TOKYO – An earthquake, a tsunami and a nuclear disaster.
Japan on Thursday was ten years since a triple catastrophe paralyzed its northeastern region, killing thousands of people and leaving a trail of devastation, many survivors still struggling to put their lives together a decade further.
The magnitude 9.0 earthquake, the strongest in the country’s history, occurred on March 11, 2011.
This created a tsunami that swept far inland, destroying villages and causing collapses at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
It is estimated that more than 20,000 people have died, mostly in the tsunami, and nearly half a million people have been displaced because the region has suffered the world’s worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl.
Ten years later, many in Japan went to the coast on Thursday with bouquets or graves visiting to pray, while others took part in the anti-nuclear protests to celebrate the anniversary.
Japanese Emperor Naruhito and his wife, along with Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, attended a gloomy memorial service in Tokyo and held a moment of silence at 2.46pm – the moment the quake began.
“My heart aches” and thinks of those who have lost their loved ones, jobs and communities, Emperor Naruhito said, noting that many Fukushima residents are still unable to return.
“I also consider it important to heal emotional scars and to take care of the mental and physical health of the afflicted people, including the elderly and children,” he told a scaled-down audience wearing masks due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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Premier Suga, dressed in a black suit, told the memorial that the loss of life was still impossible to consider.
The event has gripped Japanese life for ten years since it made headlines worldwide, and on Thursday, support poured in from abroad.
Singer Lady Gaga, which has a large support base in the country, expressed a message of solidarity.
“It seems like I watched the shocking footage of the devastating earthquake and tsunami on the news yesterday and thought, what can I do to help,” she said in a video on Twitter.
After the disaster, the singer contributed a song to the charity album “Songs for Japan” and $ 1.5 million for aid funds from the sale of a wristband on her website. She also performed during a benefit show for the Japanese Red Cross.
“Let’s all continue to support each other, be kind to each other and love each other,” she added, showing comparisons to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Earthquakes are common in Japan, one of the world’s most seismically active areas. Last month, a magnitude 7.3 earthquake shook the coast of Fukushima prefecture, raising fears of a recurring crisis but causing little damage.
Some 40,000 people are still displaced by the disaster, unable to return home to areas near the devastated plant, which is still out of use due to radioactive contamination.
The government has spent about $ 300 billion to rebuild the region, but taking the factory out of service safely will take decades and billions of dollars.
In a show of rebirth, Fukushima was thanks to parts of the 2020 Summer Olympics to be held in Japan.
However, the games were delayed until July 2021 due to the pandemic and were hit by a sexism scandal. The resignation of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe due to ill health last August and the deteriorating tensions between the US and China, further clouded what would be a year of celebration for the country.
Thursday’s memorial comes two weeks before the start of the Olympic torchlight procession from Fukushima. Premier Suga has said that the Olympics will showcase Japan’s recovery from the disaster.
Arata Yamamoto reports from Tokyo, and Adela Suliman reports from London.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed.