Japan Tohoku tsunami and earthquake : The death toll is climbing again!

READ ALSO our LATEST CATDAT REPORT Nr. 37, containing the most detailed numbers of damage, killed and injured people. This document is probably the most detailed document outside Japan.

This is part 17 of our ongoing reporting with many updates about the massive 9.0 earthquake / tsunami which struck Japan on March 11 2011. Contrary to many others publications, we will continue to follow up the March 11 related news and NOT only the Fukushima nuclear plant stories like many others do. If an interesting article is detected we will put a link to the article to enable our readers to read the full story.
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 - Part 8 - Part 9 - Part 10 - Part 11 - Part 12 - Part 13 - Part 14 - Part 15

UPDATE 15/08/2011 - 23:00 UTC :
NPA Situation Report (National Police Agency) as published on August 15
Deaths: 15698 - Missing: 4666 - Total: 20364 (down from 20,448)

IMPORTANT UPDATE 04/08/2011 - 16:00 UTC :
FDMA Situation Report No. 135 (Japan Fire Department)
Deaths: 16,447 - Missing: 4,787 - Total: 21,234 (up from 20,858)
Injured : 5,888
111,944 destroyed buildings, 139,870 partially destroyed buildings, 517,050 partially damaged buildings

NPA Situation Report (National Police Agency)
Deaths: 15667 - Missing: 4862 - Total: 20529 (up from 20,448)
111871 destroyed buildings, 139100 partially destroyed, 498177 partially damaged buildings

The main difference in between both organizations comes from from Iwate, who raised his numbers significantly. Although we are not 100% sure on the real reason, we refer to an article included in our July 28 Earthquake Related news, covering a story on Tsunami and Earthquake related deaths (stress, chronic illness, etc)

UPDATE : The tsunami caused by the 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake on 11th March 2011 inflicted massive damage to the tsunami and tide level observation stations in the Pacific coast of Tohoku region and northern part of Kanto region (Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi Fukushima and Ibaraki Prefectures).

UPDATE : Formula One officials say the March earthquake and nuclear crisis in Japan will not affect the Japanese Grand Prix to be held Oct. 9 at the Suzuka track, and are urging fans to attend.

UPDATE : Under tight government supervision, dozens of villagers from a town where the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant is located ventured deep into an irradiated no-man's land Sunday to hold a belated memorial for friends and relatives killed by Japan's earthquake and tsunami. They found that their town - evacuated for more than four months - is fast becoming a wilderness. $$$$$$

UPDATE : The death toll from the March earthquake and tsunami may rise by hundreds as about 570 possible "related deaths" have been reported in Miyagi, Iwate and Fukushima prefectures. The final death toll will include related deaths such as those from stress and chronic disease while living in shelters.

UPDATE : A panel commissioned by The Asahi Shimbun is proposing that the central government initiate a program to have teenagers and young adults engage in reconstruction work in the earthquake disaster areas of northeastern Japan. The panel, dubbed "Nippon Mae-e Iinkai (Japan move forward committee), unveiled July 21 a list of programs that focus on the role of young people in helping in areas devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake.

UPDATE : Chubu Electric said Friday it will build an 18-metre (60 foot) anti-tsunami seawall to protect its ageing Hamaoka nuclear plant located near a faultline in a region seen as vulnerable to earthquakes. The decision came two months after the government asked the plant to shut down and add new disaster-mitigation measures amid deepening public fears about the safety of nuclear power in the wake of the Fukushima Daiichi crisis.

UPDATE : At first glance, a new photo-sharing website looks like so many others dedicated to the unique sights of Japan: local summer festivals filled with smiles and fun; fishermen praying for a bountiful catch; the colors of a Tanabata star festival. But these photos tell the story of a region in happier times. On March 11, the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami devastated the picturesque Tohoku region. $$$

UPDATE : Whereas most schools in Japan are designated as "evacuation centers" in times of disaster, in reality, most are safe havens in name only and are poorly equipped and not designed for this function. In light of the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology plans to upgrade these evacuation centers to save and sustain lives in the next big emergency.

UPDATE : The Japanese government intends to buy out land from survivors of the March earthquake and tsunami and help them acquire agricultural holdings on highlands in the same area. A statement to that effect came from Prime Minister Naoto Kan at parliamentary hearings.

UPDATE : Just over four months after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami devastated this Pacific port, 23,000 participants and spectators took part in the Shiogama Port Festival on July 18. The centerpiece of the event, one of the three largest boat festivals in Japan, is the "Mikoshi Kaijo Togyo" (portable shrine cruise). The Ryuho Maru and the Hoo Maru, each carrying portable shrines representing the Shiwahikojinja and Shiogamajinja shrines, cruised outside the port surrounded by small fleets of fishing boats. Participants pray for safety at sea and big catches. $$$

UPDATE : The Meteorological Agency has decided to issue initial tsunami warnings based on worst-case scenarios when earthquakes of magnitude 8 or greater strike, agency sources said. Because the preliminary magnitude of an earthquake may be an underestimate, the agency is considering using the phrase "the tsunami may be greater than ever experienced" in its first warning.

UPDATE 23/07 - 12:00 UTC - NPA statistics : 15,625 dead and 4,823 missing = 20,448 presumed dead

IMPORTANT UPDATE 14/07 - 12:00 UTC : official Japanese statistics
Miyagi : 9217 dead, 2803 missing
Iwate : 4587 dead, 2221 missing
Fukushima : 1760 dead, 198 missing
Other prefectures : 68 dead, 4 missing
Total : 20858 dead or missing (official numbers from Japan are approx. the CatDat Earthquake-Report.com estimate numbers - see other series of articles).

