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  HONG KONG (AP) - Asian stocks swung Between Losses and gains Thursday, as investors Weighed borrowing rates climbing in Spain and Political turmoil in Greece Against upbeat results at Japanese carmaker Toyota.

Japan's Nikkei 225 index rose 0.2 percent to 9065.73 After opening lower. South Korea's Kospi aussi Opened Before Settling lower flat at 1,950.03. Hong Kong's Hang Seng was up less than 0.1 percent at 20,341.49.

Purpose Australia's S & P / ASX 200 rose 0.4 percent to 4,292.40 and benchmarks in mainland China and Taiwan rose aussi.

"The Eurozone crisis restes in the spotlight, Keeping feeling under pressure," Strategists at Credit Agricole CIB in Hong Kong wrote in a note to clients.

World Markets Have Been roiled this week by Political Instability in Europe. Greece has-been left without a government since elections on Sunday, Adding to Growing worries That It Will Drop out of the euro currency union or Be Forced out.

The turmoil shook Markets in Spain, where 'That the interest rate the government must pay on benchmark 10-year bonds rose to uncomfortably high level year of 6 direct payday lenders.6 percent. Above rates of 7 percent are seen as unsustainable, and Forced Greece, Ireland and Portugal to ask for bailouts.

Toyota Motor Corp.. rose 2.1 percent, a day after the carmaker Said quarterly profit more Than quadrupled and it made an upbeat forecast as it Recovers from a dirty plunge Caused by the tsunami in Japan last year.

On Wall Street on Friday, the Dow closed lower for the sixth day in a row, down 0.8 percent at 12,835.06. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index Fell 0.7 percent to 1,354.58 and the Nasdaq composite dropped 0.4 percent average Nasdaq to 2,934.71.

Benchmark oil for June delivery down 6 cents at WAS $ 96.75 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract Fell 20 cents to finish at $ 96.81 per barrel in New York on Wednesday.

In currencies, the euro rose to $ 1.2952 from $ 1.2945 late Wednesday in New York. The dollar rose to 79.73 Japanese yen from 79.68 yen.

Asian Stocks fluctuate Amid Fears Europe

  Opened stocks lower on Monday positive goal then Moved After A survey of manufacturing executives Suggested That American factory activity WAS Growing Quickly have more emploi and output it increase.

The Standard & Poor's 500-stock index was up 0.8 percent in afternoon trading. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 0.5 percent, and the Nasdaq composite index Gained 0.7 percent.

Meanwhile, a private survey of Chinese Exporters Fell to Lowest icts average reading in Three Years During The first quarter, while new data Showed That unemployment in the 17 European Union countries use the Euro That Has Risen to 10.8 percent. That is The Highest since the launch of the euro in 1999 outdoor fireplace cheap.

In addition, builders in the United States Slowed Their activity for a second straight month in February, pushing the Construction Spending down by Largest Amount in seven months.  

Traders Also Bought Treasurys, Sending the yield on the 10-year Treasury note down to 2.18 percent from 2.24 percent Earlier Monday.

In Europe, Wall Street Stock Markets Followed in moving ahead late in the day. The FTSE 100 index in London rose 1.9 percent, and the DAX index in Frankfurt was up 1.6 percent. The CAC 40 in Paris Gained 1.1 percent, and the Euro Stoxx 50 WAS ahead 1 percent.

Stocks Turn Higher

  What's better than a story about Good Year underdog? A story about Two of 'em.

First, Nokia. Nokia has-been pummeled by bad news. Sales of phones icts Have dried up worldwide. It has-been Forced to lay off Thousands of workers, ict Stock Has Fallen sharply and Its phones dropped in popularity Among Americans, from "very low" to "Nokia who?"

Second, Microsoft. Its efforts to compete with the iPhone and Android software is Called Windows Phone 7. It's beautiful, fast and good software. Purpose it cam to the late party phone app - so late, the band was packing up Already. Today, in a room of 100 phones, You Could count the number running Windows Phone 7 with one finger.

And so it cam to Pass That thesis Two Struggling Giants Decided to join forces. Would THEY merge Their expertise. Would THEY share technology. THEY Would Give the American market and one last desperate big shot, Spending Hundreds of millions of dollars - the biggest ever marketing campaign for Nokia.

On Sunday, Nokia's do-or-die phone finally arrived.

It's the Lumia 900. It's beautiful, fast and Powerful, and it's only $ 100 (with a two-year AT & T contract). That's half the price of an iPhone or Android phone is comparable - but you're still getting a top-of-the-line machine.

Its design is unusual and when consoling. The sides and back are molded from a single piece of hard, grippable plastic, in your choice of black, white or blue. (Nokia Hopes That When You read "plastic," you will not think "cheap and crude" - you'll think "tough" and "terrific antenna signal.") The edges are rounded and Comfortably Entirely Uninterrupted by seams, flaps gold screws.

The screen is bright, vivid and with little glare, although finger Frequently builds up oil. It'sa bigger Than the iPhone's screen: 4.3 inches diagonal. The 900 feels gigantic Lumia if you're accustomed to an iPhone - but the big screen is handy when you're reading maps, e-books and Web pages.

Then again, the Lumia Actually shows you a larger area, less detail in order. Its resolution is 800 by 480. The iPhone's 3.5-incher HAS 960 by 640 pixels, so Apple's screen is far sharper.  

The rest of the specifications are what Lumia you'd expect of a top-grade phone app: 8-megapixel camera, with flash on the back, 1-megapixel camera on the front, GPS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth; overseas roaming ; 14 gigabytes of storage available. Some of the iPhone-like downsides are here, too: nonremovable battery, no memory card, an inability to play Flash videos online.

Purpose Does not yet use the iPhone 4G LTE - Lumia & the 900 does. That means clustering brisk Internet connections in cities 4G (Which of AT & T HAS many), and incredibly fast speeds in cities LTE (Which of AT & T HAS only 31 so far). Fast download apps, Web sites load fast, do not break videos to load.

As usual, the price you pay is battery life: this phone might not make it-through the day if you're online a lot in a 4G city.  

The right side oven HAS all physical buttons: volume (up and down), sleep / wake, camera. The earbud cord is the antenna for the built-in FM radio. Call audio quality is excellent.

The software (Windows Phone 7.5, the latest and MOST polished version) is spectacular. It's Microsoft's Own invention, a crisply scrolling virtual canvas of information. It's sharp looking, responsive and loaded with thoughtful touches. For example, Even If the phone is off, you-can hold down the dedicated camera button and the phone wakes Directly Into camera mode, ready to shoot.

The Bing Maps app Gives you spoken driving directions. Android Phones Have More map features, like walking directions and street-view pictures. Purpose Bing Maps covers the basics Extremely well. When you scroll the map Quickly, city names zoom up in size so you know Where You Are as you pass by - a great feature.  

The Home screen is the software 's most noteworthy feature. It offers Two columns of colorful tiles quartz infrared heaters. Each Represents something you use Frequently: an app, a speed-dial entry, a Web page, a music playlist or an e-mail folder. These are not just buttons, they're little aussi status screens. The music tile shows album art, the calendar tile identified your next appointment, a person's history shows tile latest Twitter or Facebook blurb. It works.

There's speech recognition, but you can not speak-to-type (except in the text-messaging app). You Can speak Some commands, like "Call Dad," "open calendar" and "find local sushi." Unfortunately, This Is not Siri, the iPhone 4S's star feature. You do not get follow-up questions, smart substitutions or free-form syntax. (Or jokes, this is Microsoft, After All.)

So there you go: the Lumia 900 is fast, beautiful and Powerful, inside and out.

Unfortunately, a happy ending to this underdog story still Is not Guaranteed. Windows Phone 7 faces the mother of all chicken-and-egg problems: nobody's going to write apps Until WP7 Becomes popular - but will not WP7 Become Until There are popular apps.

That says Microsoft apps are available 70.000, an impressive start for year 18-month-old operating system. Goal Android HAS oven times as many, and the iPhone HAS over eight times as many.

Still, if WP7 Offers The Most major apps 70.000, the total does not matter. So to gauge the Completeness of Microsoft's app store, I checked list icts Against the apps I use on my iPhone Often MOST.  

Many of the essentials are there: movie apps like Netflix, IMDB and Flixster, restaurant apps like Yelp and OpenTable, check-in apps from Delta and American Airlines, Skype (in beta testing); popular apps like Groupon, Foursquare, Kindle, Spotify, Twitter and Facebook. A Few of my other favorite aussi Have Made it: RunPee (Tells You When DURING a movie it's safe to run out of the theater without missing anything important) Speedtest (Measures speed Internet) and Flight Track (tells you everything about your flight).

And, of course, Angry Birds.

Unfortunately, there 's list of year Even along major apps That arent yet available for WP7 phones: Yahoo Messenger, Dropbox, Pandora, Mint, Bump, Draw Something, StumbleUpon, Pinterest, Urbanspoon, Hipstamatic, Instagram, Barnes & Noble Reader, Cut the Rope, Scrabble, Words With Friends, Google Voice, AOL Radio. Bank of America HAS an app, aim Citibank, Chase, HSBC, Capital One, American Express and Other big banks are missing.

Plenty of my favorite less famous are unavailable aussi: Line2, Hipmunk, Nest, Word Lens, iStopMotion, Glee, Ocarina, Songify This.

Even Microsoft's Own amazing iPhone app, Photosynth, Is not available for the 900 Lumia. Skype (Which owns Microsoft) is still in beta testing.

Embracing the underdog means clustering aussi turning your back on the universe of cool, useful accessories That Work with an iPhone - All Those Thousands of speaker docks, alarm clocks, because adapters, external batteries, carrying boxes, camera lenses, medical sensors, TV output cables and so on.

These days, an incredible number of hotels Have iPhone charging docks or alarm clocks in the rooms. Your odds of finding a hotel-room dock for the 900 Lumia? Zero.  

(It's Not Even That clear charging docks or speaker docks Could Be Designed for this phone. Its charging and headphone jacks are on the top edge of the bottom INSTEAD.)

This Nokia phone and Its Microsoft operating system are truly lovely - more beautiful Than the iPhone or Android software, and, for MOST functions, just as powerful.

Goal is that enough to make you Willing to sacrifice large apps like Scrabble, Pandora and Dropbox? Is "just as good" enough to justify losing out on the universe of accessories and compatibility?

I'm rooting for long shots thesis. They've done great work. Purpose I have a sinking feeling That this breed of underdog Will turn out to look more like a Pekingese Than a Doberman.  

State of the Art: Lumia 900, a Beautiful Phone From Nokia and Microsoft

  Stocks Fell on Monday as turmoil in Europe politique Doubts cast on the euro area's Ability to push through icts Measures to end debt crisis and as Wal-Mart Stores SANK After A postponement It Had not taken adequate Measures After a bribery investigation.

The Dutch prime minister's resignation tendered historical government on Monday After Officials failed to budget cuts we AGREE. Adding to the Uncertainty in Europe Was an election in France on Sunday Threw That the presidential race wide open.

The year of construction worries cam as the euro area's business slump deepened at a rate faster Than Expected in April HAD beens. The euro area Consists of the 17 members of the European Union use the euro That.

Europe's debt crisis has-been a major headwind for equities in the United States as investors worried It Could Have hurt corporate profits. Bank shares have suffered a result, Including Morgan Stanley, Which Fell 2.9 percent to $ 16.98.

"It's Becoming clear in the euro area is a recession, and That Brings a lot of concern. To really get out of the debt problem, You Need growth, and we Have not gotten to yet That step, "Said Henry B. Smith, chief investment officer at the Haverford Trust Company in Philadelphia.

Wal-Mart Stores slumped 4.7 percent to $ 59.54 and Was The biggest drag on the Dow After The New York Times Reported That Wal-Mart Officials Paid little heed to year internal investigation Into bribery at ict Mexican unit, Walmart de Mexico. Those shares dropped 12 percent to 37.89 pesos ($ 2.88).

The sell-off with Broad WAS Almost Three stocks on the New York Stock Exchange falling For Each One That pink guaranteed online payday loans. The Dow Jones industrial average down 102.09 WAS points, or 0.78 percent, at 12,927.17. The Standard & Poor's 500-stock index down WAS 11.59 points, or 0.84 percent, at 1,366.94. The Nasdaq composite index WAS down 30 points, or 1 percent, at 2,970.45. The comfortable economically sensitive S. & P. Among the materials Sector WAS worst performing, down 1.4 percent.

In after-hours trading, shares tumbled 16 percent of Netflix to $ 85.35 as it posted a first-quarter loss. Shares of Texas Instruments, however, up 3.7 percent Were at $ 33.07 in after-hours trading After icts results Were released. The chip maker forecast second-quarter aussi back ahead of Wall Street Estimates, signaling the end of a Prolonged inventory-related decline in demand.

