Children from a city hard-hit by the March 11th disaster have been invited to the Kobe Luminarie festival, featuring the city's annual year-end lighting display.
The lighting displays have been staged since 1995 to mourn the victims of the Great Hanshin Earthquake and to express people's determination to rebuild the city.
A non-profit organization in Kobe invited 38 elementary and junior high schools students from Natori city, Miyagi Prefecture, to the festival on Saturday.
The students enjoyed the illumination for about one hour, taking photos.
This year the festival's theme is "the light of hope," and is dedicated to those affected by the March disaster.
A 4th-grade girl said she was impressed by the beauty of the lighting display on her first visit, adding that she wants to come back when she grows up.
A 5th-grader said he was looking forward to visiting Kobe. He said he wants to do all he can to rebuild his hometown just as Kobe was reconstructed.
2011年12月11日日曜日
Lunar eclipse observed on Japan's Pacific coast
People on the Pacific coast of Japan were able to view a total lunar eclipse on Saturday night.
This was the first time in 11 years that an entire lunar eclipse was visible from any place in Japan.
The phenomenon occurs when the earth casts its shadow over a full moon, with the sun, moon, and earth being exactly aligned.
In Tokyo's Shibuya Ward, home to NHK, the shadow started to fall on the moon shortly before 10 PM, Japan time.
The total eclipse was observed just after 11 PM. The moon appeared dusky red due to solar rays refracted in the earth's atmosphere and could be seen with the naked eye for about 50 minutes.
The National Astronomical Observatory says the next total lunar eclipse visible in Japan will occur in October 2014.
This was the first time in 11 years that an entire lunar eclipse was visible from any place in Japan.
The phenomenon occurs when the earth casts its shadow over a full moon, with the sun, moon, and earth being exactly aligned.
In Tokyo's Shibuya Ward, home to NHK, the shadow started to fall on the moon shortly before 10 PM, Japan time.
The total eclipse was observed just after 11 PM. The moon appeared dusky red due to solar rays refracted in the earth's atmosphere and could be seen with the naked eye for about 50 minutes.
The National Astronomical Observatory says the next total lunar eclipse visible in Japan will occur in October 2014.
2011年12月3日土曜日
TEPCO issues interim report on Fukushima accident
The Tokyo Electric Power Company has released an interim report on its in-house probe into the nuclear disaster at the firm's Fukushima Daiichi power plant.
But the report issued on Friday fails to clarify how or why a huge amount of radioactive materials leaked outside the facility.
Based on data and interviews of more than 250 workers since June, the report describes how the giant tsunami on March 11th knocked out almost all of the plant's power sources and all of its fail-safe mechanisms. The report also details how meltdowns occurred at some of the plant's reactors after the accident.
The report says the firm had worked with the government and obtained its endorsement in taking measures to guard the plant from severe accidents before March 11th.
The report also defends as reasonable the utility's effort to contain the damage from the accident.
The report says that the plant lost all of its safety mechanisms because the tsunami was much larger than expected, that workers could not keep up with developments, and that core meltdowns occurred.
The report calls for thorough steps to protect the cooling and power systems of power plants from tsunamis and for installation of an emergency power source in a safe place.
The report calls on the utility to ensure that it has ways to cool reactors in case of further accidents.
The report does not contain an in-depth examination of the utility's failure to immediately submit to the government the firm's 2008 estimate that a tsunami higher than 10 meters could hit the plant. The utility has said it did not submit the estimate immediately because it was based on a groundless hypothesis. The firm eventually submitted the estimate only 4 days before the March 11th disaster.
Much remains unknown about how workers tried to cool the plant's Number 1 reactor -- where a meltdown occurred -- or why the Number 2 reactor ended up releasing a large amount of radioactive materials
But the report issued on Friday fails to clarify how or why a huge amount of radioactive materials leaked outside the facility.
Based on data and interviews of more than 250 workers since June, the report describes how the giant tsunami on March 11th knocked out almost all of the plant's power sources and all of its fail-safe mechanisms. The report also details how meltdowns occurred at some of the plant's reactors after the accident.
The report says the firm had worked with the government and obtained its endorsement in taking measures to guard the plant from severe accidents before March 11th.
The report also defends as reasonable the utility's effort to contain the damage from the accident.
The report says that the plant lost all of its safety mechanisms because the tsunami was much larger than expected, that workers could not keep up with developments, and that core meltdowns occurred.
The report calls for thorough steps to protect the cooling and power systems of power plants from tsunamis and for installation of an emergency power source in a safe place.
The report calls on the utility to ensure that it has ways to cool reactors in case of further accidents.
The report does not contain an in-depth examination of the utility's failure to immediately submit to the government the firm's 2008 estimate that a tsunami higher than 10 meters could hit the plant. The utility has said it did not submit the estimate immediately because it was based on a groundless hypothesis. The firm eventually submitted the estimate only 4 days before the March 11th disaster.
Much remains unknown about how workers tried to cool the plant's Number 1 reactor -- where a meltdown occurred -- or why the Number 2 reactor ended up releasing a large amount of radioactive materials
2011年11月23日水曜日
Post-disaster preparations discussed in Tokyo
Japanese officials in charge of natural disaster measures have discussed preparations for stranded commuters after major disasters such as earthquakes.
National and local government officials along with representatives from business groups held the second meeting of its kind in Tokyo on Tuesday.
Many people were stranded in the Tokyo metropolitan area on March 11th as most public transport was suspended after the quake.
A Cabinet Office survey found that more than 47 percent of over 5,300 respondents said they left their school or office before 6 PM on that day.
The office estimates that 5 million 150,000 people were stranded in Tokyo and the 4 neighboring prefectures, including the southern part of Ibaraki.
A guideline compiled at the meeting says firms should dissuade employees from leaving their offices after disasters as rescue operations and firefighting should be given priority. It recommends that companies store supplies of food and drinking water to last for 3 days.
Tokyo's Deputy Governor Naoki Inose, who chaired the meeting, said it's important for people to realize that they should stay put after a disaster and preparations will be crucial. He added that the Tokyo Metropolitan government will propose a regulation that will require firms to store food and water. He said the guideline should set a tone for policy-making and he hopes that neighboring local governments will follow suit.
National and local government officials along with representatives from business groups held the second meeting of its kind in Tokyo on Tuesday.
Many people were stranded in the Tokyo metropolitan area on March 11th as most public transport was suspended after the quake.
A Cabinet Office survey found that more than 47 percent of over 5,300 respondents said they left their school or office before 6 PM on that day.
The office estimates that 5 million 150,000 people were stranded in Tokyo and the 4 neighboring prefectures, including the southern part of Ibaraki.
A guideline compiled at the meeting says firms should dissuade employees from leaving their offices after disasters as rescue operations and firefighting should be given priority. It recommends that companies store supplies of food and drinking water to last for 3 days.
Tokyo's Deputy Governor Naoki Inose, who chaired the meeting, said it's important for people to realize that they should stay put after a disaster and preparations will be crucial. He added that the Tokyo Metropolitan government will propose a regulation that will require firms to store food and water. He said the guideline should set a tone for policy-making and he hopes that neighboring local governments will follow suit.
2011年11月10日木曜日
TEPCO: hydrogen from reactor caused blast
The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant says the explosion of the facility's Number 4 reactor on March 15th was caused by a backflow of hydrogen from an adjacent building.
The Tokyo Electric Power Company, or TEPCO, announced the finding on Thursday.
The blast was initially thought to have been caused by hydrogen created when spent fuel stored in a pool at the reactor building was damaged by the devastating March 11th quake.
TEPCO workers who entered the building on Tuesday to determine the cause found that the 5th floor was more severely damaged than the 4th, where a pool of spent fuel is located, and that the fuel was intact.
The workers also confirmed that an air conditioning duct on the floor was severely damaged.
TEPCO says the hydrogen likely flowed into the reactor through the duct connected to the plant's Number 3 reactor when workers released pressurized air from it to prevent a hydrogen blast.
The firm says the explosion very likely occurred after the density of hydrogen in the duct increased.
A hydrogen blast took place at the Number 3 building a day before the explosion at the Number 4 building.
The Tokyo Electric Power Company, or TEPCO, announced the finding on Thursday.
The blast was initially thought to have been caused by hydrogen created when spent fuel stored in a pool at the reactor building was damaged by the devastating March 11th quake.
