Friday marked the first anniversary of strong earthquakes in Kumamoto Prefecture that caused more than 200 deaths. Governments have pledged to overcome the disaster and accelerate efforts at reconstruction.
One year after the earthquakes, including a magnitude-6.5 temblor on April 14 and a magnitude-7.3 quake two days later that also affected neighboring prefectures in Kyushu, more than 47,000 people are still displaced.
"Our grief will never be healed but we have managed to be alive today with support from lots of people," Mayumi Tominaga, who represented the families of the deceased, said at a memorial service held at the Kumamoto Prefectural Government office.