Some 110, 000 people living around the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant were evacuated after the massive March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami knocked out the plant's power and cooling systems, causing meltdowns in three reactors and spewing radiation into the surrounding air, soil and water.

NPR: WHO: Small Cancer Risk After Fukushima Accident

"When Putin came here to open a Pacific Rim exhibition, he was surprised to see Chinese people selling things in the markets, " says Wei Dai Tong, the Vladivostok merchant.

FORBES: Issues & Ideas

People will queue for hours to eat at Sushi Dai and Daiwa Sushi in the famous Tsujiki Market or flock to the Takashimaya depachika (food hall) for the latest French pastry.

BBC: Living in: Cities with great food

On July 12, People's Bank of China boss Dai Xianglong declined to renew earlier commitments by Beijing to keep the renminbi securely pegged to the U.S. dollar through the end of the year.

CNN: CALLING ALL SHOPPERS