Japan has marked the seventh anniversary of a deadly earthquake and tsunami that killed more than 18-thousand people and triggered the nuclear accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant. During a ceremony in the capital Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe renewed his oath to boost the country's resiliency to natural disasters.

SHINZO ABE JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER "By being aware of the circumstances of each and every one of the people affected, we will continue to undertake reconstruction with a commitment to providing seamless support through the various stages of livelihood rehabilitation. This support includes tasks such as spiritual restoration, providing psychological and physical care for those who have been forced to leave their homes for long periods, providing consultations for livelihood rehabilitation and creating new local communities."

Other officials and relatives of those killed in the quake attended the memorial ceremony, including Prince Akishino, the second son of the Japanese emperor. In his speech, he emphasized the importance of educating future generations about disaster prevention and the lessons learned from what is known in the country as the Great East Japan Earthquake. A minute of silence was also observed at 2:46-PM, the exact time the quake struck.