(VOVworld)-Japan is marking the one-year anniversary of the biggest earthquake in its history, which along with a massive tsunami on the northeast coast killed nearly 16,000 people. The magnitude 9.0 earthquake on March 11, followed by a large tsunami and several after-shocks, triggered the world's worst nuclear crisis since 1986 Chernobyl disaster.

Photo: Rte.ie

A requiem to pray for the victims was held in Tokyo on Sunday with the participation of the Royal family and top Government officials. Thousands of candles were lit in Fukushima in memory of the victims. On the eve of the anniversary, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon voiced his admiration for the tremendous efforts of Japanese people to overcome the disaster and stressed that the UN will continue to work on ways to improve measures to prevent and deal with natural disasters of such magnitude. In an online edition of the Washington Post, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda pledged to overcome various challenges stemming from the catastrophe and build "a new Japan".