UPDATE : The tsunami that struck north-east Japan in March rose to a maximum height of 132.5ft, according to researchers, taller than Rio's Christ the Redeemer. In comparison, Nelson's Column stands 169 feet tall and the pedestrian walkways between the two towers of Tower Bridge are 143 feet above the River Thames. The Rio statue stands at 130ft.

UPDATE : An education ministry panel has proposed strengthening the functions of schools during disasters after taking into consideration lessons of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. The crux of the proposals, announced June 30, concerns the role of schools as evacuation centers.

UPDATE : Chubu Electric Power Co. said Friday it will build seawalls as high as 18 meters at its Hamaoka nuclear plant to protect the facility from tsunami.
Chubu Electric will spend ¥100 billion in total to build the seawalls, the facility's first, and take other measures against tsunami at the power plant in Omaezaki, Shizuoka Prefecture, which was taken out of operation in May at the request of the government. Construction of the seawalls will begin next month.

UPDATE : Tokyo hopes a bid for the 2020 Olympics will serve as a symbol of Japan's recovery from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

UPDATE : The Coca-Cola Japan Reconstruction Fund has decided to contribute 1.5 billion yen to the rebuilding of public elementary and junior high schools, with the funds being extracted from the 2.5 billion yen collected for reconstruction of the affected areas in the Great East Japan Earthquake. With an eye towards expanding renewable energy in Japan, the Fund supports cleaner energy in the reconstruction of the affected schools by providing funding for the solar panel installation, an operation also promoted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

UPDATE : The surprise success of the Japanese women's soccer team in the World Cup tournament has boosted the spirits of a country worn down by the March 11 earthquake and subsequent nuclear crisis.

UPDATE : Four months after the tsunami triggered by the Great East Japan Earthquake engulfed Okawa Elementary School in Ishinomaki, some families are still searching for their loved ones. Six students and one teacher at the school are still missing. One 37-year-old mother, who said she had dug in the wreckage with a shovel for her 12-year-old daughter on the day after the earthquake, now uses heavy machinery.

UPDATE : Kuwaiti Ambassador to Japan Abdulrahman Al-Otaibi yesterday donated JPY 500,000 ($6,200) to the Japan Foundation for the sake of helping Japanese people who have suffered from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

UPDATE : Earthquake-insurance sales to homeowners grew more than five times in April from a year earlier, according to a report by the Non-Life Insurance Rating Organization of Japan.

UPDATE : The American Red Cross is making a $35 million donation to the Japanese Red Cross, bringing its contributions to the country''s earthquake and tsunami response to nearly $245 million - about 90 percent of the money donated.

UPDATE : Conservation groups are urging all nations to ignore Japan's appeal to resume small-scale commercial whaling off its coast. The annual International Whaling Commission meeting gets underway in the Channel Islands off the coast of France today.

UPDATE : CNN International will air the NHK-produced documentary 'Surviving the Tsunami' on 24 July at 4:30 pm. Utilising Japanese broadcaster NHK's footage and amateur videos, Surviving the Tsunami gives viewers a look at the destructive power of the catastrophic tsunami on 11 March 2011 and the tales of human survival. $$$

UPDATE : At least 21 of the dozens of communities in northeastern Japan whose residents had moved to higher ground after being swamped by massive tsunamis in the past were flooded by the March 11 tsunami, officials of the Cabinet Office said at a panel meeting Sunday. According to his analysis, most of the 21 communities in Iwate and Miyagi prefectures hit by the recent tsunami were only around 10 meters above sea level. $$$

UPDATE 13/07 - 20:00 UTC : Japan through to World Cup Final! After every game they have been very modest, and have had a sign thanking their friends around the world... (tsunami/earthquake related). Their training area was 25km away from Fukushima, and hence had an extremely disrupted leadup to the World Cup...
Giving everyone hope in Japan!

UPDATE 12/07 - 20:00 UTC : Google Inc. said Friday it will take panoramic pictures of areas in five prefectures devastated by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, and aim to start uploading them on its Street View online mapping service later this year. A Google official told a news conference in the tsunami-devastated city of Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, that the purpose of the project is to record the catastrophe, while Mayor Shigeru Suganuma described the planned images as a "precious undertaking." $$$

UPDATE 11/07 - 20:00 UTC : Tokyo's Haneda international airport is in line for the most frequent and severe catastrophes, a research has claimed. Matt Owen of the University College London used historical data from the US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration on the number and size of tsunamis around the world, and combined this with the frequencies of earthquakes and other events that cause tsunamis.

UPDATE 11/07 - 20:00 UTC : The March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake also sparked a metaphorical tidal wave: a "tsunami of information" that swallowed both the foreign and Japanese media and exposed a widespread lack of journalistic integrity. "The domestic media was slow and not proactive enough in seeking the truth," says D'Emilia, adding that in the quake's aftermath, many foreign correspondents were busy peddling "inventions, misrepresentations (and) manipulations."

UPDATE 10/07 - 20:00 UTC : Giorgio Armani dedicated his collection of wildly expensive made-to-measure skintight column dresses and painted-on pantsuits to the victims of Japan’s earthquake and tsunami. $$$

UPDATE 10/07 - 20:00 UTC : Japan's government approved a $25 billion extra budget on Tuesday for disaster relief after the March 11 earthquake that will not require new bond issuance, though bigger spending later this year is likely to strain stretched public finances. $$$

UPDATE 10/07 - 20:00 UTC : Japan's embattled Premier Naoto Kan took another blow as his disaster reconstruction minister quit, having caused a furore with scathing remarks to leaders of tsunami-hit regions. on Tuesday Ryu Matsumoto, 60, left the post he assumed only a week earlier after he caused an outcry by giving a rough dressing-down before television cameras to a regional leader because he showed up to a meeting a few minutes late. $$$

UPDATE 10/07 - 20:00 UTC : The trouble that befell Japan recently, namely the March 11th earthquake and tsunami, and the ensuing Fukushima nuclear plant disaster have brought the people of Japan closer to the people of Russia, says the chief of the Russian presidential staff Sergei Naryshkin. Naryshkin said the Russians took Japan’s tragedy is if it were their own. Russian Emergencies Ministry search-and-rescue teams sorted out the wreckage as they helped do away with the aftermath of the disaster.

UPDATE 09/07 - 20:00 UTC : Japan’s new reconstruction minister Ryu Matsumoto on Monday came under fire over ‘‘offensive’’ remarks he made during a weekend visit to quake-hit areas, with many opposition lawmakers claiming that he is not the right person for the post. In talks with Iwate Gov Takuya Tasso and Miyagi Gov Yoshihiro Murai, the minister, during parts that were open to the press, made a number of remarks that were regarded by many as arrogant and cold.

UPDATE 09/07 - 20:00 UTC : Few volunteers are mentally prepared for the devastation they confront, though they’ve seen it on TV, and fewer still can deal unshaken with the naked anguish of others. The rush of emotions previously unknown can be too much for a person. “In general,” says Tsukuba University professor Yutaka Matsui, an expert on the stress experienced by police officers, firefighters and rescue workers, “it takes at least a month, often more, before stress symptoms appear. In a usual disaster, they start to fade after one to three months.

UPDATE 09/07 - 20:00 UTC : The Japanese government has directed large-scale electricity users to curb their consumption by 15 percent of what they used last year. The government order, which went into effect Friday, requires large-lot businesses to cut electricity use from 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. weekdays, The Yomiuri Shimbun reported. $$$

MAJOR UPDATE on 08/07/2011:

As of 7/07/2011, Ishinomaki city has updated their missing count, which is the last city that needed to undertake this. All other cities are now updating. The last piece of the death toll puzzle has been put forward.
It is likely that no more major changes will occur to this death toll.

Miyagi = 9209 dead, 2815 missing
Iwate = 4577 dead, 2090 missing
Fukushima = 1734 dead, 224 missing
Other Prefectures = 68 dead, 4 missing

With Ishinomaki finally lowering their missing toll, this is the final piece of the puzzle. The toll changed from 2770 to 1012 (even more than expected).
This means that the total has dropped to 20,721 killed (15588 dead, 5133 missing). - CATDAT Situation Report 38.
NPA has changed theirs to 15539 dead, 5200 missing = 20,739 killed.

FDMA+additional Prefectural (CATDAT Sit. 38)
Prefectural (July 08) : Fatalities : 15,588 - Missing : 5,133 = Total : 20,721 (down from 22,680 on July 4)
NPA 08/07 (July 08 ) : Fatalities : 15,529 15,539 - Missing : 7,098 5,200 = Total : 22,627 20,739
(FDMA/Prefectural and NPA are both Japanese official organizations using their own listing methods)

UPDATE 04/07 - 08:55 UTC : Killed and missing based on Prefectural Reports (FDMA) :
1719 killed and 238 missing in Fukushima
9199 killed and 4619 missing in Miyagi
4572 killed and 2170 missing in Iwate
68 killed and 4 missing in other prefectures.
We expect that the numbers of Ishinomaki will modify the numbers fundamentally downwards.

UPDATE 01/07 - 20:30 UTC : Radiation meters will be distributed to about 34,000 children living in the largest city near the tsunami-damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant to monitor their exposure levels, a city official said Tuesday.

UPDATE 01/07 - 20:20 UTC : The Fisheries Agency released a plan Tuesday for restoring the fisheries industry in the Tohoku region that was devastated by the earthquake and tsunami in March. The agency calls for rebuilding fishing communities in the hardest-hit prefectures of Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima in two years by constructing new breakwaters and evacuation facilities, while tapping private sector investment to speed up the recovery and provide better opportunities for fishermen to begin working again.

UPDATE 01/07 - 20:10 UTC : Everything seemed fine and dandy for 60 residents living in a special nursing home for the elderly here in the Tohoku region when they emerged unscathed from the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake and ensuing tsunami. However, within two weeks following the disaster, 13 residents would be dead, compared to normal times, when one might die a month. $$$

UPDATE 30/06 - 15:55 UTC : Three months after the deadly March 11 magnitude-9.0 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, the country gave the Philippines a clearance to send a 14-day medical mission to help the victims. According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the team will include three medical doctors from the Department of Health (DOH).

UPDATE 30/06 - 15:48 UTC : The operator of Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant moved closer to ending its radiation crisis on Monday with the start of a system to cool damaged reactors that could also help avoid dumping highly contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean. The move was hailed as "a giant step forward" by Goshi Hosono, an adviser to Prime Minister Naoto Kan.

UPDATE 30/06 - 15:40 UTC : Survey teams try to enter tsunami-stricken areas as soon as possible after rescue and recovery work to document physical evidence of tsunami flow characteristics—such as debris in trees, high-water stains on buildings, and sedimentary deposits—before it is degraded or destroyed by natural forces or cleanup activities. Japanese researchers began this process during the second week after the earthquake; as the situation in Japan improved, they invited scientists from the international tsunami-research community to assist with gathering data from the large area affected by the tsunami.

