The event will be an occasion to appreciate the support extended by the people and the government of Saudi Arabia at the times of crisis, when the tsunami unleashed the wall of water that hit Japan's northeast coast, killing nearly 20,000 people and leaving thousands of people unaccounted for.

“The Kingdom and several other nations joined hands with Japan and extended all help during that devastating tsunami,” said Japanese Ambassador Shigeru Endo Monday, while referring to the progressively growing relations between Riyadh and Tokyo.

A number of Saudi and non-Saudi guests including newsmen have been invited to attend the memorial at the house of the Japanese ambassador. Referring to the efforts exerted by the Japanese government in attending to the post-tsunami crisis, Ambassador Endo said that March 11 marked one year since the massive 9.0-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Japan.

The tsunami also sparked a nuclear reactor meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, resulting in the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl. Most of the Japanese reactors have been shut down since then.

“The human toll of the Tohoku earthquake remains staggering,” said the diplomat, while recalling the support extended by the Kingdom. Endo said that a year had passed since March 11, 2011, when the earthquake hit the east of Japan.

“The impacts left by the unprecedented earthquake and tsunami are still too extensive and deep to be contained.” He said that Japan was working very hard to reconstruct the nation that suffered heavy damage during the catastrophic natural event.