Today's print edition Home Delivery At least four people were killed and 94 were injured as Typhoon Shanshan battered Japan with strong winds and torrential rain on Thursday after making landfall in the morning near the city of Satsumasendai While Shanshan weakened into a severe tropical storm later Thursday it continued to bring heavy rain to not just Kyushu but wide areas of western and eastern Japan prompting warnings about flooding and landslides and disrupting transportation networks across the country.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); Shanshan was packing sustained wind speeds of 144 kph and gusts reaching up to 216 kph at the time carrying the weather agency’s rating of “very strong,” its second-highest level for typhoons the center of the storm was positioned near the city of Shimabara It had a central pressure reading of 985 hectopascals maximum sustained wind speeds of 108 kph and gusts reaching up to 162 kph The center of the storm remains over Kyushu with its outer areas covering Shikoku and parts of western Honshu But heavy rain associated with the storm is reaching areas including Tokyo and the wider Kanto region Shanshan is expected to track northeast over Kyushu through Friday morning before moving over Shikoku or western Honshu later on Friday As the storm continued to batter the nation the tally of deaths and injuries began to rise Three people were killed after a landslide trapped five family members in Gamagori as rain brought in from the typhoon battered the Tokai region a man in his 80s was killed when the floor of his second storey home collapsed in the town of Kamiita at least 94 people across at least 10 prefectures — mainly in southern Kyushu — were injured and one person was missing due to the storm A man in his 60s went missing in Kagoshima Bay on Wednesday night when he fell into the ocean from the small boat he was on Eyewall of #typhoon #shanshan moving over Makurazaki now - fierce winds and sheets of rain flying every. Sporadic lightning too - with @iCyclone pic.twitter.com/QqDsNsj8TI the city of Miyazaki received over 160 reports of damage due to the typhoon from noon on Wednesday through to 6 a.m About 70% of the damage was caused by strong winds Damage to homes mostly involved shattered windows from flying debris have all been reported as non-life-threatening The cities of Bungotakada and Kunisaki in Oita Prefecture have issued Level 5 emergency warnings — the highest level — covering nearly 30,000 residents in the Aki-machi area of the city after the Aki River overflowed due to heavy rainfall Level 4 evacuation orders remain in place for the rest of Kunisaki affecting 9,206 households and 19,414 residents Bungotakada issued its warning at 2:40 p.m covering 10,999 households and 21,804 people throughout the city due to the threat of flooding of rivers and landslides in the city A Level 5 warning means residents should take immediate life-saving actions by moving to safer locations such as the second floor or higher in their homes nearby sturdy buildings or areas away from slopes A Level 5 warning was also issued at around 8 a.m on Thursday for the city of Yufu in Oita Prefecture due to flooding from the Miyakawa River which overflowed its banks amid the heavy rain The alert covers 2,311 people in 1,256 households The same level of alert was issued later in the morning for the city of Usa due to possible flooding from the Yakkan River The alert covers 27,015 people across 15,712 households over 150,000 households in Kyushu were experiencing power outages including about 134,000 in Kagoshima alone Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met with ministers in related fields on Thursday urging officials to do what they can to respond to the typhoon with a sense of urgency especially given that the effects of the storm will most likely be prolonged “Please continue to put people’s safety first and cooperate closely with local authorities to take all possible measures to keep the public informed support evacuation in advance in areas where danger is anticipated and maintain a well-prepared disaster response centered on the police and Self Defense Forces,” he said at the meeting on Thursday The government set up a special disaster prevention team for Typhoon Shanshan on Wednesday The team is set to meet again for the second time later this afternoon A linear precipitation zone — or a band of cumulonimbus clouds — has developed in Oita Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures due to the slow-moving storm leading to prolonged heavy rain in the same area where the weather agency has issued warnings of heavy rainfall heavy rain Shikoku and southern Hyogo Prefecture prompted similar warnings The town of Misato in Miyazaki Prefecture recorded 793 millimeters of rainfall in the past 48 hours which amounts to around 1.4 times the total amount that it receives on average during the entire month of August The town of Kinko in Kagoshima Prefecture saw 557 mm while the city of Saiki in Oita Prefecture saw 537 mm Heavy rain is expected to continue across much of the nation with parts of southern Kyushu expected to see 600 mm of rain over the next 24 hours Parts of northern Kyushu and the Shikoku region are expected to see 400 mm Level 4 evacuation orders are currently issued in parts of Kagoshima Shizuoka and Mie either due to the risk of heavy rainfall Aichi and Shizuoka remain far from the storm’s center but outer bands of the powerful typhoon have already brought severe weather to the area Transportation networks across the southwestern and western part of the country were suspended or cut back on Thursday due to the storm with shinkansen trains in Kyushu suspended through Thursday and Friday The Kyushu Shinkansen will continue suspending operations on Friday JR West has announced that from the first train to around 10 a.m. it will suspend service between Hiroshima and Hakata stations but that it will continue operations as usual between Shin-Osaka and Hiroshima Central Japan Railway (JR Tokai) announced at 6:50 p.m Thursday that the Tokaido Shinkansen line between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka stations will be suspended for the rest of the day Trains that were running at the time of the announcement were set to either terminate at their next stop or return to