Tokyo, 17 March, /AJMEDIA
2 killed, 92 injured after M7.4 quake hits northeastern Japan
TOKYO – Two people were killed and many others injured when a powerful earthquake rocked northeastern Japan late Wednesday, police and fire authorities said.
As of 6:30 a.m. Thursday, a total of 92 people were reported injured across seven prefectures including Miyagi and Fukushima, two areas in which the quake registered magnitude 7.4, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
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U.S. Fed decides 1st rate hike since 2018 amid inflation, Russia war
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Federal Reserve said Wednesday it will raise key interest rates for the first time since 2018 and signaled six more rate increases this year to tame high inflation, with Russia’s war in Ukraine adding to concerns of elevated prices including for energy.
Upon concluding a two-day meeting of the policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee, the bank said it will lift its target range for the federal funds rate to 0.25 to 0.5 percent, after maintaining the level at near-zero since March 2020 to support the economic recovery from the downturn triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.
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Tokyo stocks’ Nikkei index surges over 3% after Fed policy meeting
TOKYO – Tokyo stocks opened sharply higher Thursday, with the benchmark Nikkei index surging over 3 percent, as sentiment was supported by advances on Wall Street following an optimistic outlook for the U.S. economy presented by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.
In the first 15 minutes of trading, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average rose 827.52 points, or 3.21 percent, from Wednesday to 26,589.53. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange was up 45.49 points, or 2.45 percent, to 1,898.74.
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Tohoku residents scared, anxious by quake reminiscent of 2011 tragedy
SENDAI – Residents in the Tohoku region in northeastern Japan expressed fear and anxiety after a powerful earthquake struck late Wednesday an area that just days ago marked the 11th anniversary of a megaquake and tsunami.
Tsunami warnings reminded many in the area, including Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, of the calamities on March 11, 2011, that forced them to get to higher ground and safer places. Buildings were damaged as walls and ceilings shook loose, while millions of homes, including some in parts of Tokyo, were without power as local authorities scrambled to grasp the extent of the damage.
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Spent fuel pool temporarily shut down at Fukushima Daini nuclear plant
TOKYO – The cooling systems of two spent fuel pools at the Fukushima Daini nuclear power plant temporarily shut down after a strong earthquake rattled northeastern Japan, the country’s nuclear regulator said Thursday.
The halt occurred at the nuclear plant’s No. 1 and 3 units after a magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck at 11:36 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Nuclear Regulation Authority.
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Ukraine seeks more aid in war, urges Biden to be “leader of peace”
WASHINGTON – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday sought more help from the United States to defend against Russia’s aggression during an online appearance before Congress, saying President Joe Biden should become the world’s “leader of peace” as he rallies other countries to stand by Kyiv.
Zelenskyy, who has also made virtual addresses to parliaments in Europe and Canada, reiterated his call for air support to protect the skies over Ukraine as the country is under bombardment. The Biden administration has continued to turn down the request, citing fear the move could prompt a direct war between the United States and Russia.
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Japan’s COVID quasi-emergency to completely end: PM Kishida
TOKYO – Japan will end all remaining COVID-19 quasi-state of emergency curbs as scheduled next week as the number of new infections has been trending downward, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Wednesday.
The 18 areas to have the curbs lifted include the Tokyo metropolitan region covering Chiba, Kanagawa and Saitama, Aichi in central Japan, Osaka and neighboring Kyoto. A formal decision on ending the emergency is expected Thursday.
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Russian ships seen in Japan strait, may be carrying troops to Ukraine
TOKYO – Four Russian warships were spotted sailing through a strait in northeastern Japan Wednesday, possibly transporting troops and combat vehicles to Ukraine, the Japanese Defense Ministry said.
Four Russian tank landing ships were confirmed to have passed through the Tsugaru Strait between Japan’s main island of Honshu and its northernmost main island of Hokkaido from the Pacific Ocean into the Sea of Japan.
