SEBRING, Fla. -- It was a year ago Sunday that an earthquake – at 9.0 magnitude the fifth-largest ever recorded – rattled the seabed about 40 miles off the coast of Japan.

It triggered tsunamis, which crashed into the coast and cut a wide swath of destruction and crippled the nuclear power station at Fukushima. More than 15,500 people died, more than 6,000 were injured and thousands are still missing.

Roads, railways and dams were impacted -- as well as personal property and a nation's psyche.

Said Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan: "In the 65 years after the end of World War II, this is the toughest and the most difficult crisis for Japan."

IZOD IndyCar Series driver Takuma Sato, a native of Tokyo who was preparing for an Open Test at Barber Motorsports Park, also was deeply impacted. Two weeks later, Sato and his personal manager, Matthew Winter, established the With you Japan fund-raising effort to assist children from the impacted areas.

Sato most recently visited Japan in February.

"It's been a long, tough year for Japan," he said. "In May I was there and it was completely devastated. When we had event in the summer for kids (at Twin Ring Motegi about 90 miles from the Fukushima nuclear reactor), it was really good and they appeared to be coping.

"In February for another event I was able to go up there and it's a process of (mental) recovery. It still needs a lot of support, but the people have some energy that I could feel. It's just such a long way to come back."

Last May, he visited Indiana schools, where students created artwork for Sato to present to children in the Tohoku region on his trip in July. The project depicted the unity, care and hope.

"It started from St. Petersburg and through the season at the various schools we went to we met many students who made such heartfelt artwork as gifts and I was able to hand over," Sato said. "In February, we made artwork (in Japan) to give back to kids in the States. That was fantastic."

A public exhibition of children's photography from the Tohoku region opened this week at UNICEF House on East 44th Street between First and Second Avenues in Manhattan.