Original subtitles

[wind howling]

BASED ON TRUE EVENTS

[somber music playing]

FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI FRONT OF SEISMIC ISOLATED BUILDING

[heavy breathing]

[groaning]

[man 1] I'll open the door on this side.

There's another one here.

-[man 2] Are you okay? -[Hayami] We are.

But unfortunately, one of TOEPCO'S guys wasn't so lucky.

-[man 2] Watch your step. -[man 3 groans] I'm sorry.

Thank you. Thank you so much.

FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI SEISMIC ISOLATED BUILDING ENTRANCE

[man 4] Someone give me a hand here! Radiation check, quick.

[survey officer] Team leader, I'm calling from the survey area.

We have many with injuries.

Please dispatch the medical team immediately. Please hurry!

-[man 5] Verify the situation! -[meter beeps rapidly]

[man 5] Where's the rescue team?

[man 6] The radiation detector's off the scale. We can't read it.

This area's too contaminated to even check the evacuees.

[quiet tense music playing]

[meters beep continuously]

[man 5] Careful!

[TV reporter] Black smoke is billowing high and we can also see flames.

[phones ringing]

Would you describe this high, billowing smoke as a characteristic of Unit 3?

TOEPCO HEAD OFFICE

[man] Vice President.

I wrote a report on the white smoke coming from Unit 3.

REGARDING THE APPEARANCE OF WHITE SMOKE ABOVE FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI UNIT 3

What are you saying here?

Unit 3 had an explosion.

That is correct. There was an explosion.

Have you been watching the TV?

Our entire country saw Unit 3 blow on live television.

And "white smoke" is what you're saying?

Look.

Are you some kind of moron?

Sorry. Uh, I'll rewrite it immediately.

SEISMIC ISOLATED BUILDING EMERGENCY OPERATION ROOM

Mr. Hayami!

I'm so glad

that you made it out of there.

It's nothing.

Did your officers all get out?

Yeah. We're all okay.

Did they find the missing TOEPCO guys?

Yes. All 40 workers who went missing after the blast

have luckily been confirmed to be alive.

[Hayami sighs in relief]

-How are your injuries there? -They're all all right.

The issue now is the fire truck.

It got hit directly by the debris and won't run.

Now, the pump is slowly working,

so we'll try to get that water up to Unit 2, but…

Hmm.

Well, the issue is the SR valve then.

[man 1] Increase the pressure!

-[man 2] Increase the pressure! -[man 3] Increase the pressure!

FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI NEAR UNIT 2 WATER INLET

[machinery whirring]

[man 2] That's as high as it goes!

The valve closed after the impact from the explosion.

My guys are collecting car batteries so they can try and reopen it again.

[Kinoshita] It's no good.

We can't get a reading on Unit 4's water levels at the spent fuel pool.

I'm having the other reactors' pool temperatures read right now.

It doesn't seem so good.

NUMBER OF SPENT FUEL RODS: 10,921

Where are all these pools of spent fuel located?

On the fifth floor at every reactor.

That does complicate things.

[Kinoshita] Yes.

Unit 4 is past the location of Unit 3,

so we'd have to go past highly radioactive debris from the explosion.

And at the moment,

we can't even get an accurate assessment of the damage there.

Unit 2 primary containment vessel pressure's at 680 kilopascals!

Nearly 700 kilopascals!

It's increased 100 over this last hour.

A hundred in an hour?

[tense music playing]

The primary containment vessel could crack at any second.

[tense music continues]

The pressure data from the on-site crew,

every ten minutes, announce it.

[man 1] Yes, sir.

-[woman] Are you okay? Hang in there. -[man 2] Where's the doctor?

-[man 3] Does it hurt anywhere else? -[woman] I'll put pressure on it.

[somber music playing]

[somber music continues]

Uh, sir?

Oh. Uh, sorry.

Get Unit 2's SR valve open ASAP.

And let's resume work on Units 3 and 4.

Also, get someone to check the radiation around Unit 3.

Obviously I know that they're high! Sure.

I'm aware. Just get it done.

Unit 3's explosion

was the same type of hydrogen explosion that occurred at the first unit,

and we think that the primary containment vessel is still intact.

Uh, with the help of many experts, we have been able to conclude

that a major spread of radiation is unlikely to happen.

How likely is it that a similar hydrogen explosion will happen at the second unit?

[inhales sharply] In the interest of avoiding that,

uh, we made the decision to inject the reactor with seawater

and a crew on-site has been doing everything that they can

to stabilize the reactor.

[cameras clicking]

DO YOU THINK THEY'RE TELLING THE TRUTH?

I'VE HEARD THE RADIATION IS ALREADY IN THE AIR.

OF COURSE IT IS.

BUT THEY SAID THE CHANCES ARE LOW.

THAT'S HOW YOU KNOW IT'S BAD.

BETTER FLEE JAPAN SOON.

FAMILY HOME OF UNIT 4 OPERATOR KIRIHARA

[TV host] An online message board that has recently gone viral.

Uh, there's a rumor that's been going around

that the explosion at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear station

was actually caused by human error.

Uh, apparently, there's a popular online message board

going by the name of Harezo Channel.

People have reportedly made various posts

about the two workers who went missing at the nuclear power station.

Let's take a look at a few now.

-OH, THE TWO WHO FLED, RIGHT? -SO THEY REALLY DID RUN AWAY.

I SAW THEM RELAXING IN KORIYAMA.

I HEARD THEY MESSED UP THE COOLING UNITS AND THEN RAN IN A PANIC.

SO THE EXPLOSIONS ARE THEIR FAULT?

SEARCHING FOR THE REAL TRUTH… CLACK, CLACK, CLACK

THESE ARE DEFINITELY THE TWO CULPRITS WHO ABANDONED THE NUCLEAR STATION.

THEY MAY BE WOLFING DOWN SASHIMI AND CHUGGING BEER SOMEWHERE,

BUT IF THEIR NAMES GET OUT, THEY'RE DEAD.

DO THEM A FAVOR AND KEEP IT QUIET, LOL

THEIR NAMES WERE ALREADY ON TV.

[ominous music playing]

YUYA TAKAHIRA AND KOKI KIRIHARA

KOKI KIRIHARA

[ominous music continues]

[TV host] Those were the kinds of messages we're talking about.

We don't know how reliable the information is yet.

But if this explosion was, in fact, caused by human error,

we're looking at a huge problem here.

These guys should face public condemnation and get arrested!

[TV host] Hmm. Well, their names are being discussed by everyone at the moment,

so they must be panicking.

[man on TV] Come on. These guys were asking to be put in the hot seat.

[TV host] Well, you do seem pretty heated about it, and you may have a point…

Mom? You see?

[man on TV] That's just unforgivable!

[TV host] Sure, sure.

[man on TV] You don't just brush it off. You can't turn a blind eye to stuff…

I wish your brother had

just skipped out and ran.

When are you going to resume injecting the water?

Well, the SR valve is closed, sir.

And isn't that the one that a car battery can handle?

Do it again!

We've already drained a lot of the batteries.

Unit 2's primary containment vessel pressure is 700 kilopascals.

Water levels can't be read.

Seven hundred?

This is bad, Yoshida!

Well, dry well venting's all we can do.

I know it'll spread more radioactive material, but there's no choice.

Perform a dry well vent immediately.

You have my permission.

Forget about the details.

Listen, okay.

Two explosions have occurred, so…

So we're dealing with a…

A huge drop here in morale.

And also, everyone's at the brink

of maximum exposure to radiation.

Yes, but look, Yoshida, you can't lose the primary containment vessel, all right?

So hurry up and at least get the small valve opened!

I've already sent that order.

Good, but there's one more, aside from the small one.

You don't think I know?!

We've been on the ground attacking this for over 80 hours!

The workers we've got at site

aren't hesitating until they get instruction

from you or the prime minister.

My guys,

and the Self-Defense team,

are working together.

And I'm telling you, we're doing all that we can!

Just stay out of our way.

[somber music playing]

EPISODE 7

[Yoshida sighs]

[woman] Excuse me, sir. The bus for people who exceeded their radiation limit

is at the front of the building.

[man 1] How many?

[woman] Twenty people, sir.

-[man 1] We've got nowhere to put them? -[woman] Even the halls are full.

[man 1] Well, find somewhere for them.

-[woman] Understood. Got it. -[man 1] Thanks.

[man 2] Be careful.

-Are you sure there's no water in there? -We got a reading off the flow meter.

[groans] Then why isn't the pressure going down?

We still can't figure that out.

[somber music continues]

[man 3] I'm gonna check on the site. Excuse me.

[man 4] Honestly, the radiation levels are very high.

Yes. Understood.

I'll have everyone from Nanpei evacuate to the seismic isolated building.

Not sure if they're subcontractors or affiliates.

It's nothing. Please don't worry about it.

[somber music continues]

Copy that.

Sir!

The basement of Unit 4's turbine building has filled with seawater.

Let's try to pump it in and use that

to cool the nuclear reactor.

Sounds good.

