Japan mourned today as the first anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami brought Tokyo to a halt.

Today marks a year since the magnitude-9.0 earthquake struck at 2.46pm local time (5.46am GMT) , people all across Japan bowed their heads and observed a minute’s silence. Millions mourned and sirens were sounded in dozens of coastal communities were 15,800 people have been confirmed dead and there are still 3,300 others missing.

The earthquake devastated the country’s north-east coast and also sparked the world’s worst nuclear disaster for 25 years.

The Prime Minister said that Japan would be “reborn as an even better place”. “Our predecessors who brought prosperity to have repeatedly risen up from crises, every time becoming stronger,” he said. “We will stand by the people from the disaster-hit areas and join hands to achieve the historic task of rebuilding.”

Japanese taxpayers are facing an expected cost of $230bn (£145bn) over the next ten years to rebuild cities, towns and villages.

The emperor, empress, prime minister, foreign dignitaries attended a ceremony at the capital’s national theatre alongside hundreds of survivors.