediately after the gigantic earthquake on March 11, 65.4 pct of people living along the sawtooth coastline in northeastern Japan predicted the ensuing tsunami while 58.7 pct of those living more inland did not, a land ministry survey has shown.
Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+
2011 TOP 10 DOMESTIC & INTERNATIONAL NEWS STORIES / Disasters loom large in '11 news
The Great East Japan Earthquake, which left nearly 20,000 people dead or missing, was chosen by readers of The Yomiuri Shimbun as this year's top domestic news event.
A mortician who voluntarily embalmed the bodies of people killed in the Great East Japan Earthquake so bereaved families could say goodbye to their loved ones is the subject of a recently published book.
Possible focal regions for a megaquake that experts say could occur along the Nankai Trough off the southern coast should be doubled in size from previous estimates, according to an interim report compiled Tuesday by a Cabinet Office panel. http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T111227003857.htm
Sacred ties
Men hang a sacred rope from a temporary hall of worship at Hakusan Shrine on Tuesday in Onagawacho, Miyagi Prefecture, which was hit hard by the Great East Japan Earthquake. The March 11 tsunami washed away stone steps at the shrine, resulting in the relocation of its main facilities about 200 meters away from where they were originally situated. The rope was donated by a shrine in Inuyama, Aichi Prefecture. http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20111228dy01.htm
______________________________________________ AJW
Mirage islands spotted at sea near tsunami-hit town
A mirage of a series of floating islands appeared Dec. 27 off the coast of Ishinomki, Miyagi Prefecture, an area hard hit by the March 11 earthquake.
A mirage of a series of floating islands appears in the Ogatsu area of Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture on Dec. 27. (Shiro Nishihata) http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...AJ201112280024
______________________________________________ Mainichi jp(Kyodo, AP)
Fisherman writes emotional letter to only daughter killed in tsunami
KAMAISHI, Iwate -- As the year 2011 draws to a close, Kikumatsu Sasaki, a 76-year-old fisherman here, wrote an emotionally-charged, apologetic letter to his only daughter, Chiyako, who was killed at the age of 44 by tsunami triggered by the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake. It reads:
Gov't to enhance tsunami measures, panel doubles quake focal area
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The government's disaster prevention panel on Tuesday revised the basic plan for disaster preparedness in the wake of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, seeking to reinforce measures against tsunami waves that caused most of the damage in the disaster in northeastern Japan, officials said.
Quake-hit localities see 70% rise in workers taking mental sick leave
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Local government officials who took sick leave for mental ailments between April and October following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami increased 70 percent over a year earlier in 33 seriously damaged municipalities, a Kyodo News survey showed Tuesday.
Banks Ease Terms for 698 B. Yen of Loans in Disaster Areas
Tokyo, Dec. 28 (Jiji Press)--Japanese banks have eased the terms of loans worth nearly 700 billion yen for borrowers in areas devastated by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, the Financial Services Agency said Wednesday.
Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+
Disaster debris still remain in Tohoku
The Japanese government is struggling to remove millions of tons of debris from the country's northeast, more than 9 months after the March earthquake and tsunami.
Relocated disaster victims hard to track down / Some March 11 survivors left isolated as aid groups get tied up by red tape, privacy concerns
Regulations intended to protect personal privacy have hampered relief efforts for people affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, with aid supplies still not reaching many people living in facilities being rented by local governments.
KESENNUMA, Miyagi--The last police officers dispatched to Kesennuma from other prefectures to direct traffic after the March disaster returned home Monday.
S. Korean paper revises headline on March 11 disaster
SEOUL--One of South Korea's leading daily newspapers, the JoongAng Ilbo, has published a revised version of its front-page coverage of Japan's March 11 earthquake and tsunami, acknowledging its original headline, "Sinking Japan," was inappropriate.
Sendai high school rugby team marks emotional start to national championship
HIGASHIOSAKA, Osaka -- The rugby team of disaster-stricken Sendai Ikuei Gakuen High School marked a promising and emotional start to the National High School Rugby Tournament, which kicked off here on Dec. 27. http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/sport...sp006000c.html
Chef returns home after quake to serve food in disaster-hit Sendai
SENDAI (Kyodo) -- A chef from Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, recently returned to Japan after spending 17 years in Italy, following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that devastated his hometown.
Tokyo, Dec. 29 (Jiji Press)--With listed Japanese companies racking their brains to increase the number of individual shareholders, some introduced donations as a shareholder perk this year after the March earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan.
Fish markets in northeastern Japan, devastated by the March earthquake and tsunami, held their last auctions of the year on Friday.
Friday, December 30, 2011 14:38 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20111230_12.html
_____________________________________________ AJW
Clay doll creator to tour disaster areas
After feeling physically helpless in removing rubble from the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, a woman in Tokyo's Nerima Ward focused on something smaller to ease the suffering of disaster victims.
