Japan's worst nuclear accident up to this date happened at Mihama. A pipe in the steam generator burst, leaking 55 tonnes of radioactive primary (reactor) coolant water into the secondary steam-generating circuit. Some radioactivity was released to the atmosphere and the plant's emergency core cooling system was activated. MITI reported later that the accident was caused by human error, some anti-vibration bars being wrongly installed by workers and sawn off short to make them fit. The release of radiation into the atmosphere was kept to a small amount. No deaths resulted. Various measures were taken to prevent the recurrence of the accident, including the replacement of the steam generators.

For the first time ever, the popular music group the Beatles had appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show. Shortly afterwards, they played their first American concert at the Coliseum. The Beatles had come a long way-literally. They originated from England, and were told that they "could not carry a tune across the Atlantic". In the early days they were though of to be no more than a fad. That of course was proven wrong many times over.