Japan

In Japan, the radiation from the Fukushima nuclear accident is going nowhere fast. And in many cases, it's not clear where the radiation's OK, and where it's not. That's where a group called SafeCast comes in.

A Japanese government report on the Fukushima nuclear crisis puts the blame squarely on culture -- namely, a cozy relationship between politicians, regulators and the nuclear power industry. It goes so far as to suggest the accident might have occurred even without an earthquake and tsunami.

The new government initiative could lift the land of the rising sun to second place among the world's solar energy markets.

A government plan would increase the nation's sales tax from 5 percent to 10 percent. Critics say this would affect consumer spending.

China and Japan move to trade each other's currencies directly, without using the U.S. dollar to set the exchange rate. The change is a new step toward a world where the dollar is not last word in global currencies.

And no one has clue who will pay for the clean-up of tons of debris.

The Prime Minister of Japan, Yoshihiko Noda, is in Washington today for meetings with President Obama. There are tensions over the U.S. military in Japan, but moves toward closer cooperation on energy and trade.

Amid cries of a "lost decade" and economic stagnation, the real Japan looks and feels much different.

Since Fukushima, Japan has shuttered all but one nuclear reactor. Now the debate to restart has begun.

It has been a year since the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster in Japan. And the economy there is finally starting to look better, but many families are still struggling to regain their former lives.