People have gathered in the central Japanese prefecture of Nagano to mourn the victims of the eruption of Mount Ontake 10 years ago.
The mountain straddling Nagano and Gifu prefectures erupted on September 27, 2014, leaving 58 people dead and five missing.
It was the worst volcanic disaster in postwar Japan.
On Friday, 70 people attended a memorial service held in the village of Otaki at the foot of the mountain.
The attendees offered a prayer at 11:52 a.m., the exact time of the eruption, and renewed their pledge to pass on lessons learned from the disaster.
Hara Kunio, the mayor of Kiso Town, also at the foot of the mountain, said that on the 10th anniversary of the disaster, he once again vowed to prioritize protecting people’s lives while advancing volcanic disaster prevention measures.
Matsui Tokiya from the western city of Kobe, who lost his father in the disaster, said he may have gradually come to terms with his feelings, but his emotional wound will never heal. He added that it is his mission to carry on his father’s sentiments and lessons from the disaster.
The bereaved families then laid flowers before a cenotaph.
After all entry restrictions were lifted, allowing trekkers to access the summit from every trail, the number of visitors has increased significantly. Further efforts are needed to prevent casualties from future eruptions.