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Japan Tsunami: 12 Months Later

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Photo Essays | Environment | East Asia

Japan Tsunami: 12 Months Later

The Diplomat takes a look in pictures at Japan’s recovery from the March 11, 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster.

On March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck northeast Japan, quickly followed by a devastating tsunami and nuclear plant crisis. For the 12 months since this triple disaster, Japan has been grappling with what then-Prime Minister Naoto Kan rightly described as the nation’s darkest hour since World War II. The Diplomat looks at Japan’s recovery efforts over the past year – at the extraordinary resilience shown by the Japanese, the country’s crisis of leadership, and what may happen next.