Japan, on Saturday, marked the 12th anniversary of the massive earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster of 2011. A minute of silence was observed, as concerns grew ahead of the planned release of the treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant, and the government’s return to nuclear energy. 

The 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami that ravaged large parts of Japan's northeastern coast on March 11, 2011, left more than 22,000 people dead. The nation went silent at 2.46 pm, the moment the earthquake struck.