Japan today launched a massive search for thousands of bodies still missing more than six weeks after disaster struck the country. The Japanese Defence Ministry said the military search, also involving police and coastguard officers and US forces, is the third of its kind after earlier sweeps recovered a total of 438 bodies. Nearly 24,800 troops are searching the tsunami-ravaged north-east coast for the bodies still missing. More than 14,340 people were killed in the 9.0-magnitude quake and subsequent tsunami last month, while 11,889 are still missing amid fears that many of them were swept into the Pacific Ocean and will never be found.