Japan's Kishida visits areas hit by 2011 disaster for 1st time as PM

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday visited Japan's northeastern region for the first time since taking office to check on the progress of reconstruction in areas devastated by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami.Kishida, who became prime minister earlier this month, offered flowers and prayed at a tsunami memorial park in the coastal city of Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, the first stop on his visit to the region to also hold discussions with local people.In the nearby city of Ofunato, he spoke with people in the fisheries sector, saying, "I would like to take back the opinions an…READ FULL ARTICLE