Japan commemorates tsunami one year on

A worldwide day of mourning and remembrance has begun, on the first anniversary of the Japanese tsunami disaster.

On March 11 2011, at 2.46pm local time, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake, the most powerful ever recorded, struck off the coast of north east Japan.

The quake caused a vast tsunami, which smashed the Japanese coastline with a wave up to 16m high, sweeping away entire towns and travelling up to several kilometers inland.

The wave also damaged reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, resulting in one of the most serious nuclear leaks in history. A 20km exclusion zone was set up around the plant, according to AFP.

Thousands of people throughout Japan held candlelit vigils for the estimated 20,000 victims, with the main memorial ceremony being held at Tokyo’s National Theatre. It was attended by Japan’s Emperor Akihito and Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda.