Top Asian News 4:56 a.m. GMT

Japan marks 10th disaster anniversary while still recovering

TOKYO (AP) — Japan is marking the 10th anniversary Thursday of the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster that hit the northeastern region, where many survivors' lives are still on hold. People, some carrying bouquets, walked to the coast or graves to pray for relatives and friends washed away by the tsunami. Emperor Naruhito and Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga are scheduled to observe a moment of silence at a memorial service later Thursday. The magnitude 9.0 quake that struck on March 11, 2011, was one of the biggest temblors on record and set off a massive tsunami that swept far inland, destroying towns and causing meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

Hong Kong court grants bail to 5th activist, jails another

HONG KONG (AP) — A Hong Kong court on Thursday granted bail to a fifth pro-democracy activist and former lawmaker but revoked bail for another, after both were charged with subversion under the national security law. They're part of a group of 47 activists and former lawmakers who were arrested over their involvement in an unofficial primary election last year, aimed at determining the strongest candidates in a legislative election that was later postponed due to the pandemic. Authorities say the primary was part of a plot to paralyze the government and subvert state power, as at least some of the activists had planned to vote down major bills and force Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam to resign if their pro-democracy camp had gained a legislative majority.

EXPLAINER: How dangerous is the Fukushima nuke plant today?

OKUMA, Japan (AP) — A decade ago, a massive tsunami crashed into the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Three of its reactors melted down, leaving it looking like a bombed-out factory. Emergency workers risked their lives trying to keep one of history's worst nuclear crises from spiraling out of control. Proper equipment has now replaced ragged plastic hoses held together with tape and an outdoor power switchboard infested by rats, which caused blackouts. Radiation levels have declined, allowing workers and visitors to wear regular clothes and surgical masks in most areas. But deep inside the plant, danger still lurks. Officials don't know exactly how long the cleanup will take, whether it will be successful and what might become of the land where the plant sits.

AP PHOTOS: Damage preserved as memorial of Japanese tsunami

RIKUZENTAKATA, Japan (AP) — New roads. New town halls. New shopping centers. The scars are disappearing from Japan’s northeast coast as people rebuild from the tsunami that wrecked the region 10 years ago. But some towns have decided to preserve reminders of the March 11, 2011, disaster — as a symbol of their resilience, to remember their dead loved ones, and as a lesson for future generations. In Rikuzentakata, where more than 1,700 people died, townspeople refurbished the lone pine tree that initially survived the tsunami, which flattened the surrounding coastal forest. When the tree, which is known as the “Miracle Pine,” began dying from seawater exposure, it was taken down, treated and then reerected to create a memorial that has become a symbol of hope for the region.

Timeline of Japan's 2011 quake, tsunami and nuclear disaster

TOKYO (AP) — Thursday marks the 10th anniversary of a massive earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster that struck Japan's northeastern coast. Here is a timeline of events: ___ — March 11, 2011: A magnitude 9.0 earthquake strikes off the coast at 2:46 p.m., triggering a towering tsunami that reaches land within half an hour. The tsunami smashes into the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, destroying its power and cooling systems and triggering meltdowns at three reactors. — March 12: A hydrogen explosion occurs at the plant’s No. 1 reactor, sending radiation into the air. Residents within a 20-kilometer (12-mile) radius are ordered to evacuate.

Japan's recovery from tsunami disaster, by the numbers

TOKYO (AP) — Ten years after a massive earthquake and tsunami devastated Japan’s northeastern coast, triggering meltdowns at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, much has been achieved in disaster-hit areas but they are still recovering. Numbers show how much progress has been made and what still remains. ___ 9.0 EARTHQUAKE The magnitude 9.0 earthquake was one of the strongest temblors on record. It struck off the coast at 2:46 p.m. and generated a towering tsunami that reached land within half an hour. ___ 18,426 DEAD The National Police Agency says 18,426 people died, mostly in the tsunami, including 2,527 whose remains have not been found.

Indonesia bus plunges into a ravine, killing 27 pilgrims

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — A tourist bus plunged into a ravine on Indonesia’s main island of Java after its brakes apparently malfunctioned, killing at least 27 people and injuring 39 others, police and rescuers said Thursday. The bus was carrying a group of Islamic junior high school students, teachers and parents from the West Java province town of Subang when the accident happened late Wednesday on a winding road, said local police chief Eko Prasetyo Robbyanto. He said the bus was on its way back to Subang from a pilgrimage site in the province’s Tasikmalaya district when it plunged into the 20-meter (65-foot) -deep ravine after the driver lost control of the vehicle in an area with a number of sharp declines in Sumedang district.

UN calls for reversal of Myanmar coup and condemns violence

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. Security Council unanimously called for a reversal of the military coup in Myanmar on Wednesday, strongly condemning the violence against peaceful protesters and calling for “utmost restraint” by the military. A presidential statement approved by all 15 council members including Myanmar’s neighbor and friend China was formally adopted at a very brief virtual meeting where U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the current council president, announced that the statement had been agreed. A presidential statement is a step below a resolution but becomes part of the official record of the U.N.’s most powerful body. The British-drafted statement calls for the immediate release of government leaders including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint who have been detained since their ouster in the Feb.

Myanmar police raid housing for striking railway workers

MANDALAY, Myanmar (AP) — Myanmar security forces on Wednesday raided a neighborhood in the country’s largest city that houses state railway workers who have gone on strike to protest last month’s military coup. Police sealed off the Mingalar Taung Nyunt neighborhood in Yangon where the Ma Hlwa Kone train station and housing for railway workers are located. Photos and video on social media showed officers blocking streets and what was said to be people escaping. At least three arrests were reported, but couldn't immediately be confirmed. There was no apparent resistance to the raid, and local media reported that the authorities forced at least some residents from their homes.

Seoul agrees to pay more for hosting American troops in 2021

WASHINGTON (AP) — Striking a delicate balance, the United States and South Korea have agreed Seoul will pay 13.9% more this year for hosting American troops as part of a multiyear deal crafted to keep Seoul's share of the overall cost within historical norms, officials said Wednesday. The deal, which had been announced earlier this week but without financial details, ends a long stalemate that had strained relations between allies after the Trump administration demanded a five-fold increase in Seoul's contributions. President Joe Biden's willingness to quickly accept smaller increases is cast by the State Department as evidence that the Biden administration wants to repair relations with key allies in East Asia as it focuses on regional unity in confronting China and North Korea.