Terrorist Tetsuo Okita (Ken Takakura) rounds up a gang of misfits and malcontents to help stage an elaborate ransom scheme. They plant a bomb on one of Japan's "bullet trains" and demand $5 million, adding that the bomb will detonate if the train's speed for any reason dips below 80 kph. Transit Chief Kuromochi (Ken Utsui) does his best to handle the situation from afar, while, on board, train conductor Aoki (Shinichi Chiba) tries to locate the device before it's too late.