Memorial Event in Fukushima City Marks 14 Yrs Since 2011 Earthquake; Ishiba Says Govt to Continue to Take Lead in Helping to Restore Living Environment of Residents

The Yomiuri Shimbun

21:00 JST, March 11, 2025

A memorial event to remember the victims of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake was held Tuesday in Fukushima City.

A minute of silence was observed when the clock struck 2:46 p.m., the time when the earthquake hit 14 years ago, at the 14th Fukushima Memorial Event to Commemorate the Victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake in Prayer for Revitalization.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba represented the government and offered his condolences, as well as his appreciation for reconstruction efforts made by local residents and municipalities.

Ishiba said “medium- to long-term measures are needed” to recover from the 2011 accident, regarding the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant.

“The government will continue to take the lead in helping to restore the living environment of local residents, as well as the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant’s safe and steady decommissioning, which is a prerequisite for restoration,” he said.

Ishiba also vowed to pass on the lessons learned from the disaster in order to better handle other natural disasters, including the Noto Peninsula Earthquake and the wildfire in Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture.