Stars: SINKING OF JAPAN
Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, Ko Shibasaki, Etsushi Toyokawa, Mao Taiichi, Koji Yakusho
Director: Shinji Higuchi
Rating: PG13
Runtime: 1 hour and 56 minutes
Genre: Sci-Fi/Thriller/Foreign
Studio: Cine Star
Official Site:
Synopsis:
The film concentrates on the collision of tectonic plates which causes the central plate supporting Japan to break apart. As a result, Japan will break apart and sink into the Pacific Ocean in 338 days, greatly affecting the rest of the earth’s geographical structure and possibly destroying the rest of the counties around the world.
As an earthquake shakes the country, Toshio (Tsuyoshi Kusanagi) saves a girl from the disaster. They are then rescued by Reiko (Kou Shibasaki) in a helicopter. Amidst the vast destruction, the government is left to try to salvage the country. Yusuke (Etsushi Toyokawa) discovers that Japan is on an unstable central plate and will sink within a year.
With the instability of the tectonic plates; earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis continue to hit Japan and the neighboring countries. The government is forced to attempt to evacuate the population of Japan as the death toll mounts. Many surrounding countries refuse to take the influx of Japanese refugees. Millions of citizens flee to Japan’s mountainous highlands. Toshio wants to escape Japan to the United Kingdom, but Reiko sees fleeing as cowardice and tries to rescue more people in Japan. Instead, they try to devise a way to save Japan from totally sinking.
Toshio volunteers to take a submarine down and arm a set of bombs alongside the undersea fault to stop the center plate from collapsing. If he succeeds, he will save the entire human race, but if he fails—Earth is doomed to destruction.