75% of whale meat offered for auction remains unsold

75% of whale meat offered for auction remains unsold

TOKYO, Japan - Whale meat is sold at an Osaka department store in January 2011. Three-quarters of more than 1,200 tons of meat from whales caught during Japan's self-described "research whaling" activities in the Northwest Pacific remains unsold, although the whaling organizer began inviting bids for the meat in 2011, according to the Iruka & Kujira (Dolphin & Whale) Action Network, a Japanese anti-whaling group. The Tokyo-based Institute of Cetacean Research has organized 13 rounds of public auctions since October, but 908.8 tons, or 75.0 percent of the 1,211.9 tons offered, remain unsold, according to a report compiled by freelance journalist Junko Sakuma and released by the group.

75% of whale meat offered for auction remains unsold

75% of whale meat offered for auction remains unsold

TOKYO, Japan - A minke whale, catch during Japan's self-described "research whaling" activities, is landed at Kushiro port, Hokkaido, in September 2010. Three-quarters of more than 1,200 tons of meat from whales caught during such activities in the Northwest Pacific remains unsold, although the whaling organizer began inviting bids for the meat in 2011, according to the Iruka & Kujira (Dolphin & Whale) Action Network, a Japanese anti-whaling group. The Tokyo-based Institute of Cetacean Research has organized 13 rounds of public auctions since October, but 908.8 tons, or 75.0 percent of the 1,211.9 tons offered, remain unsold, according to a report compiled by freelance journalist Junko Sakuma and released by the group.

Toshiba to deliver water treatment system to Fukushima plant

Toshiba to deliver water treatment system to Fukushima plant

TOKYO, Japan - Toshiba Corp. employees build a water treatment system in Yokohama on July 14, 2011. The company is set to deliver the system to the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant to help decontamination efforts amid a series of problems with existing devices. The new system, which can treat 1,200 tons of water a day, will start operation from early August to help plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. deal with the crisis triggered by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Huge glass dome set on Osaka's museum

Huge glass dome set on Osaka's museum

OSAKA, Japan - Cranes set a huge glass dome on the new Osaka Maritime Museum being built in Suminoe Ward, facing Osaka Bay, on Nov. 7. The dome, with a diameter of 70 meters, weighs 1,200 tons and contains 4,800 sheets of glass. The museum is scheduled to open next summer.