東日本大震災 時系列まとめ ブログ

東日本大震災の出来事を時系列にまとめました

Timeline of Great Eastern Japan Earthquake (Higashi-Nihon Daishinsai) and Tsunami, Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Disaster in Japan 2011

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This is a copyrith-free document. The author of this ducomment abandons the copyright of it.

Headlines from newspapers are generally allocated at the time of occurence. 

The major natural disasters in the past related to Tohoku area and major earthquakes are displayed in the timeline.

Some of the news refered here might be inaccurate because they are basically original texts at the real-time.

In addition, the author collects some miscellaneous news for the reader to understand the situation of the Japanese society at that time. Tokyo and Kanto area, the world-biggest metropolice with about 40 millions population, was suffered the most severe nuclear accident.

 

Keys for information sources.

  • NHK: NHK (Japanese major public TV)
  • NNN: Newsnetwork of Nihon TV (Major TV network)
  • Kahoku: Kahoku Shimpo (Newspaper headquatered at Sendai, Tohoku)
  • Asahi: Asahi Shimbun (Country-wide Newspaper)
  • Yomiuri: Yomiuri Shimbun  (Country-wide Newspaper)
  • Mainichi: Mainichi Shimbun  (Country-wide Newspaper)
  • Nikkei: Hohon Keizai Shimbun  (Country-wide Newspaper)
  • Metero: Japan Meteroligical Agency. (Governmental)
  • Reg Com: Nuclear Regulation Committee of Japan. (Founded after the disaster)
  • Kesen: Joint Fire department of Kesennuma and Motoyoshi Area. 
  • Diet Inv: The Diet's Investigation Committee for Fukushima Daiichi Nulclear Accident.
  • NGO Inv:  The NGO Investigation Committee for Fukushima Daiichi Nulclear Accident. Rebuild Japan Initiative Foundation. ISBN 978-4-7993-1158-5.
  • Cab Inv: The Cabinet's Investigation Committee for Fukushima Daiichi Nulclear Accident. 
  • Rail: Shinchosha, Railway map magazine - Records of the Great Earthquake Disaster in Eastern Japan. ISBN 978-4-10-790047-0.
  • Chro: National Astronomical Observatory (ed.), Chronological Scientific Tables 2013. ISBN 978-4-621-08606-3.
  • IHA: Imperial Household Agency.

 

Place-names:

  • Tohoku: Literally north-eastern. North-eastern area of Honshu Island of Japan, comprised of 6 prefectures (Aomori, Iwate, Akita, Miyagi, Yamagata, and Fukushima).
  • Sanriku Kaigan (Sanriku coast): Coast of Iwate and Miyagi prefectures facing the pacific ocean. Major towns in Sanriku are Kuji, Miyako, Kamaishi, Kesennuma, Onagawa, and Ishinomaki.
  • Sendai: The biggest city in Tohoku.
  • Fukushima prefecture.: South-most prefecture in Tohoku. Distance to Tokyo is about 150km. Major town on its pacific coast are Sohma and Iwaki. On the coast, there are 2 big nuclear power plants of TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power Company), Fukushima Daiichi and Daini.
  • Chiba prefecture.: prefecture located east of Tokyo.
  • Kanto: Area around Tokyo metropolice, namely Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gumma, Chiba, Tokyo, and Kanagawa prefectures.

 

Other keywords:

  • Rapid premonition of the earthquake: Warning issued by automatic vigilance system of the Meterorogical Agency a few seconds before the arrival of  earthquake. People notice it on TV and mobile phones.

 

DateTime to the disasterEventInfo src
Jul 13, 869 1,142 yr

Jogan Tsunami. The oldest recorded great tsunami attacked Tohoku area. Dead 1000.

Chro
May 22, 1241 770 yr Tsunami attacked Kamakura city Chro
Dec 12, 1611 400 yr Keicho Sanriku Tsunami. Dead 1,783 around Miyagi prefecture. Chro
Apr 25, 1843 158 yr Tsunami attacked Kushiro, Nemuro, and Hachinohe. Chro
May 10, 1877 134 yr Tsunami from Chile attacked Tohoku.  3 m height in Kamaishi city. Chro
Mar 22, 1894 117 yr Nemuro earthquake. Tsunami height: 4m in Miyako, 1.5 m in Ohfunato. Chro
Jun 15,1896 115 yr Meiji Sanriku Great Tsunami. Dead 21,959. 38.2 m height at Ayasato area of Ohfunato city. Chro
Aug 5, 1897 114 yr Tsunami. 5 m height at Sakari of Iwate prefecture. Chro
Apr 23, 1898 113 yr Minor tsunami around Miyagi prefecture. Chro
Sep 1, 1923 88 yr Great Earthquake in Kanto Area. 105,000 were dead or missing. Kanto Daishinsai. Chro
Mar 3, 1933 78 yr Sanriku Great Tsunami in Showa era.  Dead or missing 3,064. Height 28.7 m at Ayasato area of Ohfunato city. Chro
Nov 3, 1936 74 yr Minor tsunami in Miyagi prefecture. Chro
May 23, 1938 73 yr Minor tsunami in Ibaraki prefecture. Chro
Nov 5, 1938 72 yr Tsunami. Heigh 1 m at Onahama of Fukushima prefecture. Chro
Dec 7, 1944 66 yr Major earthquake around Nagoya with Tsunami. Dead or missing 1,223. Most of information was hidden by the wartime government. Chro
Mar 4, 1952 59 yr

Tsunami. 1 to 2 m height around Sanriku coast (Iwate prefecture.).

