national

20,425 dead or missing as Japan marks 5 months since disaster

12 Comments

Japan on Thursday marked five months since the earthquake and tsunami devastated the Tohoku region on March 11. The government said that as of Aug 1, 20,425 people were either dead or missing, while more than 90,000 people remain displaced because of the tsunami and the ongoing nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi plant.

NTV reported that memorial services were held in several cities in the region, including Sendai, Morioka, Ishinomaki and Kesennuma, ahead of next week's O-Bon festival, which honors the spirits of one's relatives who have died in the past year. A moment of silence was observed at 2:46 p.m., the time when the earthquake struck.

© Japan Today

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

12 Comments
Login to comment

Such a tragedy… It has been several months since I helped with a volunteer group in Tohoku, wish I could visit again to witness first hand the progress that is being made.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

5 months. How time flies. It looks like it was only 1 month ago.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Not alone have some survivors had to cope wth the grief of losing loved ones but most of them are still in emergency shelters.Heres hoping their ordeal will end soon.Many thanks to all the rescuers who saved so many lives

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I hope that Obon will be a comforting time for people to share their sadness. This sad toll is set to rise in the next few decades as the effects of radiation present. I hope that everybody remembers all the victims of TEPCO and the natural disaster together. All suffer and all have loved ones.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

15,690 people are confirmed dead and 4735 people are still missing.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Another Quake shook the Main island of Honshu today and was felt in every quarter! I just don't think this world as we know it can last much longer! It's hard to believe some of the disasters going on all around the globe!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I wonder if you will continue to add everyone exposed to radiation to the total for the next 60 years.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

5 months. How time flies. It looks like it was only 1 month ago.

It's vastly improved to what it looked like a month after the disaster. There has been a remarkable amount of work done. The last time I was in Rikuzentakata I was erm pleasantly surprised with the transformation that had occurred. I thought it would have taken them years to get to where they were, yet it had only taken four months.

Still a hell of a lot of work to be done though. A hell of a lot.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

What will the death toll rise to over the next 10-20 years? I guess TEPCO will be blaming those deaths on other causes.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

What will the death toll rise to over the next 10-20 years

ssway: From what I heard, if Chernobyl is anything to go by, there will be very few (fewer than 100) deaths caused directly by radioactive contamination. Probably many more because of the mental stress of losing family, friends, homes etc. though, which will presumably not get recorded as such.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

What will the death toll rise to over the next 10-20 years? I guess TEPCO will be blaming those deaths on other causes.

Nobody in Japan has been reported with radiation sickness that would indicate overexposure to radioactive materials. In the case of Chernobyl, the radiation sickness cases had died within a month of the accident. TEPCO is going to have to suffer through fools who blame every death from now on that doesn't involve an obvious cause on radiation from Daiichi. Fear seems to breed ignorance, which only results in further fear.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Imagine 90,000 people still displaced and the Government is allowing TEPCO is Putting a tent over the area of one plant, A TENT? Imagine When is the Government going to step in and say, Enough is Enough, Or is it the Government is looking to lesson the population by their deaths? I WOULDER if this could be true or if they just continue to disrespect the citizens of this country, I Have my Beliefs an You have yours but after 5 months there are still 90,000 displaced and over 20,425 killed or missing, Let me ask did the Government ever send ships out to get the Bodies off the floating debris which are the size of floating Island, the Pictures shown in the U.S. Shows houses and debris with many Bodies laying across the Debris, Ask your county representatives if they did send ships out to collect those bodies, this too shows the competency of the Government! This is disgraceful!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites