While I was a mere student, Prof. Shibata was serving as the concurrent Director of DPRI. I was not conscious of the position nor the responsibilities his position entailed. Now that I am entrusted with the same important position, it is a responsibility that I accept with deep humility and a clear vision for our scholarly future.
Since its inception in 1951, DRPI has dedicated itself to the pursuit of disaster science principles, and to comprehensive research and education on the development of disaster prevention studies. Our mission transcends the boundaries between the natural sciences, humanities, and social sciences. Responding to diverse disasters occurring around the world, DRPI continues to strive as a world-leading center for disaster prevention research. Its recent reorganization of Research Center for Earthquake Hazards, Research Center for Volcano Hazards Mitigation, Research Center for Landslide Disaster Risk Cognition and Reduction, and Research Center for Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, has enabled practical research aimed at solving real-world problems.

In particular, the term “Disaster Risk Cognition and Reduction” (in Japanese “Misai”) as advocated by this institute refers to a situation that has not yet resulted in a disaster, but which harbors a potential risk that could have led to damage had circumstances been slightly different. Recognizing that this risk is constantly changing, we aim for each citizen to prepare for unprecedented natural disasters or changing risks as if it is “their own problem.” The academic discipline for realizing this concept is called “Misai studies,” and it focusses on the vast array of potential field (the field of pre-disaster) of complex natural disasters, which are combinations of various natural and man-made disasters. With “Misai studies” as our common axis, this institute is committed to generating new knowledge through collaboration with diverse researchers both within and outside the university, and to dedicating itself to nurturing the next generation of talent.

To strengthen our mission, I am pleased to announce the appointment of four Deputy Directors to support me during my term as Director: Professor Tetsuya Takemi (Future Planning), Professor Kimiyuki Asano (Research and Education), Professor Kenji Tanaka (Public Relations and International Affairs), and Professor Takahiro Sayama (Evaluation and Fairness).
We are committed to fostering an open and collaborative environment in which all members can realize their full potential, thereby contributing to the further advancement of the Disaster Prevention Research Institute and the creation of a safe and secure society.
We sincerely count on your continued support and cooperation.

Ryosuke Uzuoka
Director
Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University

Details of the award are given below:

Award Recipient: Professor Yukitoshi Fukahata

Award Name: Top Cited Article 2025, Geophysical Research Letters

Award-winning Paper:

• A Multiplex Rupture Sequence Under Complex Fault Network Due To Preceding Earthquake Swarms During the 2024 Mw 7.5 Noto Peninsula, Japan, Earthquake, Geophysical Research Letters [AGU]

Date of Award: 3 April 2026

Details are as follows.

Awardees: Masayuki Kano, Takuya Nishimura

Award Name: EPS 2025 Excellent Reviewers

Date of Award: 11 March 2026

About Excellent Reviewers [EPS] –

“It is essential for an academic journal to have qualified reviewers to maintain its scientific standard. To recognise the contributions of important reviewers in Earth, Planets and Space, we have granted the ‘Excellent Reviewer’ award to selected reviewers each year since 2013. The awardees are determined at the end of each year by the EPS editorial board based on the recommendations of regular and guest editors.” (excerpt from EPS Reviewers)

We have released the following selection of videos from the plenary session of the Research Presentation Conference held on 19 and 20 February 2026 at Kyoto University, Uji Campus.

• Opening Remarks (Director Tomoharu Hori)
• Special Lecture: Professor Tetsuya Sumi, Specially Appointed Professor “Using Dams ‘Wisely’, ‘Increasingly’, and ‘Sustainably’ – Perseverance is Power: 10 Episodes”
• Disaster Investigation Report: Professor Kazuyoshi Nishijima “Report on the Damage Caused by the Tornadoes that Occurred on 5 September 2025 in Makinohara City and Yoshida Town, Shizuoka Prefecture”
• Disaster Investigation Report: Associate Professor Yoshiya Toge “The 2025 Ofunato City Forest Fire and the Restoration of Mountain Forests”
• Disaster Investigation Report: Prof Sameh Ahmed Kantoush “Understanding Extreme Flood Dynamics: Post-Flood Field Assessment in Central Vietnam and Northern Luzon (Philippines)”
• Technical Support Report: Mikihiro Nakamoto, Professional Staff (Technical) “Technical Support Initiatives at the Ujigawa Open Laboratory”
• Closing Remarks (Deputy Director Katsuya Yamori)
• Research Presentation Symposium 2026 Plenary Session [YouTube Playlist]
• Kyoto University Disaster Prevention Research Institute DPRI-LU [YouTube Channel]

Please visit  2026 DPRI Research Presentation Conference

Award Recipient: Shusaku Ueno [Severe Storm and Extreme Weather Research Division, Research Center for Climate Change Adaptation Strategy / Doctoral Student (D1), Graduate School of Science (at the time of the award)]

Award Name: Matsuno Prize at the 2025 Autumn Meeting of the Meteorological Society of Japan

Award Title: ‘Establishment of High-Precision Weather Modelling Techniques and Phenomenological Analysis for the Osaka Bay Area: Part 2’

Date of Award: 11 December 2025

• Meteorological Society of Japan
• Awards

Details are as follows:

Award Recipients: Seiji Tsuno, Fumiaki Nagashima, Hiroshi Kawase, Hiroaki Yamanaka, and Shinichi Matsushima

Award Name: The 2025 EPS Special Award

Award-Winning Paper: Predicted results of weak and strong ground motions at the target site of the blind prediction exercise as Steps 2 and 3: Report on the experiments for the 6th International Symposium on Effects of Surface Geology on Seismic Motion (Earth, Planets and Space 2023 75:130, Published on: 29 August 2023)

Award Date: 11 March 2026

• About the EPS Special Award…

“The EPS Excellent Paper Award was established in 2016 to recognize excellent papers that have been published in “Earth, Planets and Space.” The award will be presented to the authors of papers published with EPS in the last five years. One paper will be selected from each year. The award will be granted to a nominated paper selected by the EPS Excellent Paper Award Committee, which is composed of the members of the EPS editorial board. The editor-in-chief and the presidents of the five supporting societies shall award the winning paper.” (excerpt from the EPS Special Award website)

• Predicted results of weak and strong ground motions at the target site of the blind prediction exercise as steps-2 and -3, Report for the experiments for the 6th international symposium on effects of surface geology on seismic motion [Springer]
• Awards [Earth, Planets and Space]

• Dr. Irasema Alcántara-Ayala, Professor at the Institute of Geography, National Autonomous University of Mexico, was presented with the 11th DPRI Award (FY2024) Research and Education Achievement Award
• Dr. Charles Scawthorn, Professor Emeritus at the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Centre, University of California, Berkeley, USA was presented with the 12th DPRI Award (FY2025) Research Collaboration Contribution Award.

Both recipients were also conferred with the lifetime title of DPRI Fellow.

At the 11th award ceremony, Deputy Director Yuki Sakai introduced Dr Alcantara-Ayala’s contributions to the Institute’s research and educational activities, and Director Tomoharu Hori presented the certificate of commendation and a commemorative gift.

Following this, the awardee, Dr Alcantara-Ayala, delivered a commemorative lecture entitled “From Signals to Meaning: Risk Understanding at the Heart of Early Warning and Preparedness – Why Warnings Only Work When They Are Understood”.

At the 12th award ceremony, Deputy Director Sakai introduced Dr Scowthorn and his contributions to the Institute. Prof. Tomoharu Hori,  Director, DPRI presented him with a certificate of commendation and a commemorative gift.

This was followed by the commemorative lecture by Prof. Charles Scawthorn on “Fifty Years of Earthquake Research: Or How Japan Helped Me Make a Small Contribution to Earthquake Engineering”.

• Past DPRI Award Recipients (DPRI Fellows) and Past Award-winning Organisations (DPRI Fellow Institutes)
• The 11th and 12th DPRI Award Ceremonies

The Science and Technology Cooperation Corps is a new initiative promoted by JICA, a scheme that dispatches young Japanese researchers to research institutions in developing countries to conduct joint research with local researchers. Mr. Shukei Oyanagi, who has withdrawn from his doctoral programme under the research supervision exemption and is currently enrolled as a research student, will be dispatched to the National Centre for Disaster Prevention in Mexico for a period of two years, starting around August 2026 (tentative). He will work on the introduction of an automatic earthquake detection system and the evaluation of earthquake occurrence probabilities, as well as the social implementation of evaluation methods.

At the signing ceremony, Mr Masayuki Hirosawa, Director of the JICA Kansai Centre, and Professor Yasuyuki Kono, Vice-President of the University and Head of the International Strategy Headquarters, expressed their expectations for the Science and Technology Cooperation Corps. Furthermore, Director Tomoharu Hori of the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI) noted that the long-standing research exchange with Mexico had borne fruit, culminating in this dispatch, whilst Mr. Oyanagi shared his aspirations for his activities in Mexico.

This signing ceremony was held in collaboration with Graduate School of Advanced Integrated Studies in Human Survivability, Kyoto University, Japan.

During the meeting, comprehensive discussions were held on potential future collaborations between AMEXCID and DPRI, building upon the existing Joint Statement that had been previously concluded.

The visit also provided an opportunity to share the ongoing achievements of the Kyoto University On-site Laboratory “International Laboratory for Earthquake and Tsunami Cognition and Risk Reduction (iLETs)” in Mexico, as well as research outcomes from the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS) project titled “Compound Disaster Risk Reduction associated with Large Earthquakes and Tsunamis.”

The signing ceremony was held at Kagoshima City Hall. The ceremony was attended by Director Professor Tomoharu Hori, Director and Professor Haruhisa Nakamichi of the Research Center for Volcano Hazards Mitigation, and the Head and Professor Tomoki Tsutsui of Colossal Eruptions. The agreement was signed by the Kagoshima City Mayor Takao Shimozuru and Director Hori.

Kagoshima City establish the Sakurajima Volcano Disaster Prevention Research Institute in June 2024 to conduct research to contribute to countermeasures and emergency response in the event of a large-scale Sakurajima eruption. Professor Emeritus Masato Iguchi (former Director of the Research Center for Volcano Hazards Mitigation)  serves as the Director. The newly signed Agreement of Cooperation will serve as a framework to provide academic and technical support for efforts by the Research Center.

It is also anticipated that the Agreement will widen collaboration in a broad range of areas including mutual sharing of data on Sakurajima volcanic activity, join research efforts on volcanic and hazards prediction, application on evacuation plans and disaster prevention education.

By leveraging on the accumulated knowledge  over many years by the Research Center for Volcano Hazards Mitigation, Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University, Kagoshima City aims to link scientific knowledge with local practices. The results and observation data obtained are expected to be used to refine disaster prevention maps, review evacuation plans, and raise disaster prevention awareness among citizens.

• Opening of the Sakurajima Volcano Disaster Prevention Research Institute

連携協力協定締結式のようす（左から、中道センター長、堀所長、下鶴鹿児島市長、井口名誉教授）

Signing Ceremony of the Agreement of Cooperation (from left: Center Director Nakamichi, Director Hori, Kagoshima City Mayor Shimozuru, and Professor Emeritus Iguchi)

As stated in the Chile-Japan Academic Forum 2025 website, the forum is built on a decade of academic exchanges and research collaboration between the two countries.  This is a biennial forum which brings together researchers and institutions from both countries to strengthen ties and explore joint initiatives across diverse fields of knowledge.

The 5th Chile-Japan Academic Forum 2025 covered the following themes:

• W1. Astronomy & Astronomical Instrumentation
• W2. Earth Sciences, Climate Change & Disaster Preparedness
• W3. Engineering & Science for Health
• W4. Social, Cultural and Educational Challenges
• W5. Ecology, Sustainable Architecture & Urban Planning
• W6. Quality of Life, Food & Wellbeing Solutions for the Elderly

Each workshop provided a valuable insight on the subject and paved the way to share information and advance discussions toward new collaborative research opportunities.

The workshop no.4 on Social, Cultural and Educational Challenges is organized by the University of Tokyo, as part of the 2nd Japan-Latin America Academic Conference 2025 – https://www.gsi.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp/event/6328/.  As a pre-session of this event, they also hosted the 2025 UTokyo LAINAC Research Workshop on Transcontinental Dialogue on Social Movements, Popular Protests, and Contentious Politics in Asia and Latin America.” This workshop will take place over three days, from 27 to 29 September at the Kyoto University, Centennial Hall, Clock Tower, and the Inamori Foundation Memorial Hall.

The 5th Chile-Japan Academic Forum 2025 was organized by leading universities in Chile and in collaboration with two major universities in Japan as follows:

University of Chile (UChile)

Catholic University of Chile (UC)

University of Concepción (UdeC)

University of Tokyo (Tōdai); and

Kyoto University (Kyōdai).

The aim of the forum is to establish an academic platform to promote scientific and research collaboration between both countries.  The Forum is not limited to both countries but is open to other collaborators from universities and research centers with strong regional ties to Asia and Latin America.

The initiation of the Forum stems back to the success of the UTokyo Forum 2013 held in Santiago and Sao Paulo in November 2013 which was the First Chile-Japan Academic Forum.  This was repeated the following year at the University of Tokyo when the forum was held from 6-9 October 20214. Since then, it has been held biannually to foster long-standing research collaboration between the two countries across various research disciplines. Visit about the Forum for further information.

Prior to the opening ceremony, a social gathering was held in a special conference room at the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University with various high-profile participants among which were the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary H.E. Mr. Ricardo Rojas (Republic of Chile), Deputy Director Carlos Ladrix of Applied Research, National Agency for Research and Development (ANID), Rector Rosa Devés, The University of Chile, the University of Tokyo, Institute of Astronomy Director Kotaro Kohno, Executive Vice President Tetsuo Sawaragi of Kyoto University;  Director Tomoharu Hori of the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University; and Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) General Manager Masami Matsumoto.