Chro
Sep 26, 1959 51 yr Isewan Typhoon attacked Nagoya. Dead 4,697, missing 401. Chro
May 23, 1960 51 yr Great Tsunami from Chile attacked Sanriku coast. Dead 142. Height 5 to 6 m. Chro
Mar 26, 1971 40 yr Unit 1 of Fukushima Daiichi Genpatsu (Fkushima first nuclear power plant) started its commercial service. (Exploded in 2011) Diet Inv
Jun 17, 1973 38 yr Tsunami around eastern Hokkaido with tsunami. Chro
Jul 18, 1974 37 yr Unit 2 of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant started its commercial service. (Melt-down in 2011) Diet Inv
Mar 27, 1976 35 yr Unit 3 of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant started its commercial service. (Exploded in 2011) Diet Inv
Jul 28, 1976 35 yr Tangshan earthquake in China. Dead 242,800. Chro
Apr 18, 1978 33 yr Unit 5 of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant started its commercial service. Diet Inv
Jun 12, 1978 33 yr Earthquake in Miyagi prefecture. Dead 28. Chro
Oct 12. 1978 32 yr Unit 4 of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant started its commercial service. (Exploded in 2011) Diet Inv
Oct 24, 1979 31 yr Unit 6 of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant started its commercial service. Diet Inv
Apr 20, 1982 29 yr Unit 1 of Fukushima Daini Genpatsu (Fukushima second nuclear power plant) started its commercial service. (Daini plant will be faced crisis in 2011) Diet Inv
Feb 3, 1984 27 yr Unit 2 of Fukushima Daini nuclear power plant started its commercial service. Diet Inv
Jun 21, 1985 26 yr Unit 3 of Fukushima Daini nuclear power plant started its commercial service. Diet Inv
1986 25 yr

TEPCO (Tokyo electric power company) started habitual fabrication of safety data in Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant and other vuclear plants. (This fact was revealted in 2002.)

 
Aug 25, 1987 24 yr Unit 4 of Fukushima Daini nuclear power plant started its commercial service. Diet Inv
Jul 12, 1993 18 yr Great Tsunami attacked Okushiri Island in southwest Hokkaido. Dead 202, missing 28. Chro
Oct 4, 1994 16 yr Tsunami attacked Etorohu Island in eastern Hokkaido (The island is under effective control of Russia). Chro
Dec 28, 1994 16 yr Earthquake attacked Northern Tohoku. Dead 3. Chro
Jan 17. 1995 16 yr Hanshin Awaji Daishinsai. Great Earthquake attacked Kobe metropolitan city.  Dead 6,434, missing 3. Chro
Feb 28,  1997 14 yr Earthquake at Ardebil in Iran. Dead  1,100(?). Chro
Sep 21, 1999 11 yr Jiji earthquake in Taiwan. Dead 2,413. Chro
Sep 30, 1999 11 yr Nuclear accident at JCO's Uranium factory in Ibgaraki prefecture. Dead 2. The first fatal nuclear accident in Japan. NGO Inv
Aug29,  2002 9 yr Government announced the fabrication of safety data by TEPCO in Fukushima Daiichi, Fukushima Daini, and Kashiwazaki-Kariya Nuclear Power Plants. Asahi
Sep 2, 2002 9 yr Five top excetives of TEPCO resigned because of the fabrication scandal. Asahi
Nov 24, 2002 8 yr Government bannded running of Unit 1 of Fukushiam Daiichi Plant for 1 year due to the fabricatoin. Asahi
May 26, 2003 8 yr Earthquake in Miyagi prefecture. Chro
Jul 26, 2003 8 yr Earthquake in northern Miyagi prefecture. Chro
Oct 23, 2004 6 yr Earthquake in central Niigata prefecture. Dead 68. Chro
Dec 26, 2004 6 yr Great Tsunami in Indian Ocean Dead or missing 227,898. Chro
Mar 21, 2006 5 yr Twitter service started. (Twitter was major communication channel in the 2011 crisis.)  
May 26, 2006 5 yr Great eqrthquale in Jawa, Indonesia, Dead over 5,749. Chro
Mar 25, 2007 4 yr Earthquake in Noto peninsula, Ishikawa prefecture. Dead 1. Chro
Jul 16, 2007 4 yr Earthquake in Middle Niigata prefecture. Chro
2008 3 yr Government published the forcast saying "the probability of great earthquake in Miyagi prefecture in 30 years is 99%."  
May 12, 2008 3 yr Sichuan earthquake in China. Dead 69,227. Chro
Jun 14, 2008 3 yr Earthquake in Iwate and Miyagi prefecture. Dead 17. Chro
Jan 12, 2010 1 yr Haiti earthquake. Dead 316,000. Chro
Apr 13, 2010 1 yr Yushu earthquake in China. Dead over 2,220. Chro
DateTime DiffEventSrc
Mar 9, 2011 2 d bf    
11:45   Big earthuqake (M 7.3) in Iwate coast. Chro
11:48   Tsunami Warning issued. From Aomori to Fukushimja prefecture. Observed height 0.55 m in Iwate. Metero
14:50   Tsunami Warining canselled. Metero
Mar 10, 2011 1 d bf    
6:28   Earthquake. Tsunami Warning issued on Fukushimja prefecture. Observed height 0.11 m in Miyako in Miyagi prefecture. Metero
7:30   Tsunami Warining canselled. Metero

