Japan marks 11 years since 2011 disaster

Mar 11, 2022 | News On Japan

Mar 11, 2022 (NHK) - Friday marks the 11th anniversary of a massive earthquake and tsunami that struck eastern and northeastern Japan, causing a severe nuclear accident.

A number of events are being held to commemorate the people who died in the disaster.

The magnitude 9.0 quake hit off the coast of northeastern Japan at 2:46 PM on March 11, 2011, triggering waves more than 10 meters high.

Authorities put the number of deaths and missing people combined at 18,423.

The number of evacuees whose deaths have been certified as related to the disaster had increased by 11 over the past year to 3,786 as of Thursday.

There were still 38,139 evacuees as of February, though the number has been declining.

The earthquake and tsunami, as well as the ensuing nuclear accident, caused serious damage particularly to 40 municipalities in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures. Of these, 28 saw their populations fall by more than 10 percent compared to before the disaster.

All residents of Futaba Town in Fukushima are still unable to return home. An evacuation order is expected to be lifted for part of the town in June.

Isolation among residents of the affected regions is an issue. Last year, 72 people died while living alone in public housing in Miyagi, Iwate and Fukushima. ...continue reading

Source: ANNnewsCH

Typhoons No. 28 and 29 Bring High Waves to Japan's Pacific Coast

Two typhoons moving across the Pacific southeast of Japan are expected to remain well away from the Japanese mainland, but powerful swells could bring rough seas to a wide stretch of the country's Pacific coastline throughout the three-day holiday weekend, according to forecasts updated at 3 a.m. on October 10.

Cyberattacks Spread Across Japan

A series of cyberattacks has disrupted business operations and exposed millions of customer records across Japan, with a ransomware attack on a cloud service provider affecting 495 companies and local governments nationwide, while convenience store operator Lawson has disclosed a separate breach involving more than 2.15 million personal information records.

Japan's First 360-Degree Projection Mapping Opens in Osaka

Japan's first 360-degree projection mapping show will open at the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts on October 10, transforming the historic building into an immersive world of light, music, and seasonal imagery, with organizers hoping the attraction will also help stimulate the city's nighttime economy.

Tokyo University Professor Wins Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Tokyo University of Science professor emeritus Kenzo Soai has been awarded this year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry together with French chemist Henri B. Kagan for discoveries that transformed scientists' understanding of how chemical reactions can favor one of two mirror-image forms of a molecule.

US Military Halts All Okinawa Operations for 48 Hours

The US military suspended activities by all forces stationed in Okinawa for 48 hours from noon on October 7, an unusual measure following the arrest of a US Marine in connection with a robbery and murder case that has renewed scrutiny of crimes involving American service members.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Most Sightings of Fugitive Yoichi Hatta Reported in Kanto

Police in Oita Prefecture have revealed that the Kanto region accounts for the largest number of reported sightings of Yoichi Hatta, a fugitive wanted in connection with a fatal hit-and-run incident in Beppu in 2022, with authorities preparing to distribute new wanted posters nationwide from November as the search enters its fifth year.