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Miyagi man who sold contaminated straw blames gov't for scandal OSAKI, Miyagi -- A man in Osaki, Miyagi Prefecture, who sold straw contaminated with high levels of radioactive cesium told the Mainichi on July 18 that he had never imagined that his straw was contaminated because the city is about 150 kilometers away from the crippled Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant. "The wind was in a different direction immediately after the hydrogen explosions, so I never thought it was contaminated. I really feel sorry," the man said. The man made the remarks in response to recent revelations that cows...

Japan's Self-Defense Forces and the US military continue a large-scale operation to find those still missing in the March 11th earthquake and tsunami. The 3-day joint search began on Friday. It covers the Pacific coastal areas of Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures. Authorities say 53 bodies had been recovered as of 3 PM on Saturday. An estimated 15,540 people are listed as missing in the March 11th earthquake and tsunami, bringing the number of dead or missing to more than 27,000. The toll is expected to rise as search operations are not being conducted in areas 20 kilometers around the...

OSAKA, Japan (AFP) – A shallow 6.5-magnitude earthquake hit off the northeast coast of Japan on Monday, the US Geological Survey said. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a 50-centimetre (18 inch) tsunami warning for the Pacific coast of Miyagi prefecture, which was devastated by the huge earthquake and tsunami that hit on March 11.

TOKYO, March 28 (AP) - (Kyodo)—A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.5 jolted northeastern Japan on Monday morning, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. The agency issued a tsunami warning following the 7:24 a.m. quake.

A magnitude-6.5 earthquake shook eastern Japan off the quake-ravaged coast on Monday morning, the U.S. Geological Survey reported, prompting Japan to issue a tsunami alert. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, but the Japan Meteorological Agency announced that a tsunami of up to 1.6 feet (a half meter) may wash into Miyagi Prefecture.

The death toll from Friday's devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit northeastern and eastern Japan will likely exceed 10,000, the Miyagi police chief said Sunday, according to an NHK report. Naoto Takeuchi, head of the prefectural police, was quoted as saying that ''I have no doubt'' the toll will rise that high in Miyagi Prefecture alone, the hardest-hit region, while the official tally stands at a little over 800 confirmed dead in Miyagi and other areas, the public broadcaster said.

Tsuanmi warning issued.