Emperor Akihito has called on people to have sympathy for the sufferers of the March 2011

Emperor Akihito has called on people to have sympathy for the sufferers of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, and to continue to work to improve the situation in affected areas.A ceremony commemorating the victims was held in Tokyo on the first anniversary of the disaster on Sunday.Participants stood in silence at 2:46 PM when the earthquake happened.Then the Emperor addressed the participants.After expressing his deep condolences for the many lives lost in the disaster, he touched upon the fact that many rescue and disaster control personnel have fallen victim during operations.He also thanked the many volunteers who helped the sufferers and those who have been dealing with the nuclear accident, and expressed his gratitude for the support extended by countries around the world.The Emperor said, although many difficulties lie ahead in the process of reconstruction, he hopes all the people will sympathize with the sufferers and continue to work to improve the situation in the affected areas.He said it is important to pass on the experience to future generations, to raise awareness of disaster prevention, and to work to build a safe country.