Most of the above-mentioned dignitaries also participated in the Opening Ceremony of the Forum and covered various topics in relevance to Forum themes in their keynote remarks. The Opening Ceremony was followed by a group photograph and a welcome reception.

Second and third day of the Forum held six workshops at various meeting rooms of the DPRI, Kyoto University.

On the fourth day of the Forum, included panel discussion sessions to discuss the reports from the six workshops and the closing ceremony.

Approximately 150 researchers and graduate students from Japan and Chile participated.

The Forum was not only about the academia.  It also gave an opportunity for the participants to enjoy the cultural aspects of the host country.  The participants visited the Byodoin Temple in Uji, Kyoto; and also used the opportunity to visit EXPO2025 in Osaka.

• 5th Chile-Japan Academic Forum 2025
• 5th Chile-Japan Academic Forum 2025 at Kyoto
• 2nd Japan-Latin America Academic Conference 2025

Special Discussion Session at the Director’s Conference Room, Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University, Japan

Group Photo: 5th Chile-Japan Academic Forum; and 2nd Japan-Latin America Academic Forum

@EXPO2025, Chile Pavilion

Details of the award are as follows:

Recipients: Associate Professor Yoshiya Toge, Chenling Sun (Water Resources Research Center/Graduate School of Engineering, Department of Urban and Social Engineering, PhD student), and others.

Name of Award: JSCE Global Environmental Paper Award 2025 (JSCE GEE Award)

Winning Paper: 「2021 年西宮林野火災を対象とした林床の残存有機物の熱重量示差熱分析」(Translated as:  Thermogravimetric Differential Thermal Analysis of Residual Organic Matter on the Forest Floor during the 2021 Nishinomiya Forest Fire) Japan Society of Civil Engineers, Vol. 80, No. 27, 24-27007, 2024

Date of Award: 26 September 2025

• JSCE Global Environmental Paper Award (JSCE GEE Award)…

The JSCE Global Environmental Paper Award (JSCE GEE Award) is awarded to a paper or note published in Transactions of Global Environmental Research on global environmental issues that is recognized as having made original achievements and significant contributions to the academic and technological advancement and development of civil and environmental engineering (up to one paper). The award is open to papers or notes.

Details of the award are as follows:

Name of Recipient: Professor Takahiro Sayama

Name of Award: 2025 Japan Society of Hydrology and Water Resources Academic Award

Reason for Award: Conducting research on the development and application of the Rainfall-Runoff-Inundation Model (RRI Model)

Date of Award: 18 September 2025

• Japan Society of Hydrology and Water Resources

Details of the accolade are as follows:

Name of Recipient: Professor Emeritus Masaharu Fujita (currently Research Advisor, Japan Society of Erosion Control Engineering (SABO) and Landslide Technical Center.

Name of Award: 2025 Prime Minister’s Commendation for Disaster Prevention – Landslide Prevention Activities (Individual) [Establishment of Disaster Prevention Systems]

Reason for Award:

During Prof. Fujita’s affiliation with the Kyoto University spanning over many years, he has triumphed with numerous research achievements in erosion control science, and contributed significantly to improving regional disaster prevention capabilities. In particular, he developed the Storm Induced Multi‐Hazard Information Simulator (SiMHiS), the sediment dynamics analysis model, a support tool for evacuation warnings and evacuation, predicting the occurrence of hazards that affect evacuation behavior under various rainfall patterns. This simulator is also utilized in pre-disaster prevention activities in local and regional areas, significantly contributing to improving regional disaster prevention capabilities.

He has also participated in numerous committees, primarily for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and prefectures in the Kinki region, providing precise technical and academic advice and guidance based on the latest research results and advanced knowledge, making significant contributions to the planning and implementation of more effective erosion control measures.

He has published extensively in academic journals including the Journal of the Erosion Control Society.  Furthermore, he has implemented high-quality education materials and systems at universities, which has produced many excellent erosion control engineers. He has delivered keynote speeches at various symposia and academic conferences, and given lectures and explanations on landslide disasters, thereby contributing to the transfer of his technical skills to young researchers and engineers through lectures and public relations activities.

In addition, as President of the Japan Society of Erosion Control Engineering from 2020 to 2022, he organized reconnaissance teams after disasters and led on-site investigations of landslides that occurred throughout Japan, organized emergency investigation teams, and compiled and published reports based on these investigations, contributing to the study of disaster causes and future countermeasures. He has significantly contributed to the field of erosion control science and disaster control mechanisms.

