A month after the devastating March 11 earthquake and tsunami struck Japan, uncertainty over the country's economy has only escalated, with manufacturers crippled and the crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant weighing heavily on business and consumer sentiment.
The government of Prime Minister Naoto Kan is struggling to secure funds for emergency spending on reconstruction at a time of fiscal difficulty, while the Bank of Japan has decided on an emergency loan program, only to be met with calls from lawmakers to do more.
The fallout from the disrupted supply chains for industrial products, which has impact major producers of cars and gadgets, is not limited to the domestic market but is spreading throughout the global economy.