their starting station The decision was made due to continued heavy rainfall in Shizuoka Prefecture with no signs of the rainfall levels dropping below regulatory safety limits the line between Mishima Station in Shizuoka Prefecture and Nagoya Station will be suspended as heavy rain and strong winds are expected in the area The number of trains running between Tokyo and Mishima as well as those between Nagoya and Shin-Osaka JR Tokai has stated that the planned suspensions and alterations are subject to change if weather conditions worsen Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen trains with through service to Hakata Station in the city of Fukuoka will be completely suspended on Friday Air travel has also been heavily affected by Shanshan completely shutting down regional airports and severely impacting flights departing from and arriving at Fukuoka Airport at least 794 domestic flights — 276 JAL flights 214 ANA flights and 304 from other airlines — were canceled at least 74 flights have been canceled for Friday all flights scheduled to arrive or depart from Fukuoka Airport have been canceled Flights departing and arriving from Tokyo’s Haneda and Narita airports While further study will be required to determine the influence of climate change on Shanshan severe typhoons are becoming more common because of global warming even as the overall number of tropical storms stays the same A warmer atmosphere and ocean allow storms to hold more moisture while storm surges are also higher due to a rise in sea levels See The Japan Times' disaster information portal for live updates on Typhoon Shanshan In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division A 12-car freight train derailed at Sendai Station on the JR Kagoshima Line in Satsumasendai please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent According to JR Kyushu and other authorities the derailment involved a locomotive at the front of the train and two container freight cars following it The train had departed from Kumamoto freight yard in Kumamoto and was heading for Kagoshima Station in Kagoshima The driver felt a tremor in the train when it departed from Sendai Station after a temporary stop at the station JR Kyushu decided to suspend operation of the Kagoshima Line between Sendai and Kumanojo stations for the entire day Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information National Report Kagoshima Prefecture--A three-day evacuation exercise involving nearly 5,000 residents began on Feb The drill was the first organized by the central government since a magnitude-7.6 earthquake in Ishikawa Prefecture on Jan left residents of rural hamlets living near the Shika nuclear power plant stranded for days One objective was reacting to a nuclear emergency at the Sendai plant Officials also wanted to determine the factors involved in evacuating residents of communities cut off due to impassable roads caused by a major earthquake A total of 294 entities feature in the exercise that involves around 4,800 people local municipalities and Kyushu Electric Power Co. The drill simulated conditions for an earthquake with the highest intensity of 7 on the Japanese scale that knocked out the cooling system of one of the two reactors at the Sendai plant triggering the release of large amounts of radioactive materials The scenario is a close match for what happened at the Fukushima No 1 nuclear power plant following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster Activities planned for the exercise include monitoring radiation levels evacuating residents from isolated communities using boats and helicopters and transporting supplies to the disaster-stricken area the off-site center outside of the Sendai plant was converted into a local response headquarters and those in charge of emergency situations were called to action They “gathered” information about the disaster and contacted the relevant government agencies The first liaison meeting was held on the assumption that a second most severe situation within a three-stage classification had occurred Reports were submitted to the liaison meeting about the state of the nuclear reactor and radiation levels evacuation exercises were held to deal with scenarios such as moving residents out of the precautionary action zone (PAZ) within five kilometers of the Sendai nuclear plant Another exercise was held to “instruct” those living within the urgent protective action planning zone (UPZ) between five to 30 km from the plant to either stay indoors or evacuate 3-day evacuation drill at Niigata nuclear plant called ‘useless’ 400 trapped around nuclear plant for 8 days after Noto quake Court rejects request to keep Tohoku Electric reactor offline Tokyo High Court rules state not liable in 2011 nuclear accident Boiling water reactor restarted at Onagawa nuclear plant Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.) A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II In-house News and Messages No reproduction or republication without written permission The Environment Ministry is studying measures to increase areas designated by municipalities where the introduction of power generation from renewable energy is promoted including a possible addition of incentives to businesses starting related projects in the areas will be included in a revision of the government's plan for tackling global warming The plan will be revised as early as this fiscal year which ends in March.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); Japan aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 the ministry encourages municipalities to establish renewable energy promotion areas under a system launched in fiscal 2022 only 36 municipalities had set up such areas Observers attribute the slow use of the system to the heavy administrative burdens for municipalities and a lack of incentives to companies willing to start renewable energy projects in such areas An experts' review panel set up in June has pointed to a need to improve the system for determining renewable energy areas prompting the ministry to examine concrete measures The ministry has identified cases in which local decarbonization efforts have not made progress in small municipalities that are eager to take action but lack staff The ministry will consider measures also to address the problem for inclusion in the revised plan to combat global warming About Us Company Overview Philosophy Corporate Policy Corporate Profile Officers Corporate Organization History Exhibition Facilities Event & Exhibition MHI Group’s Declaration to achieve Carbon Neutral by 2040 CEO Message Outline of MHI Group Business Area Global Network Region Products Business Alphabetical Order Locations Head Offices & Domestic Offices Research & Innovation Center Works & Plants Overseas Offices Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works Shimonoseki Shipyard & Machinery Works Hiroshima Machinery Works Mihara Machinery Works Kobe Shipyard & Machinery Works Takasago Machinery Works Yokohama Dockyard & Machinery Works Sagamihara Machinery Works Hitachi Works Kure Works Procurement Procurement Policy MHI Group Supply Chain Sustainability Promotion Guidelines Procurement Network Registration REGIONS Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in AMER Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in EMEA Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in APAC Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in THAILAND Our Business Key Solutions CCUS Hydrogen and Ammonia Data Center Products Energy Aircraft Space Ship & Ocean Transportation Material handling Environment Automotive Industrial machinery Infrastructure Living & leisure Defense Engineering Technology 01 CARBON NEUTRAL WORLD 02 INNOVATION 03 MHI CORE TECHNOLOGIES 04 R&D CENTER, FACILITY 05 DIGITAL INNOVATION Intellectual Property Yokohama Hardtech Hub Technical Review Nuclear Energy Systems Quality Assurance Bidding information Engineering Business Decarbonization Occupational Health and Safety Profile Videos MHI Engineering, Ltd. Sustainability Topics Framework Material Issues マテリアリティ（重要課題） GRI Guidelines Comparison Tables Materiality Explanation Cartoon TCFD Disclosure Declaration on Biodiversity How MHI Group is Helping to Protect Biodiversity Certification(ISO45001) Library Investors Management Policy Corporate Governance Disclosure Policy Financial Data Financial Highlights Outline of Financial Results Main Financial Data Main Financial Index Business Segment Data Overseas Sales by Region Consolidated Statement of Financial Position Consolidated Statement of Profit or Loss Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows IR Library Financial Results Medium-Term Business Plan Briefings by Topic Business Presentation MHI REPORT (Integrated Report) and Other Reports Other Presentation Conference Movie Stock and Bond Information Stock Information Shareholder Return Stock Quotes Shareholders' Meeting Corporate Ratings and Bonds Analyst Coverage The Articles of Incorporation Sustainable Finance Insights STORIES CINEMA WHITEPAPERS (MHI) will supply an electric bus to the city of Satsumasendai in Kagoshima Prefecture low-floor model that operates on MHI's high-performance "MLiX" lithium-ion rechargeable battery enabling a dramatic increase in continuous travel distance The new bus will go into service in the city's regular route network starting in April This site (www.mhi.com) uses cookies in order to improve your experience and to provide content of your interest upon revisiting the site. For more information about the use of cookies on this site, please review our cookie policy in our Terms of Use. And please confirm that you agree to use of cookies by clicking Yes.Terms of Use after a town in the country’s south-west voted to approve two reactors coming back online Nineteen of 26 assembly members in Satsumasendai voted in favour of restarting the Sendai nuclear power plant the first to win approval to restart since the introduction of stringent new safety requirements That means the plant’s two reactors are unlikely to be restarted until next year The move will be a boost to the prime minister, Shinzo Abe, who supports a gradual return to nuclear power as Japan confronts rising costs of imported oil and gas and doubts about its ability to meet climate change commitments Aware that a majority of Japanese opposes a return to nuclear power Abe has said he would leave the final decision on whether to approve the restarts to local communities Greenpeace said Tuesday’s vote “starkly contradicts” the views of most people near the Sendai plant “There are many significant unanswered or ignored safety questions – these must be addressed publicly and to the satisfaction of the people whose lives and livelihoods are threatened by a potential restart of the Sendai reactors,” said Greenpeace Japan’s nuclear campaigner Ai Kashiwagi Like many other towns located near atomic facilities Satsumasendai’s economy was heavily dependent on nuclear power All of Japan’s reactors were switched off after the 11 March 2011 disaster in which three reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant went into meltdown after it was struck by a huge earthquake and tsunami The disaster forced the evacuation of 160,000 people and contaminated communities around the plant Many evacuees are still unable to return home owing to high radiation levels All 48 of the country’s reactors were closed in the aftermath of Fukushima to undergo newly introduced safety checks forcing Japan to increase its dependence on fossil fuels nuclear had provided 30% of the country’s energy needs and there were plans to increase its share to around 50% by 2030 The debate about the Sendai plant has split communities The “host” town of Satsumasendai receives billions of yen in government and industry subsidies which lies slightly further away from the plant even though residents say they would face similar health risks from radiation leaks in the event of an accident more than half of the 30,000 residents of Ichikikushikino signed a petition opposing the restart The issue has been complicated by concerns over a volcano located 40 miles away that scientists say is showing signs of increased activity that could cause a small eruption Mount Ioyama has recently been shaken by small tremors and showed signs other signs of rising volcanic activity Japan restarted a nuclear reactor for the first time under new safety standards put in place since the Fukushima disaster in 2011 as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe seeks to reassure a nervous public that the industry is now safe Abe and much of Japanese industry want reactors to be switched on again to cut fuel bills but opinion polls show a majority of the public oppose the move after the nuclear crisis triggered by the earthquake and tsunami four years ago Kyushu Electric Power began the restart on Tuesday of the No The reactor will take a few days to reach full power if all goes to plan The head of Japan's atomic watchdog said that new safety rules meant a repeat of the Fukushima disaster would not happen but protesters outside the Sendai plant are not convinced "You will need to change where you evacuate to depending on the direction of the wind The current evacuation plan is nonsense," said Shouhei Nomura a 79-year-old former worker at a nuclear plant equipment maker who now opposes atomic energy and is living in a protest camp near the plant on Kyushu island The protesters in Sendai included Naoto Kan who was prime minister during the Fukushima crisis and now fiercely opposes nuclear power In the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl 25 years earlier the meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi plant caused a release of radioactive material and forced 160,000 from their homes Abe has said only reactors that were deemed to have cleared the "world's most stringent regulation standards" would be allowed to restart The Sendai plant is the furthest away of Japan's reactors from the capital Tokyo where protesters regularly gather outside Abe's official residence to oppose atomic energy The crisis shocked Japan and the world was transfixed as the government and the Fukushima operator While two reactors have since been restarted for a fuelling cycle under the old standards in 2012 the whole sector has been shut down since September 2013 forcing Japan to import record amounts of expensive liquefied natural gas a few hundred people rallied outside the Sendai plant amid tight security "Human life and nature are more precious than the economy," a young woman told the national broadcaster Of Japan's 25 reactors at 15 plants for which operators have applied for permission to restart only five at three stations have been cleared for restart The Sendai reactor has been idled for more than four years and engineers say there is a risk of equipment failure causing early shutdowns Typical outages last a couple of months for refuelling and up to six months for periodic inspections while for longer shutdowns specific preparations have to be in place walks on the seashore as he tries to record radiation levels near Sendai nuclear power station Nomura washes his face with water from a spring near a protest campsite close to Sendai nuclear power station A person sits inside a tent at the protest campsite A boy stands by candles during an anti-nuclear event at the protesters' campsite A banner reading "Stop Restart" is displayed at the protesters' campsite Shouhei Nomura raises a placard as security personnel stand guard during a rally against the restart Protesters gather at a rally against the restart People shout slogans during a rally against the restart An elderly protester sits on the street during a rally against the restart Typhoon Shanshan made landfall on Japan's southwestern main island of Kyushu on Thursday bringing heavy rain and strong winds that left at least 80 people injured across the island's seven prefectures and three people dead in central Japan The Japan Meteorological Agency urged residents in affected areas to remain on high alert for natural disasters while public transport operators canceled trains and flights and some homes were left without power as the storm advanced Central Japan Railway said Thursday evening it will halt all Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train services for the rest of the day as a rain gauge installed along the route continues to exceed the regulatory threshold which already suspended part of its shinkansen bullet train operations Wednesday night said service disruptions would continue through Friday due to the slow-moving nature of the typhoon Sanyo Shinkansen bullet trains will also be canceled throughout Friday on the section from Hakata in northern Kyushu to Hiroshima in western Japan Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways said some flights to and from regional airports will also be canceled Friday The typhoon made landfall near Satsumasendai in Kagoshima Prefecture around 8 a.m A rare special typhoon warning issued for most parts of the prefecture was downgraded at 10:30 a.m it was located near the city of Shimabara in Nagasaki Prefecture and was moving slowly north-northeast with winds of up to 162 kilometers per hour It had an atmospheric pressure of 985 hectopascals at its center the city office of Gamagori confirmed that three people died and two others were injured when a landslide hit their house after heavy rain brought by the typhoon Over 260,000 residences in the Kyushu region's seven prefectures temporarily lost power Some landlines in Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures were also temporarily disrupted according to Nippon Telegraph and Telephone West Corp Major automakers said they would suspend operations at some of their factories Thursday primarily in areas affected by the typhoon said 14 of its plants will be halted until Friday Store and restaurant operations were also affected and two other major convenience store chains shutting about 900 of their outlets in Kyushu Residents in typhoon-hit areas have been warned to prepare for strong winds and dangerous waves with the weather agency urging people to be ready to evacuate before conditions worsen As much as 600 millimeters of rain over 24 hours was forecast in some areas of Kyushu The storm's sluggish pace could increase the danger as strong winds and heavy rains could linger in some areas for prolonged periods Special typhoon warnings are declared in cases of extraordinarily powerful storm systems a special warning was issued for Kagoshima Prefecture the first in the country for an area other than Okinawa 3 die, 2 of 5 family members rescued after central Japan landslide Japan issues special typhoon alert for Kagoshima Pref. Transport disrupted as typhoon expected to hit western Japan To have the latest news and stories delivered to your inbox Simply enter your email address below and an email will be sent through which to complete your subscription Please check your inbox for a confirmation email Thank you for reaching out to us.We will get back to you as soon as possible Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Bamboo is one of the most successful raw materials in terms of sustainability: it requires little or no pesticides It also looks amazing when made into tumblers or other drinking vessels and makes a satisfying sound when liquids are poured into it These tumblers from Satsumasendai have a fun range of colors Tairyobata (also known as tairyoki) are flags traditionally used by fishermen in Hagi to signify big catches they’re primarily for ceremonial decoration and events – and to showcase your big shopping catch One of the most important aspects of a good hanami party is the drinks a refreshing craft beer from Matsuyama to quench your thirst Or sample a sweet potato shochu from the region that’s famed for it – Kagoshima Hagi’s Iwasaki Brewery makes an excellent sake using clear water and high quality sake rice Rokudaimeyuri sweet potato shochu (720ml) ¥1,532 Choyo Fukumusume Junmai Ginjo Sake (720ml) ¥1,890 These rice bowls from Matsuyama have slightly thicker edges than other bowls Rice bowl (arabesque or ichimatsu designs) ¥2,139  This cypress wood mini tub from Matsuyama is the perfect addition to the onsen and sento lover’s bathroom Enjoy a view of Mount Fuji every day as you wash yourself eco-friendly products from Satsumasendai as part of the kids’ back-to-school kit with these cute notebooks made with bamboo paper For more info about the Tabisuru Shintora Market, visit www.tabisuru-market.jp For more info about the Tabisuru Store, visit www.tabisuru-market.jp/information/store/ Rising costs from gas and oil are sited by supporters of a programme to bring reactors back on line but ageing plant and risks raise widespread concern An otherwise unremarkable town in south-west Japan will be propelled this week to the forefront of the country’s biggest experiment with nuclear power since the Fukushima disaster in March 2011 After months of debate about safety, Japan will begin producing nuclear energy for the first time in almost two years close to the town of Satsumasendai as early as Tuesday Restarting one of the Sendai nuclear plant’s two 30-year-old reactors represents a victory for the prime minister who insists that without nuclear energy the Japanese economy will buckle beneath the weight of expensive oil and gas imports But his call for Japan to confront its Fukushima demons has been greeted with scepticism by most voters whose opposition to nuclear restarts remains firm even in the face of rising electricity bills Just over four years since Fukushima Daiichi had a triple meltdown triggering the world’s worst nuclear crisis for 25 years Japan remains deeply divided over its future energy mix The 2011 disaster forced the evacuation of 160,000 people and the closure of all the country’s 48 working reactors for safety checks Opinions among the 100,000 residents of Satsumasendai range from anxiety to relief “There are schools and hospitals near the plant but no one has told us how children and the elderly would be evacuated,” said Yoshitaka Mukohara a representative of a group opposing the Sendai restart “Naturally there will be gridlock caused by the sheer number of vehicles A survey by the Asahi Shimbun newspaper found that only two of 85 medical institutes and 15 of 159 nursing and other care facilities within a 30 km radius of the Sendai plant had proper evacuation plans About 220,000 people live within a 30km radius – the size of the Fukushima no-go zone – of the Sendai plant; a 50km radius would draw in Kagoshima city and raise the number of affected people to 900,000 “I can’t begin to imagine how chaotic that would be,” Mukohara said Massive earthquakes of the kind that sparked the Fukushima meltdown are not the only potential hazard. The Sendai facility is surrounded by a group of five calderas, and Sakurajima, one of Japan’s most active volcanoes, is just 50km away, leaving the plant exposed to volcanic ash fallout, and, in the most extreme scenario, lava flows. about the reliability of an ageing reactor that has not been used since it was shut down for safety checks in 2011 “You wouldn’t have much faith in a car that’s been on the road for more than 30 years,” said Mukohara “So why are we so willing to trust a nuclear reactor?” a nuclear specialist at Greenpeace Germany accused Japan’s government and nuclear industry of cutting corners in its desperation to put reactors back online “They are disregarding fundamental principles of nuclear safety and public health protection,” Burnie said “The same players in the ‘nuclear village’ that delivered Japan the Fukushima Daiichi tragedy in 2011 are attempting to kick-start nuclear power again.” View image in fullscreenSendai nuclear power plant in Kagoshima prefecture Photograph: Justin McCurry/Justin McCurry for the GuardianSendai reactor No 1 is one of 25 reactors being targeted for possible restarts “We’ve finally come this far to restart the first reactor,” the trade and industry minister The plant’s second reactor is expected to go back into operation in October Last autumn, the Sendai reactors became the first to clear safety hurdles imposed by a revamped nuclear regulation authority. The restart was approved by 19 of the 26 assembly members in Satsumasendai and by the pro-nuclear governor of Kagoshima prefecture With national polls showing that most Japanese oppose nuclear restarts the town’s council is reluctant to gauge local opinion a Satsumasendai resident who is campaigning to the keep the reactors idle “They won’t conduct a poll of local people because they’re scared of the result,” she said “They’re aware that Japan has fared perfectly well without nuclear power for almost two years.” A nationwide Kyodo News poll last October found that 60% of respondents opposed an immediate return to nuclear energy But supporters of the restarts say the long hiatus in nuclear energy production has taken its toll on Satsumasendai’s population the plant contributes up to 3bn yen (£16m) a year to the local economy according to the local chamber of industry and commerce much of it via 3,000 workers who descend on the town twice a year to conduct lengthy safety checks Satsumasendai continues