Netflix's new chilling drama series The Days chronicles the catastrophic events that occurred on March 11, 2011, when a huge earthquake shook Japan and resulted in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant disaster.
Over eight episodes, the Japanese-language series gives audiences insight into one of the worst nuclear disasters in history and the consequences it had on the whole world.
Produced by Warner Bros Japan, The Days focuses on the seven days surrounding the deadly event, its occurrence and its aftermath.
The official synopsis of the show reveals: "Blamed by some, hailed as heroes by others, those involved with Fukushima Daiichi face a deadly, invisible threat — an unprecedented nuclear disaster."
But how much of The Days is based on a true story? Here is everything you need to know...
What is The Days about?
The Days is an eight-part series, which re-enacts the devastating effects of the Tohoku earthquake — the most powerful to ever hit Japan and measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale.
The quake, which occurred on March 11, 2011 lasted approximately six minutes and caused a giant tsunami that hit the country's eastern seaboard. 14-metre-high waves from the tsunami struck the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Ōkuma and triggered the most serious nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in 1986.
The Days focuses on a seven-day period surrounding the tragic crisis and follows the courageous journey of the plant workers who were there when the tsunami struck and remained in the plant to help prevent a much worse catastrophe.
The drama explores three different viewpoints from people involved with the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. These viewpoints are from Japanese government officials, Tokyo Electric Power Company employees and workers at Fukushima Daiichi.
The standout star of the series is Koji Yakusho, whose character is based on real person, Masao Yoshida. Masao worked as a plant manager at Fukushima Daiichi in 2011 when the earthquake and tsunami struck.
Is The Days based on a true story?
Yes. The Days is based on the real-life events that occurred as a result of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami hitting the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.
Waves from the powerful tsunami smashed through the power plant's protective walls and damaged its emergency diesel generators. The loss of electricity resulted in three nuclear meltdowns, three hydrogen explosions and the release of radioactive material.
The Fukushima disaster was classified as level seven on the International Nuclear Event Scale and was the most severe nuclear incident since Chernobyl 25 years previously.
In order to create an accurate re-enactment of what happened, The Days creator Jun Masumoto drew upon three primary sources.
The first was the official Fukushima Nuclear Accident Analysis Report, secondly, The Yoshida Testimony, which was a first-hand account of events by station manager Masao Yoshida and also journalist Ryusho Kadota’s bestselling book On the Brink: The Inside Story of Fukushima Daiichi, which includes interviews from more than 90 individuals who responded to the incident.
What happened after the Fukushima Daiichi disaster?
In the days after the Fukushima Daiichi disaster a large amount of radiation was released into the atmosphere. This forced the government to evacuate a total of 154,000 residents from communities surrounding the plant. This had serious repercussions for thousands of people involved, including a number of evacuation-related deaths.
Also, a significant amount of water contaminated with radioactive isotopes was released into the Pacific Ocean.
Since 2011 there has been ongoing controversy over the health effects of the disaster, but a 2014 report by the United Nations and World Health Organisation projected there was no increase in health issues of babies born after the accident. A follow-up report last year confirmed these findings.
The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant has since built a new 'ice wall' to prevent the flow of contaminated water into the ocean, but it's estimated it'll be another 30-40 years before all nearby areas are fully decontaminated.
How many episodes of The Days are there?
There are eight episodes in the first season of The Days, with each one lasting between 48 - 66 minutes.
You can stream all eight episodes of the historic drama worldwide now on Netflix.
What happens in episode one of The Days?
Episode one of The Days opens on the fateful day of March 11, 2011.
In the opening shot, Fukushima Daiichi plant manager Masao Yoshida (Koji Yakusho) is seen walking down a hallway as a voiceover questions: “What was the meaning of those days? No, it's not right to put it in the past tense. What is the meaning of those days? How do I begin talking about those events?”
Moments later, gripping scenes recreate the moment a massive earthquake hit the plant.
As hundreds of terrified workers are evacuated from the building, those in the control room remain as a 40-foot tsunami swamps the plant, shutting down the diesel generators.
Now faced with the deadly threat of a nuclear disaster, the brave men left behind have to try to prevent the unthinkable from happening.
What can viewers expect for the other episodes?
The synopses for the remaining episodes of The Days are as follows:
The Days episode 2, "No Need to Evacuate" "While still unable to get an assessment of the situation from Fukushima Daiichi, the government tells the public to stay calm and remain in their homes."
The Days episode 3, "Radioactive Emissions Will Be Minimal" "Pressure in the containment vessel starts to rapidly rise. With a catastrophic explosion imminent, TOEPCO suggests releasing the gas into the atmosphere."
The Days episode 4, "It Would Mean Turning Our Backs on Fukushima" "With the power still down, the valves will have to be opened manually. With heavy hearts, some workers ask if they can evacuate to a safer location."
The Days episode 5, "Our Company Has Lost Its Mind" "Station Manager Yoshida decides to use seawater as a cooling source, but TOEPCO headquarters tells him to wait for authorization from the administration."
The Days episode 6, "I Can No Longer Leave Here Alive" "When pressure in the containment vessel finally starts to decrease, TOEPCO headquarters want on-site workers to get back to work, but Yoshida is wary."
The Days episode 7, "Decide the Conditions for Evacuation" "As the administration and TOEPCO headquarters grow increasingly impatient, Station Manager Yoshida asks for permission to evacuate some on-site workers."
The Days episode 8, "A Scenario of Japan's Collapse" "The Prime Minister is informed that in a worst case scenario, a third of the country — including the Tokyo area — will become uninhabitable for decades."
Is there a trailer for The Days?
Yes. Netflix released the official trailer for The Days in May 2023, which gave viewers a insight into what to expect in the true-life dramatisation.
The intense trailer opens with a shot of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and quickly goes on to show the cataclysmic events that occurred on March 11, 2011.
Clips are shown of the destruction caused by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami and the terror and panic that ensued it was discovered four nuclear reactors in the plant had been damaged.
Will there be a second series of The Days?
There has been no confirmation from Netflix whether there will be a second season of The Days.
However, this is unlikely as the series is focusing on the seven days surrounding the Fukushima Daiichi disaster and reaches a conclusion in the finale.
