1. DPRK Nuclear Test

Jungmin Kang and Peter Hayes provide a technical analysis of the DPRK's recent nuclear test, and conclude that North Korea now occupies an ambiguous state of having declared itself a nuclear state but not yet having demonstrated a usable weapon.

2. Japanese Nuclear Policy

Tatsujiro Suzuki discusses how Japan can best deal with nuclear waste management issues in an era when increased reliance on nuclear power seems inevitable.

3. Japan Energy

In a presentation in Goa, India, Dr. Tsutomu Toichi of the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan, argues that as a country highly dependent on imports, Japan has a vital interest in the global stability of energy supplies.

4. Sakhalin Energy Projects

Writing in OhmyNews International, Hisane Misaki discusses how Russia's suspension of the Sakhalin-2 project is making people in Japan nervous about energy security. ExxonMobil's Russian Sakhalin-1 project signed an agreement with China's state-owned energy company on natural gas supplies.

5. Russian Energy Supply and Demand

According to APEC's energy demand and supply outlook, Russia's energy demand is expected to rise by 0.7 percent annually, and it is expected to strengthen energy trade to Northeast Asia.

6. China Energy Demand

Writing in World Politics Watch, Graham Lees argues that China's decision to put out a white paper on energy demonstrates that its own analysts are worried about the country's effect on world energy prices, despite claims to the contrary. Lin Jiang and Mark Levine explore different possible scenarios by which China could reduce its energy intensity by 20% by 2010.

7. Cooperative Energy Programs in China

Australian Environment Minister Ian Campbell, in China for the opening of an Australian-built wind farm, said that Australian renewable energy companies are well-positioned to take advantages of China's growing energy demand. The Japan Bank of International Cooperation will provide loans to China to replace incandescent street lamps in Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, with energy efficient flourescent lamps. An EPA official said that a US-funded project to capture methane emissions from a Chinese coal mine and use them for energy generation is nearing completion.

8. Solar Power

Leading venture capitalist Vinod Khosla argued that solar power will be able to compete with fossil fuels without subsidies by 2011. Writing on the Scientific American blog, David Biello argues that solar is one of only two technologies that have the potential to replace fossil fuels in providing the world's energy needs.

9. Fuel Cell Technology

A Taiwan government-funded lab announced plans to introduce a membraneless micro fuel cell technology next year. East Japan Railway made a demonstration of a new fuel cell powered train. The company hopes to put the train into operation within 10 or 20 years.

10. Taiwan Nanotechnology

At the opening address of the Taiwan Nano-X 2006 Conference and Exhibition, Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian said that Taiwan is well-positioned to become a leader in the development of nanotechnology.

11. Ozone Layer

The hole in the ozone layer is the largest ever, surpassing the previous record by 1%, according to NASA.