Original subtitles

TOEPCO HEADQUARTERS SPECIAL DISASTER RESPONSE UNIT

Get a hold of Yoshida.

The Prime Minister's Office just approved the use of salt water.

Yes, sir.

We knew all along that injecting salt water was safe.

But now if anything happens, they can blame us.

Meanwhile, they keep butting in on the business of a private company.

BASED ON TRUE EVENTS

Go check the other side.

Yes, sir.

FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI NEAR BACKWASH VALVE PIT

Try not to step on the hose!

Yes, sir!

There's nothing wrong with the siphon!

What about the pump?

No abnormalities!

UNIT 2

And the water pipe?

No abnormalities!

Roger!

Let's try again!

Increase the water pressure!

Increasing pressure!

Why won't it work?

FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI CONTROL ROOM FOR UNITS 1 AND 2

This is bad…

The water level just won't rise.

Which means…

we should presume that the water isn't getting inside.

Yes? Yes. Right.

Okay. I understand. Thank you.

FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI EMERGENCY OPERATION ROOM

Thank you.

Was that Headquarters?

Yes. The Prime Minister's office gave the okay to use salt water.

-It took them this long? -Yeah.

What did you find out?

First off, the water definitely isn't reaching the inside.

The reactor pressure is 7,38 megapascals.

It's gone up two megapascals over the past hour.

The water pressure provided by the fire engines can't keep up.

We have to lower the pressure in the pressure vessel somehow.

You mean with the SR valve?

Yeah. What about the vent?

No good there either.

Pressure is rising in the primary containment vessel too.

The AO valve must have closed.

This isn't good…

It must be from the hydrogen explosion.

Either that, or the tank we attached to the AO vent

to inject pressure may be deflating.

Is someone checking on it?

They should already be there.

Mr. Furuya and Mr. Osugi are back!

-Welcome back! -Get some rest!

-We'll take that. -Let's get that mask off.

Excuse me!

How was it?

No good!

The pressure inside the reactor is rising,

and all the way to the northern double doors…

is 300 millisieverts per hour.

Three hundred?

In other words, there must be a leak somewhere.

I think it's possible.

The southern end has less radiation, but it's still 100 millisieverts per hour.

At 300 per hour,

we'd reach the yearly dose limit in 20 minutes.

Can we approach from the south?

If a hydrogen explosion occurred with Unit 1,

doesn't that mean it could happen to the other reactors?

We can't say the probability is zero.

Everyone knows the probability isn't zero!

Enough with the empty answers to our questions!

How are we supposed to explain things to the people?

They're worried about hydrogen explosions in the other reactors?

Yes.

Worse yet,

they lectured me about empty words and explanations.

Apparently, they'll have to comment on the chance of another hydrogen explosion

at the next press conference.

I think the probability is pretty low.

Right at this moment,

we're reopening the vent that closed.

Choosing whether or not to worry the populace

can't be easy for the prime minister,

but if our president is asked at his conference,

we'll have him deny it.

I guess it is possible though.

But everything will be fine if we get that valve open.

Let's go with that.

Hey. It's me.

How's it going?

Right.

We've finished preparing

and will now make our way above the suppression chamber

to access the AO valve.

I'm sorry to ask.

We all saw that explosion.

There's no doubt you're scared.

If the same thing happens while you're at work,

you'll face certain death.

I don't see any alternative.

Somehow…

please just get that valve open.

Both the pressure vessel and the containment vessel…

can take no more.

Leave the containment vessel to us.

Please take care of the pressure vessel.

You got it.

SPENT FUEL POOL UNIT 1, UNIT 2, UNIT 3, UNIT 4

EPISODE 6

UNIT 2, REACTOR SIDE

FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI NEAR UNIT 2 REACTOR BUILDING ENTRANCE

UNIT 2 SUPPRESSION CHAMBER

FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI UNIT 2 SUPPRESSION CHAMBER ROOM

What was that?

-Let's go! -Right.

FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI ABOVE UNIT 2 SUPPRESSION CHAMBER

There it is. The AO valve…

Let's climb above the suppression chamber.

Right.

Hey! Are you okay?

Sorry! I'm okay.

We'd better turn back.

You're right…

GENERATOR TEAM

I see…

I'm sorry.

No.

Coming back was the right choice.

Give me ten minutes.

I'll call you back.

Yes, sir.

Station Manager.

Vice President Murakami is calling from HQ.

Make a report and show it to me later.

Yes, sir.

How's the injection going?

Is it working?

Not one bit.

The pressure vessel is at seven megapascals.

The pressure is so high that water can't make it inside.

What do you mean?

The SR valve should open automatically!

With this much pressure, the automation won't kick in.

Don't sound so resigned to it!

So what happens next?

The fuel rods in Unit 2 are exposed.

If the water gauges are correct, the water level has dropped

700 millimeters below the top of the rods.

In two hours…

I imagine the fuel will begin to melt.

The melted fuel

will then create a hole in the floor of the pressure vessel

and leak out.

Large-scale radioactive pollution will be unavoidable.

All employees of the power station

are sure to be contaminated.

Which means no one will be able to approach the reactors.

Beginning with Unit 2,

Units 1, 3, and 4,

will all suffer meltdown

and a melt-through will occur.

Just get that SR valve open!

Start injecting water! Now!

Yes, sir.

UNIT 2 SR VALVE

Kinoshita!

Yes?

What's the minimum voltage for the SR valve to operate?

At least 125 volts.

Have you thought of something?

Is there no way we can force it open?

Without power, it can't be done remotely.

Nor is it somewhere we can send people to.

I don't know how…

The automobile batteries were all 12 volts, right?

If we connect ten of them in series…

could we activate the valve?

Ten batteries in series?

If they were able to read the meters in the control room with them,

isn't it possible?

Yes.

-Get it done. -Yes, sir.

Find everyone who commutes by car and ask them for their batteries!

Yes, sir!

-Right. -Everyone share!

Excuse me, is there anyone who can loan their car battery?

Careful, okay?

They may be 120 volts, but it's direct current.

A shock could be fatal.

I heard some people didn't want to give up their batteries.

Well, without a battery,

they won't be able to escape in their own cars

if we're ordered to evacuate.

Can you blame them?

I'll trade places with you.

-Okay. Switch with me. -Thank you.

-Can you shine it near my hands more? -Sure.

Right there.

Also, can you turn the diagram book to the next page and show it to me?

Yes, sir.

This is it.

It's the terminal connected to the SR valve.

We found it? Oh, good.

When the cable is ready, bring it here.

Right.

-Ready! -Ready.

Mr. Furuya.

-We're ready to connect. -Roger that.

Connecting!

Roger.

Three… two… one…

Zero!

The cable is connected!

Roger.

Open the SR valve.

Opening SR valve…

Three… two… one…

Zero!

It didn't work.

Well, we need 125 volts.

Let's make it 11 batteries and try again.

-Yes, sir! -Yes, sir.

Furu!

We're going to add another battery and try again.

It doesn't seem to be going well.

What about Unit 3?

It's slow going there too.

Additional fire engines arrived from the SDF,

so I asked them to assist with Unit 3,

but the debris that flew in from the explosion was fairly irradiated.

-Watch your step! -Right!

Once the line is secured, pass the hose.

Roger!

FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI NEAR UNIT 3

Mark any highly irradiated debris so nobody gets too close!

-Yes, sir! -Yes, sir!

Hey!

Everything's fine over here!

Bring in the heavy machinery!

Yes.

Understood.

UNIT 2 REACTOR WATER LEVEL

12:00 A.M., 1,5 M 12:40 A.M., 1,6 M

1:10 A.M., 1,7 M 2:00 A.M., 1,8 M

3:00 A.M., 1,9 M 4:00 A.M., 2,0 M

5:10 A.M., 2,1 M

REACTOR PRESSURE 6:30 A.M. 495 KPA

It's at 495 kilopascals?

