U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres sent a condolence message Wednesday to people in Japan as the country marks the 10th anniversary of the devastating earthquake and tsunami disaster that left more than 18,000 people dead or missing.
"Today is a solemn day of remembrance for the 18,400 people who died or are still missing as a result of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami ten years ago," Guterres said in a video message. "My condolences go to those who continue to grieve the loss of loved ones."
"And I think of those who remain displaced, unable to return to their homes because of safety concerns surrounding the destroyed Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant," he said, referring to the nuclear disaster in the northeastern Japan prefecture of Fukushima caused by a massive tsunami following the magnitude 9.0-quake on March 11, 2011.
The U.N. chief also hailed Japan's efforts to strengthen safety measures following the destruction, saying, "Japan is leading the world when it comes to disaster prevention."
"The country has invested heavily in building back safer over the last 10 years. And it has helped to share the lessons learned for the future."
"To prevent and manage disasters, countries need to plan, invest, give early warnings and provide education on what to do," he added.
