Japan's M5 rocket lifts off, puts into orbit astronomical satellite
February 21, 2006A Japanese-developed M5 rocket lifted off from the Uchinoura Space Center in Kimotsuki, Kagoshima Prefecture in southwestern Japan early Wednesday and successfully put into orbit the infrared ray astronomical satellite Astro-F, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said. The No. 8 version of the M5 rocket detached from the satellite after putting it into its scheduled orbit at an altitude of some 300 kilometers nine minutes after the 6:28 a.m. liftoff.
Gov't panel formulates guideline on somatic stem cell research
February 21, 2006A health ministry panel formulated a guideline Wednesday requiring researchers who plan to conduct clinical studies on regenerative medicine using somatic stem cells to obtain permission from both their institutes and the ministry, panel members said. The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry is expected to enforce a guideline on somatic stem cell use as early as the summer based on the guideline worked out by the panel, a task force of the ministry's Health Sciences Council.
Japan's nuclear safety panel approves reprocessing test plan
February 21, 2006Japan's Nuclear Safety Commission on Monday endorsed an earlier decision by the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency that the plan to test run the nuclear-fuel reprocessing plant of Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd. in Rokkasho, Aomori Prefecture, was appropriate, officials said. Japan Nuclear Fuel filed an application with the government last week seeking a safety regulation permit necessary for the test run, and the legal process involved will be completed once the agency approves the application.