Here’s the news release from Nikon:

“Damage to equipment and buildings

Our group companies, including Sendai Nikon Corporation, Natori, Miyagi Pref., Miyagi Nikon Precision Co., Ltd., Zao-machi, Katta-gun, Miyagi Pref., Tochigi Nikon Corporation, Otawara, Tochigi Pref., Tochigi Nikon Precision Co., Ltd., Otawara, Tochigi Pref., and other subsidiaries as well as our Plants suffered damage to some part of the equipment and buildings. We are suspending operations there and continuing to evaluate further details of the damage. We are unable to announce how soon the operation will resume due to the regional interruption of life-lines although endeavor for restoration are under the way by some of our maintenance personnel.”

http://www.nikon.com/about/news/2011/0314_01.htm

Canon also has suspended operations. Link here:

http://www.canon.com/news/2011/mar14e.html

H/T Ken Rockwell  http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/00-new-today.htm#54d6f6dfb5024b9163fcdc4e2103f93f

There’s more bad news coming out of Japan. The situation at the reactor is looking more and more grim with another fire reported there.

My heart goes out to Japan and all her people.  There isn’t much I can do other than offer money to help buy the needed food, water, shelter, and medical supplies Japan is going to need.  Here are some places to donate to help:

Your churches Humanitarian Outreach program

LDS Philanthropies    http://www.ldsphilanthropies.org/ldsp/news-features/donate-humanitarian.html

Catholic Relief Services   http://www.crs.org/newsroom/releases/release.cfm?id=2107

American Red Cross http://american.redcross.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ntld_main&s_src=F8HWA002

Doctors without Borders  http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news/article.cfm?id=5100&cat=field-news