Despite Monday's sell-off, the S. & P. 500 is still up 8.7 percent for the year.

Materials shares mimicked a fall in Commodity Prices Prices have dropped 1.6 percent copper. Shares in Freeport McMoran Copper and Gold Fell 1.1 percent to $ 37.16.

Shares of Apple, Which reports results the after the bell Tuesday, Briefly Fell below Their 50-day moving average for the first time in months oven. Shares closed down 0.2 percent at $ 571.70.

Were Slightly lower interest rates.

The Treasury's benchmark 10-year notes rose 8/32, to 100 17/32, and the yield to 1.94 percent Fell from 1.96 percent late Friday.

Stocks and Bonds: Shares Fall as European Debt Worries Rise Again

  BANGKOK (AP) - Asian stocks Thursday as Stalled Taking advantage overtook Earlier gains powered by the Nasdaq's biggest jump this year and the U.S. Federal Reserve's prediction of modest growth for the world's No. 1 economy.

Japan's Nikkei 225 index Gave up morning gains to fall 0.2 percent to 9,541.55 as traders cautious Turned ahead of the Bank of Japan's policy-setting meeting Friday.

South Korea's Kospi reversed aussi race, slipping 0.2 percent to 1,959.20. Benchmarks in Singapore, Taiwan and mainland China aussi fell. Goal Hong Kong's Hang Seng posted a 0.4 percent gain to 20,729.36.

Some analysts Attributed to the bumpy terrain trading over-the Fed's assessment of the U.S. economy, Followed by a wave of profit-taking.  

"We saw Asian Markets fly out of the gates Before pulling back Taking On Some profit FOLLOWING the recent run," Said Stan Shamu of IG Markets in Melbourne.

U.S. Financial Markets barely budged the after the Federal Reserve, FOLLOWING a two-day policy meeting, Wednesday Said It Would stick with ict ict plan to keep key short-term interest rate near zero.

The Fed's U.S. assessment Economic Growth That Would pick up gradually Remained only a marginal source of comfort for investors - Especially in Asia, Which subsequently assembled on the U.S. as a crucial market for ict exports of cars, electronics, textiles and Other goods.  

Analysts at Credit Agricole CIB in Hong Kong Said in an e-mail THEY REMAIN That skeptical "about the Ability of risk assets (Such as stocks) to acknowledge That goal continues rallying at least in the near term the Fed HAS put a floor Under Such assets. "

The Fed Plans to extend no detailed icts bond-buying program When The current iteration ends in June, although Fed chairman Ben Bernanke made clear if the economy slows That, the Fed Could take steps to boost growth further Top 100% free credit score.

Elsewhere in Asia, the Australian stock exchange WAS Higher After a public holiday Wednesday. The S & P / ASX 200 rose 0.2 percent to 4,370.80.

Among Individual stocks, Hong Kong-listed China Everbright International Ltd.. soared 7 percent, FOLLOWING the resignation of vice chairman and executive director Li Xueming. Li is the older brother of Bo Xilai, Chinese A Powerful politician felled by a messy scandal Involving the high-profile murder of a British businessman.

South Korea's Dongyang Engineering & Construction Corp., 15 percent Jumped After Announcing projects to build wind farms in the Two country's south, Yonhap News Agency Reported.

The Nasdaq composite index shot 2.3 percent to 3,029.63 Higher Wednesday, powered by Apple shares. The iPhone maker's stock climbed $ 50 again the after the company blew past Wall Street's profit forecasts. With Apple's help, the technology-focused Nasdaq posted its best day this year.

The Dow Jones industrial average closed up 0.7 percent to 13,090.72. The S & P 500 rose 1.4 percent to 1,390.69.

Benchmark oil for June delivery was up 2 cents to $ 104.14 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract added 57 cents to end at $ 104.12 per barrel in New York on Wednesday.

In currencies, the dollar Fell to 81.16 yen from 81.29 yen amid the Fed's tepid assessment of the U.S. economy. The euro Fell to $ 1.3221 from $ 1.3230.

___

Follow on Twitter at Pamela Sampson http://twitter.com/pamelasampson

Asian Stock Markets Stall After Earnings

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  The International Monetary Fund Said Wednesday That European banks are under pressure to preserve capital and cut back sharply Could be lending over the next Two Years, Slowing the area's growth.

The decline in credit is a big Reason Europe's economy is Expected to Suffer a mild recession this year and barely grow in 2013, the MFI Said in a report on the Global Financial System released Wednesday.

Large banks based in the European Union may Reduce Their balance sheets - which include outstanding loans, securities and Other assets - by as much as $ 2.6 trillion-through the end of 2013, the MFI said. That's about 7 percent of Their total assets.

About one-quarter reduction Of That Will Come from Reduced lending and lending Could shrink by 1.7 percent.

Some reduction in credit, or "deleveraging," is Necessary, the MFI said. Banks arent Able to borrow as Freely as in the past and Governments are requiring em to hold more capital.

"Goals like Goldilocks, the Amount, the pace of deleveraging Must Be just right," Said Jose Vinals, the IMF's Financial counselor. "Not too wide or too much lowest fee payday loans."

Many European leaders Have taken positive steps to shore up Their Financial System, the MFI said. The European Central Bank HAS Provided Roughly $ 1 trillion in loans to European banks since December.

The I.M.F. Noted That the central bank's capital HAS European Officials Given more time to push the continent's shaky banks to raise new capital. The European Union's banking autorité is pressing to Do That Already, pushing banks to Increase the size of Their Financial reserves Compared To Their risky loans and Investments. Purpose It Has Them urged to do it by finding new capital, not by cutting back on loans.  

Even so, the I.M.F. Pointed out That MOST Responsibility for overseeing banks at the national level restes, where 'Authorities Have Been Slower to make banks take tough Measures.

Raising Capital Can Be Because it has difficulty step Cdn dilute Shareholders holding. The I.M.F. Warned That aussi National Regulators must restrain banks from using money for payouts of dividends to Shareholders and bonuses to top executives bank.

Lending Curbs Likely in Europe, I.M.F. Says

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  FRANKFURT - As the euro zone crisis shows signs of heating up again, political leaders are looking more ounces to the European Central Bank for help.

Purpose analysts say They Do not expect the central bank, with focus on fiscal discipline icts, to provide statement Any quick remedies.

