Tag: Japan

  • How 379 people escaped deadly fire in a plane in Japan?

    How 379 people escaped deadly fire in a plane in Japan?

    It took firefighters more than eight hours to extinguish the fire that engulfed a Japan Airlines jet after it struck another plane on landing at Tokyo’s Haneda airport on Tuesday. It took 12 crew members just minutes to usher hundreds of people on board to safety.

    All but one of the six people on the smaller aircraft were killed, but all 379 Japan Airlines passengers and crew escaped down emergency slides minutes before the Airbus was engulfed in flames late Tuesday.

    The blackened husk of the airliner, still sitting on the tarmac Wednesday, bore witness to just how dangerous their escape had been. Several hundred metres (yards) away lay the remains of the coast guard’s DHC-8 aircraft.

    The captain of the coast guard plane — which had been bound for the New Year’s Day earthquake zone in central Japan — was its lone survivor but suffered serious injuries.

    Footage on Tuesday showed a ball of fire erupting from underneath the airliner shortly after landing and coming to a halt on its nose after its front landing gear failed.

    “It was getting hot inside the plane, and I thought, to be honest, I would not survive,” one female passenger told broadcaster NHK.

    “I thought we landed normally. But then I realised I was smelling smoke,” a woman with a small child told NHK.

    “I needed to protect my daughter. That was the only thing in my mind,” she added.

    Another passenger described surviving the crash as a “miracle”.

    “I bounced off my seat from the impact when we landed,” the 28-year-old man told Nikkei Asia.

    “We made it just in the nick of time. It’s a miracle we survived.”

    Takuya Fujiwara from the Japan Transport Safety Board told reporters that the flight recorder and the voice recorder from the coast guard plane had been found, but those of the passenger jet were still being sought.

    “We are surveying the situation. Various parts are scattered on the runway,” Fujiwara said, adding that the authority planned to interview several people involved.

    Asked at a briefing whether the Japan Airlines flight had landing permission, officials at the major carrier said: “Our understanding is that it was given.”

    Widely shared video footage shows flight attendants at the front of a darkened cabin gesturing for passengers to remain seated and thanking them for their cooperation. At one point, the camera pans across to show a window frame filled with orange light.

    “Please get me out of here,” one woman shouts in the video. A child is heard asking: “Why don’t you just open the doors?”

    The actions of crew and passengers have been credited with averting tragedy. Incredibly, none received serious injuries. 

    none appeared to have paused to retrieve hand luggage from overhead lockers, ensuring a clear route to the emergency exits. Less than two hours earlier, the passengers had watched a JAL safety video urging them to do exactly that. In the video, a flight attendant warns: “Leave your baggage when you evacuate!”, extending her open palms for emphasis. An animated sequence then shows the damage that bags and high-heeled shoes can cause to the inflatable evacuation slides.

    Aviation experts said the unshakeable composure displayed by the flight attendants combined with the high level of cooperation among passengers probably prevented a deeply unsettling experience from becoming a major disaster.

    “I can’t speculate on what happened here but human error will probably be found as a contributing cause,” Doug Drury, aviation expert at Central Queensland University, told AFP.

    “Airlines are required to be able to empty an airplane of all passengers and crew within 90 seconds. The flight crews train for events quite frequently in simulation and it is a complicated process that as we saw was completed without fail,” he said.

  • Japan quake toll rises to 62 as weather hampers rescuers

    Japan quake toll rises to 62 as weather hampers rescuers

    Japanese rescuers scrambled to search for survivors on Wednesday (January 3) as authorities warned of landslides and heavy rain after a powerful earthquake that killed at least 62 people.

    The 7.5-magnitude quake on January 1 that rattled Ishikawa prefecture on the main island of Honshu triggered tsunami waves more than a metre high, sparked a major fire and tore apart roads.

    The Noto Peninsula of the prefecture was most severely hit, with several hundred buildings ravaged by fire and houses flattened in several towns, including Wajima and Suzu, as shown by before-and-after satellite images released on Wednesday.

    The regional government announced Wednesday that 62 people had been confirmed dead and more than 300 injured, 20 of them seriously.

    The toll was expected to climb as rescuers battle aftershocks and poor weather to comb through rubble.

    More than 31,800 people were in shelters, the government said.

    “More than 40 hours have passed since the disaster. We have received a lot of information about people in need of rescue and there are people waiting for help,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Wednesday after an emergency task force meeting.

    “Rescue efforts are being made by the local authorities, police, firefighters and other operational units, while the number of personnel and rescue dogs is enhanced.

    “However, we ask you to remain fully mindful that we are in a race against time and to continue to do your utmost to save lives, putting people’s lives first,” Kishida said.

    The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has issued a heavy rain warning in the area.

    “Be on the lookout for landslides until the evening of Wednesday,” the agency said.

    In the coastal city of Suzu, mayor Masuhiro Izumiya said there were “almost no houses standing”.

    “About 90 per cent of the houses (in the town) are completely or almost completely destroyed… the situation is really catastrophic,” he said, according to broadcaster TBS.

    A woman at a shelter in the town of Shika told TV Asahi that she “hasn’t been able to sleep” due to aftershocks.

    “I’ve been scared because we don’t know when the next quake will hit,” she said.

    Nearly 34,000 households were still without power in Ishikawa prefecture, the local utility said.

    Many cities were without running water.

    Shinkansen bullet trains and highways have resumed operations after several thousand people were stranded, some for almost 24 hours.

    The US Geological Survey said the quake had a magnitude of 7.5, while the JMA measured it at 7.6, triggering a major tsunami warning.

    The powerful quake was one of more than 400 to shake the region through Wednesday morning, the JMA said.

    Japan lifted all tsunami warnings after waves at least 1.2m high hit the town of Wajima and a series of smaller tsunamis were reported elsewhere.

    Japan experiences hundreds of earthquakes every year and the vast majority cause no damage.

    The number of earthquakes in the Noto Peninsula region has been steadily increasing since 2018, a Japanese government report said last year.

    The country is haunted by a massive 9.0-magnitude undersea quake off northeastern Japan in 2011, which triggered a tsunami that left around 18,500 people dead or missing.

    It also swamped the Fukushima atomic plant, causing one of the world’s worst nuclear disasters.

  • Japan quake death toll rises to 48: official

    Japan quake death toll rises to 48: official

    At least 48 people are confirmed dead following a major earthquake in Japan, a local official said.

    The official in Ishikawa prefecture, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP the “death toll has reached 48”.

    Japanese rescuers battled against the clock and powerful aftershocks Tuesday to find survivors of a major earthquake that struck on New Year’s Day, killing at least six people and leaving a trail of destruction.

    The 7.5-magnitude quake, which hit Ishikawa prefecture on the main island of Honshu, triggered tsunami waves over a metre high, toppled buildings, caused a major port fire and tore apart roads.

    As daylight arrived, the scale of the destruction in Ishikawa emerged with buildings still smouldering, houses flattened and fishing boats sunk or washed ashore.

    “Very extensive damage has been confirmed, including numerous casualties, building collapses and fires,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said after a disaster response meeting.

    “We have to race against time to search for and rescue victims of the disaster.”

    Police said six people had been killed although the toll was almost certain to climb. The Kyodo news agency reported that 13 people had died, including seven in the badly hit port of Wajima.

    Aerial news footage showed devastation from a major fire at the port, where a seven-storey building collapsed.

    Almost 45,000 households were without power in the region which saw temperatures touch freezing overnight, the local energy provider said. Many cities were without running water.

    The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake had a magnitude of 7.5. Japan’s meteorological agency measured it at 7.6, and said it was one of more than 150 to shake the region through Tuesday morning.

    Several strong jolts were felt early Tuesday, including one measuring 5.6 percent that prompted national broadcaster NHK to switch to a special programme.

    “Please take deep breaths,” the presenter said, reminding viewers to check for fires in their kitchens.

    Tsunami warning lifted

    On Monday waves at least 1.2 metres (four feet) high hit Wajima on Monday, and a series of smaller tsunamis were reported elsewhere.

    But warnings of much larger waves proved unfounded and on Tuesday Japan lifted all tsunami warnings.

    Images on social media showed cars and houses in Ishikawa shaking violently and terrified people cowering in shops and train stations. Houses collapsed and huge cracks appeared in roads.

    A team of firefighters crawled under a collapsed, large commercial building in Wajima, television footage showed.

    “Hang in there! Hang in there,” they shouted as they battled through piles of wooden beams with an electric saw.

    “There were shaking that I have never experienced before, a local elderly man told NHK.

    “Inside my house, it was so terrible… I am still alive. Maybe I have to  be content with that.”

    The fire in Wajima engulfed a row of houses, video footage showed, with people being evacuated in the dark, some with blankets and others carrying babies.

    A duty officer at Wajima Fire Department said they still were being overwhelmed Tuesday by rescue requests and reports of damages.

    A total of 62,000 people had been ordered to evacuate, according to the fire and disaster management agency.

    About 1,000 people were staying at a military base, the defence ministry said.

    Bullet trains suspended

    Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said 1,000 military personnel were preparing to go to the region, while 8,500 others were on standby. Around 20 military aircraft were dispatched to survey the damage.

    Monday’s quake shook apartments in the capital Tokyo some 300 kilometres away, where a public New Year greeting event that was to be attended by Emperor Naruhito and his family members was cancelled.

    Several major highways were closed around the epicentre, Japan’s road operator said, and bullet train services from Tokyo were also suspended.

    Japan experiences hundreds of earthquakes every year and the vast majority cause no damage.

    The country has strict regulations intended to ensure buildings can withstand strong quakes and routinely holds emergency drills.

    But the country is haunted by the memory of a massive 9.0-magnitude undersea quake off northeastern Japan in March 2011, which triggered a tsunami that left around 18,500 people dead or missing.

    The 2011 tsunami also sent three reactors into meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant, causing Japan’s worst post-war disaster and the most serious nuclear accident since Chernobyl.

    Japan’s nuclear authority said there were no abnormalities reported at the Shika atomic power plant in Ishikawa or at other plants after Monday’s quake.

    In Washington, US President Joe Biden was briefed on Monday’s quake and offered Japan “any necessary assistance” to cope with the aftermath.

    French President Emmanuel Macron expressed “solidarity” while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offered condolences and assistance.

  • First Tsunami Waves Hit Japan After Major Quake: Weather Agency

    First Tsunami Waves Hit Japan After Major Quake: Weather Agency

    The first tsunami waves, some more than a metre high, arrived on the north coast of central Japan on Monday after a series of powerful earthquakes rocked the region.

    Waves as high as 1.2 meters (four feet) hit Wajima port in Ishikawa prefecture at 4:21 pm (0721 GMT), the Japan Meteorological Agency said, after the US Geological Survey and other agencies registered a major 7.5 magnitude quake little more than 10 minutes earlier.

    Total of 21 earthquakes above 4.0 magnitude hit Japan.

  • Driver arrested for running over pigeon

    Driver arrested for running over pigeon

    A Tokyo taxi driver was arrested for deliberately driving into a flock of pigeons and killing one, police said Tuesday, reportedly because he was angry that the birds were on the road.

    Atsushi Ozawa, 50, “used his car to kill a common pigeon, which is not a game animal”, in the Japanese capital last month, and was arrested on Sunday for violating wildlife protection laws, a Tokyo police spokesman told AFP.

    Ozawa sped off from a traffic light when it turned green, ploughing his taxi into the bevy of birds at a speed of 60 kilometres (37 miles) per hour, local media said.

    The sound of the engine reportedly prompted a surprised passer-by to report the incident.