Award Date: 17 September 2025

出典：首相官邸ホームページ（https://www.kantei.go.jp/jp/103/actions/202509/17hyousyou.html）

Source: Prime Minister’s Office Website (https://www.kantei.go.jp/jp/103/actions/202509/17hyousyou.html)

• 2025 Recipients of the Prime Minister’s Award for Disaster Prevention Contributions Announced! [Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, PDF]
• Prime Minister’s Award Ceremony for Disaster Prevention Contributions [Prime Minister’s Office]

Details of the award are given follows:

Recipient: Rui Inoue [Dynamics of Foundation Structures, Research Division of Earthquake Disasters, DPRI, Kyoto University / Graduated from the Master’s Program in Architecture, Graduate School of Engineering, currently employed at Shimizu Corporation]

Award Name: 2025 (17th) Kinki Branch Architectural Institute of Japan (AIJ) Research Presentation Award for Outstanding Presentation

Announcement: 中低層建物の微動計測に基づく振動解析モデルの不確定性を考慮した非観測階応答推定法の提案 (Proposal of a non-observed floor response estimation method considering the uncertainty of vibration analysis models based on microtremor measurements in low- and mid-rise buildings)

Award Date: July 2025

• Announcement of the “Outstanding Presentation Award” Recipients for the 2025 (17th) Kinki Branch Architectural Institute of Japan Research Presentation Award 

It demonstrates that training with short-term data (just two years) significantly improves prediction accuracy compared to the conventional approach of optimizing numerical models using long-term data. The “finding demonstrate that short-window calibration substantially enhances model capability for capturing wave-driven seasonal shoreline changes, offering a practical solution for coastal risk assessment using limited observational data. This approach is particularly valuable given increasing availability of satellite-derived shoreline data and the need for accurate seasonal predictions under changing climate conditions.” (excerpt from Abstract)

Click below to review the full article:

• Less Is More: Short-Term Window Calibration Improves Seasonal Shoreline Prediction in Modeling

The results of this research were published in the international academic journal “Geophysical Research Letters” on August 28, 2025.

Details of the award are as follows:

Award recipients: Kun-Sian Lin, Masahiro Kurata, Yutaro Kawasaki, Yoshio Kitatani

Award name: 2024 Best Paper Awards from Japan Architectural Review, International Journal of Japan Architectural Review for Engineering and Design (JAR)

Awarded paper: Kun-Sian Lin, Masahiro Kurata, Yutaro Kawasaki, Yoshio Kitatani for “Investigation of low-disturbance seismic retrofit method for steel column bases using curved members”
JAPAN ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW 7.1 (2024): e12429.
https://doi.org/10.1002/2475-8876.12429

Award date: August 2025

• 2024 Best Paper Awards from Japan Architectural Review, International Journal of Japan Architectural Review for Engineering and Design (JAR) (Wiley Online Library, Kyoto University)
• Department of Architecture Young Researcher Award [Kyoto University, Department of Architecture and Architectural Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University

This collaboration aims to develop technologies to predict various anticipated disasters, as well as disaster prevention and mitigation technologies, in light of the increasing severity and frequency of floods and landslides caused by recent climate phenomena, and the imminent risk of earthquakes caused by a major Nankai Trough earthquake and an earthquake directly beneath the capital of Tokyo. It also aims to contribute to the ongoing strengthening of national resilience and regional revitalization efforts.

Disaster Prevention Research Institute and OYO Corporation have collaborated for many years on the development of disaster prevention and mitigation technologies that contribute to national resilience and regional revitalization.

(From L-R: Oyo Coporation CEO Hirofumi Amano and Kyoto University, DPRI Director Tomoharu Hori)

• Oyo Corporation

Details of the award are as follows:

Name of Awardee: Ryota Nakamura, Part-time Researcher at the Research Center for Climate Change Adaptation Strategy (CASTr), DPRI, Kyoto University

Award Name: 2025 Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Award for Outstanding Researcher/Research Institutions from the River Foundation

Awarded Research: Study on Sediment Volume and Quality in Run-of-Water Dam Reservoirs

Award Date: 22 August 2025

What is the River Fund’s Outstanding Research Achievement?

The River Foundation, established in 1988 by the approval of the Cabinet Office to urgently promote river improvement in cooperation with the private sector. The River Foundation uses its investment profits to support various river-related activities such as surveys and research, activities to deepen public understanding of rivers conducted by river development organizations which include citizen groups, and river education through grants to schools to study the environment, disaster prevention, history and culture through rivers and river basins.