Spain continued to Be The regional focus of anxiety, he was emperor Costs borrowing rose on Monday Before further Top Two crucial debt auctions this week. Some leaders Elsewhere goal politique aussi public are feeling heat as a result of unpopular government Policies in response to Europe's debt debacle - particularly in France, Which Will hold the first round of voting in presidential election this weekend icts.  

The French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, and His hand challenger, Francois Hollande, Have Begun loudly pushing the European Central Bank to Intervene more forcefully in the sovereign bond Markets Other steps to take gold Relieve hard-pressed Governments.

Such analysts say pushing Goal Could Be Because The bank counterproductive and Its chairman, Mario Draghi, Might Be Even less Likely to act if doing so Could APPEAR To Be a politique response to pressure.

"If I want the E.C.B. to Intervene in the sovereign debt market, I Would Be very angry with Sarkozy, "Jacob Funk Kirkegaard Said, a research fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington.  

One central bank the Action Could take, if it thing, to try to Would Be calm waters by The Financial buying Spanish bonds in the open market to help hold down Madrid's borrowing costs: this week as Spain tries to auction off one billion euros 5.5 , or $ 7.2 trillion, in new debt.

The central bank bonds HAS Bought from Spain, Greece and Other Countries indebted off and on since 2010, the impact we aim Prices leap HAS beens Usually only temporary.

The area's sense of crisis over Spain rose Monday as the yield, or effective interest rate, the 10-year bonds icts Reached 10.6 percent in the open market. That is up from less than 5 percent as Recently as March, and It Is The Highest since Spain's conservative government, Under Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, late last year Took Office.  

The Higher Spain's borrowing costs: The Greater the fear That It might require a Costly European bailout.

Whether the central bank intervenes "is a function of how much the ECB Markets are overshooting think-and how confident the ECB Is That Spanish Authorities are doing the right thing and Adopting credible measures, "Said Nick Matthews, an economist at Royal Bank of Scotland.

On Tuesday, Luis de Guindos, the Spanish economy minister, is scheduled to call on Mr. Draghi here. The central bank how Would not What They Planned to discuss.

The European Central Bank HAS aussi Become an outcome in the French presidential campaign in recent days, with The Two leading candidates lambasting the bank and Its policies.

Mr. Sarkozy, behind in the polls days before voters go to the polls, the European Union Should Said rewrite the bank's mandate to Compel it to pay more careful to Economic Growth Than to controlling inflation. His main challenger, Mr. Hollande, the Socialist candidate, the central bank HAS Blamed for letting the sovereign debt crisis get out of control.

An expansion of the bank's writ to make it behave more like the United States Federal Reserve is Extremely Unlikely, however.

By law, the European Central Bank's primary task is to Contain Inflation, the Fed HAS Whereas much Greater leeway to buy Treasury bonds or take steps to Stimulate Other lending and growth flat irons for hair. A revision of the central bank's legal mandate Would require a change in the European Union treaty, Including Approval unanimous by the 27 member states.

"The luck of this happening is zero," Mr. Kirkegaard said. "That Sarkozy knows, and knows That Holland. This is French election Kabuki theater. "

Germany, the country MOST stridently Opposed to Taking the central bank's focus off inflation, Had little reaction to Mr. Sarkozy's comments, probably Because MOST people regarded Them To Be Obvious electioneering.

"The German position on the E.C.B. and Its independent role is Known, aussi en Paris, and has-been for a long time Unchanged, "Steffen Seibert, Spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel at a news briefing Said on Monday. Mr. Seibert added goal Agreed That Germany with France on the Need for sustainable growth in Europe.

In Any case, the central bank's mandate Already encouraged it to medium growth in the euro area, just not at the Expense of inflation. Mr. Draghi top policy makers and Other Have Said That Often THEY Believe modest inflation is a Prerequisite for growth.

Still, the statements by the French candidates Reflect the frustration of leaders Who must bear the cost of structural exchange politique That Have Effectively beens has provided aid for European Central Bank, like cutting government budgets and making it cutting easier to fire workers.

The central bank has-been Widely Credited with calming the Markets with the total of 1 trillion euros in low-cost three-year loans That It Issued To Commercial banks in December and March - some of Which was Used by the banks to buy more government bonds. Aim the central bank made available Only After That Money Spain and Italy-committed to deregulation and Other Labor Exchange.  

The central bank HAS Bought: various Governments' bonds on the open market Intermittently since May 2010, 214 Spending one billion euros. It Does not Disclose what it buys bonds, goal is Believed To Have Focused on Those of troubled Countries like Greece, Portugal and Ireland, as well as Spain and Italy. That program has-been sleeping Lately.

Mr. Kirkegaard and Other analysts Said THEY Thought That the central bank might begin to buy Spanish bonds - Especially if Spain's leaders to commit more steps to remove Impediments to Growth.

THEY SAID goal more forceful central bank action - like a cut in interest rate icts hand from a pierce, Or Another round of inexpensive three-year loans - was in coming months Unlikely, Because The bank is still Concerned about inflation.  

Meanwhile, Spain is the Trying to reassure investors That It Would Be Able to rescue Any icts of 17 Regional Governments Their Finances Deteriorate if further Top. Spain posted a budget deficit of the national 8.5 percent of gross domestic product last year, well icts Above target of 6 percent. A Big Reason Was The deficits of the Regional Governments.

Mr. de Guindos, the economy minister, HAS Repeatedly Pledged That the government "will not let Any area collapse" Because Of icts solvency problems, while urging to Apply Them Greater fiscal discipline.

On Monday, puts ET in Paris with French investors to try to Convince Them That Would not Spain need a Greece-style bailout. When He meets Tuesday with Mr. Draghi, it is a Post That He Is Likely to repeat.

Reported from Jack Ewing in Frankfurt, and Raphael Minder from Madrid. Melissa Eddy Contributed reporting from Berlin.  

Central Bank Aid Not Expected in Euro Zone Crisis

  WASHINGTON - Dr. Jim Yong Kim, the anthropologist and physician who is President Obama's surprise choice to run the World Bank Does not Have a detailed public record Laying out historical views of Economic development, the central bank's mission. He is not a normal development scholar, like previous presidents, foreign policy or a banker eminence grise.

Goal in a wide-ranging interview on Monday, Dr. Kim, the president of Currently Dartmouth College, sketched out a vision for the World Bank That Would make it more Focused on results and do more to heed Would the views of the Poorer Countries That Receive icts financing.  