Works by Yuki Goto to be displayed in the disaster areas (Provided by Yuki Goto) http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...AJ201112300001
Somber return for families in disaster areas
While many Japanese return annually to their family homes for the New Year's holidays, this year was a much more somber affair for those heading to prefectures devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami in March.
Passengers returning to family homes crowd the platform at JR Sendai Station on Dec. 29. (Masaru Komiyaji) http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...AJ201112300019
____________________________________________ Mainichi jp(Kyodo, AP)
New Year holidaymakers jam flights, trains, expressways
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The rush of travelers heading for hometowns and abroad for the year-end and New Year holidays began Thursday, jamming flights, trains and expressways across Japan.
2,383 disaster victims identified by DNA analysis: surve
SENDAI (Kyodo) -- A total of 2,383 victims or about 15 percent of people who died in the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures have been identified by DNA analysis, a survey by the National Police Agency showed Thursday.
Tokyo, Dec. 30 (Jiji Press)--Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda plans to visit three disaster-hit northeastern Japan prefectures in January to inspect progress in reconstruction work, it was learned Friday.
Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+
20% of disaster-hit farmland restored by spring
Japan's agriculture ministry says only 20 percent of the farmland devastated by the March 11th tsunami could be restored before the planting season next spring.
Businesses locked out of aid / Red tape denying tsunami-hit firms access to government subsidies
Strict guidelines covering the distribution of government aid are preventing businesses devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake from receiving urgently needed subsidies.
OTSUCHICHO, Iwate--Evacuees living in a temporary housing complex after the Great East Japan Earthquake enjoyed eating toshikoshi soba (traditional "passing-of-the-year" noodles) a little early this year.
Yoshinobu Owada, head of a unit of the No. 4 branch of the Ofunato fire brigade in Iwate Prefecture, recounts his brush with death and says he would never put anyone else in such a situation.
A floodgate built on the 8-meter breakwater Ofunato in Iwate Prefecture was swept away in the March 11 tsunami. (Eiichiro Suganuma) http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...AJ201112310001
Dealer helps customers say goodbye to quake-hit cars
MINAMI-SANRIKU, Miyagi Prefecture--Fumio Hatakeyama has been a car salesman for 40 years, and in the small seaside towns and villages where he works, it is still the human connection that sells automobiles.
One cannot help but wonder how the actions of Japan and the Japanese people in 2011 in response to the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami and ensuing nuclear disaster will be evaluated by future generations.
British envoy, 3 Japanese staff honored for tsunami rescue efforts
LONDON (Kyodo) -- British Ambassador to Japan David Warren and three of his Japanese staff members have been awarded New Year's honors in recognition of their work in the aftermath of the March earthquake and tsunami disaster and the ensuing nuclear crisis, the Foreign Office said Saturday.
Many worshippers have paid their first visit of the new year to shrines and temples in Japan, praying for the health of their family and rebuilding of life from the March disaster last year.
Sunday, January 01, 2012 12:51 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120101_12.html
New Year greeting cards delivery in disaster area
Post offices in disaster-hit areas of northeastern Japan have delivered New Year's greeting cards. Exchanging such cards is a popular tradition for Japanese people during the New Year holidays.
'Where are our children?' parents ask / Search continues at primary school destroyed by tsunami more than 9 months ago
ISHINOMAKI, Miyagi--Parents are still searching for missing children more than nine months after a tsunami inundated an Ishinomaki City primary school following the Great East Japan Earthquake in March.
SENDAI--With reconstruction proceeding slowly in the Tohoku region's coastal areas, businesses in the city of Sendai, the economic hub of the area, have seen booming sales since the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Quick estimates of big quakes challenge seismologists
In a race against time when every minute means the difference between life and death, earthquake researcher Satoshi Miura wants to be ready the next time a big quake hits, triggering a tsunami. http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...AJ201201010013
Sunrise kite from tsunami-hit city on exhibit in Tokyo
A huge traditional kite emblazoned with a glowing rising sun from tsunami-hit Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, is on display at Tokyo Midtown.
The Hinodetenbata kite from the tsunami-hit town of Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, is on exhibit at Tokyo Midtown in Minato Ward on Dec. 27. (Kazuya Omuro) http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...AJ201201010003
___________________________________________ Mainichi jp(Kyodo, AP)
New forms of disaster relief a better alternative to straightforward giving
In the Miyagi Prefecture town of Onagawa, most of the town center -- the greater part of which was destroyed by the tsunami triggered by the Great East Japan Earthquake -- is now vacant aside from several large buildings. Construction workers are pretty much the only people around. http://mdn.mainichi.jp/features/arch...na008000c.html
His Majesty the Emperor's New Year Thoughts 2012
Last year, it pained me greatly to see that many lives were lost to natural disasters, the Great East Japan Earthquake in the spring and torrential rains in many places in the summer and in the autumn. My heart also goes out to the people who regrettably can no longer live in the places they used to live because of the radioactive contamination caused by the nuclear plant accident. Last year was a truly distressing year. However, it has been heartening to note that, even under such conditions, the people were helping each other and many people were working hard to support the victims.
