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Tag: Japan


No. 9 Army Film & Photographic Unit, Titmuss A D (Sergeant)

Japanese Mayor Defends Sex Slavery

It turns out America hasn’t cornered the market on reprehensible politicians. The mayor of Osaka, Japan’s third-largest city, just said the 200,000 female slaves who were forced to have sex with Japanese soldiers during World War II were part of a “necessary” system.

Posted on May 13, 2013 READ MORE



born1945 (CC BY-SA 2.0)

North Korea Intends to Bring Nuclear Complex Back Online

The country on Tuesday announced plans to restart its main atomic complex in order to ease electricity problems and strengthen its ability to develop nuclear weapons. The news will no doubt increase tensions in the region.

Posted on Apr 2, 2013 READ MORE



bengrey (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Asia Cuts Carbon Faster Than Europe

East Asian countries are showing the most progress in reducing the carbon intensity of their economies, leaving their competitors in Europe and the U.S. in their dust.

Posted on Mar 27, 2013 READ MORE



Conanil (CC BY 2.0)

Submarine Methane Raises the Stakes

Japan has succeeded in pioneering the exploitation of vast reserves of undersea methane. It could be good news for a resource-hungry country and bad for an overheating planet.

Posted on Mar 16, 2013 READ MORE



trekkyandy (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Mercury Rising in the Pacific

What is the gravest long-term security threat to the part of the world that includes China, North Korea and Japan, according to America’s top military officer there?

Posted on Mar 9, 2013 READ MORE



Örlygur Hnefill (CC BY 2.0)

U.S. Tightens Sanctions on Iran

The West escalated the economic war against Tehran on Wednesday, imposing a new set of restrictions intended to deter the country’s nuclear ambitions by forcing it into what amounts to a form of barter trade for oil, The New York Times reports.

Posted on Feb 7, 2013 READ MORE



photophilde (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Powder Keg in the Pacific

China’s determination to assert control over disputed islands in the potentially energy-rich waters of the East and South China Seas spells trouble not just regionally, but potentially globally.

Posted on Jan 23, 2013 READ MORE



futureatlas.com (CC BY 2.0)

China and Japan in Drone Dispute

Although the U.S. was a pioneer in unmanned flight technology, it’s worth remembering that many other major countries want to develop similar programs for their own interests. A dispute over islands in the East China Sea is catalyzing such an arms race between China and Japan.

Posted on Jan 9, 2013 READ MORE



jetalone (CC BY 2.0)

Inquiry Finds Japanese Tsunami Funds ‘Misspent’

A government audit showed Japanese authorities have used funds intended for reconstruction after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami on unrelated projects. Those paid for out of the $150 billion relief package include roads in Okinawa, advertisements for Japan’s tallest building and whaling research.

Posted on Oct 31, 2012 READ MORE



ana_omelete (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Medical Mystery Takes a Toll on Cambodian Children

Medical professionals are puzzling over why a hand, foot and mouth disease has killed so many children in a relatively small outbreak in Cambodia.

Posted on Jul 12, 2012 READ MORE


Fukushima Disaster Ruled ‘Man-Made’ as Nuclear Plant Concerns Increase

A Japanese parliamentary inquiry concluded that last year’s disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was “a profoundly man-made disaster that could and should have been foreseen and prevented.” Former nuclear industry executive Arnie Gundersen talks about the significance of the report for U.S. nuclear facilities.

Posted on Jul 6, 2012 READ MORE



carst (CC-BY)

‘Asbestos Tsunami’ Is Ahead for Asia

Health experts say the coming decades will see an epidemic of asbestos-related diseases in Asian countries where the material is still used in construction. China and India, with their rapidly developing economies and huge populations, are expected to be the hardest hit.

Posted on Apr 11, 2012 READ MORE  |  2 COMMENTS



Photo by ctj71081 (CC-BY)

American Decline: Debated, Contested, Obvious

Is the United States in decline? It’s clear to anyone who has been to Europe or the major Asian states recently, where everything works beautifully, even if Europe’s debts are not paid off.

