On 3 March 2011, a massive earthquake hit northern Japan, triggering a tsunami that killed nearly 20,000 people and turned towns to matchwood.
The tsunami sparked the world's worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. Meltdowns in three reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant spewed radiation over a wide area of the countryside, contaminating water, food and air. More than 160,000 people were evacuated from nearby towns and some 10% still live in temporary housing across Fukushima prefecture. Most have settled outside their hometowns and have begun new lives.
Japan is mourning the thousands who lost their lives in the disaster. At 2.46 p.m (5.46am GMT), the moment the quake hit, bells rang out in Tokyo and people around the nation bowed their heads in a moment of silence. All of the trains on Tokyo's underground paused for a minute. At cemeteries along the devastated coastline, in front of buildings destroyed by the huge waves, and on beaches, families gathered to offer flowers and incense, bowing their heads and wiping away tears. Flags at central government buildings flew at half-mast.
Naoshi Sato, 81, offers flowers for his son Shoichi, who died in the disaster, in Rikuzentakata, Iwate prefectureKyodo/ReutersA Japanese national flag hangs at half-mast at the Ginza shopping district in Tokyo, as a clock shows 14:46, the time of the earthquakeToshufumi Kitamura/AFPPeople observe a moment of silence at 2:46pm near the tsunami-devastated disaster prevention office building in Minamisanriku town, Miyagi prefectureKyodo/ReutersA woman in Tokyo cries as she observes a moment of silence at 2:46pm (0546 GMT), the time when the earthquake struck off Japan's coast on 3 March 2011Toru Hanai/ReutersPolice officers search for the remains of people who went missing during the tsunami, in Ishinomaki, Miyagi prefectureKyodo/ReutersYoshie Satake, who lost her daughter to the tsunami, prays at Fukanuma beach in SendaiKen Ishii/Getty ImagesBuddhist monks pray for victims of the earthquake and tsunami in front of the former municipal disaster prevention centre in the town of Minamisanriku, Miyagi prefectureJiji Press/AFPA woman prays for victims of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami at an altar in SendaiToru Yamanaka/AFPA woman throws flowers into the sea to remember victims of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in SendaiToru Yamanaka/AFPBuddhist monks chant prayers in SendaiToru Yamanaka/AFPA woman looks out at the sea in SendaiToru Yamanaka/AFPA man prays for victims of the earthquake and tsunami disaster at a park in TokyoToru Hanai/ReutersJapanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko in front of an altar for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami at the national memorial service in TokyoKazuhiro Nogi/AFPHigh school students light candles to pray for victims of the disaster at a park in SendaiToru Yamanaka/AFP
Employees of Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco) – the operator of the tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant – take part in a moment of silence at 2:46pm local time (0546 GMT) in TokyoYuya Shino/ReutersDecontamination workers observe a moment of silence to mourn victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Namie, Fukushima prefectureKyodo/ReutersThe tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is seen from the airKyodo/Reuters
Residents of disaster-hit regions have criticised the government for rushing the reconstruction to showcase Fukushima's safety for the Olympics rather than for the residents. The government hopes to reopen all evacuation zones by next March, except for the dangerously contaminated surroundings of the plant.
