M7.1 quake strikes off Fukushima

M7.1 quake strikes off Fukushima

KAMAISHI, Japan - Employees of the Kamaishi city office in Iwate Prefecture collect resident evacuation information in the early hours of Oct. 26, 2013, after an earthquake registering a preliminary magnitude 7.1 struck off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture and the Japan Meteorological Agency issued an alert for tsunami of 1 meter high for Japan's northeastern Pacific coast. The agency lifted the alert about two hours later.

Mitsubishi Heavy to take orders for Wakamaru robot in Sept.

Mitsubishi Heavy to take orders for Wakamaru robot in Sept.

TOKYO, Japan - Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. said Aug. 29 it will accept orders from Sept. 16 to Oct. 31 for the Wakamaru humanoid robot (in photo) for use at home. Mitsubishi said it plans to sell 100 of the robot at a price of 1.58 million yen each, including consumption tax, initially for residents of Tokyo's 23 wards. It will select buyers by lot if too many people place orders. Wakamaru, 1-meter high and 30 kilograms in weight, is powered by rechargeable batteries and moves on wheels. It can work as a ''secretary,'' taking note of the owner's schedule and announcing appointments. It can also serve as a ''watchdog'' by alerting the home owner in the event of a break-in, the company said.

Environment group sets up 6,000 dolls in Earth Summit protest

Environment group sets up 6,000 dolls in Earth Summit protest

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa - The international environmental organization Friends of The Earth (FOE) sets up 6,000 paper dolls near the venue of the Earth Summit in Johannesburg on Sept. 1 to protest the ''hegemony'' of big enterprises. FOE said the 1-meter-high paper dolls represent ordinary citizens and paid poor South Africans to make them.

Demonstrators urge rich countries to relieve debt burden

Demonstrators urge rich countries to relieve debt burden

TOKYO, Japan - Demonstrators carrying 1-meter-high Japanese yen signs on their backs stage a ''Drop the Debt'' protest in Tokyo's Kasumigaseki government office district on July 6, urging rich countries to totally forgive the repayment of loans extended to poorer states. The protest took place two days before a meeting of finance ministers from the Group of Seven (G-7) industrial powers in Fukuoka, southwestern Japan.

Japan sees tsunami but no major damage after Tonga volcano eruption

Japan saw tsunami waves of about 1 meter high in coastal areas on Sunday but no major damage or flooding after the eruption of an underwater volcano off Tonga led to evacuation orders for nearly 230,000 citizens. Japan's weather agency issued tsunami warnings and advisories in the early hours for the Pacific coast from Hokkaido to Okinawa, but these were all lifted in the afternoon, after around 14 hours. Up to 229,000 people in eight prefectures -- Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Chiba, Tokushima, Kochi, Miyazaki and Kagoshima -- were asked to flee from the seaside, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.

Mitsubishi Heavy to take orders for Wakamaru robot in Sept.

Mitsubishi Heavy to take orders for Wakamaru robot in Sept.

TOKYO, Japan - Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. said Aug. 29 it will accept orders from Sept. 16 to Oct. 31 for the Wakamaru humanoid robot (in photo) for use at home. Mitsubishi said it plans to sell 100 of the robot at a price of 1.58 million yen each, including consumption tax, initially for residents of Tokyo's 23 wards. It will select buyers by lot if too many people place orders. Wakamaru, 1-meter high and 30 kilograms in weight, is powered by rechargeable batteries and moves on wheels. It can work as a ''secretary,'' taking note of the owner's schedule and announcing appointments. It can also serve as a ''watchdog'' by alerting the home owner in the event of a break-in, the company said. (Kyodo)

Environment group sets up 6,000 dolls in Earth Summit protest

Environment group sets up 6,000 dolls in Earth Summit protest

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa - The international environmental organization Friends of The Earth (FOE) sets up 6,000 paper dolls near the venue of the Earth Summit in Johannesburg on Sept. 1 to protest the ''hegemony'' of big enterprises. FOE said the 1-meter-high paper dolls represent ordinary citizens and paid poor South Africans to make them. (Kyodo)

Demonstrators urge rich countries to relieve debt burden

Demonstrators urge rich countries to relieve debt burden

TOKYO, Japan - Demonstrators carrying 1-meter-high Japanese yen signs on their backs stage a ''Drop the Debt'' protest in Tokyo's Kasumigaseki government office district on July 6, urging rich countries to totally forgive the repayment of loans extended to poorer states. The protest took place two days before a meeting of finance ministers from the Group of Seven (G-7) industrial powers in Fukuoka, southwestern Japan.