Yes.

The maximum pressure the containment vessel is designed for

is 380 kilopascals.

It's too dangerous.

They have to evacuate.

I need all workers in the reactor building's vicinity

to immediately cease operations!

-Yes, sir! -Roger!

MUTSU CITY, AOMORI PREFECTURE FAMILY HOME OF UNIT 4 OPERATOR KIRIHARA

They continued searching for Koki, yesterday,

but have yet to find him.

Where did they look?

Where in Unit 4?

I don't know.

How can you not know?

You can hardly call that an update.

Are you even really searching?

If you have no intention, that's fine.

I'll come there and look myself.

You'd better let me inside the station!

Mr. Kirihara, I'm sorry, but…

the situation on the ground is dire

and I'm in no position to make demands of them.

Please understand.

I am truly sorry.

It's no use.

TO-OH ELECTRICITY POWER COMPANY

It's been an hour since you suspended operations!

Isn't it time to get back to work?

The pressure in the containment vessel is now at 520 kilopascals.

There's no water going in either.

I can't order people to continue working

near a reactor that's about to burst!

The Unit 2 SR valve is open!

Connecting batteries to the SR vent seems to have worked.

Is that so?

What about the pressure?

Nuclear reactor pressure has begun dropping!

Good.

Good news, right, Yoshida?

Now resume operations!

Did you hear me?

Well…

Can you give me a little more time to assess the situation?

Do you hear yourself?

This should give you some peace of mind for a while.

Isn't it an opportunity?

Please.

Okay! Have all workers resume injecting water in Unit 2!

At the same time, we should hurry up

with the water supply line for Unit 3.

Yes, sir!

Maejima?

We got the go ahead to resume!

Yes.

Yes. That's right.

FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI NEAR UNIT 2

It's flowing!

DISASTER RESPONSE FORCE

The water is flowing!

-It's entering the vessel! -Roger!

UNIT 2

FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI NEAR UNIT 3

Lower! Lower!

There!

Like that! Just like that!

Keep going!

Careful here!

Once you unroll the hose, go forward five meters!

Roger! Five meters ahead!

Pass it under!

Careful of the debris!

Zero-Three, Zero-Three, this is Double Zero! Do you read me!

Double Zero, Double Zero! This is Zero-Three!

I read you loud and clear. Over!

How are things there?

We need more time.

The debris is awful.

Roger.

-Shimura! -Yes?

-Can I leave this to you? -Yes.

-I'm heading for Unit 3. -Roger that.

-Kato! Oishi! -Yes?

We're going to support the stretching of the hose for Unit 3.

-Get in! -Yes, sir!

We need the fire engine too!

We'll lead you there in the car.

-Roger! -Roger!

DISASTER RESPONSE FORCE

FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI NEAR UNIT 3

Okay, let's begin.

-Roger! -Roger!

Station Manager Yoshida! Return to the Seismic Isolated Building!

Hurry, there's too much radiation here!

Hey… Hey! Are you all right?

Yes. I'm fine.

Hey! Oishi!

Are you okay?

I'm fine too.

Exit the vehicle!

-Roger! -Roger!

Can you two keep going?

-Yes. -I can.

Search for the units who were in the fire engine behind us.

We have to leave this area as soon as possible.

It's not just the high radiation levels. There could be another explosion too.

-Yes, sir. -Hurry!

-Roger! -Roger!

Where's the engine?

Over here!

Is everybody okay?

Sergeant Kuribayashi!

Sergeant Suzuki!

Are you okay?

Is anyone there?

I'm here!

Where are you?

-Are you okay? -Are you hurt?

You took cover beneath the engine?

Yes!

Any injuries?

Damn it…

Squad leader!

Everyone is accounted for!

-They're all okay? -Yes!

Hey! You sure?

-You're fine? -Yes.

We'll abandon the engine.

Everyone, to the Seismic Isolated Building.

Run!

-Yes, sir! -Yes, sir!

-Let's go! -Right!

Squad Leader!

What is it?

