JAPAN . . . THE TOLL KEEPS CLIMBING

The number of confirmed deaths inJapan's horrific earthquakepassed 3,000 as rescuers continued digging through the rubble. Trying to come to terms with the devastation in the Kobe region, the Japanese are asking some tough questions. Newspaper editorials carped about the preparedness of the country, despite its long experience with earthquakes. Military officials who deployed troops to the Kobe area, near the quake's epicenter blamed delayed rescue efforts on local officials who, they said, were poorly prepared. Police say that over 800 people are still missing; in all about 15,000 people have been injured; more than 120,000 have been rendered homeless. The one passable road out of Kobe was clogged with a traffic jam that extended dozens of miles as people continued to flee the city. Adding to the urgency was a warning by the government that a strong aftershock will probably strike the area within a month. Already the quake's economic impact is becoming evident: both Honda and Toyota were forced to curtail production of vehicles because of plant closings. The port, which ships 12% of Japan's exports, will take months to repair.