China’s most recent earthquake, which hit Sichuan province on April 20, sparked not only a fervent outpouring of sympathetic volunteers and a large amount of donations, but also an online debate on how the aftermath of a disaster can be handled better by the government and private citizens alike. Here are a series of photos juxtaposing China, after the April 20 earthquake, with Japan -- a nation with expertise in earthquake prevention and rescue operations -- after its March 11, 2011, Tohoku earthquake, which was a 9.03 magnitude quake that triggered a massive tsunami.

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Left, victims of the earthquake jostle for food and other supplies on April 21; Right, people affected by the earthquake line up for drinking water on March 13. 21cbh.com
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Left, people grabbing coats from a humanitarian organization on April 21 in Lushan, some can be seen taking photos of the scene; Right, people lining up for supplies in Fukushima on March 13. 21cbh.com
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Left, a police officer without a helmet was injured by fallen rocks during a rescue effort in Ya'an on April 21; Right, all rescue personnel wore safety helmets after the Miyagi aftershock in Japan on March 15. 21cbh.com
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Left, walls in a middle school in Lushan show signs of cracking after the earthquake; Right, walls in an elementary school in Sentai withstood a tsunami and an earthquake. 21cbh.com
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Left, a newly constructed house collapsed on April 22 in Baoxing, an affected city in Ya'an; Right, after a tsunami, an earthquake and a ship landed on it, a house in the Iwate prefacture was still standing. 21cbh.com
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Left, Lushan farmers sent off a victim of the earthquake. Right, a collective funeral for all victims in the Miyagi prefecture. 21cbh.com
Japan China Earthquake Tsunami