Strong quake hits off Japan near Fukushima

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  People crowd at Sendai railway station in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Friday, Dec. 7, 2012 after trains were halted following a strong earthquake struck off the coast of northeastern Japan. It is the same region …

• TOKYO (Reuters) – A strong quake centered off northeastern Japan shook buildings as far away as Tokyo on Friday and triggered a one-meter tsunami in an area devastated by last year’s Fukushima disaster, but there were no reports of deaths or serious damage.

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Major quake strikes off Japan, setting off small tsunami

CNN
By Alex Zolbert and Jethro Mullen, CNN
December 7, 2012 — Updated 1237 GMT (2037 HKT)

Tokyo (CNN) – A powerful earthquake struck off the northeast coast of Japan on Friday evening, rattling buildings in Tokyo and setting off a small tsunami.

Article

Give2Asia hosts NGOs working in the Tohoku region

I was honored to be invited to a special luncheon today hosted by Give2Asia http://www.give2asia.org in San Francisco. 4 NGOs from the Tohoku area were invited to share their experiences in the rebuild and relief effort in the areas affected by the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear power plant failure.

It was heartwarming to hear their stories and their challenges. Yet their commitment showed the strength and resiliency of the Japanese people.

Still one of the messages rang clear: many felt uncertainty in regards to their future and that part of their (NGOs) mission is to give hope to the people who had lost loved ones, their homes, jobs, and any sense of normalcy. There are still over 300,000 people living in temporary housing. The population in some of the towns have decreased to 70% as people, especially the young, moved out to find jobs in Tokyo and other areas. The once vibrant fishing industry in Ishinomaki is now non-existant. Acres and acres of farmland are ruined as agriculture in certain areas has been abandoned.

Many outsiders fear traveling to the region due to the radiation contamination from the Fukushima power plants. The long term economic impact is yet to be realized.

It is my hope that on my trip to the Tohoku area, I can bring a sense of support and hope to the people. As one of the executives from the Give2Asia said, “working in the nonprofit sector to help the rebuild and relief effort, you have to be an optimist”. Bringing a sense of hope to the people, that by working together, there will be a better tomorrow.

Today was such an emotional, moving experience. Thank you Gillian Ira Yeoh and Give2Asia. I look forward to meeting some of the NGOs in Japan next week.

The Crisis in Fukushima Sixteen Months After 3-11, What Has Changed?

A Talk By Mr. Yasuteru Yamada
Wednesday, August 1 at 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Cowell Hall Rm. 106, University of San Francisco 2130 Fulton St., between Masonic & Parker

Mr. Yasuteru Yamada represents the Skilled Veterans Corps for Fukushima, an organization composed of retired engineers and other professionals who have volunteered to repair and maintain the reactors. Its members feel that, since their lifespans are limited, they can handle the health risks better than younger people, and spend more time on site. So far, the Japanese government is refusing their assistance.

For information about Mr. Yamada, contact: gabriellarandazzo@gmail.com or 707-888-0923

NY 6/29/2012 “Never Restart Japan’s Nuclear Plants!” — Interview 3

Ryuchi Sakamoto

Ishinomaki to Venice! Help us screen Then and Now at the Venice Film Festival.

Eight months after the disaster of March 11, 2011, we visited Ishinomaki and interviewed survivors rebuilding their lives. We condensed these interviews into a 15 minute film, Then and Now, and posted it online. As a direct result, over 20,000 US dollars in funds and supplies have been delivered to Tohoku. But we’re not done yet.

Then and Now is one of 50 semi-finalists in the Youtube, Your Film Festival competition, and you can help us get to the next round.

http://bit.ly/ishinomaki2venice

Please follow the link above and vote for our film: Then and Now.

The top 10 films will be screened at the Venice Film Festival and even more people around the world will have a chance to hear everyone’s stories. Please visit this site and place a vote!  http://bit.ly/ishinomaki2venice

Help us support our friends in Ishinomaki and all over Tohoku!

Help us get our film in the top 10. You can vote once a day so please vote every day!

Thank you so much!

Jeffrey

In Tokyo, Thousands Protest the Restarting of a Nuclear Power Plant

NYTimes
By MARTIN FACKLER
Published: June 29, 2012

TOKYO — Shouting antinuclear slogans and beating drums, tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in front of the Japanese prime minister’s residence on Friday in the largest display yet of public anger at the government’s decision to restart a nuclear power plant. <article>

Hidemi Takahashi of Tokyo Tech

Hidemi Takahashi of Tokyo Tech, exhibiting at the TechConnect / CleanTech Open in Santa Clara, California, June 22, 2012, voices his message and support for the recovery efforts in Tohoku.
http://www.titech.ac.jp/english/

Women’s “Die-In” against the Restart of Ooi Nuke Plant (Jun/07/2012)

Published on Jun 10, 2012 by tokyobrowntabby2
On June 7, 2012, about 70 women including 10 women from Fukushima did a “die-in” in front of the Prime Minister’s Official Residence to protest against the restart of Ooi Nuclear Power Plant. Before the die-in, 10 Fukushima women visited the Cabinet Office and met with officials to submit a letter of requests addressed to Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda.

This video clip shows the words from the Fukushima women and part of the die-in.

On the very next day, June 8, 2012, Prime Minister Noda held a press conference and declared he would restart Ooi Nuclear Power Plant.

The original video (http://youtu.be/ODNhDhw_-VY) created by OurPlanet-TV (http://www.ourplanet-tv.org/?q=node/287). OurPlanet-TV is an independent net-based media and welcomes donations.

Translation and captioning by tokyobrowntabby.
Video editing by sievert311 (http://www.youtube.com/user/sievert311).

Fukushima quake, tsunami disturbed upper atmosphere: NASA

Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The massive earthquake and tsunami that hit Fukushima, Japan, last year wreaked havoc in the skies above as well, disturbing electrons in the upper atmosphere, NASA reported.
The waves of energy from the quake and tsunami that were so destructive on the ground reached into the ionosphere, a part of the upper atmosphere that stretches from about 50 to 500 miles above Earth’s surface. READ MORE