The eighth episode of the TBS Sunday Theatre drama "Diamonds Sleeping in the Sea" (Sundays at 9pm), starring actor Kamiki Ryunosuke, was broadcast on December 15th, and the average viewer ratings (according to Video Research, Kanto region, same below) were 8.4% for households and 5.3% for individuals, slightly lower than the 8.8% for households and 5.6% for individuals for the seventh episode last week. The drama will air its final episode on the 22nd.
The drama is a story of love, friendship and family set in Hashima (Battleship Island) in Nagasaki Prefecture, which developed through coal mining from the beginning of the Meiji era to the postwar high economic growth period, and in modern-day Tokyo. It is produced by the same team behind the dramas "Unnatural" and "MIU404" (same network) and the movie "The Last Mile", with screenwriter Nogi Akiko, director Tsukahara Ayuko, and producer Arai Junko.
In episode 8, the story takes place in 1964. Four months have passed since the mine was closed on Hashima Island after an explosion could not be prevented. Many of the miners have left the island, and those who remain are beginning to lose hope. In the Araki family, Ippei (Kunimura Jun) falls ill due to years of strain. Nevertheless, Teppei (Kamiki) works hard to develop a new area with undeveloped coal seams and somehow revive the island.
In a modern hospital, Izumi (Miyamoto Nobuko) is taking a dementia test at Kazuma's (Omi Toshinori) suggestion. Izumi's secretary, Sawada (Sakami Yoshitaka), keeps a close eye on Kazuma, suspecting that he is up to no good.
The final episode on the 22nd will be extended by 56 minutes.