Posted on Apr 10, 2012 READ MORE  |  89 COMMENTS



bbc.co.uk

Pearl Harbor, 70 Years Later

On Wednesday, the 70th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attacks, President Barack Obama paid homage to American troops who fought in World War II and saluted his home state (sorry, birthers) in a statement declaring the day “National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.”

Posted on Dec 7, 2011 READ MORE  |  4 COMMENTS



White House / Pete Souza

Why Does Obama Suddenly Want a War With China?

One might think that a bitter Central Asian war in Afghanistan and an ambiguous commitment to Iraq would be enough for President Barack Obama to cope with.

Posted on Nov 22, 2011 READ MORE  |  71 COMMENTS



WWF Greater Mekong

Extinction: Another One Bites the Dust

A subspecies of rhino native to Southeast Asia has been wiped out. There are now just 50 members of its parent species, the Javan rhino, left in the world. It’s a reminder that the danger in endangered is real, and we can’t just sit back and hope conservationists can keep human beings from annihilating Earth’s biodiversity. (more)

Posted on Oct 24, 2011 READ MORE  |  9 COMMENTS



U.S. Treasury Department

Japan’s Top Office: Whose Turn Is It?

Japan has already burned through five prime ministers in five years, with a sixth, Yoshihiko Noda, expected to take over from Naoto Kan on Tuesday. Kan was forced to resign Friday because of dissatisfaction with his response to the earthquake and tsunami that devastated the country. (more)

Posted on Aug 28, 2011 READ MORE  |  3 COMMENTS



Flickr / Remy Steinegger (CC-BY-SA)

Japan PM Resigns, Race for Replacement Begins

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan resigned Friday after enduring months of heavy criticism about his response to the March earthquake and tsunami and the subsequent nuclear crisis the natural disasters caused. By Saturday, five Japanese lawmakers were vying for the newly open position.

Posted on Aug 27, 2011 READ MORE  |  2 COMMENTS


The Nuke Ship Sinking

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Posted on Aug 22, 2011 READ MORE


From Kilotons to Millisieverts: Japan’s Nuclear Legacy

In recent weeks, radiation levels have spiked at the Fukushima nuclear power reactors in Japan, with recorded levels of 10,000 millisieverts per hour at one spot. This is the number reported by the reactor’s discredited owner, Tokyo Electric Power Co., although that number is simply as high as the Geiger counters go.

Posted on Aug 9, 2011 READ MORE  |  8 COMMENTS


Tsunami Did a Number on Antarctic Ice Shelves

The earthquake that hit Japan last March not only triggered a tsunami that devastated the island nation, but created waves that traveled all the way to the ice shelves of Antarctica ... (more)

Posted on Aug 9, 2011 READ MORE



‘Midnight’ and the Meaning of Trust

Fiction is supposed to provide escape. Action/adventure romances are written for youthful readers and the young at heart, but Sister Souljah makes several choices as an author in her new novel, “Midnight and the Meaning of Love,” that make it difficult to trust her.

Posted on Jul 14, 2011 READ MORE  |  6 COMMENTS



‘Midnight,’ Mother, Love

Truthdig is pleased to present this excerpt of Sister Souljah’s new novel, “Midnight and the Meaning of Love,” in which Midnight, a young fighter and family man from Brooklyn, sets out to find his kidnapped wife, Akemi, while keeping his mother and little sister safe back home.

Posted on Jul 8, 2011 READ MORE  |  4 COMMENTS



bbc.co.uk

Japanese Reconstruction Minister Creates PR Disaster, Quits

After spring’s catastrophic earthquake and tsunami, Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan’s administration created the position of minister for reconstruction and looked to appointee Ryu Matsumoto to help the recovery effort on several levels. That didn’t turn out so well.