Noda vows to implement social security, tax reforms
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda expressed his resolve in a New Year address Sunday to implement reforms in Japan's social security and tax systems in a bid to help revive its economy.
Tokyo, Jan. 1 (Jiji Press)--Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, in a New Year message on Sunday, underscored his determination to help Japan achieve a revival after the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, and the resultant nuclear crisis that rocked the nation last year.
The Emperor used his annual New Year greetings to the public to say that he hopes 2012 will be a better year for the Japanese people as the country recovers from last year's earthquake and tsunami.
Most department stores in Japan opened for the new year on Monday. They were packed with people who wanted to buy bargain packages known as lucky bags.
Researchers: 30% chance of magnitude-9 quake in 30 years
Chances are 30 percent that a magnitude-9 earthquake will strike along the Japan Trench between the Tohoku region and Chiba Prefecture within the next 30 years, a government research council said. http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...AJ201201020001
1st sunrise of 2012 gives hope to disaster survivors
People in disaster-stricken northeastern Japan were greeted with a spectacular glowing orange sunrise on New Year’s Day, a sign many in the Tohoku region hoped would herald the arrival of better times in 2012.
The sun rises on Jan. 1 behind the lone "miracle" pine tree that was left standing after the tsunami in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture. (Eijiro Morii)
A man watches the first sunrise at a port in Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture, on Jan. 1. (Toshiyuki Hayashi)
The year's first sunrise was partly obscured by thick clouds in Tokyo on Jan. 1. The tower in the center is Tokyo Sky Tree, which opens in May. (Minako Yoshimoto) http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...AJ201201020012
TIES THAT BIND: Nadeshiko Japan players didn't do it alone
What is the power of sports? That was a question many athletes in Japan were asking themselves in 2011 following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that devastated parts of eastern Japan.
Emperor receives greetings, hopes for united rebuilding effort
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko on Sunday received New Year's greetings at the start of 2012 from other imperial family members and foreign ambassadors, while expressing hope in his New Year's message for cooperative and patient efforts to rebuild society after the nation was devastated by a series of natural disasters last year.
Coast Guard mystified as boat lost in March 11 tsunami found on other side of Japan
KAMI, Hyogo -- A small fishing boat swept away from its home port in Iwate Prefecture by the March 11 tsunami was discovered here -- all the way on the other side of Japan's largest island of Honshu -- on Dec. 31. http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na008000c.html
_____________________________________________ Sankei news
Emperor Akihito says he hopes 2012 will be a better year for the Japanese people as the country continues to recover from last year's earthquake and tsunami.
Japan's central and local governments are considering a revision of the current anti-earthquake and tsunami measures following the March 11th disaster and resulting meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
Tuesday, January 03, 2012 09:08 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120102_18.html
Job measure in hardest-hit areas urgently sought
Finding employment is taking on an added urgency for survivors of last year's disaster in northeastern Japan.
Tuesday, January 03, 2012 15:16 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120103_11.html
______________________________________________ Yomiuri online
Although the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred more than nine months ago, riot police are still patrolling the devastated areas. http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T120102001335.htm
__________________________________________ AJW
Lion roars a welcome to the new year for quake survivors
In celebration of the new year, a troupe performed a traditional “shishimai” lion dance on Jan. 2 in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, offering inspiration to survivors of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
Children and residents of temporary housing watch a "shishimai" lion dance at Yonesaki Junior High School in tsunami-hit Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, on Jan. 2. (Eijiro Morii) http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...AJ201201030038
_____________________________________________ Mainichi jp(Kyodo, AP)
Over 70% of top Japan firms see economy as slowing or flattening
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- More than 70 percent of 105 leading Japanese companies surveyed by Kyodo News see economic activity in Japan as either receding or flattening out against the backdrop of the yen's steep appreciation and slowdowns in the U.S. and European economies, according to survey findings released Monday.
Dept. stores begin 2012 business with lucky bags, winter bargains
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Major department stores kicked off business for 2012 on Monday as crowds of shoppers sought "lucky bags" filled with discount goods and other New Year bargains.
Emperor wishes public a better year in New Year's greetings
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Emperor Akihito offered his annual New Year's greetings to a total of 70,000 well-wishers who gathered over five sessions at the Imperial Palace on Monday.
INTERVIEW: Nomura to Support Agriculture for Local Revitalization
Tokyo, Jan. 3 (Jiji Press)--Leading Japanese stockbroker Nomura Holdings Inc. <8604> will promote support for the farm sector to help revitalize local areas after the country was rocked last year by massive natural disasters and a government decision to consider joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade talks, the head of the group's agribusiness arm has said.
