11 years after Mt. Ontake eruption

11 years after Mt. Ontake eruption

Relatives hold a memorial ceremony for the victims of the 2014 Mt. Ontake eruption at the foot of the mountain in the village of Otaki in Nagano Prefecture, central Japan, on Sept. 27, 2025, the 11th anniversary of Japan's deadliest postwar volcanic disaster that left 58 people dead and five others unaccounted for.

Otaki Kite Festival - New Zealand

Otaki Kite Festival - New Zealand

People fly kites at Otaki beach, during the Kite Festival in New Zealand, on March 8, 2025. Photo by Long Lei/Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM

Otaki Kite Festival - New Zealand

Otaki Kite Festival - New Zealand

People fly kites at Otaki beach, during the Kite Festival in New Zealand, on March 8, 2025. Photo by Long Lei/Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM

Otaki Kite Festival - New Zealand

Otaki Kite Festival - New Zealand

People fly kites at Otaki beach, during the Kite Festival in New Zealand, on March 8, 2025. Photo by Long Lei/Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM

Otaki Kite Festival - New Zealand

Otaki Kite Festival - New Zealand

People fly kites at Otaki beach, during the Kite Festival in New Zealand, on March 8, 2025. Photo by Long Lei/Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM

Otaki Kite Festival - New Zealand

Otaki Kite Festival - New Zealand

People fly kites at Otaki beach, during the Kite Festival in New Zealand, on March 8, 2025. Photo by Long Lei/Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM

Otaki Kite Festival - New Zealand

Otaki Kite Festival - New Zealand

People fly kites at Otaki beach, during the Kite Festival in New Zealand, on March 8, 2025. Photo by Long Lei/Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM

10 years after Mt. Ontake eruption

10 years after Mt. Ontake eruption

Bereaved family members pray for the victims of the 2014 Mt. Ontake eruption in front of a cenotaph at the foot of the mountain in the village of Otaki, Nagano Prefecture, central Japan, on Sept. 27, 2024, the 10th anniversary of Japan's deadliest postwar volcanic disaster that left 58 people dead and five others unaccounted for.

Otaki Kite Festival held in Wellington

STORY: Otaki Kite Festival held in Wellington SHOOTING TIME: Feb. 17, 2024 DATELINE: Feb. 18, 2024 LENGTH: 00:02:26 LOCATION: Wellington CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the Otaki Kite Festival STORYLINE: The 2024 Otaki Kite Festival kicked off on Saturday on Wellington's Otaki Beach. In its 11th year, the two-day kite festival draws about 50 professionals and enthusiasts from across New Zealand and overseas, who bring hundreds of colourful kites in the form of everything from huge inflatable whales and dragons to artistic kites. The event is expected to attract more than 25,000 people. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Wellington. (XHTV)

NEW ZEALAND-WELLINGTON-OTAKI KITE FESTIVAL

NEW ZEALAND-WELLINGTON-OTAKI KITE FESTIVAL

(240217) -- WELLINGTON, Feb. 17, 2024 (Xinhua) -- People fly kites during the 2024 Otaki Kite Festival held on the beach of Otaki, Wellington, New Zealand, Feb. 17, 2024. Hundreds of colourful kites were flying in the sky of Wellington's Otaki Beach during the kite festival held from Feb. 17 to 18. (Photo by Meng Tao/Xinhua)

NEW ZEALAND-WELLINGTON-OTAKI KITE FESTIVAL

NEW ZEALAND-WELLINGTON-OTAKI KITE FESTIVAL

(240217) -- WELLINGTON, Feb. 17, 2024 (Xinhua) -- People fly kites during the 2024 Otaki Kite Festival held on the beach of Otaki, Wellington, New Zealand, Feb. 17, 2024. Hundreds of colourful kites were flying in the sky of Wellington's Otaki Beach during the kite festival held from Feb. 17 to 18. (Photo by Meng Tao/Xinhua)