to receive more than 1bn yen in annual government subsidies for hosting the reactors but some residents complain keeping the plant shuttered for so long has sucked the life out of local commerce restaurants and other service industries reporting a dramatic drop in trade “This is my hometown and I don’t like to see its economy in trouble,” said Tetsuro Setoguchi “We receive lots of subsidies for hosting the nuclear plant and if they dry up it will be difficult for the town to function I’m sure that every single builder here wants the reactors to be restarted.” which last August received a 100bn yen bailout from a state-owned bank to survive estimates that putting one reactor back online would help it reduce costs from burning fossil fuels by about 7.4bn yen a month The utility is reeling from four straight years of losses and nuclear operators across Japan say they have incurred tens of billions of dollars in losses as a result of Fukushima-enforced plant closures nuclear provided 30% of Japan’s energy needs and there were plans to increase its share to around 50% the Abe administration has set nuclear an ambitious target of a 20-22% share of the total energy mix by 2030 At a tent village set up on a windswept beach just along the coast, anti-nuclear activists refuse to accept that Japan’s imminent nuclear reboot is inevitable. “We will do all we can to stop it,” said Yoshiharu Ogawa, who has travelled from his home near Tokyo. “The local authorities may have approved the restart, but they are completely out of touch with public opinion.” Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Watch again as Typhoon Shanshan maked landfall in southwestern Japan on Thursday 29 August The storm brought heavy rain and very strong winds to the Kagoshima prefecture, on the southern tip of Kyushu island, knocking out power supply for over a quarter million households and injuring dozens of people. The typhoon, categorised as “strong” with gusts of up to 60 metres per second (123mph), made landfall near Satsumasendai city on Thursday morning, the weather agency said. Authorities warned the storm could be one of the strongest ever to hit the region, and local governments have issued evacuation orders for millions of residents in several prefectures. One person is missing and 39 people are injured in Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures, public broadcaster NHK reported. Footage from NHK showed walls torn and window glass of buildings broken in Miyazaki, apparently by wind gusts, with objects scattered on the street or hanging from utility poles. More than 250,000 households in seven prefectures are experiencing power outage as of 9:00am local time on Thursday (00:00 GMT), according to Kyushu Electric Power Co. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies As Japan’s rice farmers prepare for a new planting season many will be hoping that this summer brings a reprieve from 2023’s brutal weather conditions typically known as Japan’s leading rice-growing region had one of the poorest rice harvests in the country last year.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); “Extreme heat and low rainfall led to chalky or split grains,” laments Toru Tanabe He stresses that the drop in rice grade did not correspond to a drop in taste but nonetheless many are concerned that Japan’s increasingly scorching summers could have a negative impact on yield and quality Harvests on Nagasaki Prefecture’s Tsushima island have also included more chalky grains than usual due to the heat and farmers expressed concern about how their customers would react “Will they think ‘This year’s rice is weird?’” says Yu Arikawa a member of an ecologically minded farmers’ group on the island contributing to a record-low harvest of top-quality rice Such blistering summers are becoming more and more likely as global warming progresses; Japan has seen a trend of consistently high temperatures in recent years with 2019 to 2023 ranking as the top five hottest years in recorded history Japan’s administrators and researchers aim to understand the impacts that warming will have on rice crops and the implications for the country’s food security Although experts say it is unlikely that climate change will cause a dangerous shortage in Japan’s overall rice supply extreme heat still threatens to lower grain quality and — by extension — farmers’ income with the widespread introduction of heat-resistant rice varieties seen as key to preventing damage from global warming But a key question remains: Will consumers follow along Food security — the ability of all people to have physical and economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food — is falling globally in large part due to the effects of rising temperatures and extreme weather events brought on by climate change Rice is the cornerstone of food security in Japan Japan’s self sufficiency rate for rice is nearly 100% the ministry calls adaptation measures to protect rice harvests from the impacts of climate change “indispensable,” even though it has taken steps to head off short-term disruption we will basically be OK even in the event of a disaster because the government maintains rice reserves,” explains Ryuhei Kanda deputy director of the Cereal Crop Division with the ministry’s Crop Production Bureau The nation is no stranger to weather having a major impact on rice production an unusually cool summer slashed Japan’s rice harvest by roughly a quarter burning through the government’s then-400,000 metric tons of rice reserves and prompting emergency imports the government now stocks 1 million metric tons of rice equivalent to roughly 14% of the annual volume of rice consumed in Japan in recent years Private entities also have a further 1 million to 3 million metric tons of rice across their inventories elevated concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide — a greenhouse gas — may actually increase crop yield in some locations researchers from the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) estimated that Japan’s total rice yield may increase by roughly 20% by 2060-2080 because of carbon dioxide’s “fertilizing effect” on plants they revised down their predictions based on new data the positive effects of higher CO2 concentrations on grain yield steadily decrease,” says Toshihiro Hasegawa a co-author of both reports and an executive scientist in NARO’s Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences It is important to have a detailed understanding of the meteorological conditions impacting rice yield and quality in each region in order to identify high-risk “hot spots,” Hasegawa notes Although warming may not leave supermarket shelves bare in the near future sustained higher temperatures during the early ripening period can cause rice grains to take on a chalky white appearance — as the Agano and Tsushima farmers experienced — which can lower their value and are considered less palatable by some (the agriculture ministry maintains that using a little less water in your rice cooker will make chalky grains taste better) a quality drop from first-grade to second-grade rice could mean a farmer loses nearly 10% of their income head of the Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Research Section in the Center for Climate Change Adaptation National Institute for Environmental Studies One thing individual farmers can do is insure themselves against climate-related crop damage overall economic losses may be significant: In a 2019 paper Masutomi and colleagues reported that roughly one-third of rice paddies in Japan could experience a decrease in grain grade by the 2040s if greenhouse gas emissions are not reduced leading to an annual economic loss of $401.4 million Increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide have also been found to make rice less nutritious we currently obtain nutrients from various crops and foods so it is unlikely that (less nutritious rice) will cause nutrient deficiencies,” Hasegawa says this could be a serious problem for countries that rely more heavily on rice for their nutritional intake various adaptation measures are being implemented to minimize the impact of global warming on rice crops Modeling by an international team of researchers found that choice of rice variety is the adaptation method most likely to help prevent large yield losses heat-resistant rice varieties constituted roughly 13% of rice grown in Japan by area with the three most common varieties being Kinu-musume The government aims to increase heat-resistant varieties’ share to 18% by 2026 although it hasn’t set a further goal beyond that point Masutomi and colleagues reported that rice varieties tolerant of temperatures up to 3 degrees Celsius higher should be introduced until 2040 especially in the coastal areas of western and eastern Japan which are predicted to be more heavily impacted by rising temperatures “As breeding a new variety is generally expensive and time consuming it is essential to develop long-term plans,” they wrote it takes roughly 10 years to develop and test a new variety although genetic analysis and modification could shorten the process in the future who hold the key to heat-resistant varieties’ success will consumers want to buy them?” Masutomi says noting the brand power that nonheat-resistant varieties “If a heat-resistant variety isn’t selling The Tsushima rice farmers group started growing a heat-resistant variety allowing the farmers to harvest their crops before the September-October typhoon season begins the farmers’ 2023 crop of Natsu-honoka still developed chalky grains Simply introducing such varieties evidently doesn’t mean that farmers can grow the grain worry-free cool summers — our farmers see these phenomena as a natural part of farming rather than specifically as effects of climate change and they respond to the varying conditions year to year,” Arikawa notes Whether farmers view high temperatures as an impact of global warming or simply the weather they have to live with a number of other measures can be implemented to protect rice crops from summer heat new technologies can be used to analyze weather patterns and monitor field conditions Although the price of such monitoring technology might be too steep for family-run farms the national government provides funds to support such efforts Moving planting or harvesting times is another way farmers can try to avoid heat damage Arikawa also noted that Tsushima rice crops have been ready to harvest roughly a week earlier than usual in recent years Running water through the paddies can also help cool them but water usage is usually governed by inflexible rules Another option is to give rice plants additional fertilizer in exceptionally hot summers “Chemical fertilizers work faster (than organic ones) “in order to ensure sustainable agriculture in the long term we should make an effort to reduce reliance on chemicals through measures such as heat-resistant varieties and prediction systems,” he added the government aims to achieve 25% organic farming by 2050 But a big question remains: If farmers and their stakeholders do implement these adaptation measures will it be enough to protect Japan’s rice crops against global warming depends on future greenhouse gas emissions “Global warming is progressing too quickly and it’s becoming really difficult to adequately respond,” he says noting that there is a limit to what current adaptation measures can achieve we don’t also continue our efforts to limit it Yuya Wakamatsu has grown a lot since he moved from Satsumasendai who now competes in the 135-pound ONE Championship flyweight division had a difficult time staying out of trouble in his hometown in Kagoshima Prefecture with little more than the surrounding nature and occasional soccer game to distract him.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); “Nature was always with me; the ocean and the mountains,” the 25-year-old told The Japan Times from Tokyo Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders Complete digital access to quality analysis and expert insights complemented with our award-winning Weekend Print edition Terms & Conditions apply Discover all the plans currently available in your country Digital access for organisations. 