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         Japan Observes 4th Anniversary of Earthquake/Tsunami Disaster

   by VOA News

   Japan on Wednesday is observing the fourth anniversary of the
   earthquake and tsunami disaster that left over 19,000 people dead or
   missing and prompted a meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

   Ceremonies are being held throughout the worst-hit areas and a minute
   of silence was observed across the country at the exact moment the
   massive earthquake hit four years ago.

   Speaking at a ceremony in Tokyo, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe praised the
   government's reconstruction efforts, though he stressed more needs to
   be done to help survivors.

   "To all the survivors, I give my heartfelt condolences. Every time I
   visit the disaster-hit areas, I feel the footsteps of reconstruction
   are becoming more firm. The relocation to higher ground, and the
   housing situation for survivors, are firmly proceeding. Reconstruction
   is moving into a new phase," he said.

   Japanese Emperor Akihito, who also attended the ceremony, acknowledged
   that conditions for many survivors remains harsh. "Going forward, it is
   important that all the people of this nation unite our hearts into one
   and stand by the survivors," he said.

   At a makeshift memorial in Miyagi Prefecture's Ishinomaki, a city near
   the quake's epicenter, Buddhist monks and families of those who died in
   the disaster prayed.

   "I prayed at the memorial to say that we will not ever forget you, and
   we are managing the best we can here," said an unidentified Ishinomaki
   resident.

   The 9.0-magnitude quake, the most powerful ever recorded to hit Japan,
   struck at 2:46 p.m. on March 11, 2011. The undersea quake triggered a
   massive wave of water that washed away entire villages.

   At the Fukushima nuclear power plant, it caused radioactive waste to
   spew into the air and sea. The facility is still in the process of
   being decommissioned.

   Prime Minister Abe this week promised a new five-year plan to speed up
   reconstruction efforts. Nearly 230,000 people remain displaced by the
   disaster.
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References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/japan-observes-anniversary-of-earthquake-tsunami-disaster/2675471.html