NEW ZEALAND-WELLINGTON-OTAKI KITE FESTIVAL

NEW ZEALAND-WELLINGTON-OTAKI KITE FESTIVAL

(240217) -- WELLINGTON, Feb. 17, 2024 (Xinhua) -- People fly kites during the 2024 Otaki Kite Festival held on the beach of Otaki, Wellington, New Zealand, Feb. 17, 2024. Hundreds of colourful kites were flying in the sky of Wellington's Otaki Beach during the kite festival held from Feb. 17 to 18. (Photo by Meng Tao/Xinhua)

NEW ZEALAND-WELLINGTON-OTAKI KITE FESTIVAL

NEW ZEALAND-WELLINGTON-OTAKI KITE FESTIVAL

(240217) -- WELLINGTON, Feb. 17, 2024 (Xinhua) -- People fly kites during the 2024 Otaki Kite Festival held on the beach of Otaki, Wellington, New Zealand, Feb. 17, 2024. Hundreds of colourful kites were flying in the sky of Wellington's Otaki Beach during the kite festival held from Feb. 17 to 18. (Photo by Meng Tao/Xinhua)

NEW ZEALAND-WELLINGTON-OTAKI KITE FESTIVAL

NEW ZEALAND-WELLINGTON-OTAKI KITE FESTIVAL

(240217) -- WELLINGTON, Feb. 17, 2024 (Xinhua) -- People fly kites during the 2024 Otaki Kite Festival held on the beach of Otaki, Wellington, New Zealand, Feb. 17, 2024. Hundreds of colourful kites were flying in the sky of Wellington's Otaki Beach during the kite festival held from Feb. 17 to 18. (Photo by Meng Tao/Xinhua)

NEW ZEALAND-WELLINGTON-OTAKI KITE FESTIVAL

NEW ZEALAND-WELLINGTON-OTAKI KITE FESTIVAL

(240217) -- WELLINGTON, Feb. 17, 2024 (Xinhua) -- People fly kites during the 2024 Otaki Kite Festival held on the beach of Otaki, Wellington, New Zealand, Feb. 17, 2024. Hundreds of colourful kites were flying in the sky of Wellington's Otaki Beach during the kite festival held from Feb. 17 to 18. (Photo by Meng Tao/Xinhua)

3 months since Mt. Ontake eruption

3 months since Mt. Ontake eruption

OTAKI, Japan - Two women in the central Japan village of Otaki pray on Dec. 27, 2014, for the victims of the Mt. Ontake eruption three months earlier that left 57 people dead and six missing.

Gratification exchanged over Mt. Ontake search mission

Gratification exchanged over Mt. Ontake search mission

NAGANO, Japan - The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members of Camp Matsumoto on Nov. 19, 2014, gave hand-made brooches, seen in this photo, to students of the Otaki elementary and junior high school in the village of Otaki, Nagano Prefecture, who sang songs to them. The GSDF had parked their vehicles at the school's playground during the search mission for missing victims in the Mt. Otake explosion. The brooches were sent from a former GSDF member in Towada, Aomori Prefecture, to Camp Matsumoto.

Gratification exchanged over Mt. Ontake search mission

Gratification exchanged over Mt. Ontake search mission

NAGANO, Japan - Japan Ground Self-Defense Force member Koji Tanaka (4th from L) of Camp Matsumoto stands with children wearing hand-made brooches, gifts from GSDF members in returning the favor for songs sung by students of the Otaki elementary and junior high school, in the village of Otaki, Nagano Prefecture, central Japan, on Nov. 19, 2014. The GSDF had parked their vehicles at the school's playground during the search mission for missing victims in the Mt. Otake explosion.

Gratification exchanged over Mt. Ontake search mission

Gratification exchanged over Mt. Ontake search mission

NAGANO, Japan - Japan Ground Self-Defense Force member Koji Tanaka (R) of Camp Matsumoto hands out hand-made brooches to children in the village of Otaki, Nagano Prefecture, central Japan, on Nov. 19, 2014, as GSDF members return the favor to students of the Otaki elementary and junior high school who sang songs as a sign of gratification. The GSDF had parked their vehicles at the school's playground during the search mission for missing victims in the Mt. Otake explosion.