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See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times. warned that the typhoon may bring unprecedented levels of storm surges fierce winds and heavy rain (Photo: Reuters) A typhoon named ‘Shanshan’ battered southern Japan on Thursday with intense winds and torrential rain resulting in at least three deaths and raising fears of flooding According to the Japan Meteorological Agency typhoon Shanshan made landfall early this morning close to Satsumasendai in southern Kyushu where up to 60 centimetres (23.6 inches) of rain might fall in a single day It also issued the highest level of warnings stating that the typhoon would affect most of the country especially the southern prefectures of Kyushu It was recommended that residents of the alerted areas seek shelter at community centres and other open spaces JMA reported that Shanshan was remained near the southern island of Kyushu travelling north at 15 kph (9 mph) with sustained winds of 144 kph (89 mph) and higher gusts Weather and government officials are concerned about extensive damage as the typhoon slowly sweeps up the Japanese archipelago over the next few days several local train services as well as bullet trains were suspended and hundreds of domestic flights linking southwestern cities and islands were cancelled Supermarkets and other businesses in the Kyushu region planned to close and postal and delivery services have also been suspended According to the city’s disaster management department intense rains created a landslip in the central city of Gamagori burying a house and killing three people and injuring two others One person was thrown from their motorbike by a wind gust on the southern island of Amami according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency He urged everyone to seek shelter as soon as there is a safety issue April saw a 3% increase in automobile retail sales in India and a pause in the global tariff war were key factors While all segments except commercial vehicles saw growth cautious consumer behavior and price hikes impacted the market Please view the main text area of the page by skipping the main menu. The page may not be displayed properly if the JavaScript is deactivated on your browser Japanese version A wide area of western Japan experienced heavy rain on Tuesday morning due to a low-pressure system and a frontal boundary The Japan Meteorological Agency announced on the morning that there is a chance of linear rainbands forming in seven prefectures in southern Kyushu Eastern Japan is also expected to see heavy rainfall and people are urged to stay alert for landslides and river flooding the total 12-hour rainfall accumulation by 9 a.m Tuesday reached 219.5 millimeters in Ebino The prefectures where linear rainbands may develop on Tuesday are Kagoshima the powerful Typhoon Ewiniar is expected to approach Okinawa Prefecture’s Minami-Daito Island on Wednesday Millions of people were told to evacuate from their homes as Typhoon Shanshan lashed southwest Japan with strong winds and heavy rain on Thursday snarling air traffic and forcing major factories to close At least three people have been killed so far and scores injured in what authorities have warned could be one of the strongest ever storms to hit the region Major automaker Toyota suspended operations in all of its domestic plants due to the storm Honda and chipmakers Renesas and Tokyo Electron also temporarily halted production at some factories Funeral parlour employee Tomoki Maeda was in a hearse when the typhoon struck in Miyazaki city in southern Kyushu shattering windows and tearing down walls of some buildings "I've never experienced such a strong wind or tornado in my 31 years of life," Maeda told Reuters with gusts of up to 50 metres per second (180km/h) was near Unzen city in Nagasaki Prefecture at 1.45pm (local time) Around 230,000 households in seven prefectures were without power in the afternoon The utility earlier said there was no impact at its Sendai Nuclear Power Plant in Satsumasendai city where the storm made landfall earlier on Thursday Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told a news conference that three people had died and one was missing in incidents related to the typhoon while the disaster management agency said 45 had suffered injuries After hovering over Kyushu for the next few days the storm is expected to approach the central and eastern regions More than 5.2 million people have been issued evacuation notices across the country who runs a hotel in historic city of Hitoyoshi in Kumamoto prefecture told Reuters that all reservations had been cancelled and her hotel was now being used to house elderly people who had been evacuated from nearby areas have already announced cancellations of nearly 800 flights Train services have been suspended in many areas of Kyushu while hundreds of bus and ferry services have also been halted Typhoon Shanshan is the latest harsh weather system to hit Japan which also led to blackouts and evacuations World RSS Follow RNZ News Commending Macau as a key market and partner the mayor of a city in Japan’s Kagoshima Prefecture has announced the area is seeking further business opportunities with larger enterprises in Macau Speaking on the sidelines of a retail event held yesterday at New Yaohan that revolved around produce from Satsuma Country in Japan mayor of Satsumasendai City and chairman of the Satsuma Country Wide-Area Export Promotion Council his area is seeking opportunities wherein caterers in Macau will source produce from the Satsuma Country Satsuma Country comprises three cities in Japan: Satsumasendai Tanaka said some other mayors as well as the representative of Kagoshima Prefecture in Hong Kong were also in Macau for the occasion mainly for regaining familiarity with the city after years of pandemic restrictions the mayor was asked how produce from his area stands out from other quality products from Japan Expressing his gratitude for the positive words used to describe Japanese products the mayor said Kagoshima Prefecture is dubbed Japan’s food storage and beef from Satsuma won the Japan Wagyu Olympics last year highlighting its quality and surpassing that of other regions in Japan the mayor said the region’s sweet potatoes also possess a very delicate quality and are popular The produce is even used to make associated products A fair that features more than 40 products from the Japanese region is being held at the supermarket at New Yaohan Department Store from now until Tuesday The range of specialty products includes processed foods tea leaves and confectionery sourced from Satsuma Country You must be logged in to post a comment