"...Hirai was apparently the only person on the entire project to push for the 14.8-meter breakwater, while many of his colleagues said that 12 meters would be sufficient and derided Hirai's proposal as excessive. Hirai's authority and drive, however, eventually prevailed, and Tohoku Electric spent the extra money to build the 14.8-meter-tall shield. Some 40 years later, on March 11, 2011, a 13-meter-high tsunami slammed into the coast at Onagawa."
Onagawa nuke plant saved from tsunami by one man's strength, determination - The Mainichi Daily News
Onagawa nuke plant saved from tsunami by one man's strength, determination - The Mainichi Daily News
