Completion of Agreement of Partnership between DPRI and JWA

The Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI, Kyoto University and the Japan Weather Association (JWA) signed a Comprehensive Agreement of Partnership to jointly promote research and development on the effects of climate change countermeasures. The Agreement was signed by Prof. Eiichi Nakakita, Director, DPRI, Kyoto University; and Prof. Futoshi Nagata, President, JWA at the signing ceremony held at DPRI, Kyoto University on Tuesday, 4 April 2023.

Publication of paper on High probability of successive occurrence of Nankai Megathrust Earthquakes

Although it is difficult to predict the occurrence of earthquakes with high accuracy, if it is determined that an earthquake is more likely to occur than normal, the Japan Meteorological Agency will issue the “Nankai Trough Earthquake Extraordinary Information” (https://www.bousai.go.jp/jishin). /nankai/rinji/index3.html)”. The research team consisting of Associate Professor Yo Fukushima, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University; Assistant Professor Tomoaki Nishikawa, Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University; and Associate Professor Yasuyuki Kano, Earthquake Research Institute, the University of Tokyo, estimated about half of the hypothetical hypocentral region. The results of this research were published in Nature, Scientific Reports on 10 January 2023.

Publication of Report on the Construction of a new fault model for the 1662 Hyuga-nada earthquake – First results based on verification of geophysics and geology

A research group led by Yusuke Yamashita, Assistant Professor, Miyazaki Observatory, Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University, et. al., reported the results of seismic observations of shallow slow-slip earthquakes. Part of the results of this research was published in the international academic journal Pure and Applied Geophysics (PAGEOPH) on December 15, 2022.

Research Reports

Report from the scene of the mass accident in Itaewon, Seoul, Korea

Disaster investigation report by Visiting Professor Yasuyuki Yama, Historical Disaster Analysis (Visiting Professors), Research Center for Disaster Reduction Systems, DPRI, Kyoto University. Itaewon Station in Seoul, South Korea. On both walls of the entrance to the stairs leading to Exit 1, there are papers with messages written for the victims. Festivals and events that had been voluntarily canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic have resumed in various places for the first time in three years, but the social significance of these events is likely to be quite different from the ones that are repeated every year. This time, in such a situation, a modern festival called Halloween, which is said to have no organizer, was held. There are two exceptional circumstances behind the accident. Despite concerns about such dangers, it is gradually becoming clear that the security system of the police and the response of the government were inadequate. In the future, it will be necessary to pay close attention such events to prevent recurrence.

Research Reports

Article on Instantaneous tracking of earthquake growth with elastogravity signals

The research article on “Instantaneous tracing of earthquake growth with elastrogravity signals” by Prof. Bertrand Rouet-Leduc et.al. was published at Nature in May 2022.
The team from Kyoto University and Géoazur has developed a new method based on deep learning AI for detecting “prompt elasto-gravity signals” (PEGS). PEGS is a gravitational change generated by the massive motion of mega earthquakes and can be recorded by a seismograph. PEGS also conveys information about ongoing earthquakes at the speed of light, arriving much faster than the fastest seismic waves.

Research Reports

Article on Climate-fuelled wave patterns pose an erosion risk for developing countries by Prof. Nobuhito Mori et.al.

Article on “Climate-fuelled wave patterns pose an erosion risk for developing countries” by Prof. Nobuhito Mori et.al. was published in The Conversation in June 2022.
The results of this research are expected to expand into future changes and adaptation measures for coastal vulnerability due to global warming, especially changes in beaches and marine ecosystems. The results of this research were published online in the international academic journal “Nature Climate Change” on June 16, 2022.

Research Reports

Paper on mangrove-induced resistance to water waves and its parameterization

Program-Specific Assistant Prof. Che-Wei CHANG and Prof. Nobuhito MORI of the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University, in collaboration with the Port and Airport Research Institute (PARI) and Tohoku Gakuin University, used 3D-printed models to replicate the complex root structure of mangroves, studied mangrove-induced resistance and parameterized mangrove effects on ocean waves by laboratory experiments. The study was published online in the international academic journal “Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans” on June 8, 2022.

Research Report

Press Release – Flood Control Timeline of Disaster Base Hospitals

According to the report issued by the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University on 2 April 2022, it found that 34% of medical institutions designated for infectious diseases nationwide suffered flood damage due to heavy rainfall once in a thousand years, and 26% even once every 100 to 200 years. The report details the survey conducted on the flooding of the Kuma River in Kumamoto Prefecture and the Hitoyoshi Medical Center. Prof. Tetsuya Sumi, and Associate Professor Takahiro Sayama of Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University, Shimizu Corporation (President Kazuyuki Inoue), and Hitoyoshi Medical Center (Hospital Director Masami Kimura), conducted a disaster prevention training at the Hitoyoshi Medical Center on 6 May 2022 to verify its effectiveness.

Research Report

Prediction of Changes in Global Storm Surges and Waves Due to Global Warming – Evaluation of Coastal Disaster Risk in Coastal Areas of the World-

Joint research was conducted by Assoc. Prof. Tomoya Shimura, Prof. Nobuhito Mori and Assistant Prof. Takuya Miyashita of the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University, the Argonne National Laboratory in the United States, and the Meteorological Research Institute of the Japan Meteorological Agency to predict future changes in global high tides and waves due to global warming.

Research Report

Earthquake off the Coast of Fukushima 16 March 2022

A M7.4 earthquake struck at a depth of 57km off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture at around 23:36 on 16 March 2022. The Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University has started a disaster investigation on this event. Please be careful about the occurrence of aftershocks and the surrounding conditions. We would like to express our deepest sympathies to all those affected by this earthquake, their families, and all concerned.

Research Report

Analysis of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haapai volcano eruption in Tonga on 15 January 2022

A very large-scale eruption occurred at Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haapai volcano in Tonga at around 13:15 on January 15, 2022 (around 04:15 on the same day in UTC). A tsunami warning was announced in Japan as well, and tsunamis exceeding 1m were observed.
Dr. Masumi Yamada, Assistant Professor, Earthquake Source Mechanisms, Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University, Japan; and Dr. Tung-Cheng Ho, Researcher, Climate Change Risk Prediction and Adaptation Research Unit, analyzed tsunami and volcanic shock waves using data from seismometers, barometers, and ocean bottom pressure gauge. As a result, it was found that the tsunami propagated concentrically from Tonga, and its speed was almost the same as the sound speed.

Research Report

Effects of episodic slow slip on seismicity and stress near a subduction-zone megathrust

The research work carried out by Professor Takuo Shibutani et.al from 2013 to2021 in collaboration with the National Research and Development Agency Building Research Institute and other institutions and universities was published in the online scientific journal “Nature Communications” of the Nature Publishing Group, UK on 21 December 2021 (10 am UK time, 19:00 Japan time).

Research

Global Alliance of Disaster Research Institutes (GADRI)

This page captures the DPRI research activities at a glance.
　GADRI WebSite Link: [　https://gadri.net　] 　One outcome was the establishment of the "Global Alliance of Disaster Research Institutes (GADRI)." GADRI is a forum for sharing knowledge and promoting collaboration on topics related to disaster risk reduction and resilience to disasters.

Research

Disaster Prevention Research Institute Research launches site for "Our research activities at a glance" (Japanese only)

This page captures the DPRI research activities at a glance.
The site is easily navigated, though only in Japanese, and expressed in easy to understand words.
Come and visit us!