National Jul. 21, 2011 - 02:30AM JST ( 2 )

TOKYO —

Most elementary and junior high schools across Japan started their summer vacations on Thursday, but some schools in the disaster-hit regions in the Tohoku have another 11 days to go because of their late start to the school year in March.

Several schools in Miyagi and Iwate Prefectures held their closing ceremonies in gymnasiums on Wednesday because many classrooms were damaged by the tsunami and have not yet been rebuilt. Other schools have been operating out of buildings in different cities since the March 11 disaster.