    Tokyo police had a veterinarian perform a post-mortem on the hapless pigeon and determined its cause of death as traumatic shock, according to local media.

    “Roads belong to humans, so pigeons should have dodged out of the way,” Ozawa was quoted by local media as telling investigators.

    Police called his behaviour “highly malicious” for a professional driver, before deciding to go ahead with the arrest, broadcaster Fuji TV said.

    “Wow, can you get arrested for running over a pigeon?”, one user wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

    “He could’ve just honked his car horn or something. But intentionally killing it? That’s crossing the line,” another posted.

  • Japanese researchers discover microplastics in clouds

    Japanese researchers discover microplastics in clouds

    Researchers in Japan have claimed they have discovered the presence of microplastics in clouds. These small particles of plastic are believed to be affecting the climate in ways that scientists still do not fully understand.

    According to Al Jazeera’s report, a study published in the journal ‘Environmental Chemistry Letters’ details that Japanses scientists researched the collection of water from the fog covering Mount Fuji and Mount Aoyama.

    The research team found nine different types of polymers and one type of rubber in the samples, with particles ranging in size from 7.1 to 94.6 micrometers.

    The amount of plastic particles found in each liter (0.26 gallon) of cloud water ranged from 6.7 to 13.9.

    Lead author of the study from Waseda University, Hiroshi Okuchi, has warned that if the issue is not taken into account, climate change and environmental threats could cause serious environmental damage in the future.

    What is microplastic?
    Microplastics are small plastic particles measuring less than 5 mm which come from industrial waste, textiles, synthetic car tires, and similar products.

    These microplastics have also been found inside fish in the Arctic Ocean and in frozen snow in the Pyrenees mountains between France and Spain.

    In the research report, the author said that “according to our knowledge, this is the first report of the presence of microplastics in clouds.”

    Researchers have stated that humans and animals are ingesting and/or inhaling microplastics, and these small particles of plastic have been found in various human organs, including the lungs, heart, blood and faeces.

    One million tonnes of tiny plastic particles accumulate in the ocean which are often released into the air and then into the atmosphere. Hence, microplastics have also seemingly become an integral part of clouds, potentially contaminating several things including our food and drink.

    Recent findings also show that microplastics are linked to health problems, including effects on heart and lung, as well as cancer.

  • Man buys more than £12,000 dog costume, ventures out to make friends as a dog

    Man buys more than £12,000 dog costume, ventures out to make friends as a dog

    In an unconventional bid to fulfill a lifelong dream of ‘becoming an animal’, an individual known only as Toco recently stepped out donned in an intricately designed collie costume, valued at over £12,480 ($16,500).

    The story of the dedicated dog lover was covered by Mail Online. Toco enjoys a following of almost 30,000 YouTube subscribers, becoming an internet sensation due to his peculiar pursuit.

    Hailing from Japan, Toco spent approximately two million Yen on his lifelike dog outfit. Regular updates on his YouTube channel, ‘I want to be an animal’, showcase Toco frolicking in his backyard, enthusiastically performing tricks for pretend dog food, all while maintaining a quadrupedal stance.

    Toco has now taken his unique hobby a step further by venturing out into public spaces to meet both people and other dogs. The internet personality can be seen in recent videos exploring a park, sniffing at other dogs, and rolling around on the grass, all while leashed.

    The public reaction to Toco’s antics, ranges from amused inquisitiveness to mild bewilderment. Despite his newfound fame and a burgeoning fan base, Toco prefers to keep his real identity concealed.

  • Bilawal visits Tokyo, says Pakistan needs ‘trade, not aid’

    Bilawal visits Tokyo, says Pakistan needs ‘trade, not aid’

    Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, on his maiden visit to Japan, has declared his intention to boost trade and promote diplomatic ties between the two countries on Sunday. He stated that Pakistan needed trade and not aid.

