The total number of visitors to the Iwate Tsunami Memorial Museum in northeastern Japan, which is designed to share lessons learned from the March 2011 massive earthquake and tsunami, reached 1 million on Sunday.
"We aim to contribute to improving disaster prevention capabilities by sharing the facts and lessons of the earthquake and tsunami with people not just at home, but also abroad," Iwate Gov. Takuya Tasso, who also serves as head of the museum in the city of Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, said in a statement on the day.
The 1 millionth visitor was Shinsaku Otomo, 97, who came with his wife and grandchild from the city of Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture. Otomo received seven commemorative items, including a can that was developed after the disaster.
Otomo, who was born in Rikuzentakata, said he was happy to become the 1 millionth visitor, adding that the commemorative items are "souvenirs that allow me to live longer."
Otomo has occasionally visited Rikuzentakata after his family's original home in the city was washed away by the gigantic tsunami. He said he also lost a relative in the disaster.
"I can never forget the disaster," Otomo said. "I hope people will come and see (the museum) when they visit Rikuzentakata."
The museum, which opened in September 2019, features about 150 items including a tsunami-hit fire truck, as well as information panels about the initial responses after the disaster and lessons learned from the evacuation efforts.