Japanese authorities said Monday 19 foreigners were among the more than 12,100 people confirmed dead following the devastating March 11 earthquake and tsunami, DPA reported.
The dead foreign nationals were citizens of China, Canada, the United States, Pakistan, the Philippines and Taiwan as well as South and North Korea, the Kyodo News Agency quoted a Foreign Ministry official as saying. Their relatives and the diplomatic missions had been notfied, the report added.
Some 15,500 people remain missing. Among them are several dozen foreigners, mainly Chinese and South Korean nationals, the official said, adding that it was difficult during the identificiation process to distinguish non-Japanese from Japanese victims.