[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 46 (Thursday, March 11, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1505-S1506]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 107--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE RELATING TO 
 THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MARCH 11, 2011, EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI IN 
                                 JAPAN

  Mr. HAGERTY (for himself and Mr. Coons) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 107

       Whereas, at 2:46 p.m. on March 11, 2011, an earthquake 
     initially reported as measuring 8.9 on the Richter scale, the 
     strongest recorded in more than 100 years in Japan, occurred 
     near the Tohoku region of Northeast Japan, 81 miles off the 
     coast from Sendai City;
       Whereas intense shaking could be felt from Tokyo to 
     Kamaishi, an arc of roughly 360 miles;
       Whereas the earthquake generated a massive tsunami that 
     caused widespread damage to a swath of the northeast Japanese 
     coastline and traveled across the Pacific Ocean, causing 
     damage to coastal communities as far away as the States of 
     Hawaii, Oregon, and California;
       Whereas authorities in Japan confirm at least 15,899 deaths 
     from the earthquake and resulting tsunami;
       Whereas, within minutes of the earthquake, the National 
     Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration alerted emergency 
     workers in the States of Hawaii, California, Oregon, 
     Washington, and Alaska that a potentially catastrophic 
     tsunami was heading toward those States and mobilized the 
     Tsunami Warning System in the Pacific;
       Whereas the earthquake forced the emergency shutdown of 4 
     nuclear power facilities in Japan, representing a significant 
     loss of electric generation capacity for Japan and 
     necessitating rolling blackouts in portions of Tokyo;
       Whereas the earthquake and the resulting tsunami severely 
     damaged the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station, 
     precipitating a loss of power for cooling systems at that 
     facility and necessitating emergency measures to prevent 
     serious radiation leakages;

[[Page S1506]]

       Whereas international response to the disaster was swift, 
     with search and rescue teams arriving from the United States, 
     the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, France, and 
     China, among other countries;
       Whereas the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier and its 
     support vessels were deployed to the earthquake region to 
     participate in search and rescue and relief operations;
       Whereas elements of the III Marine Expeditionary Force 
     (MEF), a United States Agency for International Development 
     Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), and other United 
     States military and civilian personnel were deployed to Japan 
     to render aid and help coordinate United States relief 
     efforts;
       Whereas the United States-Japan alliance is based upon 
     shared values, democratic ideals, free markets, and a mutual 
     respect for human rights, individual liberties, and the rule 
     of law, and is central to the security and prosperity of the 
     entire Indo-Pacific region;
       Whereas the Self-Defense Forces of Japan have contributed 
     broadly to global security missions, including relief 
     operations following the tsunami in Indonesia in 2005, 
     reconstruction in Iraq from 2004 to 2006, and relief 
     assistance following the earthquake in Haiti in 2010;
       Whereas Japan is among the most generous donor nations, 
     providing billions of dollars of foreign assistance, 
     including disaster relief, annually to developing countries;
       Whereas, since 2011, Japan has committed tremendous 
     resources and effort to decommission the Fukushima Daiichi 
     nuclear power station by taking measures on contaminated 
     water and extracting fuel;
       Whereas, since 2011, Japan has committed tremendous 
     resources and effort to restore the environment in Fukushima 
     Prefecture, in collaboration with the International Atomic 
     Energy Agency, to ensure that citizens can live with peace of 
     mind with safe water and food; and
       Whereas, 10 years after the earthquake and resulting 
     tsunami, Japan is seeking to host a successful Olympics in 
     Tokyo where the best athletes from across the world can 
     showcase their talents amidst the ongoing global COVID-19 
     pandemic: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) mourns the loss of life resulting from the earthquake 
     and tsunami in Japan on March 11, 2011;
       (2) expresses its deepest condolences to the families of 
     the victims of the tragedy;
       (3) expresses its sympathies to the survivors who are still 
     suffering in the aftermath of the natural disaster;
       (4) commends the Government of Japan for its courageous and 
     professional response to the natural disaster; and
       (5) supports the efforts already underway by the United 
     States Government, relief agencies, and private citizens to 
     assist the Government and people of Japan with the 
     revitalization efforts in Fukushima Prefecture.

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