{video} Electricity tariffs in Japan will soar by as much as 40 percent from Thursday as power companies pass on their higher costs. Seven of the nation's 10 major utility companies raised their rates following government approval. Tokyo Electric Power Company is now charging 15.3 percent more, while tariffs in Okinawa have surged 36.6 percent. The biggest increase came in the Hokuriku region along the Sea of Japan coast at 39.7 percent. Not every household will have to pay the full increase because the government has softened the blow with subsidies. The power companies say their financial health is worsening due to ... (full story)