Japan marked the 15th anniversary of the earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima nuclear disaster that struck its northeastern coast on March 11, 2011.
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The magnitude 9.0 quake and tsunami killed more than 22,000 people and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes, including around 160,000 residents evacuated from areas near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant due to radiation leaks.
People across the country observed a moment of silence at 2:46 pm., the exact time the quake struck.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi attended a memorial ceremony in Fukushima and pledged to accelerate the region’s recovery.