He Responded to aussi Some of the criticism greeted That HAS appointment history, Including Concerns about a decade-old book In Which ET critiqued the bank's development philosophy and issues about whether He Has enough experience to manage the bank's overall portfolio.

"World Bank is a bank that's Focused on Economic Development and Poverty Alleviation," Dr. Kim said. "I've Spent Entire Life working my to invest in Human Beings and Human Communities, to help 'em move down the path of Economic Development."

He added: "Economic development and Poverty Alleviation are so complicated That I do not think there'sa single discipline background gold single That Is Sufficient to tackle thesis great human problems."

Dr. Kim is Likely to get the job - the World Bank's board is Expected to make decision next week icts - Given the longstanding tradition of Europe's Supporting the White House's nomination. Goal to rally for supporting historical candidacy and to quell Some of the criticism - Both of Washington's Continued control of the institution and of Dr. Kim's Own background - he is on a "listening tour" across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Dr. Kim, who is 52, HAS career history Primarily Devoted to Eradicating Disease and Other public health concerns: first as a founder of Partners In Health, a nonprofit organization lauded That runs community-focused Programs for the Poor; later at Harvard Medical School , where 'ET Helped start the Global Health Delivery Project, and at the World Health Organization, where' ET spearheaded efforts to year DELIVER antiretroviral drugs to millions of people living with HIV / AIDS.  

Friends and colleagues describe Dr. Kim as a listener and a consensus-builder, a believer That bottom-up strategies work best Often. He Describes historical development philosophy as technocratic Essentially, Focused on using data determined to work and ideas Which Which do not.

In 2008, Dr. Kim's reputation in the global health community drew the Dartmouth board to HIM. Much history as World Bank appointment surprised people, So did the Dartmouth job.

"No one at Harvard Expected To Be HIM named the president of a university, nor Did He expect it," Said Albert G. Mulley, the director of the Dartmouth Center for Health Care Delivery Science. "Purpose Dartmouth wanted Someone Who Lived Their life HAD If They've wanted to do something, Rather Than Be something, and that's Jim."

He inherited a gaping deficit, a result of the school's endowment to $ 2.8 plunging one billion one billion from $ 3.7 During The Financial Crisis. Dr. Kim has Reduced Budget That HAD Already suffered from cuts, a divisive decision That Proved Among the school's staff, 70 of Whom more Than Their jobs lost. He Has Some faced criticism aussi That included a Rolling Stone Article Completed Before the World Bank appointment for not doing more to crack down on abusive Behavior at Dartmouth's fraternities.

At least on the budget, He Has Some managed to win over faculty members best humidifier. On the fraternities, though, Students and professors Dr. Kim Criticized for not Taking a more direct approach to the problem, setting up a committee INSTEAD to examine binge drinking. For the World Bank, Obama Administration Officials INITIALLY cam up with a shortlist of candidates included Susan E. That Rice, the ambassador to the United Nations, Senator John Kerry, the Massachusetts Democrat and presidential nominee form, who is chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, and Lawrence H. Summers, Treasury secretary the form, and Harvard President Obama Economic Adviser.

Three all purpose Would be strong candidates for top government jobs if President Obama won a second term. Moreover, Mr. Obama wanted a hands-on development expert Rather Than a form banker, senior administration officials said.

Dr. Kim cam with a background Almost Ideally suited to the president's preferences. He HAD Spent much of career history working on Some Of The Most intractable problems in development, and yet ET aussi HAD broad experience managing institutions. His personal narrative - he was born in impoverished and war-year ravaged Korea - Helped, too.

Some of the historical criticism Surrounding appointment HAS Focused on whether the United States Should continues to retain control of the bank by a decade's old gentlemen's agreement, particularly in light of Two Widely RespectED emery-market candidates, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala the Nigerian finance minister, and José Antonio Ocampo, a native of Colombia and United Nations official form.

Some criticism of the goal has-been more personal. Some aid experts worry about history Lack of experience in. Broader Economic Development, Given That He Has Focused intently on public health. And one scant piece of history of public commentary about Macroeconomic development Directly criticizes the World Bank's approach.

"Dying for Growth," which Dr. Kim Helped to edit, multilateral institutions castigates That Promote Economic Growth without Ensuring That the Benefit gains the middle class and the poor.

Dr. Kim Said That Were Those Concerns outdated Because The World Bank HAD changed. "That book is based Was Written data from the early and mid-1990s, 'he said. "Our concern WAS That Was Not the vision inclusive enough, that 'It Was not, in the Bank's words,' pro-poor. 'The bank HAS That Time Shifted tremendously since, and now the notion of pro- poor development is at the core of the World Bank. "

It restes unclear whether historical explanation Will Sway Critics history. Apart from the Specific Criticisms, the very title of the book Takes AIM at a core belief Among economists, Including Many at the bank: that Economic Growth Improves Lives.

In the interview, Dr. Kim aussi lauded the bank for shifting away from a "single big idea" - to Promote Economic Growth - to a more evidence-based ethos That more Closely tailors Programs for Specific Communities and problems.

That ethos "is what I bring as Both a physician and anthropologist year," He Said, Citing historical Careful appraisal of different cultures and focus on numbers and results.

Said Dr. Kim aussi ET ET Believed That HAD Broad development experience enough to run the institution, Given That Tackling Health problems Often Meant Tackling problems with governance or Other gold Insufficient infrastructure issues.

He aussi Stressed history to make the bank wishes more inclusive and responsive to global realities - particularly Given That the bulk of the world's poor now live in middle-income countries, not poor ones.  

"It is a world bank, 'he said.

Jim Yong Kim Sketches Vision for World Bank

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  MADRID - The Spanish government on Friday Warned That It Would take unspecified retaliatory Measures Against Argentina if it proceeded with plans, to take back control of YPF, the oil and gas producer broad, from Repsol, Spanish parent icts.

The warning cam as Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo, the Spanish foreign minister, aussi Announced That Spain HAD CALLED ON the European Commission, the United States Treasury and Other Governments in Latin America to Spain in supporting efforts icts to Prevent Nationalization of the YPF.

Meanwhile, Inigo Mendez de Vigo, the Spanish secretary of state for European affairs, in a radio interview Warned That Could Become Argentina "an international pariah" if sa situation Nationalization Went ahead.  

The quarrel with Argentina Could not Have come at a Worse Time for Repsol and the government in Madrid, Which is Already Struggling with Spain's second recession in Three Years, as well as facing soaring borrowing Costs Among investors amid Concerns about whether Spain Will Be the next European economy to require a bailout.

