The ceremony, jointly organized by the prefecture, the city and Kanagawa Kyodokai, the operator of the care facility, Tsukui Yamayuri-en, was attended by 671 people, including family members of the victims of the attack by a former employee there and other residents of the care home as well as local citizens.

"We are sorry we were unable to protect you," Kaoru Irikura, head of Tsukui Yamayuri-en, said during the ceremony. "For the past year, we felt as if time had stopped."

Junji Kusamitsu, president of Kanagawa Kyodokai, expressed his resolve to make every effort to eliminate prejudice and discrimination in order to realize a society where people with and without disabilities can live together.

"Deprived of our small happiness by the brutal attack, I'm filled with chagrin," said Kazuma Otsuki, who heads a family group of Tsukui Yemayuri-en residents. "We will never forgive the vicious perpetrator."

Kanagawa Governor Yuji Kurosawa, who met families of the victims before the ceremony, introduced the story of each of the people without naming them at the event.

"It should have been natural to announce the victims' names and display their photos," Kurosawa told a press conference after the ceremony. "But I don't feel that I'm allowed to do so in Japan at present and this is regrettable," he said.

Many "Yamayuri" golden rayed lilies made of origami paper by residents of the care home were on display at the ceremony. (Jiji Press)