Nissan and Renault have sold 100,000 electric vehicles worldwide but revise plans on slow initial uptake

"Nissan ...and... Renault SA...have sold more than 100,000 electric vehicles worldwide.Nissan has moved 71,000 units of the Leaf, while Renault has sold a combined 30,000 units .. slower-than-expected sales are forcing the duo to push back their earlier target of 1.5 million units by fiscal 2016. "

Source: 

Nissan-Renault EV Sales Surpass 100,000 Mark

July 24th 2013

Nikkei.com

http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/tnks/Nni20130723D2307N02.htm

Japan's utilities are bleeding cash due to the high cost of fuel imports and are looking at nuclear restarts in a difficult environment

"Japan's utilities are bleeding cash because of high fuel imports and they are desperate to bring reactors back online. But politicians and citizens are reluctant to support the resuming of operations at nuclear plants"

Source: Victorious Abe turns to China

By Rick Wallace

The Australian newspaper

Tuesday 23rd July 2013, page 9

Rakuten to sell electric vehicle chargers online that can also store energy and reduce household energy costs

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Video: 

Smart grid - Nissan LEAF-to-home - Interview

Source: moteurnature

You Tube Channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylnWNaE4J1o

"Rakuten ....will begin online sales of electric-vehicle chargers that can also be used to supply household power.... The charger is made for Nissan Motor ... Leaf EV.. ... the Leaf can be charged using a normal household outlet....With this unit, the Leaf can act as a storage battery, cutting down on energy costs by drawing and storing electricity at night, when rates are lower, and using it during peak hours."

Source: 

Rakuten To Sell Household EV Chargers Online

The Nikkei

July 23rd 2013

http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/tnks/Nni20130723D2207N04.htm

Supply and demand equation of uranium sector has changed since Fukushima

"The supply and demand equation has been working against the uranium sector since Fukushima sparked an ongoing shutdown of almost all of Japan's nuclear power capacity"

Source: Brace yourself:uranium tipped for explosive rebound

By Paul Garvey

The Australian

Wednesday 17th July 2013, page 8

Toshiba plans to expand its nuclear technology into new foreign markets

" the Japanese technology group Toshiba is keen to expand into foreign markets in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima disaster"

Source: Chinese investors eyes slice of flagging nuclear scheme

By Anousha Sakoui, Guy Chazan, Jim Pickard

The Lex COlumn

Financial Times

Australian Financial Review

Monday July 15th 2013, page 21

Japanese utilities demand for uranium if reactors go back online may be a game changer

"Most of the Japanese utilities have stockpiles of uranium to work through. What Japanese green-lighting maydo, though is produce a game-changer for uranium"

Source: Uranium, rare earths in doldrums

By Robin Bromby

The Australian

Monday July 15th 2013, page 27

Japanese customers look for lower prices on LNG as demand changes

"...Russsia to divert gas and LNG to Japan and China because of slowing demand and lower pricing in Europe...It is understood the Japanese buyers have been aggressively pushing for lower prices than would have been expected a year ago"

Source: Asia demands better deal on gas, 

by Matt Chambers, 

The Australian, Monday July 15th 2013, page 17

Japanese researchers find microorganisms mixed with feed can reduce the fat of red meat by up to 30 percent

"Researchers ....found that the mixture of feed and microorganisms developed to reduce the odor of pig excrement reduces the fat content of red meat by about 30 percent, compared with pork produced without using the microorganisms."

Source: New foods spring from school labs

Fair highlights some of the remarkable edible products developed by university researchers

BY ASAKO TAKAGUCHI

July 14th 2013

Japan Times

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/07/14/national/new-foods-spring-from-school-labs/#.UeL-840wdFs

Japanese company IHI plans to make algae based jet fuel and reduce current price by 2018

"IHI plans to mass-produce aircraft fuel derived from algae starting as early as 2018, aiming to bring the price down to 10% the current average cost of biofuel."

Source: IHI To Make Cheap Algae-Based Jet Fuel

15th july 2013

Nikkei.com

http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/freetop.aspx

Survey shows that over half of Japanese voters against restarts of nuclear reactors

"The proportion of party supporters who oppose reactor restarts came in at 87.5 percent for the Social Democratic Party, 76.9 percent for the Japanese Communist Party, 68.2 percent for Your Party, 66.7 percent for the Democratic Party of Japan, 57.9 percent for New Komeito and 57.1 percent for Nippon Ishin No Kai (Japan Restoration Party)."

