News From JAPANiCAN

Japan Hotel, Ryokan, and Tour Booking Made Easy

POPULAR OKINAWA RESORTS

The Beach Tower Okinawa Family Suites from JPY 22,800 SEE MORE  >

Hotel Monterey Okinawa Spa & Resort Twin Rooms from JPY 19,500 SEE MORE  >

Laguna Garden Hotel Superior Twin Rooms from JPY 16,000 SEE MORE  > SEE ALL >

OKINAWA ACTIVITIES AND TOURS

Kerama Islands Diving & Snorkeling

	BOOK NOW  >

Okinawa Dinner Cruises	Okinawa Sightseeing Tours

	BOOK NOW   >		BOOK NOW   >
SEE ALL >

JAPAN HOTEL & RYOKAN DESTINATIONS

Thank you for reading JAPANiCAN.com News! Follow us on social media:

Quake Hits Off Taiwan, Tsunami Alert For Okinawa

An earthquake hit off the coast of Taiwan today and a tsunami alert has been triggered for Okinawa.

According to The Japan Times:

Tsunami as big as 1 meter (3 feet) were reportedly forecast to hit islands in Japan’s far south Monday morning after a 6.6 magnitude earthquake struck off eastern Taiwan. 

National broadcaster NHK said waves were possible on several islands in the Okinawa chain after a very shallow quake centered on Yonaguni in the southwest, near Taiwan.

To read more, go here. 

"Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla": Whatever Happened To The "Queen Coral"?

Above, the Queen Coral as it appeared in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974).

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974) featured the first appearance (and first incarnation) of Mechagodzilla. The movie also featured the first appearance of the Okinawa god monster, King Seesar.

The movie also featured a passenger ship that took several of the cast members to Okinawa. While en route to Okinawa, one of the ape space aliens was shot and fell overboard. The ship, the Queen Coral.

The Queen Coral had a long service. It was built in 1972 by the Hayashikane SB & Eng. Co., Ltd. of Nagasaki, Japan. After it was retired from service in Japan, the vessel was sold several times. It also was renamed at least twice. It was also known as the RIF (1987) and Hanaa (1992), but one database indicates it was also named the Queen Vergina.

Above, the Queen Coral as the Hanaa a few years before it was scrapped.

It was sold for scrapping in February 2004 under the Hanaa name.

Jumbo Makes Last Japan Domestic Flight

The Boeing 747 made its last Japanese domestic flight for All Nippon Airways today. Here's a video from FNN News:



The plane took off from Naha, Okinawa and its destination was Tokyo's Haneda Airport.

Japan Transocean Air Places $1.1bn Boeing 737 Order

Above, a Japan Transocean Air Boeing 737-400. Photo courtesy of Spaceaero2.

Boeing is having a great month in sales of new planes to Japan.

Earlier, it was reported that All Nippon Airways is ordering 40 new planes from Boeing. Now, it is being reported that Japan Transocean Air is ordering 12 Next-Generation 737-800 jets to replace its aging 737-400 planes.

Breaking Travel News reports:

Boeing and Japan Transocean Air have announced the airline’s selection of 12 Next-Generation 737-800 airplanes. 

The selection, valued at $1.1 billion at list prices, will mark the start of the airline’s fleet renewal program with the new airplanes scheduled to enter into service from 2016. 

As part of the agreement, JTA will have the flexibility to switch to the 737 MAX family of airplanes.  

“JTA has been the wings of Okinawa for almost 50 years,” said Manabu Sato, president of Japan Transocean Air and executive officer at Japan Airlines. 

“The Next-Generation 737-800, with its greater reliability, superior economic and environmental performance, and passenger-pleasing Boeing Sky Interior will allow us to continue to provide the highest levels of service, comfort and convenience to the people of Okinawa.” 

A member of the Japan Airlines Group, JTA is based in Naha, Okinawa, Japan’s southernmost island chain.

To read the full article, go here.

Earthquakes: 2012 Starting Already?

First, we have the 6.9 (or 7.0) earthquake near Okinawa, Japan. Now we have (can you believe it?) an 8.8 shaker, with tsunamis threatening Hawaii and California coastlines, originating from Chile.

Seven-pointers are rare, but they do happen. But an eight-point-eight is unheard of! Estimates of the death toll in Chile are around 300.

Could 2012 be happening earlier than we thought?