Aid donation

An Indonesian family who owns a coal mining company has made a huge donation to Japanese embassy in Singapore to aid the victims of the earthquake and tsunami. The total sum comes up to US$782,000.

The U.S. magazine Forbes ranks the family the third richest in Indonesia, with assets worth $3.6 billion.

Emperor Akihito addresses the nation in rare appearance,

For the first time in history, Emperor Akihito has addressed the Japanese nation via a television broadcast, in wake of the natural disasters that have devastated the country.

He said: "People are being forced to evacuate in such severe conditions of bitter cold, with shortages of water and fuel... I cannot help praying that rescue work is done swiftly and people's lives get better, even a little."

He expressed concern of the unpredictable situation at the Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant. ""I sincerely hope that we can keep the situation from getting worse."

Marcus: Japan will affect us all

The catastrophic events in Japan will take it's toll on the rest of the world, SA Reserve Bank (SARB) governor Gill Marcus has said.

Speaking at a Business Unity SA and World Bank gender economic empowerment workshop, Marcus has said: "The reconstruction of Japan is going to be an enormous task." She also expressed concern about rising oil and food prices and the impact it will have on inflation.

Radiation warning

The Japanese government has warned people living near a crippled nuclear plant to stay indoors to avoid exposure to radiation after a third reactor was rocked by an explosion.

"Please do not go outside. Please stay indoors. Please close windows and make your homes airtight," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano told residents in the danger zone. "Don't turn on ventilators. Please hang your laundry indoors."

Second explosion at nuclear plant

At least six workers have been injured as a second hydrogen explosion in three days struck Japan's Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant. A massive column of smoke was seen and it is not immediately clear if any form of radiation has been released.

Death toll could rise to 10 000

The death toll from Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami could rise to 10 000 and more in Miyagi prefecture alone, its police chief told reporters on Sunday.

"There is no doubt that the number will reach the 10 000-level," said Naoto Takeuchi, quoted by state broadcaster NHK. He was referring just to his own prefecture, the region hardest hit by Friday's devastating natural disaster.

The National Police Agency's official death toll as of early Sunday was 688, with 642 missing and 1 570 injured.

Japan 2011 earthquake: facts

Friday's earthquake struck at a depth of 24 kilometres, about 125 kilometres off the eastern coast, the country's meteorological agency has revealed.