Posted on Jul 5, 2011 READ MORE  |  3 COMMENTS



Flickr / World Economic Forum

No More Nuclear Power for Germany by 2022

German lawmakers voted to shut down all 17 of the country’s nuclear reactors over the next 11 years and pursue a renewable energy portfolio that would account for one-third of its energy resources. (more)

Posted on Jun 30, 2011 READ MORE  |  9 COMMENTS



Flickr / khalid Albaih

Japan’s Nuclear ‘Safety Myth’

In the midst of a strong international reaction to the disaster at Japan’s crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, the broad, historical and unquestioning acceptance of atomic power in the only nation to have been attacked by nuclear weapons is eerie. (more)

Posted on Jun 25, 2011 READ MORE  |  1 COMMENT


Japan’s Meltdowns Demand New No-Nukes Thinking

New details are emerging that indicate the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan is far worse than previously known, with three of the four affected reactors experiencing full meltdowns. Meanwhile, in the U.S., massive flooding along the Missouri River has put Nebraska’s two nuclear plants, both near Omaha, on alert.

Posted on Jun 21, 2011 READ MORE  |  18 COMMENTS



imdb.com

Revisiting the Horror of Nanking

“City of Life and Death,” by the Chinese writer-director Lu Chuan, is the second film about Nanking, and it is a work that aspires to the definitive and almost achieves that status.

Posted on Jun 18, 2011 READ MORE  |  26 COMMENTS


Japan Says No

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Posted on Jun 14, 2011 READ MORE



Bjoern Schwarz (CC-BY)

Germany Puts an Expiration Date on Nuclear Power

Just two and a half months after Japan’s nuclear disaster kicked off a global rethink, Germany’s governing coalition has committed to closing down all of the country’s nuclear power plants by 2022. Chancellor Angela Merkel says Germany will replace nuclear, which ... (more)

Posted on May 29, 2011 READ MORE  |  3 COMMENTS


No Progress

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Posted on May 13, 2011 READ MORE



Flickr / randomwire Some rights reserved

‘No Need to Worry’ About Nuclear Reactors, Says Japan

Japan says it will not abandon nuclear power in the wake of the quake and tsunami that resulted in the evacuation of more than 200,000 people, thousands of human deaths, an ongoing containment crisis and intensive efforts to fortify vulnerable reactors. Correction: Earlier this report erroneously said more than 200,000 deaths had occurred. We thank the readers who pointed out the mistake. (more)

Posted on May 8, 2011 READ MORE  |  7 COMMENTS


Nuclear Waste

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Posted on Apr 18, 2011 READ MORE



Illustration by PZS based on a graphic by Cary Bass

Power Company Predicts 9 More Months of Fukushima Drama

After five weeks of struggling to avoid a total meltdown at the quake- and tsunami-battered Fukushima nuclear plant, Tokyo Electric Power Co. has announced that it could be nine months before it is able to cool damaged reactors completely.

Posted on Apr 17, 2011 READ MORE



Illustration by PZS based on a graphic by Cary Bass

Fukushima Gets Upgraded to Chernobyl-Level Emergency

Japanese officials have revised the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi plant to level 7, making it the second such disaster in history, the only one since the Chernobyl meltdown. It had previously been described as being on the scale of Three Mile Island, a smaller event.

Posted on Apr 12, 2011 READ MORE  |  40 COMMENTS



shibuya246 (CC-BY-ND)

Tokyo Wants 2020 Olympics

Tokyo has been through a lot, but the mega-city is aiming high in the reconstruction department by vying for the 2020 Olympic Games. Tokyo blew about $176 million on its failed attempt at winning the 2016 Games, but might have an edge this time around owing to ...

Posted on Apr 10, 2011 READ MORE  |  4 COMMENTS



bbc.co.uk

Japan Rocked by 7.1 Quake

This time, fears of another devastating tsunami were thankfully unfounded after another big earthquake—a 7.1 this time—shook Japan late Thursday, but workers at the trouble-plagued Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant didn’t take any chances.