The River Foundation

火山砂防に関する講演会の写真（2025年8月24日，中尾公民館）Photos from a lecture on volcanic erosion control (August 24, 2025, Nakao Community Center)

Aコース現地巡検（高原川流域）Course A Field Excursion (Takahara River Basin)

穂高砂防観測所ヒル谷観測堰堤の排砂見学Visiting the sand removal process at the Hirudani Observation Dam at the Hotaka Erosion Control Observatory

• Japan Society of Erosion Control Engineering (SABO)

The term of office is two years starting from 2026 to 2028.

Associate Professor Ito is pictures on the far right

• General Election 2025 Results [Asia Oceania Geosciences Society]

H.E. Ms. Melba Pria, Ambassador to Mexico and and Salvadoran Ambassador H.E.Mr. Diego Alejandro Dalton Rosales, Ambassador to El Salvador attended the Opening Ceremony of the symposium.  They expressed their gratitude for the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University efforts to promote international collaborative research in both Mexico and El Salvador. They encouraged such further research developments in their respective countries.

The two ambassadors also attended a luncheon hosted by prof. Yusuyuki Kono, Vice-Director, Institute for the future of Human Society, and Prof. Tomoharu Hori, Director, Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University.

• International Research Laboratory for Earthquake and Tsunami Risk Cognition and Reduction (iLETs), Kyoto University On-site Laboratory
• Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS), Compound Disaster Risk Reduction associated with Large Earthquakes and Tsunamis

Details of the award are given below:

Recipient: Professor Nobuhito Mori et al.

Award Name: Bill Curtin Medal 2025, Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE), United Kingdom Awarded Paper: Destabilization of Seawall Ground by Ocean Waves [Géotechnique]

Award Date: July 2025

• Destabilization of Seawall Ground by Ocean Waves [Paper Abstract / ICE Virtual Library]

For more information, please refer to the attached links:

• A new statistical method of rapid event attribution for probability of extreme events: applications to heatwave events in Japan

The proposed project, titled “Development of an Integrated Simulation Platform for a Sustainable and Competitive Maritime Industry” (tentative title), is part of the broader research concept: “Advanced Environmental Forecasting Technology with High Resolution and Accuracy to Support the Development of High-Performance Next-Generation Ships Using Digital Technologies and Ensure Stable Maritime Operations.”

This proposal has been officially selected by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST).

Further details are provided below.

July 8th, 2025

MTI Co., Ltd.
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.
Tsuneishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.
Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology
Japan Marine United Corporation
Mitsui E&S Co., Ltd.
National Maritime Research Institute
Akishima Laboratory Inc.
The University of Osaka
Kyoto University

“Development of Integrated Simulation Platform for Sustainable and Competitive Maritime Industry”

has been selected as a R&D project under K Program

MTI Co., Ltd. (a NYK Group company), Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., Tsuneishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Japan Marine United Corporation, Mitsui E&S Co., Ltd., National Maritime Research Institute, Akishima Laboratory Inc., Graduate School of Engineering The University of Osaka and Kyoto University cooperatively proposed a project “Development of Integrated Simulation Platform for Sustainable and Competitive Maritime Industry” and the project has been selected by JST, Japan Science and Technology Agency. It aims at to realize the R&D Concept of “Digital technology for designing and constructing next generation cargo ship” and “High resolution, high precision weather forecasting technology for stable ship operation” set out in the Key and Advanced Technology R&D through Cross Community Collaboration Program (K Program) of Japanese Government.

K Program promotes research and development, as well as the utilization of its outcomes, for advanced and critical technologies that are essential for Japan to maintain a solid position in the international community over the medium to long term. As one of the projects undertaken in the K Program, we aim of securing world-leading next generation ship development, design and construction capabilities, and ensuring safe marine transportation in accordance with the R&D vision identified by Council for Promotion of Integrated Innovation Strategy and the R&D Concept set out by Japan’s Cabinet Office and MEXT, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

1. Project Title:
“Development of Integrated Simulation Platform for Sustainable and Competitive Maritime Industry”
*The project title could be changed at a later stage

2. Project Leader:
Hideyuki ANDO, Director of MTI Co., Ltd.

3. Project outline:
The focus of ship demand will shift toward high-performance next-generation ships that adopt alternative fuels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, energy-saving technologies such as wind propulsion, and advanced integrated control systems including autonomous navigation. Japan’s maritime industry faces the challenge of developing and supplying next-generation ships with increasingly sophisticated and complex functions in shorter lead time, while also expanding its shipbuilding capacity to meet growing global demand amid a declining labor force.
To address this, this research and development project will establish an “Integrated Simulation Platform” that enables simultaneous consideration of ship lifecycle and supply chain, at the initial development and design stages, to optimize ship design and construction plans. This project will promote the implementation of virtual engineering concept and techniques into the maritime industry.
Additionally, regarding weather and sea condition predictions that impact the safe and stable ship operations, a seasonal prediction technology, covering 1 to 3 months in advance, including extreme phenomena such as typhoons, will be developed and integrated into the platform.

