New on Netflix: A terrifying series about the Fukushima nuclear accident, reminiscent of Chernobyl

On March 11, 2011, a 9.1 magnitude earthquake triggered a tsunami off the Pacific coast of Tohoku in northeastern Japan. A wave with a height of more than 30 meters broke into the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The tragedy, considered the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in 1986, resulted in the death and disappearance of 22,500 people.

This event, which firmly marked the history of Japan and the entire world, is recounted in detail in The Days, offered on the Netflix platform. The eight-episode program focuses on the seven days that followed March 11, 2011, between a series of disasters and a political thriller. The inspiring and disturbing fiction follows the accident from different points of view, from factory workers, scientists or politicians.

Days Discusses different stages of the event, from tsunami to nuclear accident, and also deals with environmental consequences – water and food are contaminated. Even if the series is quite talky – and sometimes very technical – it becomes particularly interesting when it approaches crisis management.

The Fukushima disaster is not just the result of a natural disaster. After the event, numerous investigations revealed mistakes made by the factory, which was blamed for not responding quickly enough in the hours after the earthquake. The government of the country is also separated.

This human drama is reminiscent of HBO’s excellent miniseries Chernobyl, which won four Emmys—including Outstanding Limited Series. At the helm of The Days, among others, we find a famous Japanese director: Hideo Nakata, author of the classics Ring and Dark Water.

Days is available on Netflix.