At 2:46 p.m. on March 11, 2011, a magnitude-9 earthquake struck northeastern Japan. It triggered tsunami waves as high as 40 meters crashing onto the coast, submerging many towns and villages. This was one of the most powerful earthquake–tsunami events in human history and the most serious natural disaster in Japan since World War II.

Over the years, localities, including the hardest hit Fukushima, Iwate, and Miyagi, are recovering with roads, train stations, schools, and residential areas being rebuilt. However, for the locals, the pain remains as if it had just happened.

“My father was swept away by the tsunami and has never been found. 15 years have passed, but I have never forgotten it, not even for a single day.”

“15 years is a long time, but I feel if it just happened. I still visit my relatives who passed away. I will continue to visit them as long as I’m healthy.”

The Japanese government has invested over 260 billion USD in rebuilding the northeastern region, including seawalls, roads, seaports, and schools. 2026 will be the first fiscal year of Japan’s five-year “third reconstruction and recovery phase,” during which it will continue to provide support for the affected and community rebuilding.