UPDATE 29/06 - 10:12 UTC : An emotional Lady Gaga pledged Thursday to use her star power to “remind the world that Japan is safe” following the March 11 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disasters. The performer, ranked this year’s most powerful celebrity by Forbes magazine, is in Tokyo for the charity concert MTV Video Music Aid Japan, to be held on Saturday at a convention hall in Chiba near Tokyo.

UPDATE 29/06 - 10:08 UTC : The March 11 earthquake in Japan wreaked immediate devastation, but now there are concerns about the mental health of those that survived it, with suicide rates rapidly increasing in areas hit by the disaster. One of the areas most affected by the 9.0-magnitude tremor was Miyagi Prefecture and there suicides are up by 39 per cent. Many survivors are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, with some having lost everything.

UPDATE 28/06 - 16:32 UTC : The bishops of Japan have sent a letter to all the faithful of the country, in relation to the tsunami and the earthquake of 11 March 2011. The document is entitled "Towards recovery after the tragedy of the earthquake in north-east of Japan." "Because of this tragedy - it says - about 20 thousand people have died, and so far there are no exact numbers of disappeared.

UPDATE 28/06 - 16:10 UTC : Japan's March 11 quake and tsunami disaster destroyed buildings and infrastructure worth about 16.9 trillion yen ($199 billion), excluding the costs caused by the Fukushima nuclear accident. The bill estimate by the cabinet office also excludes other costs such as compensation payments for disaster victims and evacuees.

UPDATE 28/06 - 16:05 UTC : Prime Minister Naoto Kan decided Friday to name Ryu Matsumoto, who is now environment minister, as state minister in charge of reconstructing areas ravaged by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, sources familiar with the matter said.

UPDATE 27/06 - 20:40 UTC : Crown Prince Naruhito, paying a courtesy call on German President Christian Wulff, expressed appreciation for Germany's relief assistance for the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

UPDATE 27/06 - 20:35 UTC : MTV Japan hosted a press conference in Tokyo today officially welcoming the star-studded line up of performers scheduled to appear at MTV VIDEO MUSIC AID JAPAN (VMAJ), the June 25 live music television event to benefit the Japanese Red Cross. Lady Gaga, who attended today's press conference, headlines a line up of performers including Tokio Hotel, Namie Amuro, Girls'' Generation, SHINee, Exile, Kana Nishino, One Night Only and Monkey Majik, all performing live at Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture Saturday night.

UPDATE 27/06 - 20:30 UTC : Taiheiyo Cement Corp. on Wednesday began incinerating the burnable parts of the massive amounts of debris created by the March earthquake and tsunami in Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture, at its plant in the northeastern Japanese city. The company will start accepting rubble from Rikuzentakata, another Iwate city, on Thursday.

UPDATE 26/06 - 20:35 UTC : A magnitude 6.7 earthquake rocked Japan today, the 75th aftershock of at least magnitude 6.0 from the devastating magnitude 9.0 quake on March 11, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The earthquake data is preliminary and subject to revision. Japan has been rocked by hundreds of aftershocks since the deadly Tohoku earthquake, the biggest in Japan's recorded history.

UPDATE 26/06 - 20:28 UTC : Immediately following the natural disasters in Japan, the Armenian Relief Society initiated a fundraiser for the relief of earthquake victims and its aftermath. All ARS entities took part in this fundraiser, with the ARS entity in Javakhk being the first to respond to the call of the ARS

UPDATE 25/06 - 09:35 UTC : The owner of Japan's tsunami-damaged nuclear plant will pay an estimated $1 billion (88 billion yen) to thousands of residents who evacuated homes near the radiation-leaking plant and don't yet know when they can return. Compensation Tokyo Electric Power Co. ultimately may pay for the world's second-worst nuclear disaster is expected to be trillions of yen. Japan's Cabinet last week approved a bill to help TEPCO meet the massive costs, and parliamentary approval is pending.

UPDATE 25/06 - 09:15 UTC : Japan has developed an electronic tsunami early warning system. The new system is capable of tracking a tsunami wave one thousand kilometers from the shore. Until now, Japan’s tsunami warning equipment reported tsunami up to 20 kilometers off shore.

UPDATE 24/06 - 18:55 UTC : Japan (lost pets).
Taeko Nose says she may never forget the image of her two dogs - "her children" as she calls them - tied up on a leash as she was forced to leave her home during Japan's nuclear crisis. Certainly three months afterwards, it's still etched in her mind. "I was told to get into a bus and leave my children behind," said Taeko Nose, 62, remembering the mandatory evacuation during the nuclear crisis that followed the deadly March 11 earthquake and tsunami that struck northern Japan, killing 15,000 people. $$$

UPDATE 24/06 - 18:45 UTC :
Hitachi Ltd. will replace most neon lights for its advertisements on Osaka's signature Tsutenkaku Tower with light-emitting diodes in a bid to cut electricity consumption by half and contribute to nationwide energy-saving efforts. The LED system, to be lit up starting Oct. 28, will display a greater array of colors and also serve as a bulletin board, displaying slogans and messages selected from public entries.

UPDATE 23/06 - 10:20 UTC : Even hardy marine creatures are showing signs of stress from the disastrous effects of the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake. Abnormal shell patterns have been found on clams off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture since the tsunami radically changed their habitat, according to research team led by Kenji Okoshi, a professor of environmental dynamic analysis at Toho University. Okoshi's team studied the density of clams in their habitats and other changes in May at Matsukawaura bay and inlets in Soma, Fukushima Prefecture. These areas are noted for their clam cultivation.

