New Zealand on Monday marked the 10th anniversary of the devastating earthquake in 2011 that hit the South Island city of Christchurch, killing 185 people and injuring thousands.
Of the victims, 115 died in the six-story Canterbury Television Building, which collapsed in the magnitude 6.3 temblor, including 28 Japanese studying English at the King's Education language school.
Speaking at a national memorial service in the city joined by hundreds of people, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said while 10 years have passed since the massive quake, it still feels like yesterday for many people in Christchurch and New Zealand.
"To those who lost loved ones, the grief has been even more immense...We remember and we celebrate these people, the joy they gave, the memories they made, the lives they lived," Ardern said.
A minute's silence was held at 12:51 p.m. -- the exact time the quake struck -- before the names of all 185 people who died were read aloud by some of the first responders as well as representatives from overseas.
At the memorial service, Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel made special mention during her speech of the Japanese families she met last year to formally apologize for the tragedy.
"I especially want to mention the Japanese family members who I last year met in Japan and who I know so wanted to be here. We are forever connected by this tragedy," she said.
In previous years, families from Japan traveled to Christchurch to participate in commemoration services. However, due to coronavirus travel restrictions, none were able to attend this year, so they remembered their loved ones in Japan.
In Toyama, central Japan, a gathering took place at the Toyama College of Foreign Languages to remember the 12 students from the school who died in the collapsed television building.
"Now that we have marked 10 years, we are again struck by a sense of grief for losing the students as well as sorrow beyond words," said Tamehisa Ueda, the head of the school.
Following a moment of silence, the families of the victims offered flowers during the ceremony, which was scaled down to prevent infections of the novel coronavirus.
New Zealand police launched an investigation into the collapse of the building but decided not to pursue a criminal prosecution.
"A day never goes by without thinking about what it would be like if she were still alive. I offered flowers with the wish that I could see her again somewhere," said Naohiro Kanamaru, 62, whose 19-year-old daughter Kayo died in the building.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told a press conference Monday that the Japanese government will continue to give emotional support to the bereaved families.
In Ishikawa Prefecture, central Japan, 75-year-old Akihito Kitagawa remembered his son Yasuhiro, a former newspaper reporter who died aged 39, by visiting his grave with his wife.
"The 10 years have felt long and short at the same time. We have aged, but our son remains as he was that day," he said.
To assist bereaved families overseas, Christchurch City Council shared a publicly viewable livestream of the civic memorial service on YouTube.
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