1 month after Mt. Ontake eruption

1 month after Mt. Ontake eruption

OTAKI, Japan - A woman wipes her tears in the village of Otaki, Nagano Prefecture, in front of flowers to mourn for 57 climbers killed in the eruption of Mt. Ontake in central Japan on Oct. 27, 2014, one month after the 3,067-meter volcano erupted. Six people remain missing on the mountain following the eruption.

1 month after Mt. Ontake eruption

1 month after Mt. Ontake eruption

OTAKI, Japan - At 11:52 a.m., the time Mt. Ontake erupted on Sept. 27, 2014, a woman offers prayers in the village of Otaki, Nagano Prefecture at the foot of the volcano on Oct. 27, one month after the eruption, which killed 57 climbers. Six people remain missing on the mountain.

1 month after Mt. Ontake eruption

1 month after Mt. Ontake eruption

OTAKI, Japan - At 11:52 a.m., the time Mt. Ontake erupted on Sept. 27, 2014, people observe a moment of silence in the village of Otaki, Nagano Prefecture at the foot of the volcano on Oct. 27, one month after the eruption, which killed 57 climbers. Six people remain missing on the mountain.

1 month after Mt. Ontake eruption

1 month after Mt. Ontake eruption

OTAKI, Japan - Flowers are placed at the foot of Mt. Ontake in central Japan on Oct. 27, 2014, one month after the 3,067-meter volcano erupted, killing 57 climbers. Six people remain missing on the mountain following the eruption.

Japanese nurse recalls hard job to treat Ebola patients

Japanese nurse recalls hard job to treat Ebola patients

TOKYO, Japan - Japanese nurse Junko Otaki recalls her experience at a talk in Tokyo on Oct. 23, 2014, in helping treat Ebola fever patients in the eastern Sierra Leone district of Kailahun this summer as a registered nurse at Doctors Without Borders, saying the protective suit she wore made her feel as if she were in a sauna.

Search teams withdraw from Mt. Ontake

Search teams withdraw from Mt. Ontake

OTAKI, Japan - Nagano Gov. Shuichi Abe thanks rescue workers on Oct. 17, 2014, at the central Japan village of Otaki, as search efforts for missing climbers on Mt. Ontake, partly located in Nagano Prefecture, were called off the previous day for the remainder of the year. Its eruption claimed 56 lives, while seven people are still listed as missing.

Search teams withdraw from Mt. Ontake

Search teams withdraw from Mt. Ontake

OTAKI, Japan - Self-Defense Forces personnel load boxes in the central Japan village of Otaki on Oct. 17, 2014, after search efforts for missing climbers on Mt. Ontake were called off the previous day for the remainder of the year. Its eruption claimed 56 lives, while seven people are still listed as missing.

Search teams withdraw from Mt. Ontake

Search teams withdraw from Mt. Ontake

OTAKI, Japan - Self-Defense Forces personnel put away a temporary bathing facility as they withdraw from central Japan village of Otaki on Oct. 17, 2014, after search efforts for missing climbers on Mt. Ontake were called off the previous day for the remainder of the year. Its eruption claimed 56 lives, while seven people are still listed as missing.

Search efforts on Mt. Ontake called off for this year

Search efforts on Mt. Ontake called off for this year

OTAKI, Japan - Firefighters walk in the village of Otaki, Nagano Prefecture, on Oct. 16, 2014, when returning from searching for those who remain missing on Mt. Ontake in central Japan. With seven people still missing, the search was called off for the remainder of the year later in the day as snowfall added to the already difficult conditions on the peak.

Search efforts on Mt. Ontake called off for this year

Search efforts on Mt. Ontake called off for this year

OTAKI, Japan - Firefighters walk in the village of Otaki, Nagano Prefecture, on Oct. 16, 2014, when returning from searching for those who remain missing on Mt. Ontake in central Japan. With seven people still missing, the search was called off for the remainder of the year later in the day as snowfall added to the already difficult conditions on the peak.

Search efforts on Mt. Ontake called off for this year

Search efforts on Mt. Ontake called off for this year

OTAKI, Japan - Police officers walk in the village of Otaki, Nagano Prefecture, on Oct. 16, 2014, when returning from searching for those who remain missing on Mt. Ontake in central Japan. With seven people still missing, the search was called off for the remainder of the year later in the day as snowfall added to the already difficult conditions on the peak.

Search operations resume at Mt. Ontake

Search operations resume at Mt. Ontake

OTAKI, Japan - Rescue workers prepare for search operations in the central Japan village of Otaki on Oct. 10, 2014, for eight missing people following the deadly eruption of Mt. Ontake, which has claimed 55 lives so far. More than 500 workers will be deployed as an approaching typhoon may hinder their work again.

Search operations resume at Mt. Ontake

Search operations resume at Mt. Ontake

OTAKI, Japan - Rescue workers board a helicopter in the central Japan village of Otaki on Oct. 10, 2014, to resume search operations for eight missing people following the deadly eruption of Mt. Ontake, which has claimed 55 lives so far. More than 500 workers will be deployed as an approaching typhoon may hinder their work again.

Mt. Ontake rescue operations suspended

Mt. Ontake rescue operations suspended

OTAKI, Japan - Rescue workers look up to the sky in the central Japan village of Otaki on Oct. 9, 2014, as search operations for those who remain missing following the deadly eruption of Mt. Ontake were again suspended due to bad weather. The volcanic disaster has claimed 55 lives so far, while eight people still remain unaccounted for.

Rescue operations continue in Mt. Ontake

Rescue operations continue in Mt. Ontake

OTAKI, Japan - Rescue workers head to Mt. Ontake on Oct. 8, 2014, to resume search operations for those who remain missing following the volcano's deadly eruption. The disaster has claimed more than 50 lives so far.

SDF member removes volcanic ash from chopper

SDF member removes volcanic ash from chopper

OTAKI, Japan - A Self-Defense Forces member removes volcanic ash from a "snowshoe" attached to a tire of a SDF helicopter in Otaki Village, Nagano Prefecture, on Oct. 7, 2014.

SDF helicopter with 'snowshoes' flies to Mt. Ontake

SDF helicopter with 'snowshoes' flies to Mt. Ontake

OTAKI, Japan - A Self-Defense Forces helicopter, wearing "snowshoes" for stable landing, flies over Otaki Village, Nagano Prefecture, heading to Mt. Ontake (C back) in central Japan on Oct. 7, 2014. Mud-like volcanic ash piled up around the summit made the search operations for missing climbers difficult.

3 more bodies found on Mt. Ontake

3 more bodies found on Mt. Ontake

OTAKI, Japan - Self-Defense Forces personnel and firefighters are covered in ashes as they walk in the village of Otaki in Nagano Prefecture after searching for missing climbers on Mt. Ontake in central Japan on Oct. 7, 2014. Three more bodies were found that day, bringing the official death toll to 54, as the search resumed for the first time in three days following the eruption on Sept. 27 of the 3,067-meter volcano.

3 more bodies found on Mt. Ontake

3 more bodies found on Mt. Ontake

OTAKI, Japan - A Self-Defense Forces personnel is covered in ashes in the village of Otaki in Nagano Prefecture after searching for missing climbers on Mt. Ontake in central Japan on Oct. 7, 2014. Three more bodies were found that day, bringing the official death toll to 54, as the search resumed for the first time in three days following the eruption on Sept. 27 of the 3,067-meter volcano.

Rescue operations resumed in Mt. Ontake

Rescue operations resumed in Mt. Ontake

OTAKI, Japan - Photo taken on Oct. 7, 2014, shows a Self-Defense Forces helicopter approaching Mt. Ontake located in central Japan, whose eruption has claimed more than 50 lives so far, while many people are still missing there. Rescue operations were resumed for the first time in three days.

Rescue operations resumed in Mt. Ontake

Rescue operations resumed in Mt. Ontake

OTAKI, Japan - Rescue workers leave a central Japan village Otaki on Oct. 7, 2014, for Mt. Ontake, whose eruption has claimed more than 50 lives so far, while many people are still missing there.