Mar 11,

1:54

13 h bf Earthquake (M5.4) in the offing of Iwate prefecture. The last precedent major earthquake. Chro
Mar 11, 2011 Day 1

Friday. "Huge earthquake in eastern Japan" (Yomiuri), "Highest seismic intensity in Miyagi prefecture" (Kahoku)

Huge Tsuami attacked from Sanriku to Chiba coast.

Operaton to cool Unit 1 of Fukushima Daiichi was failed, and its melt-down started.

 
14:46 0

The main earthquake. N38'6''. E142'51,6''. The intensity was annouced M7.9 at this time. The shake was felt by people in almost entire Japan.

Chro
14:46 0

Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued at 14:46:40.2.

Chro
14:46 0 Tohoku Shinkansen automatically started braking before the shake attacks the trains. Rail
14:47 1 m Tokyo started shaking. The antenna on the top of Tokyo Tower was bent. Major soil liquefaction in Urayasu, Chiba prefecture. Chro
14:49 2 m Great Tsunami Waring issued over Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima prefecture. Chro
14:49 2 m Osaka started shaking. The local government's building at Sakisu was damaged, and 5 people were locked in the elevetors. Chro, Yomiuri
14:49 3 m Tokyo was suffered the strongest shake (241 gal). Chro
14:53 7 m Tokyo was still shaking. Chro
14:54 8 m  A tide vigilance machine in the Kesennuma bay, Miyagi prefecture, detected the first tunami with 6 m height. Kesen
15:00 13 m Kesenmuma Fire Department detected downward tsunami. Kesen
15:00 13 m Tokyo stock exchange ended with  sudden big down (179 yen down). NIKKEI Index = 10,254.43 yen. Asahi
    Fujishiro dam in Sukagawa city broken. Flood. Dead 7, missing 1. NHK
    All railway services in Tokyo halted. Huge number of poeple working in Tokyo lost methods to go back home.   
    Baseball games halted.  Rakuten Eagles (franchized in Sendai) vs. Lotte in Akashi, Hogo prefecture. Asahi
15:11 24 m Kesenmuma Fire Depaertment obsereved deadly uprizing Tsumami. Kesen
15:14 27 m Great Tsunami Waring expanded from Aomori to Chiba coast. Chro
15:15 28 m Large petrochemical complex of COSMO company on coast of Tokyo Bay in Ichihara city, Chiba prefecture, started burning. (Extinced on Mar 21.) Asahi
15:20 32 m

Huge Tsunami attacked from Iwate to Chiba coast.

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(Photo: A Shop attacked by the great tsunami in Kamaishi city, Iwate prefecture. As of summber of 2011.)

Asahi
15:30 43 m Great Tsunami Waring expanded again from Hokkaido to Izu Islands. Chro
15:37 50 m

Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant attacked by Tsunami. Unit 1 to 5 lost the major electricity supply. In addition. Unit 1, 2 and 4 lost all electricity supply. SBO (station balckout) happened.

The isolation condensor (IC) of Unit 1 automatically started closing its valves but stopped at imperfect position because of blackout, so Unit 1 lost equipment for cooling down. 

NGO Inv
15:40 53 m A great fire occured at Shikaore, Kesenmuma city. (Extinced in Mar 23.) Kesen
15:42 55 m

Legal duty emergency report of nuclear crisis reported by TEPCO to government.

NGO Inv
15:44 57 m Great blackout over all Tohoku area. 456 million houses. Kahoku
16:00 1 h Meterorigical agancy revised the intensity of the earthquake larger as M8.4. Kesen
16:08 1 h Great Tsunami Waring expanded again from Hokkaido to Tokushima. Metero
16:37 2 h Toden Arakawa line Tram in Tokyo resumed. Rail
16:40 2 h

Misitry of Education and Technology directed to start its SPEEDI vigilance system to forcast movement of leaked radioactive clouds. (But they did not tell the Cabinet the existence of the system until Mar 14 or 15, Cabinet Secretory Edano said.)

