The government has clearly learnt some lessons from the much larger earthquake off the coast of north Sumatra in December 2004, which triggered a huge tsunami and killed more than 150, 000 people in Aceh province and another 60, 000 in a dozen countries around the Indian Ocean.

ECONOMIST: This time the president knew what he had to do

All 50 of Japan's nuclear plants were shut after the meltdown at Fukushima, which was triggered by a tsunami and earthquake in March 2011.

BBC: Japan marks Hiroshima bombing amid anti-nuclear calls

The 9.0-magnitude earthquake which hit Japan on 11 March 2011 and the massive tsunami it generated killed almost 19, 000 people and triggered a major nuclear accident.

BBC: Golden gifts sent to tsunami-hit Japan port