Japan marks 3rd anniversary of tsunami disasters
Source: AP-Excite
By MARI YAMAGUCHI
TOKYO (AP) - Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged to boost rebuilding efforts as the country marked the third anniversary Tuesday of a devastating earthquake and tsunami that left nearly 19,000 people dead, destroyed coastal communities and triggered a nuclear crisis.
Japan has struggled to rebuild towns and villages and to clean up radiation from the meltdowns at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant. Reconstruction plans are finally taking shape, but shortages of skilled workers and materials are delaying the work.
The triple disasters known in Japan as 3-11 killed 15,884 people and left 2,636 unaccounted for on its northeastern coast. The country has earmarked 25 trillion yen ($250 billion) for reconstruction through March 2016.
Three years later, nearly 270,000 people remain displaced from their homes, including many from Fukushima prefecture who may never be able to return home due to radioactive contamination.
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Anti-nuclear protesters hold balloons during a rally in front of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) in Tokyo, Tuesday, March 11, 2014. METI governs Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency and is responsible for promoting nuclear power. The writing on the sign reads "Eliminate the nuclear mafia." Japan on Tuesday marks the third anniversary of the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami that killed 15,884 people and left more than 2,600 unaccounted for in vast areas of its northern coast. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
