The whole of Japan prayed for all the 20,000 lives on Thursday as it was highlighted as the 10th anniversary of the huge earthquake scaling 9 Richter and tsunami damaging towns and triggering nuclear meltdowns in Fukushima.

People went towards the coast side to mourn for their kins whom they lost by the Tsunami which was almost 130 feet.

Akiba shrine, which was barely destroyed by the Tsunami whereas other towers, houses, buildings were all swapped away, was used as a symbol of hope for life. Students from across the country sent paper cranes, flowers, and yellow handkerchiefs with messages of hope.

The disaster didn't just take lives but took the reasons to live of many people. About 120,000 buildings, roads, hospitals, other infrastructures, businesses, were destroyed. Damage caused by the tremors set off a triple meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, causing people to evacuate. More than half a million people were displaced as a result of the triple disaster.

The meltdown at the nuclear power plant turned nearby dwellings into haunted areas, where people are still unable to go or say don't want to go due to radioactive contamination.

The nuclear plant leak is the world's worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. Lingering radiation impact has limited Fukushima's recovery efforts. The ceremony commemorating the 2011 disaster is just two weeks before the Olympic torch run that begins at Fukushima ahead of the delayed Tokyo Summer Games in July.

The Japanese government has spent about $300 million to rebuild the region yet many things are still misplaced. While commemorating the disaster, Emperor Naruhito said, “Still many topics remain to be tackled in disaster areas.” He also said he hopes to build a strong nation that can endure disasters.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said, "We must never forget lessons learned in disaster to protect the nation"

. "Will continue to provide support as needed to rebuild lives," Reuters quoted him.