. >> in natarie this is the closest thing considered as high ground. five years on from the tsunami it's been become an area of memorial. fest scale of the disaster, 950 people died here nearly 18 and a half thousand across the country. all that's left of these densely packed houses are the fooun foundatiofowfntionfoundationwal. it was at 2:36 precisely that they gathered to mark the time earthquake struck. [ signal horn ] >> 160 kilometers north, another siren the same way, sounding. >> translator: the reality is that we still feel the scars here and there are still many who are struggling to restart their lives. [♪ singing ] >> reporter: at the national memorial in tokyo a similar sentiment came from japan's emperor, on behalf of those who lost their homes from the triple melt down in fukushima. >> efforts are made to try to restore but ache in my heart for those who still can't return home. >> reporter: the prime minister is promising a revitalized effort to get it finished but things in fukushima have changed little. workers struggle to restore fou

. >> reporter: in natarie, this is the closest thing ohigh ground.ound built 96 years ago so the residents of this town could look out to sea. five years on from the tsunami, it is a place of remembrance. broadcast live it first showed the scale of disaster unfolding in japan. 950 people died here. nearly 18 and a half thousand across the country. all that's left of the densely packed houses are these walls. the wave came through this neighborhood scrubbing it out entirety. at its height, it was about two meters above that man made mound. it was there at 2:46 precisely that they gather to mark the time the ecialgh earthquake str. [ sirens ] >> 150 kilometers north, another community marked the same moment the same way, sounding the tsunami sirens. >> translator: the reality is that we still feel the scars here. and there are still many who are struggling to restart their lives. [♪ singing ] >> reporter: at the facial national memorial, the similar sentiment from the nation's prime minister. >> efforts are being paid to improve the situation but my he