Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi attends a ceremony in Fukushima, northern Japan, on March 11, 2026, marking the 15th anniversary of the massive earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster. Japan Pool/Kyodo News via AP
Japan on March 11 commemorated the 15th anniversary of the 9.0 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster that devastated its northeastern coast, as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi used the occasion to pledge continued reconstruction.
Japan observed a nationwide moment of silence in remembrance of the victims of the disaster. More than 22,000 people died, mostly in the tsunami, and 160,000 residents were evacuated from Fukushima because of radiation released by the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, with about 26,000 still unable or unwilling to return.