Source: Nearly half of Japanese against reactor restarts, poll finds

July 12th 2013

Japan Times

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/07/12/national/nearly-half-of-japanese-against-reactor-restarts-poll-finds/#.UeCPbPkwdFs

Mountain climbers and visitors to Mount Fuji to get high speed internet services in summer season

"Softbank Mobile Corp. and NTT DoCoMo Inc. announced ...they have started providing high-speed LTE mobile Internet access at the summit of Mount Fuji.Access will be available until the end of the summer climbing season in late August. "

Source: Fuji gets seasonal high-speed Net

July 12 2013

Japan Times

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/07/12/national/fuji-gets-seasonal-high-speed-net/#.UeCNuvkwdFs

A record number of 2465 mountain climbers went missing in Japan in 2012

"The NPA says a record 2,465 mountain climbers went missing in Japan in 2012....Of these, 1,254 were found unharmed, 927 were rescued after sustaining injuries, 35 were never found and 249 died."

Source: Invading green lizards and other threats

By: Steve Trautlein

Jul 10, 2013

Issue: 1007

The Small Print

Metropolis

http://metropolis.co.jp/features/the-small-print/july-10-2013/

Japanese customers will meet US wheat representatives to discuss genetically modified wheat find

"Japanese customers will meet with Northwest wheat industry representatives next week in Portland to discuss genetically modified wheat found in a field in northeast Oregon earlier this year, according to the chair of the Washington Grain Commission."

Source: 

Japanese customers to meet with PNW wheat representatives

By MATTHEW WEAVER

Capital Press

July 12th 2013

http://www.capitalpress.com/content/mw-GM-wheat-update-071213-art

Four Japanese utility companies have applied to restart ten nuclear reactors in Jpaan

"Four utilities across Japan have applied to restart a total of 10 reactors"

Source: Japanese Nuclear Plant May Have Been Leaking for Two Years

By HIROKO TABUCHI

July 10th 2013

New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/11/world/asia/japanese-nuclear-plant-may-have-been-leaking-for-two-years.html?src=me&_r=0

Japanese rail commuters in Saitama and Tokyo see new trains on Saikyo line that use 30 percent less electricity

Picture: Commuters in Tokyo

"the Saikyo Line, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East), is one of the busiest in the metropolitan area.(Saitama). During morning rush hour its trains are packed to 200 percent capacity.... On June 30, however, E233 Series trains were introduced to the line...the new trains use LEDs for lighting, meaning they can operate using about 30% less electricity than previous models".

Source:

New train carriages introduced on Tokyo’s Saikyo Line

July 5th 2013

Japan Today

http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/new-train-carriages-introduced-on-tokyos-saikyo-line

Summers in Japan getting hotter with more days over 30 degrees celsius, 71 days in 2010

"In 2010, Tokyo had 71 days of temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius; in 2011 and 2012, more than 60 days each. It’s been 1,000 years since Japan knew such extended heat waves, meteorologist Masamitsu Morita tells Shukan Gendai "

Source:

Summers in Japan becoming intolerable

Japan Today

July 3rd 2013

http://www.japantoday.com/category/kuchikomi/view/summers-in-japan-becoming-intolerable

World's first floating wind turbine generator to start service in Fukushima, Japan soon

"world’s first floating wind turbine power generators...The turbine and its platform are to form part of an experimental, floating power sub-station...is expected to produce 2 megawatts of electricity, enough to power around 600 homes. ...mounted on a 32-meter steel submersible structure...The rig is to be attached to the seabed by iron chains at a site around 20 kilometers off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture on around July 20"

Source:

World's first floating wind turbine arrives in Fukushima

Japan Today

July 3rd, 2013

http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/worlds-first-floating-wind-turbine-arrives-in-fukushima

Energy companies in Japan have been hit by falling value of yen and high costs of fossil fuels

"Japan’s power companies have been badly hit by the surging cost of producing electricity from fossil fuel alternatives since their reactors were shut down. Resource-poor Japan has to import the coal, gas and oil it is using to replace nuclear generating capacity and the falling value of the yen has pushed up the relative cost of those dollar-priced commodities."

Source: Last two Japan nuclear reactors can stay online

July 4th 2013

Japan Today

http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/last-two-japan-nuclear-reactors-can-stay-online

Japanese households prepare for voluntary power saving campaign to conserve electricity July through September 2013

"The government on Monday launched a voluntary power-saving campaign for businesses and households in all parts of Japan except Okinawa, in order to conserve electricity....The three-month campaign lasts from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. (except Aug 13-15) until Sept 30"

Source: Power-saving campaign begins for three months

JUL. 02, 2013 

Japan Today

http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/power-saving-campaign-begins-for-three-months

Trial fee for climbers of Mount Fuji set at 1000 yen will be introduced for ten days in late July 2013

"A local committee ...decided Friday to collect a 1,000 yen admission fee on a trial basis from climbers (Mount Fuji) this summer.The fee will be collected for 10 days from late July to early August near halfway points where most climbers start climbing the mountain, which straddles Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures in central Japan. Payment of the fee will not be mandatory during the trial period."

Source: 

Admission fee for Mt. Fuji to be collected on trial basis this summer

Mainichi Shimbun

June 29th 2013

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20130629p2g00m0dm004000c.html