The massive earthquake and tsunami that rocked and ravaged large parts of northern Japan have caused near apocalyptic devastation to the land and the environment. The 9.0-magnitude shock, the largest ever recorded in the earthquake-prone country, was brutally magnified by massive tsunami waves that washed onto the main island.

The results were shockingly described by Prime Minister Naoto Kan: "Japan is experiencing its greatest hardships since World War II" as it tackles the aftermath of an earthquake, tsunami and a growing nuclear power-plant crisis.

Beyond the destruction, the deaths of probably more than 10,000 people and the dislocation of hundreds of thousands, comes the realization that the quake hit a country that is instinctively counted on to help with natural disasters elsewhere.