A powerful earthquake that hit northern Japan early Thursday prompted manufacturers, retailers and others in broader sectors to halt their operations and the subsequent power outages could leave business disrupted for a week or more.Companies on the northernmost main island of Hokkaido scrambled to gather information and assess damage to their facilities after the temblor with a preliminary magnitude of 6.7 struck southern Hokkaido at 3:08 a.m., triggering a blackout across the prefecture.(Susukino, Sapporo's busiest entertainment district, remains blacked out) Economy, Trade, and Industry…READ FULL ARTICLE