NGO Inv
16:45 2 h

Legal duty emergency report of nuclear crisis reported by TEPCO to government. Saying Unit 1 and 2 are under severe SBO, and they cannot be cooled.

NOG Inv
17:30 3 h Meterological Agency revised the intensity larger again. Mw8.8. Kesen
17:30 3 h A great fire occured in sea surface of Kesenmuma Bay. (Extinced in Mar 23.) Kesen
17:41 3 h Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
17:50 3 h

Legal duty emergency report of nuclear crisis reported by TEPCO to government. Saying Fukushima Daini (not Daiichi) Plant also in severe conditon.

Cab Inv
18:10 3 h Water around the core of Unit 1 decreased, and the core exposured over water level. (Etimated by the later investigations.) Diet Inv
18:18 4 h

The plant operators tried open some of valves of IC of Unit 1 to cool.

NGO Inv
18:25 4 h

The operators considered that IC of Unit 1 was not working, and they closed the valves.

NGO Inv
18:26 4 h Tokaido Shinkansen resumed. Rail
18:50 4 h Core of Unit 1 started melting. (Estimated)

Diet Inv

19:03 4 h Government declared Nuclear Emergency NHK
19:15 4 h

Mahler Concert on Mar 11: New Japan Philharmonic started the legendary concert in Tokyo.

NHK
19:35 5 h Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
20:40 6 h Tokyo metro Ginza line resumed, but soon halted because of crowding. Rail
20:40 6 h Tokyo metro Hanzomon line resumed. Rail
20:40 6 h Tokyo subway Oedo line resumed. Rail
21:00 6 h Tokyo subway Asakusa line and Mita line resumed. Rail
21:23 7 h Government directed people within 3 km range from Fukushima Daiichi Plant to evacuate. Also, it directed people within 10 km range from Fukushima Daiichi Plant to stay the inside of house or building.  
21:30 7 h

The plant operators of Unit 1 tried to open some of valves of IC again, hoping it will cool the unit.

NGO Inv
21:55 7 h Seibu railway resumed. Rail
22:10 7 h Keio railway resumed. Rail
22:20 8 h

JR East (major railway company) announced that they cannot contact with a train in Senseki line.

Rail
22:30 8 h

A train found at Nobiru station of Senseki Line. Crushed by Tsunami.

Rail
22:35 8 h

Unstable currency rate of Yen. 1 USD = 83.30 Yen, but soon boomed to 82.30-40.

Asahi
22:35 8 h Tokyo Metro Chiyoda line resumed, but soon halted becased of crowding. Rail
22:37 8 h Tokyo Metro Yurakucho line resumed. Rail
22:41 8 h

Miyagi prefecture Police Department announced about 200 to 300 dead bodies found in Arahama area, Wakabayashi ward of Sendai city.

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(Photo: Kamaichi city flatten by the gread earch quake. Rad flags indicate the places where dead bodies found.)

Nikkei
22:43 8 h Tokyu Railway resumed. Rail
22:50 8 h Tokyo Metro Ginza line resumed again. Rail
22:53 8 h Great Tsunami Waring expanded again from Hokkaido to Kochi. (This is the largest range in this earthquake.) Metro
23:00 8 h Tokyo Metro Marunouchi line resumed. Rail
23:10 8 h Tokyo Metro Tozai line resumed. Rail
23:15 8 h Yokohama Subway resumed. Rail
23:40 9 h Tokyo Metro Hibiya line resumed. Rail
Mar 12 Day 2

Saturday.

"Catastrophe in Tohoku coast area. Whole of Rikuzen Takada town and Sohma town covered by water. Dead/missing 1,500. Tsunami damaged 150 km from Iwate to Fukushima prefecture. Land subsidence observed." (Asahi)

"Hundreds of dead bodies founded in Rikuzen Takata. Ten thousands people in southern Sanriku coast are out of contact." (Asahi)

Outer building of Unit 1 exploded. "Strong radioactives leakes" (Yomiuri. Extra)

Strong earthquake attacked northern Nagano prefecture.

 
    Kyushu Shinkansen started service through Kyushu island between Hakata and Kagoshima-chuo. Rail
0:00 9 h Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin line resumed. Rail
0:00 9 h Odakyu railway resumed. Rail
0:30 10 h At this moment, 17 trains of Tohoku Shinkansen were sbrought to standstill on trucks. The passengers were shut in the trains. Rail
0:35 10 h Tokyo Metro Chiyoda line resumed, but soon halted becased of crowding again. Rail
0:55 10 h Tokyo Metro Chiyoda line resumed finally. Rail
1:09 10 h Tokyo Metro Hibiya line resumed. Rail
3:11 12 h Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
3:59 13 h Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued for northern Nagano prefecture. Metero
3:59 13 h Northern Nagano prefecture Earthquake hits Sakae-mura. 57 wounded. Chro
4:00 13 h

TEPCO Inv says "Operation to inject fresh water into Unit 1 was started at this moment."

