Japan car-makers to work weekends to save energy after quake

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RIA Novosti, PUBLISHED July 02, 2011

Japan's car manufacturing plants will be working at weekends as part of the nation's energy-saving plan in the wake of a recent earthquake and tsunami, the NHK television company said on Saturday.

The country, whose major nuclear power plant in Fukushima was badly affected by the quake in March, launched a campaign to cut energy consumption by 15% on Friday at the government's initiative.

The campaign involves 18,000 enterprises and offices in the north and northwest of the country serviced by the TEPCO and Tohoku Electric Power companies.

Experts say power use is at its peak on workdays from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., which is why 13 car concerns have agreed to work at weekends and make Thursday and Friday days off by September.

Thirty-five out of 54 nuclear reactors, which covered 30% of the nation's energy needs, have been disabled by the earthquake and tsunami. The disaster killed at least 15,000 people, while 9,893 people remain unaccounted for.

The government said the damage from the disaster could total $184 billion.

Topics: Asia, Japan

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