-Wait here! -Roger!

Are you okay?

The radiation levels are incredibly high.

You have to leave the area.

Forgot about me…

and go on ahead.

What are you talking about?

Come on, grab my shoulder!

-Let's go. -Right!

Are you okay?

-Can you stand? -My leg…

Can you move your left leg?

Okay, grab on.

I'm sorry.

Thank you very much.

You're going to be fine!

Go slowly.

Slowly. We'll take it easy.

Are you okay?

Careful.

I'm so sorry.

Thank you.

Can we get that car running?

It's no use.

The ones with their hoods open

are the ones we removed the batteries from.

They won't move.

BREAKING NEWS

Flames can be seen rising.

Unlike the hydrogen explosion in Unit 1,

this time flames are visible.

This was clearly a bigger explosion than the last.

-Is something falling? -Yes.

What appears to be debris can be seen falling.

That's another element not seen with the Unit 1 blast.

I repeat.

An accident has occurred at the Fukushima Daiichi…

This time it was Unit 3?!

What happened?

How could there be another explosion?

Flames are visible.

We can also see what appears to be falling debris. Further details…

At 6:50 a.m. this morning…

-work was suspended, due to pressure. -You need to go to grandpa's house.

Tokyo's in danger of radiation too.

-When the pressure dropped… -I'll let Grandpa know.

…they resumed work, which is when the explosion occurred.

SHIBUYA STATION

A massive explosion has occurred at Unit 3

of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.

BREAKING NEWS

According to TOEPCO,

workers had just resumed the operation to inject water

in the primary containment vessel.

So that means some of the workers may still be outside?

One can't help but worry about the extent of the damage.

The full details are still unknown.

We will update you as new information comes in.

He's okay.

What you see now…

I know he's okay.

…is the explosion at Unit 3.

Do we have a shot of that too? Yes. This is from the 12th…

It seems to have been a powerful explosion.

As you can see here, and unlike the explosion in Unit 1,

the smoke rose higher and flames are visible.

We can also see an immense amount of large, falling debris.

This will likely have an effect on workers' ability to respond

to the continuing situation.

This is a breaking news story

and we will update you as soon as we have further details.

CHIEF OF OPERATION

The number of employees unaccounted for

is 40.

We'll do everything we can to confirm their safety.

As of this moment…

I can no longer leave here alive.

What do you mean?

I'm the one who's pushed everyone's limits again and again.

I put them all in danger.

I'd made up my mind

that if any of our staff died because of those orders,

I wouldn't have the right to survive.

It's been on my mind

since day one of the accident.

Unit 3 is pluthermal!

This isn't just uranium burning, it's plutonium!

It's far more radioactive than uranium

and you just let it leak into the atmosphere!

Sir…

all of the reactors carry the same hazards.

Being pluthermal doesn't mean it's especially dangerous.

More importantly, the safety of the workers--

Enough excuses!

I suppose the international assessment of the disaster

will be raised to Level 7.

It's the first time since Chernobyl.

FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI UNITS 1-6 CONTROL ROOM OPERATOR ROSTER

I have an update.

The temperature of Unit 4's spent fuel pool is rising.

Unit 4 was shut down for inspection…

The amount of nuclear fuel in storage is even higher than usual.

Yes.

The pool currently contains

1,500 tubes of fuel.

The total decay heat is at its highest.

Even without electricity, the water in the pool should last several weeks.

How can the temperature be rising?

The pool may have been damaged in the explosion

causing a water leak.

Unlike the reactors, there's nothing to prevent spent fuel leaks from escaping.

If the fuel gets out,

the amount of radioactive pollution will increase exponentially.

What's the temperature now?

It was 40 degrees Celsius just after the earthquake.

It's currently risen to 84 degrees.

The nuclear reactor water level in Unit 2 is starting to drop.

Yes…

The AO valve is still closed.

Yes.

Yes.

The pressure too is starting to rise.

At this rate,

we have five hours until the fuel rods are exposed once more.

Subtitle translation by: Brad Plumb