U.S. Events to Mark Centennial of Cherry Tree Gift from Japan
New York, Jan. 3 (Jiji Press)--A series of events are set to start in Washington, New York and other U.S. cities to mark the 100th anniversary of the donation of a number of cherry trees to the country from Japan.
Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+
New Year fish auction at tsunami-hit Kesennuma
The fish market in Kesennuma northeastern Japan has held its first auction of the New Year. The city in Japan's disaster-hit northeast is a major tuna and swordfish port.
Wednesday, January 04, 2012 12:22 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120104_11.html
Noda: Democrats to call for tax talks next week
Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda will ask opposition parties to take part in discussions on a proposed consumption tax increase next week.
Schoolgirls in Ofunato City have demonstrated their skill at calligraphy to express hopes for early reconstruction of the region severely hit by the March 11th earthquake and tsunami.
Wednesday, January 04, 2012 19:46 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120104_30.html
Disaster-hit sake maker celebrates first brewing
A Japanese sake maker in Iwate Prefecture has celebrated the New Year with its first brew since the March disaster last year.
Wednesday, January 04, 2012 19:46 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120104_29.html
___________________________________________ Yomiuri online
Curry brings hope to disaster-hit town
ONAGAWA, Miyagi--Local residents from the tsunami-hit town of Onagawa have begun developing test dishes using a mixture of curry spices blended by an Indian volunteer worker.
Global Insurers' 2011 Disaster-Linked Payments Hit Record
Frankfurt, Jan. 4 (Jiji Press)--Natural disaster-related losses at the global insurance industry hit a record high in 2011 mainly due to the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, German reinsurance giant Munich Re said Wednesday.
Number of Strong Quakes Hit Record in Japan in 2011
Tokyo, Jan. 4 (Jiji Press)--The number of earthquakes in Japan measuring lower 5 or above on the country's seismic intensity scale of 7 totaled 68 in 2011, the highest figure since statistics started in 1926, the Japan Meteorological Agency said Wednesday.
Iwate business eyes making soy sauce cakes a local speciality
KAMAISHI, Iwate--A roll cake flavored with soy sauce made by a company with old roots in the city of Kamaishi has become a popular symbol of reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake in Iwate Prefecture and around the nation.
Earthquakes prompt record insurance claims in 2011
*REUTERS
Natural disasters, led by catastrophic earthquakes in Japan and New Zealand, cost a record $380 billion in 2011, more than double the figure for 2010 and triple the average for the past decade, insurance experts reported on Wednesday, Jan. 4.
It seemed like business as usual, at a fish market in Miyagi Prefecture's Kesennuma port, as freshly caught bigeye tuna and sharks were unloaded from four fishing boats on Jan. 4.
Buyers assess the quality of tuna at a fish market in disaster-hit Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, on Jan. 4. (Eijiro Morii) http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...J201201050008y
Tokyo government to launch fire prevention project
The Tokyo metropolitan government will launch in April a 10-year project to rebuild areas crammed with wooden buildings to mitigate possible catastrophic fires, government officials said.
Wooden houses are concentrated in an alley in Tokyo's Sumida Ward. (The Asahi Shimbun) http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...AJ201201050041
Iconic Japanese food store in San Francisco closes
LOS ANGELES--A local Japanese grocery store in the United States that survived some tough times in its long and colorful history has closed, another apparent victim of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
BERLIN (AP) -- The devastating earthquakes in Japan and New Zealand made 2011 the costliest year yet for the insurance industry in terms of natural disaster losses, a leading reinsurance company said Wednesday.
SAITAMA--The Saitama prefectural government has begun work to include tsunami countermeasures in its regional disaster management plan, it has been learned. http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T120105006007.htm
_____________________________________________ AJW
Once-deluged beachfront inn reopens in Kamaishi
KAMAISHI, Iwate Prefecture--On March 11, Akiko Iwasaki got swallowed up by the dark waters of the deadly tsunami in this seaside town.
Japan, China to support fund project for disaster orphans
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan and China plan to support an initiative to launch a fund aimed at facilitating exchanges between children of the two countries who lost one or both parents due to the natural disasters last year and in 2008, sources familiar with the matter said Thursday.
Catastrophe bonds drawing attention in financial industry
Catastrophe (CAT) bonds, which bear high interests but whose principals may not be repaid to investors in case of a huge natural disaster, are drawing increasing attention in the financial industry.
Anonymous man donates building materials to disaster-hit Iwate firm
RIKUZENTAKATA, Iwate -- An anonymous man donated blocks of wood for building twice last year to a construction company here whose mill was destroyed by the March 11 tsunami.
Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+
Recovery predicted for April / Business leaders confident, but press for reforms, sales tax hike
The economy will begin recovering in April thanks to rising demand for reconstruction projects in areas devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake, leaders of the nation's three major business organizations have predicted.
City planners in areas devastated by the March 11 quake and tsunami are using special maps of damage conditions to help them draft reconstruction plans, and Google has launched a project to archive before-and-after images of the disaster-hit zones.
Firefighting ships spray colored water with the Tokyo Sky Tree in the background during Dezomeshiki, an annual January parade of fire departments, on Friday off Koto Ward, Tokyo. About 2,700 firefighters participated in the annual event held near Tokyo Big Sight exhibition hall. In addition to modern displays, performers of traditional firefighters' acrobatic ladder-climbing, dating back to the Edo period, flew banners with messages of encouragement for the Tohoku region. http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20120107dy01.htm
__________________________________________________ ________ AJW
annual January parade of fire departments
'Safe Japan' promotion continues after free-flight plan rejected
After its plan to give free flights to foreign bloggers was rejected, the Japan Tourism Agency decided to continue its promotion of Japan through a program focused on the disaster-hit Tohoku region.
Six months have passed since I moved from Tokyo to begin reporting from the Sanriku Coast in Iwate Prefecture, an area devastated by the March 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami. Each day I notice the feelings of people affected by the disasters -- the sadness of losing a loved one, the feeling of self-condemnation for surviving while others have died, and worries about the future. During my time here, I've also been taught the importance of time spent with family and friends -- things that I had taken for granted. http://mdn.mainichi.jp/perspectives/...na005000c.html
Teens visit tsunami-ravaged area in Miyagi on school trip
SENDAI (Kyodo) -- About 90 students of a public high school in Fukuoka, southwestern Japan, visited a tsunami-ravaged area in Miyagi Prefecture, northeast Japan, on Saturday after their school trip's destination was changed in order for them to learn from the disaster.
Anxiety over Everyday Life Weighs on Japan Disaster Victims
Tokyo, Jan. 7 (Jiji Press)--Anxiety over everyday life is weighing down on survivors of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami as they face up to the loss of jobs and homes. Many of them experience serious mental pain, experts said.
Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+
March 11 survivors facing hardships
An NHK survey on people living in a temporary housing complex following the March 11th disaster paints a grim picture.
Sunday, January 08, 2012 00:00 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120107_23.html
4,000 buildings designated as tsunami shelters
A survey has found that Japanese municipalities designated around 4,000 buildings to serve as tsunami shelters as of October of last year, with the number doubling in the few months after the March 2011 disaster.
Sunday, January 08, 2012 12:52 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120108_12.html
__________________________________________________ __________ Yomiuri online
Researchers strive to discover whether dogs also like hot springs
OKAYAMA--Are hot-spring baths as relaxing for dogs as they are for humans? A research team from a professional training college in Okayama City is looking into the matter.
Mobile phone firms to collaborate on disaster voice message service
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- NTT Docomo Inc., KDDI Corp. and other mobile phone operators will team up to jointly provide a voice message service to help subscribers confirm their safety in the event of natural disasters, officials of the companies said Saturday.
Man who continued publishing magazine after March 11 disasters receives award
SENDAI -- A man who continued publishing a magazine here despite harsh conditions following the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami became the recipient of the annual "Shuppan Azusakai Shinbunsha Gakugei Bunkasho" award, given to distinguished publishers.
Quake, tsunami victims organize musical to express gratitude for disaster relief help
HIGASHIMATSUSHIMA, Miyagi -- Some 120 people from Miyagi Prefecture, one of the most affected areas in the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, have organized an original musical to express their gratitude for people's help following the disasters.
Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+
Japan to install tsunami monitoring system at sea
The Japanese government will install a large scale tsunami monitoring system on the Pacific seabed to speed up its warning process.
Monday, January 09, 2012 05:24 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120109_01.html
Govt to create disaster-aid inventory database
The Japanese government will launch a national database of food and other goods to enable speedy aid distribution in times of disaster.
A group of experts in Japan is developing a digital book to help people better prepare for natural disasters. The devastating earthquake and tsunami last March led to the project's creation.
PHOTO/ Young survivors come of age in quake-hit Tohoku
A 19-year-old in a Coming-of-Age Day ceremony in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, clutched a photograph of a friend killed in the March 11 tsunami, one of the many reminders of the devastation inflicted by the Great East Japan Earthquake.
