Japan honors victims on 5th anniversary of devastating earthquake and tsunami

Jeva Lange's avatar
By
published
Dove-shaped balloons.
(Image credit: Jiji Press/AFP/Getty Images)

Japan marked the fifth anniversary of 2011's devastating earthquake and tsunami on Friday with a national moment of silence at the exact moment the quake hit. The magnitude-9.0 quake also triggered a tsunami that ravaged the nation's northeast coast, causing the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl, at the Fukushima Daiichi plant. More than 18,000 people were left dead or missing; at least 180,000 have still not returned to their homes.

"Infrastructure is recovering, hearts are not. I thought time would take care of things," volunteer fireman Eiki Kumagai said. "I keep seeing the faces of those who died. There's so much regret, I can't express it." Jeva Lange

Article continues below

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Iframe Code

Embed from Getty Images

Iframe Code

Embed from Getty Images

Iframe Code

Embed from Getty Images

Iframe Code

Jeva Lange
Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.