Rising to its feet Japan before after AMAZING PHOTOS

Cars pass along a street in Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture, on January 15, 2012 nearly one year after the March 11 tsunami devastated the area (AFP Photo / Toru Yamanaka)

With the powerful earthquake and tsunami hitting Japan last year, the country seemed to be devastated and almost beyond recovery. Still, 11 months on, the Japanese have made amazing progress in raising their lives and cities from the rubble.

The natural disaster which hit Japan back in March 2011 left the country’s northeastern coast almost entirely destroyed. The earthquake caused a major nuclear crisis as the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear facility was partially destroyed and leaking radiation.

The natural disaster left over 20,000 dead or missing, generating global sympathy over the terrible tragedy. About 100,000 people had to flee their homes to escape radiation.

The country’s authorities said that their drive to reconstruct the devastated territory was more than just a domestic issue.