TOKYO, March 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- K.K. Kyodo News has opened a page on Facebook to send out information in English on the latest developments in disaster-stricken Japan to the rest of the world.

The M9.0 temblor that struck the Tohoku region on Japan's northeastern Pacific coast on March 11 violently rocked some parts to the intensity of 7 on the Japanese seismic scale of 10, triggering massive tsunami as high as 10 meters.

As of midnight March 16, a National Police Agency tally showed 4,314 people dead and 8,606 others missing, bringing the total number of victims to 12,920. In addition, the fate of tens of thousands of people is unknown, making the calamity one of the world's worst disasters.

Kyodo is scheduled to open soon another Facebook page dedicated to the collection of contributions of relief money from abroad.

For the existing Facebook page, please visit http://www.facebook.com/kyodonews

K.K. Kyodo News, a commercial arm of leading Japanese news agency Kyodo News, is an information company undertaking the supply of news to non-media subscribers as well as publication and photo/video sales.

Shinobu Iketani Associate General Manager Information Planning & Marketing Department K.K. Kyodo News Tel: +81-3-6252-6094 Fax: +81-3-6252-6070 e-mail: kka.jigyosenryaku@kyodonews.jp