Original subtitles

They've lost all power?

Yes.

The seismic isolated building's emergency generator is working,

but the critical generators in the reactor building are all broken.

A report from TOEPCO just arrived for the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency.

From the tsunami?

How did that happen?

The coastal area where the reactor buildings are located

and the hill the anti-seismic building is on have different elevations.

How different?

The reactor buildings were ten meters above sea level,

while the anti-seismic building was at 30 meters.

NUCLEAR AND INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AGENCY

CHAIRMAN WAKIYA

Is every generator in the reactor building truly inoperable?

You can't just dry them off?

That's what was reported… by TOEPCO.

How many generators does the station have?

Approximately ten, I believe.

Were they all located at the same elevation?

A number of the generators were located ten meters above sea level.

I don't care about the numbers!

We're asking if there are any that didn't get wet!

Do I really have to explain?

Please forgive me. I will confirm with TOEPCO.

What about cooling units that don't need a power source?

If I may… the IC…

An isolation condenser,

commonly called an "isocon."

The IC is an old device connected only to Unit 1--

Is it working?

The documents say that it can work for several hours without power.

That's not what I asked you!

I don't care what the documents say!

I want to know what's happening now!

Answer my question!

That's, uh…

According to the reports from TOEPCO, the blackout means they have no way

-of monitoring the reactors… -Are the reactors being cooled?

Yes or no.

Are you really a nuclear expert?

I worked for the Economics Ministry.

Where did you go to school? Did you major in science?

No, I… graduated with an economics degree from the University of Tokyo.

Prime Minister, they're still in the process of confirming.

Bring me someone who at least understands science!

Talking to him is pointless.

The Okuma-machi Town Hall?

This is Kawamura from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.

Can you tell me the extent of the damage?

It's no good. I tried Naraha, Tomioka, and Namie…

No town halls are answering.

-Keep trying. -Yes, sir.

Did you connect with Futaba? Or the prefectural office?

Not yet.

Where's the piping diagram for Unit 1?

Here.

This is the skeleton diagram.

We're out of whiteboards. Bring me two more.

-Kinoshita! -Oh, Station Manager…

What happened with the safety check?

I was just on my way to tell you.

There are two operators unaccounted for.

With the PHS intercom down, we can't reach them.

Their names are Takahira and Kirihara.

Takahira and Kirihara? From Unit 4?

Yes.

The youngsters.

I'm told they went underground.

I've asked the Unit 4 staff to search.

Tell them to make it a priority.

Yes, sir.

-Put that on the recovery team's table. -Yes, sir!

-And the other one should go over here. -Yes, sir.

Let's go.

UNIT 1 REACTOR WATER LEVEL… UNKNOWN

REACTOR PRESSURE… UNKNOWN

PRIMARY CONTAINMENT VESSEL PRESSURE… UNKNOWN

We can't monitor the reactors because of the power failure.

What a mess…

So we don't even know the water or pressure levels?

That's right.

First things first, we need power.

Tell HQ to send some mobile generators.

Right.

Oh, and one more thing!

What was it… oh, right, fire engines!

Fire engines?

Yeah.

In the event that we can't restore power,

we'll have to cool the reactors with water from outside.

I see.

Say…

Our fire engines were carried away by the tsunami, right?

I'll get in touch with a local fire…

Wait a second!

How badly was the town damaged?

I can't be certain,

but I imagine it's pretty bad.

Their fire department probably has their hands full.

I doubt they can spare any resources.

So what do we do?

The Self Defense Force has fire engines, right?

Let's ask them.

Request support from JGSDF Camp Fukushima and Camp Koriyama.

-I'll have HQ make the request. -Good.

REACTORS 1-4 WATER AND PRESSURE LEVELS

UNKNOWN

EPISODE 2

Understood.

We'll report to Station Manager Yoshida as soon as we learn more.

Please do.

FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI CONTROL ROOM FOR UNITS 1 AND 2

Are you okay?

I'm fine.

What about the instruments?

It's hopeless.

Water levels, containment vessel pressure and radiation levels…

None of them work.

Damn it…

What's happening inside those reactors?

The water gauge runs on 20 volts, right?

I think so.

Would two automobile batteries directly connected to the gauge do the trick?

Let's give it a try.

-Right. -Okay.

Takahashi, can you handle it?

Yes.