Posted on Apr 7, 2011 READ MORE  |  2 COMMENTS



AP / DigitalGlobe/dapd

Some Progress, but More Worry, at Japanese Plant

Although a stopgap measure has apparently plugged the leak in Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, keeping more radioactive water from spilling into the Pacific, the crisis has shifted over to Reactor 1, which could be headed for a blowup. 

Posted on Apr 6, 2011 READ MORE  |  1 COMMENT



Kyodo

Dog Swept Out to Sea in Japan Is Saved

Just to prove that things aren’t all bad in the world, here’s a bit of uplifting news. The Japanese Coast Guard plucked a small dog from wreckage floating three miles at sea three weeks after the earthquake and tsunami that ravaged the country’s northeast coast.

Posted on Apr 2, 2011 READ MORE  |  13 COMMENTS


Truthdig Radio: Helen Caldicott, Mr. Fish on Ice

On this week’s show Helen Caldicott says “the French are ignorant” and “the English are nuts,” Dr. Alan Lockwood discusses Japan, Loretta Napoleoni calculates the terror economy, Marcia Dawkins measures misogyny and Mr. Fish finds his inner princess. Update: Full transcript.

Posted on Mar 31, 2011 READ MORE  |  14 COMMENTS



Photo illustration from an image by Colin Grey

Truthdig Radio: Helen Caldicott and the Terror Economy

Truthdig Radio airs every Wednesday at 2:00 PM in Los Angeles on 90.7 KPFK. If you can’t listen live, look for the podcast and transcript of each week’s show Wednesday nights right here on Truthdig.

On this week’s show Helen Caldicott says “the French are ignorant” and “the English are nuts,” Dr. Alan Lockwood discusses Japan, Loretta Napoleoni calculates the terror economy, Marcia Dawkins measures misogyny and Mr. Fish finds his inner princess.

Posted on Mar 31, 2011 READ MORE  |  1 COMMENT



AP / DigitalGlobe/dapd

Japan’s Prime Minister Politely Drop-Kicks Nuclear Plant Owner

Lest anyone doubt who is responsible for the disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan just discarded the uncritical routine and said plant owner TEPCO’s low standards “invited the current situation.”

Posted on Mar 29, 2011 READ MORE  |  12 COMMENTS


Left, Right & Center

‘Left, Right & Center’:  Libya; Nuclear Future; Bachmann In?

Mary Matalin steps in as a guest panelist on this week’s “Left, Right & Center,” in which Libya and Japan are dominant conversation points, of course, as well as Rep. Michele Bachmann, who may or may not have her eye on the White House prize.

Posted on Mar 25, 2011 READ MORE  |  9 COMMENTS



Illustration by PZS

China Can’t Wait to Get Back to Nuclear Power

While Japan is busy trying to keep babies from drinking irradiated water, officials in nearby China are getting ready to roll out a reactor they say is more advanced and safer than the one currently poisoning Tokyo’s water supply.

Posted on Mar 23, 2011 READ MORE  |  15 COMMENTS



AP / DigitalGlobe/dapd

Lights On at Fukushima Plant

Finally, a little good news out of Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear station—but just a little. On Tuesday, workers struggling to contain radiation leaks and prevent further damage to the plant got a bit of a boost with the restoration of lighting in the control room.

Posted on Mar 22, 2011 READ MORE  |  3 COMMENTS



guardian.co.uk

Japan Death Toll Estimate Rises Past 18,000

Other international emergencies have clearly occurred in the 10 days since the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami hit Japan, but the crisis hasn’t ended in one country just because the news cameras have roamed elsewhere in the meantime.

Posted on Mar 21, 2011 READ MORE  |  2 COMMENTS


Global Pain Center

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Posted on Mar 21, 2011 READ MORE



jqmj (Queralt) (CC-BY-SA)

A Bet on Japan

If ever there was a comeback-kid sort of country, this is surely it.

Posted on Mar 20, 2011 READ MORE  |  18 COMMENTS


The Days After

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Posted on Mar 20, 2011 READ MORE


Geisha

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Posted on Mar 20, 2011 READ MORE  |  1 COMMENT


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