A participant at a Jan. 8 Coming-of-Age Day ceremony in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, sits next to a framed photograph of a friend who died in the March 11 disaster. (Satoru Ogawa) http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...AJ201201090019
__________________________________________________ _____ Mainichi jp(Kyodo, AP)
Iwate Pref. native finds meaning in working for revival of tsunami-hit hometown
OFUNATO, Iwate -- When Ofunato native Takehiro Oikawa called a friend back in his hometown over the summer, asking if he could send anything to the earthquake- and tsunami-devastated city, his friend's answer cut him to the quick: "I want you not to forget the catastrophe that happened here." http://mdn.mainichi.jp/features/arch...na004000c.html
__________________________________________________ _______ Sankei news
Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+
Lucky man race for 2012
About 3,000 men raced through a shrine compound in Nishinomiya, western Japan on Monday, vying for the honor of being the luckiest man of the year.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012 15:25 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120110_18.html he is a disaster-relief volunteer
KDDI to begin e-mail tsunami warning service
Japanese telecom firm KDDI will begin providing texted tsunami warnings to its mobile phone subscribers.
If anyone can make Tohoku smile, the candy man can
A group of confectioneries whose offices and factories are located in the six prefectures that form the Tohoku region will be selling a joint packaged set to show solidarity in support of reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake.
The Michinoku-shu set of confections made in Tohoku's six prefectures (Provided by the steering committee for Michinoku-shu) http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311dis...AJ201201100043
__________________________________________________ ____________ AJW
Noda says stronger local industry will rebuild disaster-hit areas
ISHINOMAKI (Kyodo) -- Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda took time out from political wrangling on Tuesday to get a firsthand look at how local businesses are surviving in disaster-hit northeastern Japan.
Former disaster-relief volunteer wins dash to shrine to become 'happiest man' in Japan
NISHINOMIYA, Hyogo -- A 21-year-old student became Japan's "happiest man" after he was the first among thousands to reach the main shrine in a traditional shrine festival here. http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na010000c.html
Quake disaster survivors see bleak future as unemployment benefits run out
Survivors of the March 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami will start losing their unemployment benefits this month as Japan marks 10 months since the disaster, though many of them are struggling to find work.
Disaster-stricken Ofunato holds annual marathon despite need to change courses
OFUNATO, Iwate -- An annual marathon that is a major event in this disaster-stricken city was held this year despite visible scars from last year's March 11 triple disasters.
5 Major Japan Nonlife Insurers Log Premium Revenue Growth
Tokyo, Jan. 10 (Jiji Press)--All five major Japanese nonlife insurance companies posted year-on-year growth in premium revenue in April-December 2011 partly thanks to premium hikes for automobile insurance in April, according to their reports released by Tuesday.
Tokyo, Jan. 10 (Jiji Press)--Japan's Finance Ministry said Tuesday that bonds issued in December to raise funds from individuals for postdisaster reconstruction attracted strong demand, with sales coming to 745.4 billion yen.
Ishinomaki, Miyagi Pref., Jan. 10 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda expressed his resolve to improve the living conditions of those hit by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami during his visit to affected areas in the northeastern prefectures of Miyagi and Iwate on Tuesday.
Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+
Yomiuri online
JAPAN SINCE THE QUAKE -- Redefining happiness / People seek to connect with others
Every Japanese was feeling times were changing before March 11. The nation's birthrate remained at low levels while the population continued to age quickly. The government's fiscal condition was getting worse. The global financial crisis had hit the nation hard. Voters were disappointed with the performance of the Democratic Party of Japan, which had taken the reins of government from the Liberal Democratic Party in 2009.
Incidents of fire in Japan up 12% in Jan.-June 2011
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The number of fire incidents in Japan in the first half of 2011 rose 12.0 percent from a year earlier to 27,557, excluding Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, which were hardest hit by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, the government said Tuesday.
Police wage intensive search for missing 10 months after March disaster
SENDAI (Kyodo) -- Police carried out an intensive search for people still missing in the March earthquake and tsunami in Miyagi Prefecture Wednesday 10 months after the disaster wreaked havoc on Pacific coastal areas of northeastern Japan.
Dragon-like tree attracts visitors in disaster-stricken Kesennuma
KESENNUMA, Miyagi -- A pine tree that looks just like a dragon in this disaster-stricken city is attracting visitors since it was recently discovered, local residents say. http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na008000c.html
Biz Sentiment Improves in 3 Disater-Hit Japan Prefectures
Tokyo, Jan. 11 (Jiji Press)--Business sentiment in the three northeastern Japan prefectures hit hardest by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami improved in December thanks to brisk demand related to postdisaster reconstruction, a Teikoku Databank Ltd. survey showed Wednesday.
Microsoft Launches Free PC Project for Disaster-Hit Small Firms
Tokyo, Jan. 11 (Jiji Press)--Microsoft Co. said Wednesday that it has launched a project to provide used personal computers for free to small firms in areas hit by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, including most badly affected Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima Prefectures.
The annual New Year's poetry reading took place at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Thursday.