Be careful. The sun is already setting.

Yes, sir.

Osugi… we're going to have to put water in, won't we?

I can't say for sure without knowing the temperature and water level,

but it's a safe bet.

If the cooling units have stopped,

water is the only way to cool the reactors.

Right?

We should probably open the valve for the water insertion line.

Let's do it.

I'll check whether the pump is working, too.

PHS UNUSABLE WATER LEVEL UNKNOWN

NUCLEAR DISASTER RESPONSE HQ

If you would, sir…

I am declaring a state of nuclear emergency.

This is the first of its kind in Japan.

I'd like to ask for everyone's full cooperation.

First an update from the Deputy Chief of Operation.

Yes, sir.

First, the Nuclear Disaster Response Center

in the Fukushima town of Okuma-machi

had its access roads cut off by the tsunami.

They have no power

and no access to video conferencing or the Internet.

The only communication means available are six satellite phones.

What about the crisis response support system?

As there is no power, it is, of course, unavailable.

Fukushima also lost

all of its monitoring posts in the earthquake.

Monitoring cars are unusable, because of road conditions.

But that means we have no way of knowing conditions on the ground!

Yes.

We are doing everything we can to gather up-to-date information.

DEPUTY CHIEF OF OPERATION

SPECIAL ADVISOR TO THE PRIME MINISTER

CHIEF OF OPERATION

Would you be able to handle that?

The cooling unit can only run on batteries for eight hours, so…

We'll want to do as much as we can before 11:30 p.m.

I agree.

NUCLEAR SAFETY COMMISSION COMMISSIONER MINEGISHI

The Act on Special Measures Concerning Nuclear Emergency Preparedness

states to immediately direct residents to evacuate.

How will we define the evacuation zone?

An evacuation zone…

At the present juncture,

we have received no reports

of radioactive material presenting a threat to facilities or the public.

Residents and inhabitants of the area

need not take any special steps at this time.

This means that rather than evacuate,

we are asking people to stay in their homes or current location.

They're declaring an emergency, but telling people not to evacuate?

Isn't that contradictory?

They don't know what's happening, so they declare an emergency just in case.

Prime Minister!

Excuse me… Prime minister…

May I have a moment?

What is it?

After speaking with TOEPCO,

it seems that without power to the control room,

they will need time to confirm…

Not now!

Useless advisors like him do us no good.

I'm going back to my office.

I want a tighter circle for decisions.

Very well, sir.

Are you certain that people are safe in their homes?

The state of emergency has been declared merely as a precaution.

At the present time, we have no reports of radiation leaks,

or the threat of radiation leaks.

The government is doing its best to be prepared for any situation.

Are we sure about this?

This is just the kind of tepid response that people will criticize us for later.

Well, why won't Fukushima Daiichi provide us with any details?

I don't have any updates for you.

You really know nothing?

You can't be without any means of finding out.

The Nuclear Energy Safety Commission is starting to ask questions.

Sorry.

Just do something, will you?

I can't just tell the commission that we know nothing.

We'll do everything we're capable of, but right now,

we're no different from an airplane crew flying blind.

We don't know how high we're flying, or how fast…

There's no visibility.

Are we still waiting on water levels and containment vessel pressure?

Yes.

We're trying to collect batteries from employees' own cars, but…

everyone seems a bit reluctant.

Well, they'd be giving up their only method of getting home.

2:52 P.M. IC AUTO STARTED

The cooling units

have to be operating, right?

Yes… they should be, anyway.

CHIEF OF OPERATION

Here you are.

Thanks.

What do you think we can expect inside the building?

Well, as long as this thing doesn't ring, we're okay.

What's this?

A GM survey meter?

The other dosage readers were submerged and can't be used.

This was the only one.

It'll have to do.

Just for peace of mind, right?

The only other thing to worry about

is another tsunami.

At the shared pool,

Toda and Todoroki

said they almost died.

Yeah…

I sent a junior staff member onto the reactor building's roof.

He's watching the waves.

If he sees signs of a tsunami, he'll alert us right away.

If another tsunami occurs,

the water will recede first.

As long as he can see the water offshore,

you should have some time before it arrives.

Make sure it's someone with good eyesight.

I asked Nozaki.

He definitely looks like he has good eyes.

Pretty soft up here, though.

Does he even know the signs of a tsunami?