TEPCO Inv
4:08 13 h Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
4:16 13 h Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
4:31 14 h Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
5:00 14 h Keikyu railways resumed. Rail
5:11 14 h Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
5:42 15 h Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
5:44 15 h Government expanded the direction for the people within 10 km range from Fukushima Daiichi Plant to evacuate.  
5:46 15 h

"Injection of fresh water to Unit 1 was started." (Diet Inv).

"A line for water injection was built." (NGO Inv).

 
5:47 15 h

Legal duty report of nuclear crisis issued from Fukushima Daini (not Daiichi) Plant to government.

Cabinet Inv
6:10 15 h Keisei railway resumed. Rail
6:19 16 h Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
6:34 16 h Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
6:48 16 h Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
6:50 16 h

Kaieda, Minister of METI (industry), commanded TEPCO vent Unit 1 to avoid explosion.

Diet Inv
7:00 16 h Tobu, JR Yokohama line, and Rinkai line railways resumed. Rail
7:11 16 h

Prime minister Kan visited Fukushima Daiichi Plant by helicopter.

NGO Inv
7:35 17 h JR Chuo line in Tokyo area resumed. Rail
7:45 17 h

Government directed people within 3 km range from Fukushima Daini (not Daiichi) Plant to evacuate. People within 10 km were directed to stay the inside of house.

 
8:00 17 h JR Yamanote line and  JR Tokaido line in Tokyo area resumed. Rail
8:30 18 h

435 patients of Futaba Hospital departed for evacuation. (Many patient died on the route.) 

NGO Inv
9:05 18 h JR Keihin-Tohoku line in Tokyo area resumed. Rail
9:10 18 h Tsukuba Express railway in Tokyo are resumed. Rail
10:00 19 h

Radioactive level around Fukushima Daiichi Plant increased.

 
11:00 20 h Tobu Isesaki line resumed. Rail
11:36 21 h

Reactor Core Isolation System (RCIS) of Unit 3 was eventually stopped. 

Diet Inv
12:35 22 h High Pressure Coolant Injection (HPCI) of Unit 3 started for backup. NGO Inv
13:50 23 h Gread Tsunami Warning was shrinked from Aomori to Fukushima. Metero
14:30 24 h Unit 1 was vented. (Wind at Sohma city near the plant: west 3.6m at 14:00, south by southeast 2.8m at 15:00) Diet Inv, Metero
14:53 24 h

Fresh water for Unit 1 coolant dried up. Yoshida, the plant director, directed use sea water. 

Diet Inv
15:30 25 h

Prepareatoin to inject sea water to Unit 1 was completed.

Diet Inv
15:30 25 h

Government asked Self Defence Force to help water injection operatoin.

NNN
15:36 25 h

Outer Builing of Unit 1 exploded. (Hydrogen Explosion. Not nuclear explosion.)

Wind at Sohma city: south by southeast, 2.8m at 15:00. Southeast 2.0m at 16:00.

It damaged the operatoins for all Units.

There is a hypothesis that this explosion made the blow-out panel of Unit 2 building off, so that Unit 2 could avoid hydrogen explosion fortunately.

Diet Inv
15:40 25 h The scene of Unit 1 explosion was broadcasted on TV. NNN
16:00 25 h

Joetsu and Nagano Shinkanse resumed.

Rail
16:21 26 h Government postponed press conference. NNN
17:46 27 h

Chief Cabinet Secretary, Edano, holded a press conference live-broadcasted on TV. He acknowledged the explosion and asked the nations keep calm.

NNN
17:55 27 h Industry Minister Kaideda commanded TEPCO to inject sea water to Unit 1. Diet Inv
18:25 28 h

Government directed people within 20 km range from Fukushima Daiichi Plant to evacuate. 

 
19:04 28 h Injection of sea water to Unit 1 started. Diet Inv
19:25 29 h

Plant director, Yoshida, declared halt of injection to Unit 1, but he secretly commanded to continue.

Diet Inv
19:51 29 h JR Negishi line resumed. Rail
20:20 30 h

Great tsunami warnings were degrated to tsumami warnings.

Metero
21:00 30 h Prime Minister Kan holded a press conference with TV live broadcasting. He announced that the government allowed TEPCO for large rolling blackouts around Tokyo area because of heavy damages in electricty networks. He addressed the nation "we have to overcome this national crisis."  
22:15 31 h Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
22:24 32 h Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
22:27 32 h Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
23:35 33 h Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
23:43 33 h Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
23:55 33 h

TV Tokyo resumed normal programs. Tegamibachi Reverse broadcasted. The fisrt resume of nomrmal programs.

 
Mar 13 Day 3

Sunday.

"Cooling of Unit 3 is imcomplete too." (Asahi Extra)

People started power saving. Night of Tokyo became darker.

 
2:42 36 h

The plant operators stopped HPCI of Unit 3 in order to inject coolant. But this attempt was failed becase of lack of electric supplay from batteries. Unit 3 now lost cooling functions. They started collect batteries of personal cars of the plant workers.