UPDATE 22/06 - 21:50 UTC : During the morning hours (Japan local time) a massive 6.7 magnitude aftershock occurred approx. 50 km out of the Iwate, Miyaki coast, a coastline which has been hardly hit by the March 11 tsunami disaster.
Click here for our in-depth article

UPDATE 22/06 - 16:35 UTC : It is further proof, we are reminded, that Japan is a society of immeasurable strength. And for this it can thank 'wa', or harmony. This is a collective feeling close to a sense of perfection. It ensures everyone knows their place and acts accordingly. Or so the Japanese like to tell themselves – and the outside world.Yet post-tsunami Japan is far from harmonious. The bullet trains may be running, but in the fishing villages and tiny ports that litter the jagged coastline north of Sendai, thousands are surviving on aid handouts. The emergency cash promised by the government is yet to arrive

UPDATE 22/06 - 16:25 UTC : A train that made an emergency stop in a tunnel in Iwate Prefecture moments after the Japanese earthquake remains stranded there more than three months later, while the operator of the railway line grapples with the huge cost of repairing damage caused by the disaster.

UPDATE 22/06 - 16:15 UTC : The Wikipedia free online encyclopedia halted anonymous editing of its page on Japan’s March 11 earthquake and tsunami for several hours shortly after the disaster struck, its founder Jimmy Wales said Friday. The exceptional step was taken because the Japanese-language article was swamped with thousands of edits in the moments after its launch, and was feared to have the potential to trigger widespread panic.

UPDATE 22/06 - 16:05 UTC : The number of foreign visitors to Japan plunged 50.4 percent to 358,000 in May, the second largest year-on-year decline, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization's estimate released June 16. The record drop of 62.5 percent in April was attributed to safety concerns following the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, the JNTO said.

UPDATE 22/06 - 15:45 UTC : Japanese stage director Izumi Ashizawa and Iranian actors put on a mime based on Avesta, an ancient Persian scripture of the indigenous religion Zoroastrianism, for two days through Thursday in Tehran to help survivors of the March 11 earthquake

UPDATE 21/06 - 11:15 UTC : East Japan Railway Co. says it will reduce services in Tokyo and surrounding areas for around three months starting June 24 to cut electricity consumption in the face of summer power shortages. JR East said services on selected lines will fall to as low as 60 percent of normal capacity

UPDATE 21/06 - 11:05 UTC : Local governments in tsunami-prone areas are calling for the government to give a clear definition as early as possible of the height of "the largest possible tsunami" predicted by a government panel in preparation for working out countermeasures.

UPDATE 21/06 - 10:55 UTC : There are fears of a looming mental health crisis in Japan as many survivors of the March earthquake and tsunami struggle to deal with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Japan's biggest-selling newspaper is reporting that there are fewer than 20 psychotherapists specialising in the disorder in the entire country.

UPDATE 21/06 - 10:45 UTC : Pratt & Whitney Power Systems is supplying the temporary power generation company, APR Energy (APR) with mobile power generation equipment that will be used to alleviate electric power shortfalls in Japan resulting from the Tohoku-Chihou-Taiheiyo-Oki Earthquake and associated tsunami that recently devastated the country.

UPDATE 21/06 - 10:35 UTC : Toyo Construction Co., the Tokyo-based port builder, said that work following the March 11 tsunami may surpass the ¥60 billion it earned after the 1995 Kobe quake as local governments bolster sea defenses. "There is going to be a rush to increase safety and security around the country," Executive Officer Nobuyuki Kawase said in an interview in Tokyo Thursday. "People are increasingly recognizing how important concrete is for protection."

UPDATE 20/06 - 18:24 UTC : The total death toll has dropped under 23,000. Additionally Earthquake-Report.com expects also a big drop in Ishinomaki which hasn't updated their missing since April 4th (still at 2,770 but more likely around 1500).
We estimate that our May 1 prediction will be the final total.
9162 dead, 4716 missing = Miyagi
4549 dead, 2421 missing = Iwate
1636 dead, 334 missing = Fukushima
65 dead, 4 missing = Other prefectures.

UPDATE 19/06 - 11:30 UTC : Combining Global Positioning System (GPS) and acoustic data, we detected very large sea-floor movements associated with this event directly above the focal region. An area with more than 20 meters of horizontal displacement, that is, four times larger than those detected on land, stretches several tens of kilometers long along the trench; the largest amount reaches about 24 meters toward east-southeast just above the hypocenter. Furthermore, nearly 3 meters of vertical uplift occurred, contrary to observed terrestrial subsidence. $$$$$$

UPDATE 19/06 - 11:25 UTC : Young Russian pianist Dmitry Shishkin has given a series of successful concerts in Japan dedicated to those who suffered from the March 11th earthquake and tsunami. On June 16th, the winner of the Beijing competition for young performers was greeted at a fully-packed hall in the city of Tiba.

UPDATE 19/06 - 11:20 UTC : Insurance claims for injuries sustained by volunteers working in areas hit by the March earthquake and tsunami have mounted, with some 260 applications filed through Thursday, according to insurance firms.

UPDATE 19/06 - 09:40 UTC : Go Japan : The country’s most famous visitor attractions are half empty after the tsunami so, if you’re prepared for the odd aftershock, it’s a good time to visit, writes Alex Meehan $$$

UPDATE 19/06 - 09:30 UTC : Japan may have found a silver lining in the March earthquake, seeking to sell bullet trains abroad, as the high-speed train system proved resilient against the powerful 9.0-magnitude temblor of March 11. Shinkansen have long been synonymous with safety. But experts and government officials say safety alone is not enough to market the trains, saying more is needed, including flexibility that caters to local needs, to compete with European countries and emerging Asian rivals.

UPDATE 19/06 - 09:20 UTC : Officials of Japan's hard-hit Fukushima city will begin handing out radiation measuring devices to 34,000 children in a plan to help calm fears about radiation.

