A network of trenches runs between the reactor buildings and the shore. They are flooded with extremely radioactive water that’s been trapped** there since the triple meltdown. Tepco data shows concentrations of cesium up to 4 million times above the government safety limit. Engineers estimate that the trenches hold about 15,000 tons of toxic water but radiation levels are too high for them to get a more precise look at the situation. Some experts point out these trenches are a source of contamination for the Pacific Ocean. Tepco says there’s no evidence of that yet, but it recognizes the need to act quickly.
The huge earthquake and tsunami that struck northeastern Japan 5 years ago swept vast amounts of debris across the Pacific. Many objects reached the U.S. State of Oregon, including the crossbeams from the gates of a Shinto shrine dedicated to the safety of local villagers who depend on the sea. Thanks to the all-out efforts of people in America, those precious artifacts made the long journey home. NHK NEWSLINE FOCUS tells the story of how this incredible homecoming formed bonds of friendship between people living an ocean apart.
A community whose population now includes thousands of workers at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. A temporary school in evacuation tries to keep the children from losing memories of their hometown. These are just some of the episodes of daily life in Fukushima Prefecture, 6 years after the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster of 2011. This program documents the new day-to-day of a place that's still battling the consequences of the nuclear accident.
The Great East Japan Earthquake triggered an unprecedented nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi Power Plant. Japan's initial response to the crisis created miscommunication issues with the U.S. Our exclusive interviews from both sides take us back to that tense time and reveal Japan's lack of preparedness in a nuclear emergency at that time. As Japan eyes more nuclear power for energy security, the country is facing a difficult question on how to bridge that with lessons learned from the past.