You're likely referring to the Tohoku earthquake which occurred on March 11, 2011 in Japan.

The epicenter of this earthquake was located approximately 130 kilometers (81 miles) east of the city of Sendai, Japan, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of the Tōhoku region.

The earthquake had a magnitude of 9.0-9.1 and triggered a devastating tsunami that caused widespread destruction and loss of life.