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Japan Utilities Facing Supply Crunch As Mercury Drops
TOKYO Nikkei–The cold wave sweeping across Japan is pushing electricity companies close to the edge, with power demand surging to the danger zone of above 90% of capacity at six utilities.At Kyushu Electric Power Co. 9508, power demand on Friday peaked at 14.77 million kilowatts between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. The second-highest so far [...]
Without Nuclear Power, Supply Crunch Still Looms
TOKYO Nikkei–Kyushu Electric Power Co. 9508 managed to avoid blackouts Friday, but precarious power supply conditions will continue among Japanese utilities as long as their nuclear reactors remain idle. Just three reactors in Japan are operating today, but they will join their idle counterparts by the end of April, moving the nation completely off nuclear [...]
2012/02/02 13:07 – Japanese Oil Firms Shift Focus To Chemical Business
Japanese oil companies are increasingly shifting their focus away from their core refining businesses toward the more promising chemical sector. As the domestic market for oil products such as gasoline continues to shrink, these companies are hoping to cash in on rapidly growing demand for petrochemical products throughout the rest of Asia. But it remains [...]
2012/02/02 13:31 – Japan’s 1st Budget Airline Seeks ‘Trains In The Sky’
I have much respect for entrepreneurs, and especially for Japanese ones, given the culture. CEO Shinichi Inoue, 53, has been hands-on in nearly every stage of the Izumisano, Osaka-based carrier, from the initial concept to crafting its business plan over the past four years.He describes the concept for the airline as providing “trains in the [...]
Fissures in the Land of Wa?
Fissures within Japan’s business community have been getting wider in the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake. And the situation is threatening to undermine the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) – long the nation’s most influential business lobby. Some member companies are none too happy about Keidanren’s support for the government’s plan to raise the [...]
They’re back! (Well, will be soon) – the Fukushima robots
TOKYO Nikkei–The Chiba Institute of Technology has built two improved versions of a robot designed to help with the cleanup efforts at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, the school announced Monday. The Quince No. 2 and No. 3 nuclear-cleanup robots are more rugged than their predecessor.Dubbed Quince No. 2 and No. 3, the [...]
No Big Fukushima Health Impact Seen, UN Official Says: Scientific American
VIENNA, Jan 31 Reuters – The health impact of last year’s Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan appears relatively small thanks partly to prompt evacuations, the chairman of a U.N. scientific body investigating the effects of radiation said on Tuesday. … “What we have seen in Chernobyl – people were dying from huge, high exposures, some [...]
Kyle Bass gives Japan just 18 months to live
Kyle Bass (click here for my blog posts where I mention Kyle) gives Japan just 18 months to live, in this interview in the Nikkei: 日本国債バブル「18カ月以内に崩壊する」米サブプライム危機を予見した男、「日本売り」公言 via 日本国債バブル「18カ月以内に崩壊する」 ：日本経済新聞. His final words of advice: don’t trust the State; think for yourself: 「世の中で正しいと思われていることを、そのまま受け入れないということです。自分の力で考えて、常に論理的であろうとすること。我々はこれまで、中央銀行の バンカーたちが提示する世界観を受け入れるよう求められてきました。まるで彼らだけが真実の箱の中身が何かを知っているかのように。その彼らは今、無制限 にお金を刷り、経済の安定を何とか保とうと躍起になっています。しかし、この経済政策に限界が来ているのは明らかです。もはや、国家を信用することはでき ません。自らの力で考え、生き残っていかなければならない時代が来ているのです」
How the Private Bankers Are Using the Financial Crisis to Reshape World Government | Murphy
Bob Murphy’s talk is great background for what’s happening in the Eurozone. It provides some key economic facts and knowledge that allow you to make sense of news like this: Merkel Casts Doubt on Saving Greece, Insists ECJ be Empowered to Police Nannyzone; ECB insists on Profits on Greek Bonds; IMF Takes Tougher Stance; Greek [...]
Real life imitates art – India will buy Iranian oil with gold
In The Way to Freedom, Iceland abandons its fiat currency, shuts down its central bank and allows gold to be used as money. Iceland is then followed by Switzerland and (with a little armtwisting) China. The rest of the world immediately sees the sense of this and enthusiastically follows suit. No, wait! That’s not what [...]
