The National Police Agency said on Saturday, April 2, that the catastrophic earthquake and ensuing tsunami have left 11,800 people dead and 15,540 others unaccounted for in Japan by 10:00 am local time (0100 GMT).

The search for the missing by Japan and U.S. forces will end on Sunday and the country will shift its focus to a daunting reconstruction effort, according to Xinhua.

Japan's Prime Minister made his first visit to the country's tsunami-devastated region on Saturday and entered a nuclear exclusion zone to meet workers grappling to end the worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl.

"It will be kind of a long battle, but the government will be working hard together with you until the end. I want everyone to do their best, too," AP quoted Naoto Kan as saying.