Daily Japan Headlines: Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Written By: guyjin on June 1, 2011 No Comment

20110601
Prime Minister Kan Naoto. Photo Source: CNN

CNN: Japanese PM faces no-confidence vote in parliament

The opposition Liberal Democratic Party filed a no-confidence motion Wednesday, and needs a total of 240 votes for it to pass in parliament. It cited his handling of the March 11 earthquake, tsunami and ensuing nuclear crisis as a reason for the motion.
Opposition members need 80 votes from Kan’s party, the Democratic Party of Japan. So far, at least 50 members of his party say they will vote for the no-confidence motion.

*****

CNN Video: We ‘came close’ to losing northern Japan

Famed physicist Michio Kaku says northern Japan was almost lost to a “100% core melt” in the Fukushima nuclear accident.

Video after the jump.

*****

LA Times: Key political risks to watch in Japan

*****

BBC Video: Japan nuclear: UN says tsunami risk was underestimated

A nuclear safety team from the International Atomic Energy Agency on a visit to the country says that Japan underestimated the risk of a tsunami hitting a nuclear power plant.

*****

Reuters: Japan sales tax plan may hurt at first, timing in doubt

If the government raises taxes when the economy is weak, that would put the squeeze on corporate margins as companies would absorb much of the rise rather than lift prices, according to Satoru Ogasawara, economist at Credit Suisse in Tokyo.

*****

ABC Australia Audio: Video of tsunami survivors shows killer waves at Japan’s Rikuzentakata

One of the survivors has shown AM an extraordinary video of how he escaped the killer waves as our North Asia correspondent Mark Willacy reports from Rikuzentakata.

*****

Fox Business: Japan Nuclear Disaster Tab High As $246B: Report

The cost of the meltdown at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant could be between 5.7 trillion and 20 trillion yen ($70.1 billion-$246 billion), according to a report published Wednesday.

*****

ABC: Japan Wants Businessmen to Shed Suits, Save Energy

To prevent blackouts, the government is asking companies and government offices to cut electricity usage by 15 percent. It wants companies to limit air conditioning and set room temperatures at a warm 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit).
Polo shirts, Aloha shirts and sneakers are acceptable now under the environment ministry’s relaxed guidelines. Jeans and sandals are OK too under certain circumstances.

*****

UPI: Japan investing in U.K. green technology