The observation equipment thus installed is scheduled to be recovered after February 2013. Having said that, this is at a depth of 6,800m. Recovery in a regular way is difficult, and therefore it will be the turn of “KAIKO 7000II.”

　The KAIKO 7000II is an unmanned remotely operated vehicle (ROV) which is capable of diving to a maximum depth of 7,000m. It consists of a launcher which is connected to the mother-ship with a cable, and a vehicle which is connected with a cable to the launcher with which it can also be combined.

　A handle is fitted on the top of the observation equipment where it emerges from the seafloor. The KAIKO 7000II vehicle places a hook through this handle. It then moves straight up for more than 850m pulling the observation equipment up.

　Preparation is everything.

　On the side of the insert hole installed on the seafloor are some words, written there by Kyo: “WASURENAI 3.11” (March 2011, we will not forget). “It is our duty to keep the memory of the Tohoku Earthquake alive for the next generation. It is also for that reason that we must investigate what happened at that time.”