Japan To Mark 10th Anniversary Of Huge 2011 Earthquake & Tsunami

The Japanese government has announced that it will hold an official service to remember one of the world’s biggest earthquakes and most destructive tsunamis in living memory – the March 11th, 2011 Tohoku Earthquake off the coast of east Japan, north of Tokyo.

An estimated 15,900 people are thought to have died in the tremors and subsequent 40+ metre tsunami, with around 2,529 still unaccounted for.

The government will, however, be limiting the memorial to help counter the ongoing efforts across Japan to stamp out the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking to the domestic media, Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said the events sponsored by the government will take place at the nation’s National Theatre in Tokyo with Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and his wife Empress Masako in attendance.

It is thought the emperor will give a speech at the event – the last large scale memorial to be held in the wake of the earthquake – although smaller, local events will likely still be held each year.