How many people were confirmed dead or missing after the 2011 Japan disaster?

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earthquake damage, Honshu, Japan, 2011 — Japan earthquake and tsunami of 2011 Aerial view of damage to a portion of the northeastern coast of Honshu, Japan, following the offshore earthquake and resultant tsunami there on March 11, 2011.

Following the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami, the official total for the number of people confirmed dead or listed as missing was approximately 18,500, though some estimates placed the final toll at 20,000 or higher.1

The casualty figures fluctuated significantly in the months following the disaster. While early reports suggested a much higher number of missing persons, the count decreased as individuals previously unaccounted for were located alive. By the end of 2011, the figure had been adjusted to about 19,300 before settling at the final official estimate. The vast majority of these fatalities were caused by drowning due to the tsunami, with the most severe losses occurring in the Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima prefectures.1