    Giving an address at an event organised by the Pakistani diaspora living in Tokyo, Bilawal maintained that the two countries have agreed to further deepen and enhance their mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation in multiple areas. These include trade, investment, human resource development and exchange, IT, tourism and agriculture sectors.

    “We have also jointly agreed to explore the possibility of working together on targeted programs with higher impact in the domains of solarisation, desalination, and water purification and housing and infrastructure rebuilding in the floods affected areas in Pakistan,” Bilawal said in a joint press stakeout along with his Japanese counterpart Yoshimasa Hayashi, as reported by The News.

    Empowering our workforce

    In addition, the two sides have agreed to conduct language skill assessment tests for the Japanese language in Pakistan to facilitate the movement of skilled workers. The Nation reported that Bilawal underscored the importance of Pakistanis living abroad, stating: “The overseas Paki­stanis are our assets, who are play­ing vital role to promote bilateral ties between Pakistan and Japan. Our population consists of 65 per­cent youth and we want Pakistani youth to get employment in Japan.”

    Potential for growth

    The Foreign Minister met with repre­sentatives of the Japan Interna­tional Development Agency (JICA) and the Japan External Trade Orga­nization (JETRO) to discuss poten­tial for trade and investment. He also stated that Pakistan’s incumbent government was working on economic diplomacy in order to bring prosperity to the country.

    Bilawal also went on to praise Japan’s advancement in IT and other fields, saying Pakistan could learn from them. Both sides have seen a new vigour in their relationship through continued high-level exchanges.

  • Japanese car companies consider establishing hybrid vehicle plants in Pakistan

    Japanese car companies consider establishing hybrid vehicle plants in Pakistan

    Japan has urged Pakistan to allow the import of manufacturing equipment for vehicles due to the shortage of dollars, which has affected the issuance of letters of credit to Japanese companies operating in the country.

    Japanese firms are considering the establishment of hybrid vehicle plants in Pakistan, with plans to export the vehicles from the country in the future.

    During a meeting between Ambassador Wada Mitsuhiro and Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar at the Finance Division, the Ministry of Finance issued an official statement. The Vice Chairman of Toyota, Shinji Yanagi, SAPM on Finance Tariq Bajwa, finance secretary, and senior officers were also in attendance.

    The finance minister briefed the envoy on the economic challenges and priorities of the government and emphasized that Japan is one of its major development partners. The cooperation between the two countries will strengthen in multiple fields for mutual benefit. The finance minister also welcomed the investment plans of Japanese companies in Pakistan.

    Ambassador Mitsuhiro praised the government’s pragmatic policies and actions and expressed confidence in the country’s economic policies. Meanwhile, a World Bank delegation led by Mamta Murthi, Vice President of the World Bank for Human Development, met with Dar at the Finance Division.

    Murthi emphasized the importance of investing in human capital, particularly in education, health and nutrition, social protection, population control, and women’s development. She also highlighted the importance of local ownership and community participation in implementing development projects.

    The finance minister briefed Murthi on the government’s policies and programs related to key areas of human development to uplift the masses and eliminate poverty in the country. He expressed the government’s commitment to work with the World Bank to achieve their shared goals of sustainable development in Pakistan.

  • Japan in shock after Prime Minister attacked in daylight

    Japan in shock after Prime Minister attacked in daylight

    Japanese Prime Minister (PM) Fumio Kishida is unharmed after being attacked by a smoke bomb on Saturday while he was campaigning for a ruling party candidate, leaving the country in shock.

    A video of the attack showing white smoke rising after a blast right before the Prime Minister was about to speak, is doing the rounds on social media.

    A witness said that he saw an object flying through the air and it gave him a “bad feeling, so he ran away unbelievably fast”.

    After the attack, the prime minister resumed campaigning.

    The incident comes just nine months after former PM Shinzo Abe was assassinated last year while campaigning for a parliamentary election.

    The latest attack also comes as Japan is set to host the 49th G7 summit from May 19-May 21 in Hiroshima.