Thursday, January 12, 2012 14:18 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120112_20.html
__________________________________________________ ___ Yomiuri online
Following a decline in the populations of areas hit hard by the March 11 disaster, special reconstruction zones have launched job-creation initiatives to curb a potential mass exodus of residents, as seen in previous disasters.
JAPAN SINCE THE QUAKE -- Redefining happiness / Disaster spurs strengthening of family ties
This is the second installment of a series of articles looking into the impact of the March 11 disaster on Japanese values. This article focuses on a growing tendency among Japanese to seek stronger family ties.
Miyagi prefectural police officers search among breakwater blocks for missing people on the coastline in the Iwaisaki district of Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture, on Wednesday, the 10-month anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake. As of Jan. 4, 1,861 of the prefecture's residents remained missing, with the last missing person found Dec. 13. The prefectural police started a regular twice-a-week search for missing people on Wednesday following irregular search efforts by diving teams and other units. http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20120112dy01.htm
__________________________________________________ _____ AJW
Emperor, empress compose poems for disaster areas
Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko expressed their feelings toward victims of the March 11 disaster in the Tohoku region in their poems read at the New Year Poetry ceremony on Jan. 12.
Nobel laureate Oe, 21 other Japanese invited to Paris Book Fair
PARIS (Kyodo) -- Nobel literature laureate Kenzaburo Oe and 21 other Japanese writers have been invited to France's largest book fair Salon du Livre to be held in March in Paris, the organizer said Wednesday.
Forum report urges flexible response to major crises on Japan quake
GENEVA (Kyodo) -- The World Economic Forum issued a report Wednesday calling for a flexible response to major crises based on lessons learned from the earthquake and tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan last March.
Emperor recounts visit to tsunami-affected areas in New Year poem
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Emperor Akihito recounted his visit to areas devastated by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in a poem recited at the annual New Year Poetry Reading Ceremony at the Imperial Palace on Thursday.
Woman visits daily place where missing husband called for citizens to evacuate from tsunami
MINAMISANRIKU, Miyagi -- A woman here continues to visit every day the office of her husband, missing since the March 11 tsunami, to leave gifts and speak out to him. http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na007000c.html
________________________________________________ Jiji press
Special Unemployment Benefit in Disaster Areas Begins Expiring
Tokyo, Jan. 12 (Jiji Press)--Special unemployment benefit began coming to an end on Thursday in the three northeastern Japan prefectures hit hardest by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami last year, labor ministry officials said.
Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+
Criminal offenses fall below 1.5 mil. in 2011
The number of criminal offenses last year in Japan fell below 1.5 million for the first time since 1981.
...Criminal offenses decreased a total of 16 percent in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, which were hit-hard by the March 11th disaster last year.....
A panel of seismologists has predicted that a magnitude 8 earthquake in western Japan would cause long-period ground motions lasting more than 5 minutes in the commercial hub of Osaka.
Friday, January 13, 2012 18:03 +0900 (JST) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120113_18.html
JAPAN SINCE THE QUAKE -- Redefining happiness / Young people question the meaning of work
This is the third installment of a series of articles looking into the impact of the March 11 disaster on Japanese values. This article focuses on a growing tendency among Japanese to redefine the meaning of work.
More than 4,000 people in the disaster-hit areas of Fukushima, Iwate and Miyagi prefectures will lose their unemployment benefits by the end of February, according to labor ministry estimates.
Machine tool orders rise 35.5% in 2011 on reconstruction demand
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Total orders for machine tools in 2011 rose 35.5 percent in value terms from the previous year to 1.33 trillion yen, increasing for the second consecutive year, due mainly to reconstruction demand in the wake of natural disasters including the March earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan and the massive flooding in Thailand, an industry body said Thursday.
Special unemployment benefits to end for 4,000 quake-hit people
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Around 4,000 people will become ineligible for unemployment insurance benefits in coastal areas of Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, devastated by the March 2011 disaster, by the end of February as special extensions begin to expire from Friday.
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Tokyo metropolitan government held a disaster drill Friday to help foreign residents better prepare for earthquakes and other natural disasters amid heightened attention following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan.
Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+
Yomiuri online
JAPAN SINCE THE QUAKE--Redefining happiness / Many seeking less materialistic lifestyles
This is the fourth installment in a series of articles looking at the impact of the March 11 disaster on Japanese values. This article focuses on people who changed their lifestyles following the disaster.
Exam-takers flock to 'lucky' rock that survived quake
A huge rock at a shrine in Miyagi Prefecture, that seems to be defying the odds by hanging tough on a steep slope despite the ground-shaking March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake, is being used as inspiration for anxious exam-takers.
