A delegation of the Serbian parliament led by Speaker Djukic-Dejanovic visited Japan's Tohoku region, which was devastated in the earthquake and tsunami in March this year.

The Serbian delegation met wih Natori Mayor Isoo Sasaki, who informed them that 991 people from that city of 73,000 were killed or went missing in the disaster, adding that 30 people were still missing and that the tsunami destroyed 3,000 homes.

Dejanovic told the delegation had toured the city. "What impressed us all was the dignity and enthusiasm with which the city is recovering. We had the opportunity to see the homes of friends and relatives of the Natori mayor, who was our host. If we are to pick the persons of the year they would have to be the residents of this city, who are trying hard to start a new life," she stressed.

The delegation, which includes chairman of the parliamentary friendship group between Serbia and Japan Aleksandar Vlahovic, parliament member Nenad Prokic and General Secretary of the Parliament Veljko Odalovic, also visited the city of Matsushima, which suffered less from the disaster because of a large number of islands in the area.

The Serbian officials arrived in the Tohoku region by a high-speed train that travels in excess of 300 km/h, allowing them to learn about Japan's high-speed railway system.