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Japan eclipses China as top US Treasury holder

China's holdings of US Treasury bonds tumbled in December, allowing Japan to take over as the top holder of American government debt, according to Treasury data released Tuesday. China's bond holdings dropped substantially to 755.4 billion dollars in the last month of December from 789.6 billion in November, said the Treasury's international capital data report. Japan's holdings increased to 768.8 billion dollars in December from 757.3 billion dollars in November, according to the data.

South Korea wants Japan to also introduce daylight savings time

South Korea hopes that Japan will join its push to introduce daylight saving time this summer in a move aimed at saving energy, Yonhap News Agency reported Wednesday. "It is true that Japan's stance is one of various factors in deciding whether South Korea will adopt the system," an unidentified official at the presidential office was quoted as saying. South Korea is contemplating whether to set the country's clocks forward an hour in summer, probably from April until September.

Japan's solar power capacity more than doubles in 2009

Solar power capacity in Japan rose to 483,960 kilowatts in 2009, 2.1 times more than the 2008 total, according to the Japan Photovoltaic Energy Association (JPEA). The new total -- based on shipments of solar energy systems -- marked a record jump in the nation's installed solar power base, with the previous highest increase coming in 2005.