Mar 12 (News On Japan) - People across Japan are remembering tens of thousands of lives lost 14 years ago.
On March 11, 2011, a massive earthquake and tsunami hit Japan's eastern Pacific coast, triggering a nuclear accident that continues to affect the region today.
People in the areas that were hit hardest have been gathering since early morning to pay their respects to the dead.
One man in Fukushima Prefecture said, "I sincerely hope those who died are resting in peace."
Another man in Iwate Prefecture paid tribute with his passion for music. As a high school student during the disaster, he visited evacuation centers to entertain people with his trumpet.
He said: "Today, it's like I'm meeting with myself as I was 14 years ago. At the same time, on this day, I'm meeting with those who passed away. It's also a time to think about hope for the future."
The official number of people who died or went missing is currently over 22,000. That figure includes deaths that happened later due to health problems or other complications related to the disaster.
The magnitude 9.0 quake struck off Japan's northeastern coast at 2:46 p.m. and was followed by a vast tsunami that reached more than 10 meters high in places.
Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant suffered meltdowns in the wake of the disaster.
The accident forced tens of thousands to flee their homes. Even now, entry to some areas around the devastated plant is restricted, and over 20,000 Fukushima residents still cannot return.