Seriously.

Well then… should we set out?

Yes.

I'm counting on you.

FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI UNITS 1 AND 2 AUXILIARY BUILDING ROOF

FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI HOUSING UNITS 1 AND 2

We're still okay.

Good.

He'll run to report to us, right?

What?

If a tsunami comes…

Well… I imagine so.

The PHS was taken out by the last tsunami.

He'll have to go on foot.

Will he really

make it in time?

Well…

We're okay.

FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI INSIDE UNIT 1 TURBINE BUILDING

Nothing?

UNIT 1 DOUBLE-ENTRY DOORS TURBINE BUILDING SIDE

NUCLEAR REACTOR BUILDING BEYOND THIS POINT

No good.

The GM meter is going crazy.

Run! We have to turn back!

Right.

-We couldn't make it. -No good.

-Welcome back. Have some. -Thanks.

We're in trouble.

If the radiation levels are that high already,

it's only going to get harder for us to build a water injection line.

I'll go.

Yo! You all must be tired.

This is a real mess, huh?

-Furu, didn't you have the day off? -I did.

My wife and son evacuated to a shelter,

so I figured I'd come here.

I picked up full face masks and meters from the seismic isolated building.

Thank you very much.

The SDF will send us two fire engines.

If we can't recover power,

we'll add the one remaining at the station

and use all three engines to put water into the reactors.

Secure me a water injection line.

We've already begun preparations.

Nice! Okay, okay.

How many valve locations will you open?

Five.

Where?

If we count the small valves, that's over 10,000.

Can you pick out five from that many without any light source?

Furu is leading the way.

I see… Furu, huh?

It's good to have a veteran around.

Yes.

Is the dosage rising?

It's at 0,2 millisieverts in the last 30 minutes.

That's at the entrance to the Unit 1 building.

RADIATION GRAPH

So you can only remain in the building for another few hours.

It's a race against time.

Yes.

FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI HOUSING UNITS 1 AND 2

How's it look?

We should be okay.

INSIDE UNIT 1 TURBINE BUILDING

CONTROLLED ACCESS ZONE AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY

No change in the dosage.

Got it.

NEAR THE ENTRANCE TO UNIT 1 REACTOR BUILDING

What's wrong?

Oh…

sorry.

It's nothing.

I was just a little surprised.

A fish.

Yeah.

We're inside the controlled radiation zone, aren't we?

There's mud everywhere.

This is…

salt water.

NUCLEAR REACTOR BUILDING BEYOND THIS POINT

UNIT 1 DOUBLE-ENTRY DOORS TURBINE BUILDING SIDE

I'm going to open it.

Don't worry.

Even if a tsunami comes,

it won't arrive right away.

We'll have enough time to escape.

Right.

How's the dosage?

We're still okay.

Good.

Let's keep going.

Still okay.

Opening!

THIS IS THE NUCLEAR REACTOR BUILDING SIDE

UNIT 1 DOUBLE-ENTRY DOORS REACTOR BUILDING SIDE

We're good.

FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI INSIDE UNIT 1 REACTOR BUILDING

All good.

Valve number 365.

Valve number 365…

Got it!

Sorry it took me so long.

-Hook the batteries up quickly. -Yes, sir.

Be careful!

I'm sorry!

Are you okay?

Yes. I'm fine.

Over there!

That should be the last one.

Let's do it.

-Off we go! -Right.

Right…

Valve number… 25A.

25A… opening!

Come on…

Dosage!

The dosage is…

13 millisieverts.

Hurry!

The batteries are connected.

Good work.

I have the water level!

How is it?

It's actually…

The Prime Minister doesn't need to be in the crisis management center?

If he stays holed up in his office,

won't it be hard to aggregate information?

There are orders to report directly to the office.

Prime Minister!

A fax arrived at TOEPCO Headquarters from Daiichi Station Manager Yoshida.

They've grasped the situation with the reactors.

What does it say?

I'll read the fax out loud.

"Time until Unit 2 reaches TAF…"

TAF is the point when the reactor is out of water

and the fuel rods start to become exposed.

TAF will be reached…

at 9:40 p.m. per their estimate.

9:40 p.m.?

The nuclear fuel will start to degrade…

at 10:20 p.m.

The primary pressure containment vessel…

will suffer damage… at 11:50 p.m.

