Methane Hydrate, a chemical compound sometimes found in ice, has long been sought-after by many nations as a source of energy. On the 12th, Japan became the first nation to successfully find a viable way of doing so. Japan is especially rich with deposits, with some estimates claiming over 1.1 trillion cubic meters of methane hydrate in offshore deposits. "Government officials have said that they aim to establish methane hydrate production technologies for practical use within five years," says BBC.
These sorts of innovations are a bright mark for the future of Japan, in spite of its recent difficulties. On the 11th Japan mourned the second anniversary of the 3/11 quake and tsunami, and the subsequent Fukushima nuclear disaster, with more than 18,000 dead or still missing. Japan has deactivated nearly all of its nuclear reactors since then, and has not turned them back on (although one might remember from recent news that Abe plans to reactivate them to help bolster the economy).
Japanese Emperor Akihito made a public appearance, and spoke, in honor of those affected deeply by the disaster. Really, all of Japan rallied publicly in a show of nationalism after the disaster—that sentiment lasts today. Some groups, such as the Fukushima First Baptist Church, held private ceremonies in public areas, as their buildings still cannot be accessed. Such churches held services to honor the dead.
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