Volkswagen has been considering taking over Japan’s Isuzu, in a joint venture with Germany’s truck maker MAN. They’re a little hesitant after the 11 March 2011 disasters.
VW is also working on a partnership with Suzuki. The German car maker has cited cultural differences as problems getting into the Japanese market, but now has to […] Continue Reading…
Daimler (known for Mercedes-Benz) shut down its Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus plant, in Kawasaki, Japan. The shut down came after the March 11 disasters.
As other vehicle makers have said, Daimler says supply of parts will be a continuous problem from here on out. The German company hopes to start production on April 20.
Daimler […] Continue Reading…
Tokyo Electric Power Company president, Shimizu Masakatsu, is stepping down from his post as chairman of the Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan. It is a direct result of the crisis at Fukushima Daiichi.
The FEPC is a kind of union, or club, of electrical power companies in Japan. Yagi Makoto, president of Kansai […] Continue Reading…
“As strong aftershocks occur almost daily, we have to consider what will happen to buildings already damaged by blasts.”-Nishiyama Hidehiko, Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency
Concern for new problems at Fukushima Daiichi, caused by several intense aftershocks, and rising temperatures in Reactor 4 spent fuel pool after a battery storage box caught fire.
Tokyo Electric Power […] Continue Reading…
Off the coast of Fukushima, sand lance fish are contaminated with high levels of cesium-137.
Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said the latest samples, taken as far away as 37km (22.9 miles) from Fukushima Daiichi, show the fish have 12,500 becquerels per kilogram of cesium!
The safe limit, under Japanese current 2011 Food Sanitation […] Continue Reading…
After weeks of protests, the military leaders of Egypt have detained Hosni Mubarak, and his sons, for questioning.
Mubarak is in a hospital after he suffered a heart attack. Protesters were demanding that the former Egyptian ruler be arrested for corruption.
On April 12 the pro-U.S. military rulers cleared protesters from Tharir Square. But Egyptians promised […] Continue Reading…
NASA photos show, as of April 11, the Coahuila fire has burned at least 300 square miles. The photo also shows the smoke blowing northeast, towards the Rio Grande (called Rio Bravo in Mexico). This is contrary to some Mexican reports that say it’s blowing to the southwest (maybe they meant it’s bowing OUT […] Continue Reading…
Nissan is investigating why its electric car, the Leaf, won’t start. Several customers, in Japan and United States, are complaining that their Leafs won’t start.
Nissan thinks it is related to the air conditioner sensor: “…it will illuminate a warning light on the instrument panel and may cause the vehicle to not restart once […] Continue Reading…
The French company Areva SA is increasing the number of nuclear experts they’ve sent to Japan, to help deal with the Fukushima Daiichi crisis.
Areva SA now has 15 technicians in Japan. Some of the technicians specialize in removing contaminated water, and dismantling nuclear power plants.
France based Areva is also trying to get a uranium […] Continue Reading…
Despite efforts to stop the contaminated water from spilling into the Pacific Ocean, Tokyo Electric Power Company, and the Japanese government, say contamination levels just off the Fukushima coast are at highest point so far.
Iodine-131 has hit 88.5 becquerels per liter, 30km (18.6 miles) away from Fukushima Daiichi. Cesium-137 levels continue to climb as […] Continue Reading…