7.1 Earthquake Hits Japan

Seven ways to donate and spread awareness

(NEWSER) - If the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan has you feeling helpless, turn to Mashable . The site rounds up seven ways you can do something—even if you’re broke:

• Like a page: For each person that “likes” the “Dog Bless You” Facebook page for search and rescue dogs, Explore.org will donate $1.
• Use Twitter hashtags: Hashtags to tweet or follow include #Jishin for general information, #Anpi to confirm the safety of people or places, #Hinan for evacuation info, and #311care for medical care info.

Country pauses to remember its dead

(NEWSER) - At 2:46pm local time today, people all across Japan stood in silence to remember the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami exactly one year ago that killed more than 19,000 people, destroyed 370,000 homes, and created the world's worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl, reports the AP . Sirens marked the earthquake, trains stopped, and a Buddhist priest in one coastal town rang a huge bell. At Tokyo's National Theater, Emperor Akihito, Empress Michiko, and Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda stood in silence, along with hundreds of others. More»

Nearly 6,000 safes have washed ashore in Japan

(NEWSER) - In the five months since a massive earthquake and tsunami devastated the east coast of Japan, honest citizens have returned $78 million in cash—$48 million found in thousands of wallets, and $30 million from some 5,700 safes that turned up onshore, reports ABC News . One safe had $1 million inside. Police say most of the money and valuables have been returned to the rightful owners. More»

Before the nation can fully rebuild, it has years of cleanup ahead

(NEWSER) - A giant kiln at a cement factory in Japan finally returned to action today and incinerated 10 tons of debris from the March earthquake. Which sounds like a handsome total until you consider that an estimated 25 million tons remain, reports the Wall Street Journal . The nation is now grappling with the staggering logistics of getting rid of acres of tires, plastic, twisted metal, wood, etc. The work is expected to cost $8.4 billion and take at least three years. More»

Naoto Kan acknowledged 'shortcomings' after earthquake

(AP) - Prime Minister Naoto Kan defeated a no-confidence motion today over his handling of Japan's triple disasters, but the victory may be short lived—he said he is willing to resign once the country's recovery kicks in. Kan, who has been criticized for delays in the construction of temporary housing and a lack of transparency about evacuation information in the nuclear crisis, won by a margin of 293-152 in the 480-seat lower house of parliament. More»