A ceremony was held in Tonga as this month marks one year since a submarine volcano erupted off the coast of Tonga, an island nation in the South Pacific, causing a tsunami that killed four people.
In Tonga, a submarine volcano erupted on January 15 last year, and according to the Tongan government, a tsunami of up to 15 meters surged, and four people died, including related deaths.
A ceremony was held in the capital, Nuku'alofa, on the 13th, before the 15th anniversary of the eruption.
Government officials and ambassadors stationed in the area gathered at the ceremony, and the attendees first offered a moment of silence for the victims.
Deputy Prime Minister Baipur then expressed his gratitude for the support of each country, stating, "The merciless disaster destroyed Tonga's society and economy. We are still recovering."
At the venue, the activities of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, which transported supplies, and the support provided by the governments of various countries and international organizations were introduced.
In Tonga, the submarine cables were temporarily damaged by the tsunami, making telephone and internet communications difficult, but they have now recovered and the removal of volcanic ash has almost been completed.
However, reconstruction is only halfway through, as residents of the affected remote islands continue to migrate.
Kensaku Munenaga, Japanese Ambassador to Tonga, said, "In Tonga, a pro-Japanese country, Japan's high technological capabilities are trusted, so we would like to promote support for human resources and technology."