Govt. To Cancel 2011 Disaster Memorial Ceremony
Japan's government is planning to cancel its national memorial ceremony for the victims of the March 11, 2011, earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident because of the coronavirus outbreak.
The annual ceremony was due to take place on Wednesday next week, the ninth anniversary of the disaster.
The government had been considering holding the ceremony on a smaller scale or with measures to protect participants from infection with the virus.
Last week, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe requested that large-scale sports or cultural events be canceled, postponed or downsized.
But it is making final arrangements to cancel the event, saying now is the crucial time to contain the outbreak.
