Japan marked the somber anniversary Wednesday of the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami that left tens of thousands dead and sparked a nuclear disaster that turned an entire region into a ghost town. Somber memorial events were held in Tokyo and across the northeastern region the magnitude-9 quake decimated, with moments of silence observed at 2:46 p.m. local time along with prayers and promises to recover. "Countless irreplaceable lives were lost," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said at one event. "It still fills me with deep sadness to think of those who have lost their dear family members, relatives and friends."
