Japan marked the 12th anniversary of the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima nuclear disaster on Saturday, commemorating the loss of over 20,000 people and thousands of homes rendered uninhabitable by radiation.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attended a memorial event in Fukushima, taking part in a minute’s silence to remember those who died.

“Even now, I can hardly bear the sense of grief when I consider the feelings of those who lost beloved family members, relatives and friends,” Kishida said.

In the village of Hisanohama, around 30 kilometers south of the ruined Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power station, people came to lay flowers and remember a day that saw the area inundated by the tsunami.

“The grief doesn’t change. I can’t say that’s gotten any less,” 55-year-old Yuki Kajimi told Reuters as she looked out towards the sea.