4. Project period: 5 years
*The project will start after the Program Director approves the project plan.

5. Project budget: Maximum JPY 12 billion
*The total budget in the entire R&D Concept

6. Contact information:
MTI Co., Ltd.
JCAST Project Management Office under K Program
E-mail: MTI.ML.JCAST_Admin@monohakobi.com

7. Related links:
i. JST Press Releases (in Japanese)
ii. Japan’s Cabinet Office: R&D Concept (in Japanese)“Digital technology for designing and building next generation cargo ships” and “High resolution, high precision weather forecasting technology for stable ship operation”

This award recognizes the importance of the paper that served as the basis for Researcher Kuroda’s doctoral thesis. See below for details.

The award is in recognition of Mr. Kuroda’s doctoral thesis.

Details of the award are given below:

Recipient: Nozomu Kuroda, Part-time Researcher

Name of Award: 2024 JSCE Encouragement Award for Papers

Winning Paper: 「平成30年7月豪雨後の産業部門における売上回復過程の統計分析」”Statistical Analysis of the Sales Recovery Process in the Industrial Sector after the July 2018 Heavy Rains” [JSCE Transactions B1

Published in the Journal of Japan Society of Civil Engineers, Ser. B1 (Hydraulic Engineering) 土木学会論文集B1（水工学）Vol.78, No.1, pp.48-62, 2022.］ Vol. 78, No. 1, pp. 48-62, 2022.]

Date of Award: 13 June 2025

About JSCE Encouragement Award for Paper

The award recipients are young researchers (under 40 years of age as of 1 April) who have published papers in the Journal of the Japan Society of Civil Engineers, Transactions of the Japan Society of Civil Engineers, or other JSCE publications on research areas such as planning, design, construction, invention, maintenance, etc.

The research work should also should be recognized by their peers as contributing to the academic and technological advancement and development of civil engineering, and as being exceptional quality in originality and benefit to the field. In addition, the award recipient must be the sole/lead author of the paper.

• List of 2024 Japan Society of Civil Engineers Award Winners [Japan Society of Civil Engineers]

The event, titled “Reshaping Rivers: Hydro-Hazards, Human Impacts, and Predictive Modelling in a Changing Climate,” brought together experts to exchange cutting-edge knowledge on large river systems and their dynamic responses to natural and human influences. The symposium featured a high-level dialogue on future joint research between DPRI and NTU, with emphasis on collaborative project development, data sharing, and student exchange. Participants also toured the state-of-the-art laboratories at EOS, fostering deeper institutional ties.

Details of the award are as follows:

Recipient: Professor Masayuki Maki

Award Name: Order of the Sacred Treasure “Gold Rays with Rosette”

Reason for Award: Distinguished Service to Scientific and Technological Research

Date of Award: 3 November 2024

About the Decoration:

The Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Rosette is one of Japan’s highest accolades honouring individuals who have made significant and long-and-outstanding contributions in the public service of the national or local government for many years in their respective research areas.  It is conferred by the Emperor of Japan during autumn.

• Autumn 2024 Imperial Decorations Kagoshima Prefecture [Cabinet Office, PDF]
• Autumn 2024 Imperial Decorations [Cabinet Office]

Details of the award are as follows:

Name of Recipient: Professor Tetsuo Kobayashi

Award Name: 2025 Award by the Volcanological Society of Japan

Title of Award: 「火山地質学研究および人材育成への貢献」Contribution to Volcanic Geology Research and Human Resource Development”

Date of Award: 12 May 2025

About the Volcanology Society of Japan Award

This accolade is presented to individuals or organizations who are making outstanding contributions to volcanology research in Japan over the years. It is one of the highest and prestigious awards by the Volcanology Society of Japan.

• Results of the 2025 Japan Society of Volcanology Awards [Japan Society of Volcanology]

“Understanding the focal mechanism of an earthquake, which indicates fault movement and geometry, is essential to understanding the earthquake process. We propose a method for estimating focal mechanisms using data from a novel fiber-optic sensing technique called distributed acoustic sensing (DAS).”

For further details, refer to the full  article – Estimating Focal Mechanism of Small Earthquakes Using S/P Amplitude Ratios of Distributed Acoustic Sensing Records published online in the International academic Journal Geophysical Research Letters on 3 May 2025.

• Estimating Focal Mechanism of Small Earthquakes Using S/P Amplitude Ratios of Distributed Acoustic Sensin
• 地震計を使わないで地震を超高密に観測する―光ファイバーセンシング技術で捉えた京都府南部の地震の発生メカニズム―［京都大学］

Details are as follows.

