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Solar Power's Second Boom

TOKYO - The surge in electricity costs has reignited interest in solar power, with some households reducing their monthly electricity bills to as low as 600 yen by using solar panels and battery storage.

For example, Nariya Miyake from Chiba Prefecture keeps his air conditioning on 24/7 and still maintains a low electricity bill thanks to this combination.

Solar power is experiencing a 'second boom,' driven by high electricity costs and the use of the generated power rather than selling it. This trend is supported by increased quote requests for solar installations and government subsidies, particularly in Tokyo.

Source: ANN

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Very strong Typhoon No. 7, Mekkhala, was moving north south of Okinawa as of 9 a.m. on June 24 and is forecast to approach Miyakojima on June 25 and Okinawa’s main island around June 26 before moving east along the southern coast of Honshu, while Typhoon No. 8, Higos, is expected to move on an inner track and approach eastern Japan first, raising the risk of heavy rain across western and eastern Japan.Typhoon No. 7 was located east of the Philippines at 9 p.m. on June 23 and was moving slowly north.

The sale of religious corporations that operate temples and shrines across Japan is drawing growing scrutiny from authorities, who fear the transactions could be used for tax evasion and money laundering, as brokers openly advertise properties and corporate status for tens or even hundreds of millions of yen.

Nine Japanese nationals were among 17 people detained in Laos on suspicion of involvement in a special fraud operation, while Japanese authorities have sought cooperation from Cambodian police over dozens of Japanese citizens believed to have gone missing after traveling to Cambodia.

Japan will begin a new system on June 23 to sell paint and thinner directly from manufacturers to construction firms and other businesses, aiming to ease supply bottlenecks and curb price increases as worsening conditions in the Middle East make such materials harder to obtain.

Three bear cubs were spotted climbing a tree in Hirogawa, Wakayama Prefecture, on the morning of June 22, prompting the town to put up warning signs and call on residents to stay alert, although no injuries or damage have been reported.

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Imabari Shipbuilding, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, and Namura Shipbuilding are aiming to resume construction of liquefied natural gas carriers around 2035, as Japan’s shipbuilding industry looks for a path to recovery after losing much of the global market to lower-cost rivals in South Korea and China.

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