Asia
Japan OKs $25.5b reconstruction budget
Updated: 2011-07-26 08:56
(Agencies)
TOKYO - Japanese lawmakers have approved nearly 2 trillion yen ($25.5 billion) in extra funds to pay for reconstruction from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami and the nuclear crisis that followed.
About half of Monday's newly approved budget will go toward temporary housing, health checks and other support projects for residents affected by the nuclear crisis.
About 80,000 residents had to evacuate their homes due to radiation threats from the tsunami-hit Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant. The quake and tsunami also left 23,000 others dead or missing across wide swaths of Japan's northeast coastline.
Japan in May approved a 4 billion yen supplementary budget for quake and tsunami reconstruction.
E-paper
Ringing success
Domestic firms make hay as shopping spree by middle class consumers keeps cash registers ringing in Nanjing
Mixed Results
Crowning achievement
Living happily ever after
Specials
Ciao, Yao
Yao Ming announced his retirement from basketball, staging an emotional end to a glorious career.
Going the distance
British fitness coach comes to terms with tragedy through life changes
Turning up the heat
Traditional Chinese medicine using moxa, or mugwort herb, is once again becoming fashionable