Hey, it's worth trying.

Let's get the fire truck moved in front of Units 5 and 6.

And let's clear the wreckage to make some room.

And then, at the same time,

at Unit 4, we'll break the shutters of the loading dock.

We can get the truck through there.

[workers] Yes, sir!

[man] All right, team. Let's go together. Of course.

FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI FRONT OF UNIT 4 TURBINE BUILDING

[man 1 grunts] It's no good.

[man 2] What?

-Egawa! -[Egawa] Yeah?

-[man 1] Lay it down that way -[Egawa] Yes, sir.

-[man 1] How are the radiation levels? -[man 2] We're still good.

-[Egawa] Kurokawa! -[Kurokawa] Yeah?

-[Egawa] We're dropping the hose. -[Kurokawa] Okay!

[Egawa] Yeah, that's it!

[man 1] Kurokawa?

Kurokawa!

-[Kurokawa] Yeah? -[man 1] No good?

[Kurokawa] The water's too shallow!

[man 1] We can't extend it?

[Egawa] These are the only hoses that weren't destroyed.

-[man 1] What's the length we need? -[Kurokawa] I'll check it out!

TOEPCO KOKI KIRIHARA

[Kurokawa gasps]

And you're sure?

[Kinoshita] Both of them still had their IDs on. Those weren't washed away.

[shudders]

No, that's…

[Kinoshita] They had been missing

since they went to examine Unit 4 right after the quake.

It's certain.

They know it's Takahira and Kirihara.

It looks like the tsunami hit when they were in the basement.

Did they retrieve them?

[Kinoshita] The radiation levels are too high for us to go down into the water.

But we're trying to get them out.

[sighs]

Takahira and Kirihara.

In their twenties, right?

[Kinoshita] Takahira was 24,

and Kirihara was 21.

[Yoshida sobbing]

[telephone ringing]

[man] Mr. Yoshida!

There's Mr. Maejima calling from the Control Room of Units 1 and 2.

[Yoshida sniffs]

What is it?

[Maejima] The fuel rods in Unit 2 are fully exposed.

[tense music playing]

And the pressure?

Seven hundred fifty kilopascals.

[tense music continues]

How many large buses can you get?

There are two here now

and we can probably get at least one more of the buses from off-site.

[tense music continues]

Time to get ready for the worst case.

Try to keep everyone calm and just

explain that it's time to get ready.

[tense music continues]

[pats softly]

[Yoshida sighs]

[tense music continues]

[cell phone buzzing]

FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI EMERGENCY OPERATION ROOM PHS1

[cell phone continues buzzing]

Yeah?

Something you can't say over video?

[Yoshida] Yes.

[tense music continues]

[phones ringing]

What is it?

[Yoshida] I need your guidelines for evacuating the premises.

Doing what?

[Yoshida] Obviously, I'll stay here

and we'll keep a skeleton crew here too

to keep the water injections going, but…

can you

please allow the workers doing radiation checks,

arranging food, procuring supplies,

to evacuate now?

[tense music continues]

[Yoshida] Subcontractors and younger employees especially.

Please let them go as soon as possible.

Really? Is it that bad?

[Yoshida] Please, I'm asking you, just consider it.

[tense music continues]

To tell you the truth,

there's really no way that we can predict

what'll happen here.

And we're doing all we can, but it's

being ruined completely 'cause the station's a mess.

[tense music continues]

[Yoshida] If we can't get the power station under control,

the damage will be ten time worse

than it was in Chernobyl.

We'll lose every single person over here.

[tense music continues]

And I can't tell the employees,

"Because you all work for TOEPCO, you have to die here."

As the station manager, I'll stay till the end.

And I think some of my longtime colleagues…

will stay behind with me.

Together then,

all of us

will try to keep cooling the reactor

until the final moment.

[somber music playing]

So, sir,

we need to get prepared

to let the rest of them evacuate.

[somber music continues]

[music fades]

Okay.

Mr. Kinoshita?

About those buses?

[Kinoshita] Right, sorry.

Like I was saying earlier,

buses will arrive in front of the building.

Um, the thing is we could receive an order to evacuate the building.

If there is, one of the buses should go to Fukushima Daini Station.

Copy that.

All right then. That's it.

Okay.

FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI UNITS 1-6 CONTROL ROOM OPERATOR ROSTER

TOSHIO KAMEI ISAMU KINOSHITA

RYO SHIROTA KOJI FURUYA, TOMIO SEKIGUCHI

SHINJI MAEJIMA AKIRA SHINKAWA

TAKENORI MIYOSHI TOSHIHIRO OSUGI, AKIHIKO KOYATANI

[somber music playing]

SHINSUKE AIDA HIROFUMI TSUDA, TOMONOBU KIMURA

KOZO HARAYAMA SATOSHI TATENO

TAKUMI YONEDA HIROSHI FUTAGAWA, SEIJI TODOROKI

SHINGO TODA WATARU NOZAKI, KENJI MAKUTA

[somber music continues]

Oh, guys,

I'm sorry.

Will you die with me here?

[somber music continues]

Mr. Prime Minister! We have a problem!

What?

TOEPCO's president, Nishimura, wants the okay to evacuate.

[tense music playing]

President Nishimura has arrived, Mr. Prime Minister.

[tense music continues]

Evacuation is out of the question!

[music fades]

Of course, we're not considering withdrawing completely.

What are you saying then? I thought you were asking to evacuate.

Uh, no, when I said I wanted to evacuate them, I…

I only meant that

we should pull some of them out.

So then you're not suggesting that you do a full withdrawal?

No, of course not.

That idea didn't even cross my mind.

Okay then. Sir, shall we have them carry on with their response?

You should have told us that!

Yes, sir. I'm really very sorry.

It's okay.

We're consolidating our headquarters.

Kataoka!

[car door slams]

Listen up. Get the prime minister to calm down.

That's your job, so do it.

Yes, sir.

-[phones ringing] -[workers chattering]

This way, please.

-[man 2] Excuse me. -[man 3] Clear a path. Step aside.

-[man 1] Watch your step. -[man 3] Prime Minister, this way.

[man 1] This way.

Right this way, please.

Go ahead, please. The center table.

Go ahead.

Please.

[Yoshida sighs]

[Kataoka] Here you go, sir.

You all know exactly what's going on

at the Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.

In accordance with the law,

the government set up an HQ to respond,

but you're not communicating with us.

In order to handle this situation properly,

we'll create a consolidated headquarters here to ensure everything's in order.

I'll be the chief.

The deputy chiefs are Ushiroya and Nishimura.

The damage here is severe.

The way things are going, Japan is doomed.

Withdrawal isn't an option!

You should risk your lives.

What's he think we've been doing this whole time?

[Azuma] If you evacuate, TOEPCO is done.

You can't escape reality, no matter where you try to run.

The intel from TOEPCO has been inaccurate, if not untrue.

The hydrogen explosion in Unit 1 was already airing on TV,

but the government received no report until an hour later.

We can't just look at right now.

It's time to start thinking ahead.

Our most senior workers should lead in this sacrifice, like I'm doing.

TOEPCO'S president should do the same thing.

[tense music playing]

[music fades]

[zips]

Uh, okay, guys, back to what you were doing.

Get to your stations.

[workers] Yes, sir.

[somber music playing]

[Nozaki] I'll reconnect the gauge to the battery.

[Maejima] Please do.

-[Nozaki] It's connected! -[Maejima] Got it.

It's nearly time for the scheduled data collection.

[Kinoshita] Let's hope the pressure went down, even a little bit.

[rumbling]

[objects clattering]

[operators shouting indistinctly]

[Maejima] Make sure you're safe! Everyone, take cover now!

-[operators] Yes, sir! -[operator 1] Take cover!

[Maejima] Radiation levels, what are they?

[operator 2] Yes, sir.

[operators shouting indistinctly]

[operator 3] Mr. Maejima!

Mr. Yoshida!

They heard an explosion. It's the Control Room for Units 1 and 2!

An explosion?

[Maejima] At 6:14 a.m, we heard an explosion,

and Unit 2's suppression chamber dropped to zero.

The suppression chamber. You think there's a hole?

[Maejima] I'm not sure.

All I know is the pressure dropped and radiation levels jumped.

-The parameters, get a check! -[Maejima] Yes, sir.

They heard one at Control for Units 3 and 4.

[man] An explosion?

Let's check the radiation right away.

If the suppression chamber has a hole in it,

a great deal or radioactive material will start to flow out.

-Check the levels! -[man] All right, guys.

[all audio muted]

[audio remains muted]

[workers chattering]

Head office! Can you hear me?

I need permission to evacuate the crew on site.

Do I have it?

The water injection crew stays.

Everyone else in the building

may evacuate.

Guys, your attention. Thanks.

Every department should have only a skeleton crew stay.

That's it.

Everyone else evacuates.

And the department heads will decide

who to keep and who will go.

[somber music playing]

[Yoshida] Everyone

who isn't currently involved with

the tasks at hand, you guys can all…

You can evacuate now.

