TOKYO (Reuters) - Some Japanese nuclear power plants and oil refineries were shut down on Friday and a major steel plant was ablaze after a powerful earthquake rocked the country, buckling roads, triggering landslides and knocking out power to homes and businesses.
The Bank of Japan, which has been struggling to boost the anaemic economy, said it would do its utmost to ensure financial market stability as air force jets raced toward the northeast coast to determine the extent of the damage from the 8.9 magnitude quake.