The 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake generated large displacements in and around the Japanese islands that were detected by the nationwide GPS network, sea-floor geodetic surveys, and space-borne radars. The east-west extension exerted on the Japanese islands by this event induced inland events of Mw6 or larger earthquakes. Coseismic subsidence of up to 1 m was observed along the coast where subsidence was found during the interseismic period. This observation contradicts expectations based on the concept of the recurrence of inter-plate earthquakes. Therefore, postseismic motions or other large events are expected to resolve this paradox.