UPDATE 19/06 - 09:10 UTC : Japanese whale hunters have found traces of radioactive caesium in two of the ocean giants recently harpooned off its shores in the Pacific Ocean, a fisheries agency official said Wednesday. Two minke whales culled off the northern island of Hokkaido showed readings of 31 becquerels and 24.3 becquerels of caesium per kilogram, he said, adding that the cause may be the accident at the Fukushima nuclear plant.

UPDATE 19/06 - 09:00 UTC : A pot enabling users to charge their cell phones by boiling water in disaster situations will go on sale later this month. The ‘‘Hatsuden-nabe” (power generating pot) of venture company TES NewEnergy Corp has the appearance of an ordinary household utensil but can directly convert heat-waste into electricity using a thermoelectric module. $$$

UPDATE 18/06 - 15:20 UTC : Canada has lifted all restrictions on food imports from Japan, which were imposed amid fears of radioactive contamination due to the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, saying all products tested were far below radiation limits, the Japanese government said Tuesday.

UPDATE 18/06 - 15:15 UTC : FRESH fears over a nuclear leak at the tsunami-ravaged Fukushima plant have re-ignited after a rabbit born close to the facility was found to have no ears. Locals have been left wondering whether this earless bunny - found near the facility at the end of last month - was the first sign of side-effects from the nuclear catastrophe.

UPDATE 18/06 - 15:10 UTC : This isn’t how Michio and Ryoko Konno envisioned spending their golden years. The Konnos are picking up tsunami debris five days a week near their demolished home in Minamisanriku, earning about $100 apiece for a day’s work. Leaving emergency shelters for temporary housing means cutting the financial lifeline provided by the government, including meals, utilities and access to other resources and services provided through the shelters to help them through these difficult days. Typically, it also means buying new furniture and appliances to replace those lost to the waves. $$$

UPDATE 17/06 - 07:44 UTC :
As attached a new update for the damage from Japan. CATDAT Situation Report 37. From FDMA + Prefecture damage data = Deaths = 15372, Missing = 7724
----- Total 23,096. We are now down under 23,100 total deaths. It is hoped that this will continue to reduce in line with our May 1st estimates.
Also 114,000 destroyed buildings, 91,000 partially destroyed buildings and 391,000 damaged buildings, have been counted so far.
For all of you at home, that is around 600,000 buildings damaged or destroyed - a substantial total, with still more to count.

UPDATE 14/06 - 15:10 UTC : The Great East Japan Earthquake revealed the grim fact: The Japan Meteorological Agency is ill-equipped to quickly assign a magnitude to huge quakes striking near the Japanese archipelago. The agency took nearly three hours after the giant quake struck off northeastern Japan on March 11 to announce a magnitude close to 9. $$$
http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201106110154.html

UPDATE 14/06 - 15:00 UTC : Dentists work in one room of the Miyagi prefectural police headquarters trying to match dental records with unidentified bodies in the morgue. The dentists check on the type of treatment on the teeth of the bodies and conduct a database search using biometric identification techniques. A number of dentists compare every tooth with various records and discuss among themselves to determine if an identification can be confirmed.

UPDATE 13/06 - 10:00 UTC : When the massive tsunami slammed into Japan entire towns and villages were left submerged, forgotten and frozen in time. Now, a team of scuba divers have released a series of incredible underwater images from below the waves, showing just some of the millions of possessions and personal items that were lost. $$$

UPDATE 11/06 - 20:58 UTC : Overview video of the Three Month Anniversary of the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake

UPDATE 11/06 - 18:58 UTC : A group of Bangladeshis has contributed 10% of their monthly pay to raise funds for Japan’s earthquake victims, saying it is their way of giving back thanks to Japan which has frequently helped the South Asian country in times of natural disasters. The donation of about 60,000 yen has been sent to a group supporting the disabled in Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture, one of the areas hardest hit by the March quake and tsunami, with words of encouragement.

UPDATE 11/06 - 18:55 UTC : Life in evacuation shelters is taking a severe psychological toll on those left homeless by Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami, a situation likely to worsen as tens of thousands face the prospect of staying at least the rest of the year in temporary housing.

UPDATE 11/06 - 18:45 UTC : Toyota Motor Corp said on Friday it expects operating profit this business year to fall 35 percent to 300 billion yen ($3.7 billion) after Japan's biggest earthquake on record severely disrupted car production and slashed sales.

UPDATE 10/06 - 15:10 UTC : Hakodate Fishermen here never forgot the kindness extended by Iwate Prefecture in 1934 when the city was razed by fire. Now they say it is their turn to offer a helping hand. Some 228 used fishing boats will be given to fishermen in Iwate Prefecture, who lost their fleets in the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11. Loaded onto a barge, the boats departed Todohokke Port in eastern Hakodate for Kuji Port in Iwate Prefecture on June 4. $$$
http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201106060141.html

UPDATE 10/06 - 15:00 UTC : The huge scale of the Great East Japan Earthquake is forcing the Japanese government to review the basic principles of its earthquake risk assessment system and may have far-reaching consequences for anti-quake measures in homes, offices and nuclear power plants across the country. The government's Earthquake Research Committee said on June 9 that it would re-examine its methods of estimating the likelihood and scale of future earthquakes.

UPDATE 09/06 - 12:45 UTC : Currently, there are 15245 dead, and 8132 missing. Total = 23,377 dead or missing. 5695 registered as injured.
In addition, there has been 114,000 buildings destroyed, 79,000 buildings partially destroyed, and over 373,000 partially damaged
buildings. Most of the partially damaged buildings are due to the earthquake, and most of the destroyed buildings are due to the tsunami.