In less than an hour…

the nuclear fuel will start to leak?

Yes.

Will the containment vessel really be ruptured before midnight?

The report was forwarded to the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency.

-Shall I summon Chairman Wakiya? -Forget him!

More importantly, tell TOEPCO to give us more details.

Are the cooling units working or not?

Why is the reactor water depleting?

Doesn't that mean radiation will start leaking tonight?

We just told the residents that they should stay at home.

How did this happen?

Hey, wait a minute!

We're already out of time!

Why don't we have more concrete information?

Where are the mobile generators?!

If the roads are jammed, then have civilians clear the way!

Use patrol cars or whatever else you have to!

Just get a power source to Fukushima!

Yes, sir.

Issue an evacuation order.

Right…

I'll prepare a press conference.

Oh, Mr. Minegishi!

How big should the evacuation zone be?

What?

Just now, Fukushima Prefecture issued their own evacuation order

with a zone radius of 2 kilometers.

What should the administration do?

We at the Nuclear Safety Commission have not received sufficient data.

The decision should be made by the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency.

Mr. Minegishi…

During standard drills,

it's usually three kilometers.

"Standard…"

In that case, let's go with three kilometers.

An evacuation zone has been declared

within a three-kilometer radius of Fukushima Daiichi.

Residents within the zone should immediately prepare to evacuate.

Two hours ago, you said no special steps were necessary.

You ordered people to stay at home.

Has there been trouble of some kind?

Some kind of radiation problem?

We simply want to take all necessary precautions.

It's nothing more than that.

It's preparation for… in case something happens.

"In case" of what? Is there a possibility of a radiation leak?

In these situations,

it's important that we always imagine the worst-case scenario

and prepare in advance.

It's from that perspective that we…

I see.

So Furu and the others pulled it off.

Yes.

They opened all the valves.

But the radiation levels are rapidly increasing.

They barely made it.

Right…

Going back in is out of the question?

Inside the reactor building,

the APD exceeded 0,8 millisieverts in just a few minutes.

Got it.

From here on out, the building is off-limits.

Even so, we finished the necessary tasks.

As soon as we have fire engines, we can start injecting water.

Right…

AT 9:30 P.M. SDF FIRE ENGINES

DEPARTED CAMP KORIYAMA.

AS MAIN ROADS WERE CUT OFF, THEY ARE SEEKING AN ALTERNATE ROUTE.

Is something wrong?

I'm really grateful to you all.

Pass that on to Furu and the others.

The problem is that the SDF fire engines haven't arrived.

The earthquake took out the major roads.

As for our fire engine, the garage is surrounded by debris and inaccessible.

I know you guys worked hard to build that line,

but we don't yet have a means of pumping water.

Pressure levels at 9:50 p.m…

7,2 megapascals.

Well, it can't be helped.

Yeah…

A mobile power supply has arrived!

Northern Japan Electric Company sent a vehicle-mounted high-voltage generator!

A mobile generator just arrived.

Yeah… got it.

NUCLEAR FUEL BEGINS DEGRADING AT 10:20 P.M.

Yes… I'm aware.

But we're short on time.

Yes.

A mobile generator arrived at the station!

Let me call you back.

Is that so?

Good work!

Hello? I'm told a mobile generator just arrived.

ARRIVAL OF ONE MOBILE GENERATOR: 9:50 P.M.

How long will it take?

That's… it's still hard to guess.

Have we found a working switchboard?

We've been searching since before it arrived, but…

Most were damaged by salt water, so it's been slow going.

Salt water, huh?

If we're not careful, the conductivity could produce a fatal shock.

Exactly.

FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI ROAD NEARBY REACTOR BUILDING

It's the wrong voltage?

How can an electric company not have matching voltage?

Well, the high voltage mobile generators are 6,000 volts.

We anticipated lowering the voltage to 500,

in order to connect to the cooling units, but…

the step-down requires connection to one of the station's switchboards.

So just connect it to the switchboard!

Well…

I, too…

assumed we'd need to connect to a switchboard,

and there are 70 switchboards inside the station.

They were submerged in salt water by the tsunami

and naturally must be tested one by one to see which still works.

ESTIMATED TIME OF FUEL DEGRADATION: 10:20 P.M.

The nuclear fuel…

is about to start melting.

Subtitle translation by: Brad Plumb