Japan marks 12 years since tsunami and nuclear disaster

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Japan has marked the 12th anniversary of the massive earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster with a minute of silence as concerns grew ahead of the planned release of the treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant. The 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami that ravaged large parts of Japan’s northeastern coast on March 11, 2011, left more than 22,000 people dead. Some residents in the northern prefectures of Iwate and Miyagi walked down to the coast to pray for their loved ones and the 2,519 whose remains were never found. The government says the release of treated water from the plant is safe but many residents as well as neighbors China and South Korea and Pacific island nations are opposed to it.