UPDATE 09/06 - 12:30 UTC : More than 169 billion yen in relief money offered as donations to the Japanese Red Cross Society and the Central Community Chest of Japan for people affected by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami is still being kept by the two bodies, their officials said Sunday. Of the 251.3 billion yen collected by the two groups, only 82.2 billion yen, or about one-third, has been sent to 15 prefectures hit by the disaster.

UPDATE 09/06 - 12:15 UTC : The Tokyo metropolitan government introduced summertime working hours for its employees to help the capital's economy reduce electricity consumption due to expected supply shortages.

UPDATE 09/06 - 10:00 UTC : A memorial ceremony for victims of Japan’s massive March 11 earthquake and tsunami was held Sunday at Westminster Abbey in London, with about 2,000 people attending in the rain.

UPDATE 08/06 - 12:15 UTC : Despite mounds of debris washed ashore by the tsunami, Kugunarihama beach on Oshima island in the Kesennuma Bay and Kukunakihama beach on the nearby Karakuwa Peninsula both continue to produce their trademark "kyu, kyu" sounds when people shuffle their feet on the dry sand.

UPDATE 08/06 - 12:05 UTC : The government has simplified certificates for easier notification of the deaths of people still missing since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan in a bid to alleviate burdens on survivors and municipalities, officials said Wednesday.

UPDATE 08/06 - 12:00 UTC : About 80% of the combined 380 hospitals in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures were completely or partially destroyed by the massive March 11 earthquake and tsunami, the health ministry said Wednesday.

UPDATE 07/06 - 16:14 UTC : Authorities could have issued a warning over the March 11 earthquake had they treated an earlier quake as a foreshock and closely analyzed the aftershocks that followed, according to a Tohoku University associate professor. The foreshock, which occurred at 11:45 a.m. on March 9 near the focus of the March 11 quake, some 50 hours before it struck, registered a magnitude of 7.3, rocking Miyagi Prefecture and sending a tsunami of up to 60 cm to Iwate Prefecture. $$$
Earthquake-Report.com comment : Easy to say afterwards. As being on the first row when the 7.3 quake occurred, a normal sequence of powerful aftershocks followed this shock. There was no sign (unless we do not have all data) about an imminent massive second quake. The professor's analysis is a good scientific paper, but has surely not enough strength to call another alert based on the first quake aftershocks, as he stated.

UPDATE 07/06 - 16:12 UTC : An Italian woman fearlessly entered tsunami and radiation-hit areas to rescue dogs, cats. Gallaon-Aoki traveled from evacuation center to center, leaving food and her contacts, letting authorities and people in need of help for their animals know that she could provide it. She was also able to come to the aid of animals that had been rescued but had no one to care for them. $$$$$$

UPDATE 07/06 - 16:10 UTC : The chief of the Japan Business Federation on Thursday called for a grand coalition involving the ruling Democratic Party of Japan and the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party to speed up the nation’s reconstruction from the March earthquake and tsunami and the subsequent nuclear crisis. $$$

UPDATE 07/06 - 16:08 UTC : Kumamoto Prefecture Gov. Ikuo Kabashima met with his Shizuoka Prefecture counterpart Heita Kawakatsu at the Kumamoto prefectural offices, where the two men agreed to sign an official agreement pledging to send rescue teams to each other’s prefectures in the event of a large natural disaster.

UPDATE 06/06 - 15:34 UTC : Seven Kyushu university hospitals with clinical psychology wards will create a network to provide free psychological counseling for the survivors of the Tohoku earthquake who have temporarily relocated to Kyushu.

UPDATE 06/06 - 15:32 UTC : Major life insurers are considering bringing forward the start of insurance payments to the next of kin of policyholders still listed as missing in the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, possibly to sometime in June, industry sources said Thursday. $$$
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110603a4.html

UPDATE 06/06 - 15:30 UTC : The Japan Sumo Association decided Thursday to hold the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament from July 10 to 24, the first regular tourney since a match-fixing scandal broke in February. Following the decision, public broadcaster NHK announced live coverage of the tournament, explaining that the match-fixing issue has come to a certain conclusion because of the JSA's proper handling of the matter and people around the country, including those affected by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, were calling for the resumption of coverage.

UPDATE 05/06 - 21:02 UTC : As temperatures warm in late spring in areas devastated by the tsunami spawned by the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake, the stench is worsening and even threatening the health of residents. Rotting fish, such as saury and mackerel, are scattered in rice fields in the Hashikami district of Kesennuma in northern Miyagi Prefecture, which are located about one kilometer from the coast.

UPDATE 05/06 - 21:00 UTC : Most Japanese believe their country will become stronger not weaker after the March 11 earthquake that killed thousands, despite increased pessimism about the economy, an opinion poll shows.

UPDATE 04/06 - 18:02 UTC : Tokyo Electric Power Co on Tuesday began paying compensation to farmers and fishermen for losses incurred as a result of the nuclear crisis at the utility’s Fukushima Daiichi power plant triggered by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, the company said. The day’s preliminary compensation payments accounted for around 500 million yen of the 3.4 billion yen requested by three organizations in Ibaraki and Tochigi prefectures.

UPDATE 04/06 - 18:00 UTC : 'Earthquake drunk' cases are on the rise, in which people experience the sensation of an aftershock, even when there is none. Experts say it is akin to the shakiness some feel after sea travel. $$$

UPDATE 03/06 - 00:12 UTC : Construction of temporary housing is under way in quake-affected areas. According to a report by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, 18,000 houses have been completed, but an estimated 30,000 more are still needed.