For Repsol, Meanwhile, YPF Has Come to account for a Third-icts of profits and 42 percent of ict Estimated reserves of crude oil.

Repsol YPF Took control of in 1999 and owns 57 percent of equity icts.

The YPF takeover WAS one of Several Forays by Spain 's largest banks and industrial companies Into Latin America. These Investments Have Recently Helped soften the blow of crumbling earnings at home payday loan lenders.  

Measures Independent of what the Spanish government might take Against Argentina, has Nationalization Would aussi Repsol Shareholders push to start "an intense judicial battle in Madrid, Brussels, Buenos Aires and New York to defend Themselves Against Attack on Their property year," Said Javier Cremades, Who has-been a lawyer for Repsol Shareholders and aussi HAS Worked for the company. Mr. Cremades is chairman of Cremades & Calvo-Sotelo, a Madrid law firm.

Shares of Repsol YPF Fell 49 euro cents on Friday, or 2.73 percent, to 17.47 euros. The stock has-been tumbling since the start of the year, in large part Reflecting Concerns Among investors about the future of YPF, as the government in Buenos Aires gradually icts Intensified criticism of Repsol, accusing the company of not investing enough in Argentina and Paying INSTEAD icts of too much profit in dividends.

Mr. Garcia-Margallo, the foreign minister, Suggested That Friday Any Nationalization Would Be seen as "an aggression" against the Spanish government as well. Still, hey Said That Argentina's ambassador, Whom ET HAD Summoned for a meeting, Had not made clear whether sa situation Nationalization plan would go ahead, amid Conflicting reports from Buenos Aires.

"We are in a moment of Uncertainty Which We want to use again to call for dialogue and negotiation, 'he said.

Spain Warns About Argentina YPF Takeover

Hot News: British Hacking Scandal Suits to Be Filed in U. S.

  LONDON - Sky News, a British satellite news broadcaster Whose parent company is controlled by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, Thursday Admitted That One icts of reporters Into HAD hacked emails on Two occasions while Pursuing news stories, the first time That Britain & rsquo ; s hacking scandal HAS spilled Into television news.

Acknowledgment The cam Just Two days after Mr. Murdoch's son James resigned as chairman of Sky's parent company, British Sky Broadcasting, or BSkyB. Company officials said There Was No Link Between the resignation and the hacking revelations, Which Were Made public only as a result of a recent inquiry by the newspaper The Guardian.  

Said the Sky hacking, while illegal, Had beens autorisée icts by executives for Journalistic Reasons - in pursuit of a story That benefited the public interest - and in one instance has HAD Helped Police investigation. And the company has Said That icts Continuing review of records and e-mail accounts HAD Turned up so far no evidence of impropriety in Sky's reporting practices.

"We stand by Justified thesis shares have editorially and in the public interest," the head of Sky News, John Ryley, Said in a statement. "We do not take gold Frequently Lightly Such decisions."

The intake cam After months of overlapping police, judicial and Parliamentary inquiries Into phone hacking, email hacking to bits and Paying Public Officials at Murdoch-owned tabloids Two, The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World. In general, broadcasters abide by Higher standards of news gathering in Britain Than newspapers do. Sky News Operates separately from the Murdochs' newspaper business and ict independence HAS Asserted by aggressively reporting on News Corporation's troubles.

Still, the Disclosures of email hacking come at awkward time for BSkyB year, 39.1 percent Which is owned by News Corporation and Which HAS suffered from icts combination with the Murdochs have the hacking scandal unfolded HAS.

"This is nothing like the hacking at The News of the World," Said Roy Greenslade, a journalism professor at City University London. "There 's Aim year'm his embarrassment it's Another News Corporation business, so people Will Be Saying,' That's just typical of Murdoch."

Last summer, stung by criticism Sustained in Parliament and across Britain, News Corporation withdrew one of Mr. Murdoch's cherished goals: its $ 12 one billion bid to take over the portion of BSkyB That He Did not Own already. On Tuesday, in Announcing resignation from James Murdoch's BSkyB, the company Said Continuing the phone hacking investigation HIM WAS making a lightning rod for dissatisfaction and proving distracting to the company.

A report from a House of Commons Select Committee Investigating phone hacking is scheduled to Be Released Within the next FEW weeks, and is Expected to Criticize the Younger for what Mr. Murdoch Some members Believe WAS DURING incomplete and misleading Testimony hearings last summer.  

"I Believe That My resignation Will help to Ensure That There Is No false conflation with events at A Separate organization," Mr. Murdoch, 39, wrote in a letter to the BSkyB board, referring to News International, the British newspaper arm history of father's media empire. He resigned as chief executive of News International five weeks ago.

Mr. Ryley of Sky Said Thursday That One of the e-mail hacking boxes Occurred in 2008 and Concerned John Darwin, a Briton Who history staged a fake death in canoeing accident in 2002 aim Actually Moved to Panama and, in collusion with His Wife, Collected 500,000 pounds in life insurance.

Known in the tabloids as the "canoe man," Mr. Returned to Britain and Darwin Lived In a secret apartment in historical old house Until 2007, When He Turned Himself in to a police station, at first Claiming to have no idea what ET HAD beens doing for the last five years kerosine heaters.

The next year, Sky News has Pursuing the story refer Sought permission to hack emails Into Suspected ET HAD beens Used by the Darwins to Communicate After Mr. Darwin's fake death, Said Mr. Ryley year in online posting.

"After Careful consideration, Sky News Permission Granted Because We Believed Justified WAS the story in the public interest," Mr Ryley said. "None of the material broadcast obtenues WAS Prior to the conviction and our coverage made clear That We had discovered Supplied and emails to the police. There has-beens No Attempt by Sky News to conceal facts thesis, Which Have Been available on our web site ever since. "

In a statement, the police department in Cleveland, Darwin Which Handled the box, Said That it had "Conducted initial review year and Cdn Matters Into thesis confirm That Into Ongoing inquiries are how thesis emails obtenues Were." … ….. A second e-mail box Involved Relating to a Suspected pedophile, a Spokeswoman for Sky News said. On Both occasions, she Said, the managing editor of Sky News, Simon Cole, autorisée the hacking.

The company likened the e-mail hacking to Other instances in Which Journalists broke the law for the sake of journalism. In 2004, Sky News Journalists Bought Uzi machine gun year to highlight how easy it WAS illegal to buy weapons in Britain. The year before INSTANT, airport security has Penetrated defer to show how porous It Was.  