TEPCO workers who entered the building on Tuesday to determine the cause found that the 5th floor was more severely damaged than the 4th, where a pool of spent fuel is located, and that the fuel was intact.
The workers also confirmed that an air conditioning duct on the floor was severely damaged.
TEPCO says the hydrogen likely flowed into the reactor through the duct connected to the plant's Number 3 reactor when workers released pressurized air from it to prevent a hydrogen blast.
The firm says the explosion very likely occurred after the density of hydrogen in the duct increased.
A hydrogen blast took place at the Number 3 building a day before the explosion at the Number 4 building.
2011年11月7日月曜日
Fish market in tsunami-hit town reopens
A fish market in a northeastern Japanese town that was devastated by the March tsunami has begun trading again.
The market in Otsuchi, Iwate Prefecture, had been closed for about 8 months after the tsunami swept away the market building and an ice-making facility.
On Monday, 20 tons of mackerel, salmon and other fish were brought in. The market's first fish auction since the tsunami was about a half the normal haul for this time of the year but enough to bring life to the market again.
Before the auction, about 30 fishermen and market officials observed a moment of silence for those killed in the disaster.
The head of the town's fisheries cooperative says he has mixed emotions. He says the reopening is only a small step forward and that more fisheries workers should come back to the market.
One dealer says the market will gradually be revitalized now that the fish have returned.
The market in Otsuchi, Iwate Prefecture, had been closed for about 8 months after the tsunami swept away the market building and an ice-making facility.
On Monday, 20 tons of mackerel, salmon and other fish were brought in. The market's first fish auction since the tsunami was about a half the normal haul for this time of the year but enough to bring life to the market again.
Before the auction, about 30 fishermen and market officials observed a moment of silence for those killed in the disaster.
The head of the town's fisheries cooperative says he has mixed emotions. He says the reopening is only a small step forward and that more fisheries workers should come back to the market.
One dealer says the market will gradually be revitalized now that the fish have returned.
Crown Prince to fill in for duties of sick Emperor
Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito will temporarily take over the duties of state affairs for his ailing father, the Emperor.
Emperor Akihito was admitted to the University of Tokyo Hospital on Sunday evening for bronchitis complicated by persistent fever. He entered the hospital accompanied by Empress Michiko.
The 77-year-old Emperor saw doctors earlier in the day and was recommended to stay in the hospital as precaution.
After developing a fever due to a cold on Thursday, he cancelled his attendance at a tea party with recipients of the Order of Culture and Persons of Cultural Merit. The Emperor did not attend a national convention of supporters for people with mental disabilities on Sunday.
The Emperor has had a persistent mild form of bronchitis, but accumulated fatigue is believed to have weakened his immunity and worsened the symptoms.
While the Emperor is in the hospital, Crown Prince Naruhito will take his father's place in awarding this fall's Orders recipients in a ceremony on Monday.
The Crown Prince will be standing in for the Emperor for the first time since January 2003, when his father had surgery for prostate cancer.
The Crown Prince is also expected to attend the 100th anniversary of a donation of forestland by the Meiji Emperor, scheduled for November 13th in Yamanashi Prefecture.
Emperor Akihito was admitted to the University of Tokyo Hospital on Sunday evening for bronchitis complicated by persistent fever. He entered the hospital accompanied by Empress Michiko.
The 77-year-old Emperor saw doctors earlier in the day and was recommended to stay in the hospital as precaution.
After developing a fever due to a cold on Thursday, he cancelled his attendance at a tea party with recipients of the Order of Culture and Persons of Cultural Merit. The Emperor did not attend a national convention of supporters for people with mental disabilities on Sunday.
The Emperor has had a persistent mild form of bronchitis, but accumulated fatigue is believed to have weakened his immunity and worsened the symptoms.
While the Emperor is in the hospital, Crown Prince Naruhito will take his father's place in awarding this fall's Orders recipients in a ceremony on Monday.
The Crown Prince will be standing in for the Emperor for the first time since January 2003, when his father had surgery for prostate cancer.
The Crown Prince is also expected to attend the 100th anniversary of a donation of forestland by the Meiji Emperor, scheduled for November 13th in Yamanashi Prefecture.
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