A "lucky" rock and huge ring made of reeds at the Tsuriishi shrine in disaster-hit Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture (Shigetaka Kodama) http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_...AJ201201140004
__________________________________________________ ____ Mainichi jp(Kyodo, AP)
Number of business failures in Japan fall 4.4% in 2011
Race is on to save literary treasures buried in mud by March tsunami
YAMAGATA -- The date is Dec. 13, 2011, and the handful of students cloistered away in one room at the Tohoku University of Art and Design (TUAD) here are on a mission. With faces covered in white surgical masks and brushes and bamboo tools in hand, they are trying to do nothing less than save small but precious slices of history and culture, one page at a time. In short, they are cleaning rare books, caught in last year's tsunami and still caked in dried mud. http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na006000c.html
__________________________________________________ _________ Sankei news
University Testing Center Examination in Aoba ward, Sendai city
2011 photo exhibition in Japan Newspaper Museum, Yokohama city
__________________________________________________ __________ JMA
18:58 JST 14 Jan 2012 40.2N 142.5E 30 km M4.7 Iwate-ken Oki
Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+
Audio email service to begin to confirm safety
Japanese mobile phone carriers will start a service to use data communications for sending audio messages even when telephone service is disrupted following a severe disaster.
JAPAN SINCE THE QUAKE--Redefining happiness / Messages for loved ones, prayers for a nation
This is the fifth and final installment in a series of articles looking into the impact of the March 11 disaster on Japanese values. This article focuses on the growing popularity of "ending notebooks"--notebooks recording final thoughts for people outliving them--and an increase of people praying.
Two days of unified college entrance exams began Saturday at 709 test sites nationwide, including four temporary test sites specially set up in disaster-hit Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures to reduce the burden on applicants in the areas.
The traditional Shinto ritual of burning New Year decorations in Aoba ward, Sendai city
Authors try to encourage students in tsunami-stricken Tohoku
MORIOKA, Iwate Prefecture--Well-known authors and celebrities provided inspirational messages for a booklet to encourage high school students in Iwate Prefecture affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Singer-songwriter composes tune for disaster-stricken Ishinomaki
KOBE -- A local singer-songwriter has written a tune dedicated to Ishinomaki, one of the most severely affected cities in the Tohoku region following the March 11 quake and tsunami, to encourage disaster victims and remind people not to forget about them.
Woman aspires to replace pine trees lost to March tsunami
RIKUZENTAKATA (Kyodo) -- The Pacific coast of Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, used to be lined with some 70,000 pine trees. Now almost all have disappeared, swept away by the tsunami triggered by last March's devastating earthquake. http://mdn.mainichi.jp/features/arch...fe014000c.html
Encouraging disaster victims to try hard and cheer up could put pressure on them
Encouraging victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake to try hard to overcome their hardship or cheer up could put pressure on them or even push them to breaking point, victims and experts say.
Disaster-Hit Processed Food Makers Promote Sales in U.S.
San Francisco, Jan. 15 (Jiji Press)--Japanese processed food makers hit by the earthquake and tsunami last March 11 promoted their products to U.S. distribution and restaurant industries at a food exhibition that opened in San Francisco on Sunday for a three-day run.
The traditional Shinto ritual of burning New Year decorations in Kesennuma city, Miyagi pref
__________________________________________________ _______ JMA
19:36 JST 15 Jan 2012 38.8N 142.1E 50 km M4.1 Miyagi-ken Oki
Companies from areas affected by last year's massive earthquake and tsunami are taking part in a US food trade fair to try and expand their business overseas.
MINAMI-SOMA, Fukushima--Izumi no Ichiyo Matsu, a 400-year-old pine tree on the coast of Minami-Soma City, has survived the tsunami following the Great East Japan Earthquake and the subsequent salt pollution.
In recent years, a growing number of local governments have been supporting earthquake-resistance upgrades for condominiums built before quake-resistance standards were strengthened.
Japan actor Watanabe to attend Davos economic forum
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japanese actor Ken Watanabe will attend an annual meeting of the World Economic Forum to start in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 25 to give a speech on the March earthquake and tsunami disaster in northeastern Japan, his office said Monday.
Former teacher, disaster orphan hold concert in tsunami-devastated city
RIKUZENTAKATA, Iwate -- A former teacher who worked to help students psychologically recover from the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake and a girl who lost four family members to the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami hosted a concert together here on Jan. 15, where they sung in hope for the revival of the area.
Tsunami victims make own relocation plans amid slow gov't progress
ONAGAWA, Miyagi -- Residents of a fishing community in this tsunami-stricken town have set about finding relocation sites by themselves -- countering the local government's slow action. http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na016000c.html
__________________________________________________ _ Sankei news
Candle Night of 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake in Itami city, Hyogo pref
__________________________________________________ _____ JMA
10:38 JST 16 Jan 2012 38.4N 141.9E 60 km M4.0 Miyagi-ken Oki
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Re: Japan - Major Earthquake Magnitude 9.0 on Mar 11, Many thousands dead & missing - March 27+
i love this race
Linear Mode