[somber music continues]

And, everyone,

I would like…

I'd like to thank you all.

[somber music continues]

[man 1] Keep coming! Keep coming!

Okay, stop!

[somber music continues]

-[man 2] Slowly. Don't push. -[man 2] Hurry up, please. Next person.

Please move quickly.

Start with the seats at the back.

This way for buses heading to the seismic isolated building!

Take off your vests and move out right away. It's dangerous here.

Okay, take care.

Here we go, guys.

[man 3] It's okay now. Don't worry.

[Osugi] Great work, kid. Let's grab a drink when this calms down.

-[Toda] You got it. -[Osugi] Okay.

[somber music continues]

[Toda] Take care.

[somber music continues]

[music fades]

[Maejima] Huh? Where's Nozaki?

Nozaki? I don't see him anywhere.

-[operator 1] Where'd he go? -[Maejima] Nozaki!

-[operator 1] Nozaki! -[operator 2] Nozaki!

[Maejima] What are you doing?

You heard the order.

Get out of here.

No. I'm gonna stay here.

[Maejima] That's an order.

[Nozaki] No!

[Furuya] Don't be stupid, kid.

You just let us…

Let us old-timers take care of this place, huh?

All you young guys gotta get out of here.

We need you to

conserve your energy,

because, you know, there's gonna be a…

A long recovery effort ahead.

[Furuya chuckles softly]

[Furuya] We're counting on you.

[Nozaki sniffles]

[Nozaki sniffles]

[Nozaki] Yes, sir.

[Furuya sighs] Good.

Okay.

I'm… sorry to leave you behind.

Go on. Get out of here.

You've worried your family enough.

Your wife's furious, I bet.

You know, if we don't survive to tell this tale,

you're in charge.

[Tateno breathes sharply]

[Tateno sniffles]

[man 1] Guys, move forward.

[man 2] Thank you for everything.

-Thank you. -[man 3] I'm sorry.

[man 3] I'm sorry, boss.

[man 2] Leave it to us, okay?

Come on, stop making that face. You're creeping me out.

All right, good work.

Great work. Thank you, guys.

[man 4] Watch your step.

[man 5] Please head to the buses going to the seismic isolated building.

[man 6] Take your time. Move slowly.

[man 7] Careful!

I'm sorry, sir. Just before we get back to work, can I do one thing?

I want to write to my family.

[keys tapping]

[Yoshida] Mm-hmm.

[Yoshida sighs]

[somber music playing]

Oh.

Sorry. I just want to send one message

to my family.

Sorry. Of course.

[somber music continues]

TAKE CARE OF THE KIDS. YOU'VE MADE ME A HAPPY MAN. THANK YOU.

[somber music continues]

[sighs]

[clicks]

DON'T BE RIDICULOUS. YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE IT HOME.

[somber music continues]

KAZUKI, I HAVE TO STAY BEHIND. TAKE CARE OF GRAMPS AND YOUR FEISTY MOM.

[somber music continues]

[sighs]

[computer chimes]

[somber music continues]

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, DAD? IF YOU DIE, I WON'T FORGIVE YOU.

[somber music continues]

[computer chimes]

WE'RE GOING OUT FOR A DRINK AGAIN, DAD.

[somber music continues]

[Furuya] Hey, time to switch.

-[operator] Good work. -Hey. Thanks.

[somber music continues]

[music fades]

[Yoshida] Man, I'm starving.

Should we eat, guys?

-[chuckling] -[Maejima] Well, I found some senbei.

-[man 1] Oh, wow, thanks! -Is there anything else around here?

[Osugi] This place should be stocked with food supplies.

Yup, found 'em!

Hey, boss. We've got plenty of food here.

Yeah, come on. Here, pass these around.

Hey, you think this is all contaminated?

Now you're worried?

-[Furuya] Nah. -[laughter]

-Oh. -[man 1] Oh, you found water?

We still have some here.

Here, drink that. Here you go, sir.

-Great. Thank you. -Here you go.

[man 2] Thank you.

[man 3] Oh. I didn't know you stayed. [chuckles]

Didn't know you did.

Oh, right. You were hired at the same time.

Oh yeah. Haven't seen this guy in a while though.

[both chuckle]

-Here. -Oh, thanks.

[operator] Here you go. Water.

[laughter]

We did not

just stay behind so that we could die.

We're here 'cause we've got work to do.

Now let's keep this plant under control.

And then,

maybe,

we can all go back home.

[tense music playing]

[tense music continues]

[telephone rings]

[somber music playing]

[somber music continues]

[music fades]