BSkyB suffered HAS: various upheavals in the last year. As a result of the allegations Surrounding the Murdochs' newspaper business in Britain, the broadcaster is Being investigated by Ofcom, the British broadcast regulator, over whether it is "fit and proper" to hold a TV license.

Critics Seized on Sky's Disclosures have evidence of impropriety at the company.

"The flesh of BSkyB HAS to say something on this and reassure viewers this HAS That not more Widely beens going on," Tom Watson, a Labour Party member of Parliament and a persistent critic Murdoch, Told the BBC. "There are boxes Where the public is best served with Journalists breaking the law, order It Has To Be done in extremis, and I am not sure whether it Was in contention Two boxes."

Purpose Clare Enders, the head of Enders Analysis, a media research firm in London, she Said That Thought the biggest potential obstacle to BSkyB's broadcast license Retaining icts HAD beens James Murdoch, and That history resignation HAD removed much of the problem.

"Spend our days We all shell-shocked Because it 's been one thing After Another," Said Ms. Enders in year interview, referring to the Seemingly endless stream of Disclosures about wrongdoing at News International. Still, Compared with past revelations by British media outlets Other, She Said She Did not Consider Sky's practices "that big a deal."

Rupert Murdoch, who is 81, complained on Twitter Recently HAS That Critics Have Been unfairly targeting News Corporation with false allegations.

He Was particularly incensed, It Seems, in reports by the BBC, PBS and The Australian Financial Review section of charging That history has hacked the encryption television operation codes icts of pay-TV rivals in Britain and Australia, Encouraging piracy to Undermine Their Businesses in the late 1990s.

"Seems Every competitor and enemy piling it with lies and Libels, 'he wrote on Twitter last week. "So bad, easy to hit back hard, Which Preparing."

Alan Cowell Contributed reporting.

Hacking Case Hits British Television for the First Time

  WHILE the stock market soaring WAS DURING the last Two quarters, a big worry hanging over it WAS: WAS corporate earnings growth Slowing. Still, bullish investors take comfort Could That Were stocks cheap by MOST standard.

When It Comes to Predicting the market's direction, however, it may not matter if equities are overvalued Undervalued gold. Historically, Strategists note, high price-to-earnings ratios do not prompt sell-offs for themselves. The real issue, They argue, is whether the market's P / E ratio HAS room to grow.

And That Remains a big issue.

P / E ratios, Which are Used To gauge market sentiment and valuations, rise or fall based on Both earnings and the price investors are That Willing to Pay For Each Of That dollar profit.  

When Optimism about the markets and the economy's health started to take off late last year, the P / E of the Standard & Poor's 500 index, based on Projected profits over the Following 12 months, Jumped from about 10 to more Than less Than 13 in six months.

The problem Is That HAS earnings growth ground to a halt Almost - profits for companies in the S. & P. 500 Expected to grow are just 1 percent in the first quarter and 2 percent in the second. That means clustering That the only real hope for additional stock market gains this year is the expansion in P / E ratio, Which may Be Bumping up Against a ceiling.

"We Already Got A year's worth of returns in just Three months," says Mark D. Luschini, Chief Investment Strategist at Janney Montgomery Scott, referring to the first-quarter gain of 13 percent in the S. & P. 500. "That Would Suggest we borrowed a bit from the future." And That, in turn, Would Imply That price-to-earnings ratios are more Likely to Rise Than Fall.

They've Already started to do Just That. Since the Market Began to pull back early this month, the index's P / E, based on Projected earnings, Has Fallen to around 12.5, from 13.1.

Lingering Fears in the global economy may weigh down aussi P / E's, says Jason Hsu, chief investment officer for the investment consulting firm Research Affiliates. Last week, for instance, a sudden jump in Spain's agricultural yields leap year of construction concern That the worst of Europe's debt crisis may not Be over.

Yet Another Reason There may Be That P / E ratios will not grow, Mr. Hsu says. That the price investors are Willing to pay for MOST earnings tend to jump in very early stages of the Economic Recovery year, is teeming When Optimism and growth is robust, ET Explains - but the current bull market is Already Three years old hair dryers.

Indeed, in the last 70 years, the price-to-earnings ratio of the S. & P. 500, based on Reported earnings, HAS Typically surged more Than 30 percent in a bull market's first year - and peaked'm his first year, According To year analysis by Sam Stovall, chief equity strategist at S. & P. Capital IQ.

Doug Ramsey, chief investment officer at the Leuthold Group, Prefers to analyze P / E ratios by using actual average profits over the last five years, Malthus smoothing out extreme highs and lows in the cycle. By That measure, the P / E of the index climbed as high as Recently 20.4, Slightly Higher Than the historical median ratio at bull market peaks dating back to 1876.

That Does not Necessarily mean, however, that 'this bull run icts HAS race. Mr. Ramsey Notes That There Have Been plenty of boxes When The HAS market has soared Above P / E of 20. In 1998, for example, the five-year average P / E of the S. & P. 500 Stood at 27.7. Historically, ET adds, individual investors Have a knack for stepping into the Market When The ratio is elevated Already, Often As They Wait Until stocks are high BEFORE BUYING. If stock mutual funds experience inflows of new money annually from retail investors - which says ET Likely Could Be in light of Improvements In The Employment Outlook - modest market gains Could Be Achieved this year.

Finally, do not count out profits just yet, says Jack A. Ablin, chief investment officer at Harris Private Bank. Though earnings for companies in the S. & P. 500 are Expected To Be Largely flat in the first half this year, analysts predict a modest rebound in the second half.

According To S. & P. Capital IQ, Which Estimates for earnings tracks S. & P. 500 companies, the consensus on Wall Street Is That corporate profits will rise 5.9 percent in the Third-quarter and 16.3 percent in the fourth quarter, Compared with the year-earlier periods. For the full year, that 'means clustering earnings grow by a modest Could 6.4 percent. While that'sa far cry from the 16 percent growth rate in 2011, Mr. Ablin says That "it's too early in the earnings season to quit and sit out the market."

Paul J. Lim is a senior editor at Money Magazine. E-mail: fund@nytimes.com.

Fundamentally: Corporate Profits Have Stalled. Has the Market?

