But its roots may still be spreading.

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Since the March 11 earthquake that ravaged northern Japan, workers at Fukushima Daiichi have been struggling to cool down three overheated reactors and keep pools of spent but still potent nuclear fuel from spreading further radioactive contamination across northern Japan.

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But the spreading international credit crunch still has the power to deal Japan fresh blows.

ECONOMIST: Japan's markets

Their aim is not just to help boat owners, but also to stop them unwittingly spreading the mussels still further.

ECONOMIST: Monitor: Reducing the barnacle bill | The

But she retained a measure spreading wealth from yet-to-be-explored oil fields which are still to be auctioned.

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Led largely by messaging and dating app, the phenomenon is one that seems to be spreading across all regions of the globe, with Japan and the United States still in the lead but growth coming from outside those two countries.

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