Indonesian pray for Japan earthquake victims

Residents of the Indonesian province of Aceh, which was hit by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, held a ceremony on Monday to remember the victims of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan.

The province lost more than 160,000 lives in the 2004 tsunami. It has been interacting with municipalities and organizations in Japan’s Tohoku region ever since the March 11, 2011 disaster.

About 40 people, including those who have previously visited the disaster-hit region in Japan, attended the ceremony held in the provincial capital of Banda Aceh to offer silent prayers.

In Aceh, about 30 percent of the population was born after the year of the Indian Ocean tsunami. Just like in Japan, passing on lessons to the younger generation poses a challenge.