NGO Inv
6:40 40 h Tsukuba Express railway resumed completely. Rail
7:30 41 h Meterological Agany modelated all tsumami warnings to tsunami advisories. Metero
8:25 42 h Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
8:41 42 h

Line for vent of Unit 3 was builted.

NGO Inv
9:08 42 h

Unit 3 vented. (Wind at Sohma city: NNE 2.1m at 9:00. WSW 1.7m at 10:00.)

NGO Inv
9:10 42 h Coolant water for Unit 3 decreased to critical level. (Estimated.) Diet Inv
10:26 44 h Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
10:40 44 h Melting-down of Unit 3 started. (Estimated.)  Hydrogen gas emmieted and diffused the inside of Unit 3 and 4. Diet Inv
11:00 44 h JDS Chokai rescued a drifter in 15km offshore. Asahi
11:00 44 h Line for vent of Unit 2 was builted. NGO Inv
12:20 46 h

Fresh water for Unit 3 coolant dried up.

NGO Inv
12:55 46 h

Meterological Agency upgrade the intensity of the main earthquake as Mw9.0.

Kesen
13:12 46 h Injection of sea water to Unit 3 started. NGO Inv
17:58 51 h All tsunami advisories cancelled. Metero
20:22 54 h

President of TEPCO holded a press conference to announce rolling blackout that starts tomorrow around Tokyo metropolitan area.

Asahi
20:22 54 h

People confused the plant of rolling blackout, since the explanation of TEPCO was so vague and complicated.

 
Mar 14 Day 4

Monday.

"1000 dead bodies found in Minami Sanriku."(Asahi)

"Searching families. Kindergarten Bus with dead kids found in Ishinomaki, Miyagi prefecture." (Asahi)

"Rolling blackout starts today."(Yomiuri)

Outer building of Unit 3 exploded. Melting down of Unit 2 core.

"Strong radioactive vented" (Asahi)

Tohoku electric company also plant rolling blackout in Tohoku area. (Kahoku)

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(Photo: Skyscrappers at Shinjuku, 22:12 on Mar 14 2011. To conserve electricity, unneccesary light were shut down.) 

 
    Services of JR East railway in Tokyo area reduced to only 20% of normal. Asahi
1:00 58 h Pressure of core of Unit 3 increased. It is considered that some valve on the vent line colsed unintentionally. NGO Inv
4:08 61 h

Watere of the fuel pool just above Unit 4 reactor got very hot. 84 C degree. It was 27 C before the accident. The risk of dry-up of the pool was focused. (Fuels in the pool mgiht have been exposured to open air.)

Reg Com
8:00 65 h

Gas leak accident at a department store in Morioka. Dead 1.

Asahi
11:01 68 h

Hydrogen explosion of outer buiding of Unit 3.

Workers of the plants and soldiers of Self Defence Forces were wounded.

It is considered that the shock of this explosion closed the valves on the vent-line of Unit 2, so that Unit 2 became high-pressured and very dangerous. 

 
12:00 69 h Level of coolant water of Unit 2 started rapid decreasing. NGO Inv
13:25 71 h

RCIS of Unit 2 terminated.

TEPCO reported it to the government with legal duty.

Diet Inv
15:52 73 h Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
16:25 74 h Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
17:00 74 h

Core of Unit 2 started being exposed over coolant water. (Estimated)

Diet Inv
17:00 74 h

First rolling blackout started in Kanto. Until 18:30. 110,000 houses.

Asahi
18:22 76 h

Core of Unit 2 dried up. (Estimated)

NGO Inv
19:57 77 h

Injection of sea water into Unit 2 became stable.

NGO Inv
20:00 77 h

Radioactive level around the Daiichi plant increased. (Wind at Sohma city: west 3.5m at 20:00)

Diet Inv, Metero
DateTime DiffEventSrc
Mar 15 Day 5

Tuesday

"Doomed Day" said NGO Inv. Unit 4 exploded.

Very cold winter day. Rolling blackout executed.

 
   4 d 25-year-old man resuced at Ishinomaki City. Asahi
    Lufthanza airline halted services on Narita (New Tokyo Internatioal) Airport. Asahi
    System of Mizuho Bank stopped because of huge amount of transaction of donations. Asahi
   

Tohoku Shinkansen resumed from Tokyo to Nasushiobara (in northern Kanto).

Rail
1:36   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
5:33   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
5:40  

Prime Minister, Kan, suddenly visited the headquater of TEPCO before the dawn. He said to the exectives "Make up your mind. There is no way to escape. If you retreat your empolyees from the Daiichi Plant, entire TEPCO will be collapsed certainly." He directed to consolidate joint headquater among the government and TEPCO.

Asahi
6:10  

Outer building of Unit 4 exploded by Hydrgen gas leaked from Unit 3.

On the same time, pressure of Unit 2 become zero. Detail of this phenomenon is unknown.

Big amount of Radioactives leaked. (Wind at Sohma city: southwest 0.7 m  at 6:00. Northwest winds (directed to Tokyo) continued after 7:00 to noon.) 

