Japan Archives - The Westside Story

Japan will resume commercial whaling, defying global ban

Dec 27, 2018

Japanese officials have announced that their country will resume commercial whaling next year, in defiance of a 1986 global ban on the practice, according to Gizmodo. The change would go into effect in July of ...

Japan to acquire long-range missiles, in a break from post World War II policy

West Side Story

Dec 9, 2017

Policy, Science, World

According to CNN, for the first time since World War II, Japan is seeking to bolster its military capabilities by purchasing long-range missiles. The move is a response to what it sees as an escalating national...

In a first since the disaster, court holds Japanese government liable for Fukushima meltdown

West Side Story

Mar 18, 2017

Environment, Policy, Science

For the first time since the 2011 disaster, a Japanese court has ruled that the government is liable for the triple meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. The Maebashi district court awarded 38.55 mil...

Highest yet radiation levels measured inside Fukushima reactor

West Side Story

Feb 12, 2017

Environment, Science, World

Six years after the disaster scientists have measured the highest levels of radiation yet at the Fukushima Daichi nuclear plant. Specifically, readings taken from inside reactor 2 were the highest since the 201...

Fukushima ice wall plan attempts to end 5 years of flooding

West Side Story

Sep 2, 2016

Environment, Science, World

In an effort to block the ongoing flood of groundwater into the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, the central government has embarked on an ambitious and expensive plan. The project, called the Land Side...

Japan and Jordan work tirelessly to secure release of hostages from ISIS

Charles Omedo

Jan 29, 2015

World

While Japanese officials were working tirelessly to secure the release of Kenji Goto, a journalist held hostage by Islamic State militants after the time set for his ransom had passed, the ISIS militants change...

Japanese war jounalist Kenji Goto and Jordanian pilot Moaz Kasabeh ISIS hostages

Jordan bows before ISIS: Ready to exchange female suicide bomber for hostage pilot

Amanda

Jan 28, 2015

World

The Jordanian government has expressed willingness to hand over Sajida al-Rishawi, a woman who failed in her suicide bombing mission and has been on death row since 2005, to the ISIS militants. They are willing...

Japan records nine deaths after victims choke on rice cakes

Charles Omedo

Jan 5, 2015

World

This past New Year festival was never the best of times for about 140 families in Japan after 128 people were hospitalized and nine reported dead after consuming mochi – the sticky rice cake that is an importan...

Japan reschedules $260 million Hayabusa2 space probe to asteroid to take off Monday

Charles Omedo

Nov 29, 2014

Innovation

Japan had earlier scheduled its Hayabusa2 space probe to asteroid 1999 JU3 to take off on Sunday, but due to bad weather, the launch has been delayed to Monday when it is expected that weather conditions will h...

Hermaphrodite land Snail specie named after the struggle for same-sex marriage

Siddhant Ghatge

Oct 13, 2014

Innovation

A new species of hermaphrodite land snail found in Taiwan has been named in support of marriage equality. Biologists, referring to a diversity of family types, christened the species Aegista diversifamilia, bec...

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