Rescue workers prepare to resume operations at Mt. Ontake

Rescue workers prepare to resume operations at Mt. Ontake

OTAKI, Japan - Rescue workers prepare to resume search operations for those who remain missing following the deadly Sept. 27 eruption of Mt. Ontake in Otaki village, central Japan. Operations were cancelled due to the powerful typhoon Phanfone, but workers are now ready to resume them.

16 people still feared missing on Mt. Ontake

16 people still feared missing on Mt. Ontake

OTAKI, Japan - Rescue workers prepare on Oct. 3, 2014, in the central Japan village of Otaki to resume rescue operations for those still missing following the eruption of Mt. Ontake. The operations that day were hampered by rain.

Mt. Ontake eruption

Mt. Ontake eruption

TOKYO, Japan - Photo taken Oct. 2, 2014, shows a firefighter, whose face and clothes are covered in ash, walking in the village of Otaki, Nagano Prefecture, after search and rescue operations at Mt. Ontake were stopped for the day. The 3,067-meter volcano in central Japan erupted on Sept. 27.

Rain halts search efforts on Mt. Ontake after fatal eruption

Rain halts search efforts on Mt. Ontake after fatal eruption

OTAKI, Japan - Firefighters remove stains in the village of Otaki, Nagano Prefecture, on Oct. 2, 2014, after search operations near the top of Mt. Ontake, which erupted on Sept. 27, are halted due to rain. They were forced to halt their efforts around 11:30 a.m.

Rain halts search efforts on Mt. Ontake after fatal eruption

Rain halts search efforts on Mt. Ontake after fatal eruption

OTAKI, Japan - Firefighters walk in the village of Otaki, Nagano Prefecture, on Oct. 2, 2014, after search operations around the top of Mt. Ontake, which erupted on Sept. 27, are halted due to rain. Japan's worst postwar volcanic disaster on the 3,067-meter mountain straddling Nagano and Gifu prefectures had killed at least 47 people as of Oct. 2.

Search efforts resume in Mt. Ontake eruption

Search efforts resume in Mt. Ontake eruption

OTAKI, Japan - Ground Self-Defense Force personnel and firefighters board a helicopter on Oct. 1, 2014, to head for Mt. Ontake, continuing to fume since its eruption four days earlier, in central Japan. Police, firefighters and the GSDF resumed operations the same day to find survivors and retrieve bodies at the 3,067-meter volcano, after interruptions due to continued volcanic activity. The eruption has claimed dozens of victims.

Search efforts resume in Mt. Ontake eruption

Search efforts resume in Mt. Ontake eruption

OTAKI, Japan - A Ground Self-Defense Force helicopter carrying rescue workers on Oct. 1, 2014, heads for Mt. Ontake (R back), continuing to fume since its eruption four days earlier, in central Japan. Police, firefighters and the GSDF resumed operations the same day to find survivors and retrieve bodies at the 3,067-meter volcano, after interruptions due to continued volcanic activity. The eruption has claimed dozens of victims.

Mt. Ontake eruption

Mt. Ontake eruption

OTAKI, Japan - Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter shows Japan's Self-Defense Forces personnel carrying a climber, who was left behind in critical condition near the top of Mt. Ontake, into a helicopter on Sept. 29, 2014, after the 3,067-meter volcano straddling Nagano and Gifu prefectures in central Japan erupted on Sept. 27.

Mt. Ontake eruption

Mt. Ontake eruption

OTAKI, Japan - Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter shows rescue workers at a mountain lodge near the top of Mt. Ontake on Sept. 29, 2014, after the 3,067-meter volcano straddling Nagano and Gifu prefectures in central Japan erupted on Sept. 27. A number of holes, believed to have been caused by stones that fell in the eruption, are seen in the lodge.

Mt. Ontake eruption

Mt. Ontake eruption

OTAKI, Japan - A Japanese Self-Defense Forces helicopter, carrying Nagano Prefectural Police officers, flies to near the top of Mt. Ontake on Sept. 29, 2014, to rescue climbers who were left behind in critical condition after the 3,067-meter volcano straddling Nagano and Gifu prefectures in central Japan erupted on Sept. 27.