Efforts to contain the spread of Covid-19 set to put paid to tribute marking March 2011 earthquake, tsunami and meltdown disaster, says NHK

Japan is to cancel a ceremony to mark the anniversary next week of the March 2011 triple disaster on its north-east coast, as part of government-led efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

The national ceremony was due to be held in Tokyo on 11 March, exactly nine years after a powerful earthquake and tsunami killed more than 18,000 people and triggered a triple meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.