NGO Inv,

Metero

7:00  

650 employees in Fukushima Daiichi Plant escaped to safer Fukushima Daini (not Daiichi) plant except nesseary and least number of employees. 

NGO Inv
7:29   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
   

Emperor and Emperess invited the former chair of governmental Nuclear Committee to the palace at Tokyo and discussed about the nuclear plant. After this, they invited Cheif of National Police Agany and heared about their activity.

IHA
9:20   Rolling blackout in Kanto executed. 5 million houses. Until 22:00. Asahi
11:00  

Government demanded people within 20 to 30 km range form Daiichi plant to saty the inside of house or building. So-called "offsite center", emergecy office near the plant, retreated to Fukushima city.

Government relaxed the limit of radioactive exposure for workers in Daiich plant from 100 mSv to 250 mSv.

 
   

Doomed Day. Amount of radioactive leak increased largely from this day.

Sence of danger of the government was at peak.  The worst possibility was that core of Unit 2 explodes and the pool of Unit 4 dries up with diffusing deadly powders of nuclear fuels over eastern half of Japan including Tokyo. In this case , Fukushima Daini plant (near Daiichi plant) have to be aboundned too. The government decided to use soldiers and fire fighters to inject water.

The reality was that addictional water flowed into the pool of Unit 4 from neighbouring pool, and Unit 2 did not exploded to outward. The detail of why water flowed into Unit 4 is still unknown.

Contrary, Fukushima Daini Plant suceeded to maintain cooling its reactor cores.

 
13:00   Miharu-machi of Fukushima prefecture distrbuted iodine tablets for thier residences. Cabinet Inv
20:31   Fujinomiya of eastern Shizuoka prefecture hitted strong earthquake. Chro
22:31   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
Mar 16 Day 6

Wednesday.

"434 thouthand evacuated people" (Asahi)

Very cold winter weather.

In spite of Tsunami damages, Sanriku railway surprisingly resumed between Kuji and Rikuchu Noda. (Rail)

f:id:fukushimatimeline:20140918221019j:plain

(Photo: Tokiwadai Station of Tobu Tojo Line, Itabashi ward, Tokyo. The board tells that railway service is limited in the central Tokyo area due to the rolling blackout being implement over suburbs of Tokyo.)

 
   5 d

Nuclear regulation committee of USA changed its decision. They advised US citizens in Japan to evacuate 80 km apart from Daiichi Plant. This decision was different and harder than that of Japanese governement. They regared the pool over Unit 4 as the greatest risk.

NGO Inv
   

Tohoku electric company once planed rolling blackout over Tohoku area, but it have not been executed.

 
   

Major TV networks eliminated the sound logo of AC Japan's public messages. They ware repeatedly broadcasted to fullfill all CM spots instad of normal commercial messages. People got tired of its sound.

 
0:00  

Radioactive level around Daiichi Plant greatly increased. (Wind at Sohma city: southwest 1.5m at 0:00)

Diet Inv, Metero

2:40

  Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. MeteroDiet Inv, Metero
6:40   Rolling blackout started in Kanto. 10 millions houses.

Asahi

10:00  

Radioactive level around Daiichi Plant greatly increased. (Wind at Sohma city: ENE 1.3m at 10:00. North 3.7m at 12:00. Directing to Tokyo)

Diet Inv, Metero
10:30   A traffice accident occured at a blackouted crossing of Annaka city, Gumma prefecture. Dead 1. Asahi
12:23   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
12:53   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
    Emperor and Emperess invited a famous professor to discuss radioactive influence on human health.  IHA
16:35  

Emperor issued video message to the nation through TV networks. It was the first time for the Emperor to address the nation directly and spontaneously without planed oppotunities after 1945.

 
22:00  

Rolling blackout over Kanto ends. Till this day, 122 elevators locked with passengers.

Asahi
Mar 17 Day 7

The highest rate of Yen agains USD (1 USD = 76-77 yen) after WW2.

Helicopters of Japan Self Defence Force dared to throw coolant water over broken head of Unit 3 building,  

Very cold weather. Severe shortage of electricity. Snow falls on the evacuating people. 

Emperor and Emperess invited the top of Japan Red Cross to hear thier activities.

 
7:00  

The largest rolling blackout executed over 18,200,000 houses in Kanto area until 22:00.

Asahi
9:48   Helicopters of JSDF dared to threw water to Unit 3. Asahi
19:35   JSDF spraied water to Unit 3 with fire-engines. Asahi
21:32   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
Mar 18 Day 8

"Dead 6,911. Worst after WW2." (Kahoku)

 

 
    Many companies are considering moving thier headquaters from Tokyo.  Asahi
6:20  

Rooling blackout started. 14 million houses. Untile 22:00.

Asahi
9:00  

G7 intervented the exchange rate. 1 USD = 81 yen.

Asahi
Mar 19 Day 9

Tokyo Fire Department spraied water to Unit 3.

