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Japanese disaster

March 23, 2011

Deutsche Welle examines the environmental, business and political implications for Japan - and the world - of the country's nuclear crisis as well as the earthquake and tsunami that devastated it.

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Cars and other debris swept away by tsunami waves
Image: dapd

Japan is struggling to recover from the devastating effects of the worst earthquake it has ever experienced and an ensuing tsunami that killed thousands of people and demolished entire towns.

The 8.9-magnitude earthquake on March 11 and the waves of water that followed damaged at least four nuclear reactors and raised fears of reactor meltdowns in a country that gets about 30 percent of its energy from nuclear plants.

The economic impact will take weeks to judge, according to analysts, but will certainly be considerable as the natural disasters damaged and closed key port and airports and crippled transportation infrastructure along the country's northeastern coast.

Have a look at Deutsche Welle's coverage of the disaster in Japan and some of the effects it's having around the world.

Skip next section Reports & Analysis

Reports & Analysis

Big Wave Warning

The tsunami in northeastern Japan has taken the lives of thousands of people. Seismologist Jörg Lauterjung and his colleagues say the disaster could have been much worse if the country had no early warning system for events of this type.
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Chancellor Angela Merkel rejects calls to reverse an extension of the use of nuclear energy.
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Bad news

Japan's information policy is not just confusing, it could be harmful, DW's Sybille Golte says.
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Nuclear fallout

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Stress tests

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French power plant

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Anti-nuclear boost

The crisis at Japan's nuclear plants comes as the industry hoped for a come-back.
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Nuclear debate

Japan's meltdown scare refuels Germany's ongoing debate over the prolonged use of nuclear power.
March 13, 2011
A radioactivity symbol and geiger counter

Insurance fallout

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March 17, 2011
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Personal phase-out

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