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Japanese trading firms flocking to opportunities in ...
The Asahi Shimbun
Major Japanese trading houses and other firms are actively making investments in sub-Saharan Africa, being drawn by an abundance of oil and natural gas in the region along with ...
Japanese banks offer loans to Brazilian iron ore...
An iron ore mine in southeastern Brazil where Japanese trading house Itochu Corp. participates in development (Provided by Itochu Corp.)
Three Japanese megabanks plan to provide 35 billion yen ($447 million) in loans to one of Brazil's largest iron ore mining and processing firms.
6,000 meters down: Military, nuclear technology...
Deep-diving submersible Nautile (Photo: Ifremer)
Though the Nautile can't match the submarine envisioned by author Jules Verne and piloted by his fictional Captain Nemo, the French deep-diving sub today is the pride of France.
4,500 meters beneath the sea: The exclusive world...
Alvin's Project Manager Kurt Uetz, right, and ex-pilot Anthony Tarantino (Photo: Yu Miyaji)
When it comes to deep-sea submersibles, only Japan, the United States, France, Russia and China have craft capable of diving to 4,500 meters or more.
2,000 meters below sea level: Europe, U.S. lead in...
The Shinkai 2000 (Photo: JAMSTEC)
In January, construction was completed on the Hakurei, a state-of-the-art research vessel and the first commissioned by the Japanese government in 30 years.
1,600 meters below sea level: Japan's coveted deep...
Sea-floor hydrothermal deposits are discovered between 700 meters and 2,000 meters below sea level. (Photo: JOGMEC)
Waters off Papua New Guinea are proving to be a testing ground for a world-first attempt to extract metallic minerals on a commercial basis from the ocean floor 1,600 meters...
300 meters below sea level: For a cool $1.5 million,...
Mike Caplehorn, left and Charles Kohnen are shown in a submersible. (Photo: Yu Miyaji)
Mike Caplehorn has a love for the sea, especially at depths of up to 300 meters, when he's piloting his small submersible.
20 meters below sea level: A tiny universe amid a...
The Aquarius is a capsule-shaped laboratory that facilitates underwater living. The environment on our planet that is closest to space is under the sea, so the Aquarius is also used in astronaut training. The air inside is rich in oxygen, so fire cannot be used. The heavy nitrogen content is said to have a euphoric effect on all who stay here. (Photo: Yu Miyaji)
An underwater laboratory off the Florida Keyes serves as a sort of reverse space station for the United States.
A dream comes true 1,553 meters below sea level
The interior of the Shinkai 6500 is lined with instruments. (Photo: Sho Imai)
On the other side of the 4.7-inch diameter, 5.5-inch thick round acrylic window, the bottom of the sea has an ashen hue. A thick layer of sand and dead plankton called marine...
China's surveys in Okinawa Trough raises alarm in...
The Asahi Shimbun
China plans two geological surveys in the East China Sea this year, which could heighten tensions with Japan over the exploitation of undersea resources.
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