Japan has been hit by its biggest ever recorded earthquake - hundreds are feared dead.

The initial quake - measuring 8-point-9 struck just off Japan's east coat - and triggered a 10 metre high tsunami and a series of aftershocks.

Much of the country's infrastructure has been paralysed - ports and airports are closed and millions are without power.

A state of emergency has also been issued at one of Japan's nuclear power plants after the cooling system failed.

Foreign Secretary William Hague's chaired an emergency Cobra committee meeting.

He says the quake was of "huge dimensions":

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