"335 thauthoud Evacuees" (Asahi) 

 
   

High radioactive detected in agricultural products.

Asahi
1:55  

Firefighter of Tokyo Fire Department dared to spray water to Unit 3.

Asahi
8:33   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
18:56   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
18:57   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued on 18:57:06. Metero
18:57   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued on 18:57:13. Metero
Mar 20 Day 10 Sanday  
14:19   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
16:00  

80-age Woman and her grandson rescued from rubbles at Ishinomaki city.

Asahi
Mar 21 Day 11 Monday  
10:10   Great fire of large petrochemical complex of Cosmo coampany on coast of Tokyo Bay in Ichihara city, Chiba prefecture, extincted. (Started on Mar 11.) Asahi
Mar 22 Day 12

Tuesday

"Victimes temporally buired in the ground. Higashi-Matsushima city, Miyagi prefecture." (Asahi)

Northern winds and rain brought radioactives around Tokyo area (Kashiwa city and so on) resulting the warning not to drink tap water issued Mar 23.

 
   

Tobu railway resumed express service to connect Tokyo and Aizu, western  Fukushima prefecture.

Rail
    Tohoku Shikansen resumed in its northern part between Morioka and Shinaomori. Rail
9:20   Rolling blackout started over Kanto area. Until 22:00.  
12:38   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
Mar 23 Day 13

Reserved soldiers of Self Defence Force are called.

Tokyo metropolitan government issued an advisory for citizens in Tokyo not to feed babies tap water because of radioactive level.

 
    Graduation ceremony held outside at Akazaki juniorhigh, Ohfunato city. Asahi
1:12   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
7:12   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
7:36   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
8:47   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
15:20   Rolling blackout started in Kanto area. Until 22:00.  
21:00   Nuclear Safety Committee of the government eventually released forcast result of radioactive cloud movement by SPEEDI system. Asahi
Mar 24 Day 14 Tohokudo highway resumed for all areas. Kahoku
Mar 25 Day 15 Government issuce advisory for people in 30 km range from Daiichi plant to evacuate.  
18:20   Rolling blackout started in Kanto area until 22:00.  
20:36   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
Mar 26 Day 16

Suturday

"Number of the victims exceeds 10,000" (Kahoku)

 
Mar 27 Day 17 "Mass evacuations from Tsunami area" (Kahoku), "Damage of the Cores getting worse."(Yomiuri)  
19:23   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
Mar 28 Day 18

The last rolling blackout in Kanto.

"23 years are required to process the rubbles in Miyagi prefecture." (Miyagi)

 
7:24   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
9:20   The last rolling blackout in Kanto until 13:00.  
Mar 29 Day 19 "The damage on Miyagi prefecture exceeds 1 trillion yen" Kahoku
Mar 30 Day 20 "146,000 cars damaged in Miyagi prefecture."(Kahoku)  
    Emperor and Emperess visited a shelter in Tokyo to encourage the evacuees. IHA
Mar 31 Day 21 "TEPCO accepted the discontinuance of Daiichi Plant" Asahi
Apr 1 Day 22 "The damage on Miyagi prefecture exceeds 1 trillion yen" Kahoku
19:49   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
Apr 2 Day 23 JR West reduced amount of train service due to shortage of parts for maintanance. Rail
Apr 3 Day 24 "Highly radioactive water in the plant flows directly to sea." Yomiuri
16:38   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
Apr 4 Day 25 Government determined the offcial name of the disastor as "Higashi Nippon Daishinsai" (Great earthquake disaster in eastern Japan).  
18:29   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
Apr 5 Day 26

The cores still hot. Unit 1 is over 200 C deg. Unit 2 is leaking highly radioactive water to the sea.

Shueisha released digital data of Shuman Shonen Jump (the most popular cartoon magazine) on the Internet for free, because logistic system in damaged area was not working.

Asahi
Apr 6 Day 27 Injection of Nitrogen gas into Unit 1. Yomiuri
Apr 7 Day 28 Strong earthquake occered. Blackout over 4 million houses. Asahi
23:32   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
23:32   Strong earthquake. Offshore of Miyagi prefecture. Dead 4. Tsumami Warning issued. Chro, Metero
Apr 8 Day 29

"The number of orphans reached 82. Worse than Hanshin disaster." (Asahi)

Government declared end of rolling blackout in Kanto.

 
Apr 9 Day 30 "First morning in temporal dwelling" Yomiuri
Apr 11 Day 32

Strong earthquake occured.

"One month passed. Dead 13,013."

Kahoku
17:16   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
17:16   Earthquake in eastern Fukushima prefecture. Dead 4. Metero
18:05   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
20:42   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
Apr 12 Day 33 The accident is evalated as INES level 7, same level of Chernobyl disaster Asahi
8:08   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
10:23   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
12:20   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
14:07   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
16:14   Rapid premonition of the earthquake was issued. Metero
DateTime DIffEventSrc
Mar, 2014 1100 day Evacuees 251,419. Gvmnt