Hot News: Stocks Are Mixed After Days of Declines

  TOKYO - Toshiharu Ota, a rice farmer in Miyagi Prefecture, in northeastern Japan, survived the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster last year. Historical purpose fields Were Devastated by the salt left behind Deposits When The tsunami's floodwaters receded. Now, to help Farmers like Mr. Ota, a research team is working to Develop a new salt-tolerant Variety of rice.

The tsunami's waves, up to 40 meters, or 130 feet, high Engulfed the coastline around Ishinomaki City, where 'Mr. Ota lives, devastating Hundreds of Thousands of lives and washing away Whole sections of towns, farmland and Neighborhoods.

HAS Miyagi Prefecture Estimated cost of damage to the Agricultural Land and facilities at ¥ 381 trillion, or $ 4.6 trillion, making it one of the prefectures hardest hit in terms économique by the disaster.  

Traditionally HAS Rice has beens leading crop in northeastern Japan. Miyagi Prefecture's 2010 harvest fetched $ 818 million. Goal last year harvested the rice acreage Fell short of target by 4.600 hectares or 11.400 acres, the agriculture ministry According To. In total, 11 percent of the prefecture's WAS farmland damaged.

More than a year the after the disaster, Many Farmers like Mr. Ota are still Struggling to cope with the consequences économique. Even leaving aside the fallout of radioactive Widespread Elements released from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, the tsunami left the soil of coastal farmlands damaged by sodium chloride from the sea water.

Mr. Ota, Who Farmed 11 acres of rice paddies, Said Were Nearly half flooded. Have local workers labored hard to remove salt from the soil in the past year. Still, nothing has-been since The Same.  

"Even with desalination, the yield HAS dropped," Mr. Ota, 56, was sun-tanned, fifth generation farmer with graying hair, a recent interview DURING Said.

Once Dissolved Into the soil, salt is hard to remove. It tend to stick to Other Elements and edible plant roots out Only When emit acid That year breaks away minerals, Including sodium chloride, To Be Absorbed by the plant, He Said.

"When I test the soil for sodium, the reading Comes out clean, when i aim Actually Grew rice, the crop fired, return not do well," Mr. Ota said.

To help Farmers like him, a team of Scientists has-been working to speed up development of a new salt-tolerant rice variety, with the AIM of making it Commercially available in A Few Years. The project Involves heavy ion beam technology developed by the independent research organization Prestigious Riken.  

Working on the project with Riken Researchers are at Miyagi Prefecture Furukawa's Agricultural Experiment Station in Osaki City and Tohoku University in Sendai, the chief city in the prefecture.

"We've HAD one success in Developing Variety of salt-resistant rice, although this Variety Does not taste that great," Said Tomoko Abe, director of research group at Riken's accelerator applications Nishina Center in Wako city, north of Tokyo, last month.

Salt damage Canon has cut the yield of rice crop in half. "With the rice we're Developing Variety We Should only see the yield drop by 20 percent," Ms. Abe said. "We Should aussi see less fragmented rice."

Mainly Used in nuclear physics and medical applications like aussi en cancer treatment, heavy ion beam technology Applied by Riken WAS first to speed up changes in plants in 1989. Ms. Abe Helped to Develop the world's first salt-tolerant rice variety, based on the Nipponbare rice strain, in 2006.

For the current project, based On That research, grains of Two popular rice varieties, and Hitomebore Manamusume, Have Been Exposed to heavy ion beams generated by a particle accelerator cash advance. There are only six ion beam accelerator facilities for plant breeding in the world, and oven of 'em are in Japan - The Others Being in China and Italy. Japan is the global leader in the field.  

Compared to more traditional kinds of plant transformation techniques using x-rays or gamma rays, Plants Need to Be Exposed to only a low dosage of heavy ion beams Powerful for a short time - seconds and minutes INSTEAD of hours, days or weeks & mdash ; for a high likelihood of changing to might occur. The survival rate of the Exposed plants is high, Moreover, Because The Highly Focused beam damage to less Does Their overalls DNA.

"It takes 10 years to Develop a new breed using traditional methods, goal Riken's method considerably shortens the cycle," Said Takashi Endo, a researcher at Miyagi Prefecture.

In the year since the tsunami about 5.250 hectares of farmland in the prefecture Have Been desalinated, rice paddies Including. The prefecture AIMS additional year to clean up this year and 4.100 hectares 3.650 hectares was final in 2013.  

"We'll be seeing more restarting farming areas this year, aim Some Areas Will Still Be Unable to farm," Mr. Endo said.

The introduction of salt-tolerant rice Varieties aussi Could help the area cope with Another problem - land subsidence. Miyagi and surrounding coastal farmlands now facing a Higher Risk of saltwater damage, experts say, Because The earthquake's seismic shift Caused wide share of northeastern Japan to sink.

In Mr. Ota's case, historical farmland HAS sunk by about 80 centimeters, or 2.6 feet. Closer to the epicenter, the subsidence is greater. Oshika Peninsula, just a short drive away, Was The Closest place to the epicenter of the quake offshore. Land There sunk by 1.2 meters and slid Horizontally eastward by 5.3 meters, According To the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan.  

"We've been in a terrible situation," Mr. Ota said. "We're not just dealing with seawater flooding from storms aussi goal. We Have a Sharp Increase in drainage water That lingerie manufacturers is our farmland. "

Discharged storm water Used To recede in a day: Now It Takes up to a week to drain away. "It's been overwhelming, 'he said.

Having the option to grow a Variety of sodium-tolerant rice may determines whether Some Farmers Canon continues to stay in agriculture, Kazuhisa Matsunaga Said, Who works for Zen-noh Miyagi, an Agricultural Cooperative.

Some coastal farmlands Almost Have dropped to sea level. "Those Areas Would Need to raise considerably Their land to continue to use the Existing Variety of Rice," Mr. Matsunaga said. "It Would make a difference for Them To Be Able to continue farming using a Variety That Would Be forgiving to soil That HAS Some sodium left."

Mr. Endo Said It Could take two years to Develop a salt-resistant Variety and Another Two Years to grow enough of the seeds to bring it to scale trading.

Faced with the long-term worry cesium That Will Be In Their crops detected and consumer anxiety over radioactivity in anything grown, raised or caught near Fukushima, Miyagi Prefecture's Farmers Will Have to Overcome daunting challenges if They Are to stay in business.

"We Hope that our research results Will Be a bright spot for Farmers Affected by the disaster," Mr. Endo said.  

Special Report: Business of Green: Rice Farmers Seek to Save Their Crops From Salt

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