UPDATE 03/06 - 00:10 UTC : Thousands of people floated lanterns in the ocean from a Honolulu beach Monday to remember loved ones and pay tribute to ancestors in an annual Memorial Day ritual that has its origins in Buddhist traditions from Japan

UPDATE 03/06 - 00:08 UTC : Fitch has gone along with Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s to downgrade the economic outlook for Japan. Fitch has warned the massive cost of cleaning up after the March earthquake and tsunami will add to strains already being felt economically.

UPDATE 03/06 - 00:06 UTC : Sony has restarted production at the last of 10 factories in Japan that were damaged by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, although it still expects months more disruptions to its supply chain.

UPDATE 03/06 - 00:04 UTC : The British government and British Airways said Thursday they have jointly launched a business campaign to help reinvigorate the Japanese economy, which was hit by the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami in March.

UPDATE 02/06 - 11:02 UTC : Prime Minister Naoto Kan survived a no-confidence motion Thursday over his response to Japan's massive tsunami and ensuing nuclear crisis, but said he is willing to resign once the country's recovery takes hold. $$$

UPDATE 02/06 - 11:00 UTC : Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea will halve the entrance fee for children this summer for the first time as part of efforts to help lift their spirits in the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, the operator said Friday. $$$

UPDATE 02/06 - 10:04 UTC : Chugoku Electric Power Co. will delay the start of operations at a new reactor under construction at its Shimane nuclear plant here due to inadequate defense against tsunami and equipment problems.

UPDATE 02/06 - 10:02 UTC : 3 opera stars of the New York Metropolitan Opera dropped out of the company's tour to Japan, citing concerns about radiation, opera officials said. Anna Netrebko, Joseph Calleja and Jonas Kaufmann withdrew over concerns about conditions following the March 11 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster, The New York Times reported. $$$

UPDATE 02/06 - 10:00 UTC : The transport ministry plans to exempt people affected by the catastrophic March 11 earthquake and tsunami from paying expressway tolls in the Tohoku region starting June 20, ministry officials have said.

UPDATE 01/06 - 20:04 UTC : Even though they had seen the images of the areas devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami in the media, nothing could prepare visitors for seeing the areas up close. A busload of tourists from the Tokyo area got the chance to visit disaster-ridden Minami-Sanriku, Miyagi Prefecture, on May 29, joining an event to promote the town's rejuvenation. Organized by Kinki Nippon Tourist Co., the tour left Tokyo Station the previous night. Upon arrival in the area, the visitors shopped at a market in the quake-hit town to pick up local specialty foods and items from elsewhere around Japan.

UPDATE 01/06 - 20:02 UTC : After the earthquake and subsequent tsunami struck Japan in March, it wasn't just humans affected by the natural disasters. Tens of thousands of livestock, wildlife and household pets were left behind in the rush to get out of the devastated areas. Now, amongst all the misery, there are people trying to save those vulnerable animals. $$$

UPDATE 01/06 - 20:00 UTC : Sendai airport, now under reconstruction from March’s earthquake and tsunami, is due to resume hosting of international flights in late June.

The last days of our previous article
UPDATE 31/05 - 18:00 UTC : Japan underestimated the risk of tsunamis and needs to closely monitor public and workers' health after the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, a team of international safety inspectors said in a preliminary review of the world's worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. $$$
Earthquake-Report.com comment : It took a couple of months to come out with some shortcomings which were clear to every specialist from the very beginning. We could have expected tsunami walls that would be able to sustain the historical tsunamis for ie 100 years. The paper wall they had installed was blown away by the force of the water. What annoyes earthquake-report.com is that all the attention is focused on the Nuclear plants, everyone seems to forget that more than 20,0000 people also lost their lives in this tragedy. A lot of these lives could have been saved if local authorities had paid attention to the same historic tsunamis.

UPDATE 30/05 - 20:00 UTC : Japan's recent magnitude 9.0 earthquake, which triggered a devastating tsunami, relieved stress along part of the quake fault but also has contributed to the build up of stress in other areas, putting some of the country at risk for up to years of sizeable aftershocks and perhaps new main shocks, scientists say.

UPDATE 29/05 - 20:46 UTC : Members of the antiwhaling group Sea Shepherd Conservation Society recently returned to the town of Otsuchi in Iwate Prefecture, angering some local people after they had received help during the massive March 11 earthquake and tsunami. According to local fishermen and Sea Shepherd’s website, several members of the group visited Otsuchi from late February to videotape and take pictures of fishermen and boats related to dolphin hunting.

UPDATE 29/05 - 20:44 UTC : VOGUE JAPAN and GQ JAPAN will support the activities of the "SAVE JAPAN! PROJECT" as its media partner on a long-term basis in sympathy with the objectives of the project. Organizers of the project opened a portal site immediately after the Great East Japan Earthquake to transmit region-by-region disaster information via Twitter and Facebook, providing useful information for disaster-stricken.
http://savejapanproject.com

UPDATE 28/05 - 19:04 UTC : Two weeks after announcing the meltdown of fuel inside Fukushima's No. 1 reactor, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has said there have very likely been partial meltdowns at the other two reactors that were operating when the crisis began on March 11 as well. A spokesman for TEPCO, Japan's largest power company that has come under fire for its management of the crippled plant, said fuel rods at reactor No. 3 started melting March 13, two days after the 9.0 earthquake and ensuing tsunami struck the plant. Fuel rods at No. 2 probably started melting a day later, on March 14. $$$

UPDATE 28/05 - 19:02 UTC : Tourism ministers from Japan, China and South Korea agreed Sunday to jointly work out crisis management guidelines to address critical events that negatively affect tourism, such as natural disasters, terrorism and outbreaks of infectious diseases.

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