The word "Fukushima" may be synonymous with nuclear meltdowns, ghost towns and contaminated rice fields.
The north-east region of Japan, however, once famed for its green mountains and fresh vegetables, is in the midst of the most ambitious of rebranding projects: it is attempting to transform itself into a global green energy hub.
Workers will soon start building the world's biggest offshore wind farm, with 143 turbines 16km off the coast of Fukushima, while the prefecture is also due to become home to Japan's largest solar park.
These are just two of the renewable energy projects currently under way in Fukushima, with the goal of making the still nuclear-tainted region completely self-sufficient by 2040, using renewable energy sources alone.
"The national government is heavily subsidising Fukushima to invest in renewable and alternative energy," says Tomo Honda, a representative at Fukushima General Assembly for Nihonmatsu city.
"Efforts include a biomass energy experiment and solar generation panels in over 4,000 homes and offices. A smart city project is also planned. We are hoping to be able to supply 100 per cent of all electricity needs by 2040."
Such an ambitious goal perfectly captures the mood not only in Fukushima but nationwide, where a green energy revolution is in the making.
More than two years have passed since the nation was thrown into its worst post-Second World War crisis after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami disaster claimed nearly 20,000 lives - and triggered a major nuclear disaster.
Before the first tremors struck, Japan was heavily dependent on nuclear energy: 54 reactors across the country provided about 30 per cent of the nation's energy use, with a 50 per cent target in sight.
Since then, however, the nation has been forced into a nuclear U-turn. The anti-nuclear backlash among the public has been well documented, with 70 per cent of the nation reportedly against nuclear energy and weekend protests snaking regularly through Japanese cities.
Politically too, the landscape shifted - at least initially. Naoto Kan, the previous prime minister, adopted an increasingly anti-nuclear agenda, with a freeze imposed on plans to build future reactors.
But perhaps most significantly, with the reactors turned off one by one for safety checks in the months following the disaster - and currently only two reactors are back online - the disaster opened the floodgates to a boom in green energy projects.
Solar, wind, tidal, geothermal - a flurry of green energy plans, both private and public, are hitting headlines on a regular basis as they launch across the archipelago.
Luckily for Japan, a nation with an impressive track record of disaster recovery as testified by its post-war boom, it is home to some of the world's most sophisticated and pioneering energy technology.
Before 2011, many companies were tapping into this by exporting overseas - as reflected in Fuji Electric's provision of all the equipment used in the world's largest single unit geothermal power station in New Zealand in 2010.
Since the disaster, however, the focus for many Japanese companies has shifted towards the domestic landscape, with a growing number of overseas companies also attracted to Japan.
New feed-in tariff laws to encourage renewable energy investment, as passed in 2011 and implemented last summer, have further fuelled the appearance of a number of high profile projects.
As a result, Japan is en route to becoming the world's largest solar market after China this year, according to Bloomberg, with solar installation projects exceeding forecasts to produce between 6.1 gigawatts and 9.4GW this year.
Current projects include the world's first hybrid wind-current generation power generation system which will be installed off Japan later this year by Mitsui Ocean Development & Engineering Company.
A string of smart-city communities is also in the pipeline, including the rebuilding of Urayasu in Chiba, which was badly damaged in the earthquake and tsunami.
A team of nine major companies, including Fujitsu, PanaHome Corp and Daiwa House, have joined forces to start creating a ¥50 billion (Dh1.81bn) high-tech urban community of the future, with about 1,000 new earthquake-proof homes, electric buses and solar power management systems.
Goldman Sachs announced this month plans to invest ¥50 million into renewable energy projects over the coming five years. The Wall Street firm also formed the Japan Renewable Energy Company unit last summer to design, plan and operate power plants using sun, wind, fuel cells and biomass fuels.
Politically, however, the nuclear agenda is not so clear-cut. Shinzo Abe, the prime minister since December, has made no secret of his pro-nuclear agenda, with experts predicting it is only a matter of time before nuclear reactors are put back on-line.
"Many private companies and NPO have tried to start renewable projects since the March 11 disaster and the passing of the Feed-in Tariffs law," says Noriaki Yamashita, a senior researcher at the Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies.
"But the new Liberal Democratic Party government has disposed of the new energy strategy made by the former government … and is trying to promote the nuclear industry again."
Such potential obstacles, however, are apparently not enough to dampen the enthusiasm of the projects currently under way - particularly those in Fukushima.
"I would like to see Fukushima as an international research and development centre for all renewable and alternative energy technology," says Mr Honda.
business@thenational.ae
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The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz S 450
Price, base / as tested Dh525,000 / Dh559,000
Engine: 3.0L V6 biturbo
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 369hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm at 1,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.0L / 100km
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
What is a Ponzi scheme?
A fraudulent investment operation where the scammer provides fake reports and generates returns for old investors through money paid by new investors, rather than through ligitimate business activities.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The%20Kitchen
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TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
Hidden killer
Sepsis arises when the body tries to fight an infection but damages its own tissue and organs in the process.
The World Health Organisation estimates it affects about 30 million people each year and that about six million die.
Of those about three million are newborns and 1.2 are young children.
Patients with septic shock must often have limbs amputated if clots in their limbs prevent blood flow, causing the limbs to die.
Campaigners say the condition is often diagnosed far too late by medical professionals and that many patients wait too long to seek treatment, confusing the symptoms with flu.
The five pillars of Islam
The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Essentials
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Windhoek, with a combination of Emirates and Air Namibia, cost from US$790 (Dh2,902) via Johannesburg.
The trip
A 10-day self-drive in Namibia staying at a combination of the safari camps mentioned – Okonjima AfriCat, Little Kulala, Desert Rhino/Damaraland, Ongava – costs from $7,000 (Dh25,711) per person, including car hire (Toyota 4x4 or similar), but excluding international flights, with The Luxury Safari Company.
When to go
The cooler winter months, from June to September, are best, especially for game viewing.
Keep it fun and engaging
Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.
“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.
His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.
He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
New process leads to panic among jobseekers
As a UAE-based travel agent who processes tourist visas from the Philippines, Jennifer Pacia Gado is fielding a lot of calls from concerned travellers just now. And they are all asking the same question.
“My clients are mostly Filipinos, and they [all want to know] about good conduct certificates,” says the 34-year-old Filipina, who has lived in the UAE for five years.
Ms Gado contacted the Philippines Embassy to get more information on the certificate so she can share it with her clients. She says many are worried about the process and associated costs – which could be as high as Dh500 to obtain and attest a good conduct certificate from the Philippines for jobseekers already living in the UAE.
“They are worried about this because when they arrive here without the NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] clearance, it is a hassle because it takes time,” she says.
“They need to go first to the embassy to apply for the application of the NBI clearance. After that they have go to the police station [in the UAE] for the fingerprints. And then they will apply for the special power of attorney so that someone can finish the process in the Philippines. So it is a long process and more expensive if you are doing it from here.”
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
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