Name of awardee: Professor Emeritus Hajime Mase

Name of award: 2024 Research Achievement Award by the Japan Society of Civil Engineers

Title of award: ” Construction and development of an integrated wave over topping calculation model”

Date of award: 13 June 2025

• 令和6年度受賞一覧［公益社団法人土木学会］

The Ceremony was attended by the Rector of the National University of El Salvador, Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, and Director of the JICA El Salvador Office. From the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University, Dr. Genta Nakano and Dr. Tomoaki Nishikawa attended the ceremony.

• SATREPS

Due to the effects of urbanization and global warming, there are concerns that urban weather disasters will become more severe. In particular, heavy rain disasters occur almost every year, and countermeasures against them are a socially important issue.

Results of this research “Effects of modifying surface sensible heat flux on summertime local precipitation in urban areas of Osaka, Japan” were published online in the international academic journal “Theoretical and Applied Climatology” on 12 May 2025.

For more information, please see the link below.

• Kenta Irie, Tetsuya Takemi (2025). Effects of modifying surface sensible heat flux on summertime local precipitation in urban areas of Osaka, Japan. Theoretical and Applied Climatology, 156, 6, 308.
• Kyoto University

• 2024 DPRI Annual Meeting – Plenary Sessions  – YouTube再生リスト］
• 令和6年度京都大学防災研究所研究発表講演会

Details are as follows.

Among the contributors from the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University were Dr. Genta Nakano, Dr. Motohiro Homma, and Emeritus Professor Yoshihisa Iio.

Editor: Katsuya Yamori (ed.)

Book title: “Open Science of Natural Disasters – A Form of Science Made by Everyone”

No. of pages: 244 pages

Published by:  Shinyosha on April 4, 2025

About this book (from the editor)

Open sciences aims at making science more appealing by involving not only experts but also the general public. This book summarizes the results of efforts to apply the concept of open science in the filed of disaster prevention.  The Abuyama Observatory of the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University is used as one of the settings.

• Visit the link for the Table of Contents

Details are as follows.

Name of the awardee: Storyteller category KOBE1995 (Advisor: Professor Katsuya Yamori)

Name of the award: 79th Kobe Shimbun Peace Award

Title of the award: “Established as a citizen group in 2005, 10 years after Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, it has been passing on the experiences of the disaster to the next generation.  Their activities are not limited to schools and communities in Hyogo Prefecture but spans nationwide.  The storytellers come from all walks of lives and ages from bereaved families who have lost their relatives, to members born on the day of the earthquake.  Their intention is to pass on the memories to the next generation so that they can be prepared for the unforeseen disasters.”

Date of award: June 2025

• Kataribe (storyteller) KOBE1995 [Research Center Disaster Reduction System]
• Kobe Shimbun

The forum brought together over 600 participants from more than 30 countries, including high-level government representatives, international organizations, researchers, NGOs, and private sector stakeholders. Discussions focused on the urgent challenges of climate change, sustainable development, and regional cooperation in water resource management and the transition to a green economy.

The opening ceremony was attended and opened by the Presidents of all five Central Asian countries (Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan), along with the President of the European Commission, the UN Secretary-General (via video message), representatives from the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and other high-level international partners. Major international donors were also present.

This workshop was coordinated, based on the MOU relationships of DPRI with Department of Atmospheric Sciences, National Central University (NCU) and College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences, University of Oklahoma (OU), by Prof. Tetsuya Takemi at DPRI, Prof. Shu-Chih Yang at NCU, and Prof. Tian-You Yu at OU, and hosted by Department of Atmospheric Sciences, NCU. From DPRI, Profs. Eiichi Nakakita, Kosei Yamaguchi, Seika Tanji, and Takemi as well as some students participated in the workshop.

On the first day, Prof. Eiichi Nakakita gave a keynote speech, and the Elite Forum “Extreme Weather Prediction and Risk Management under Climate Change: Experiences in Taiwan, Japan, and U.S.” was held. On the 2nd and 3rd day, oral presentations by professors and researchers at NCU, OU, and KU were given. We also held a student poster session in the afternoon of the 3rd day, with a lot of interactions among professors, researchers, and students. On the 4th day, we had an intensive course with lectures by professors of OU and KU on the topics of radar observations and analyses, numerical weather prediction, and turbulent transport modeling for students from NCU, OU, and KU. Through the 4-day workshop, we had many interactions and communications among professors, researchers, and students.

Keynote speech by Prof. Nakakita

Students group photo

DPRI and BRGM have been collaborating since 2009 on research such as seismic source rupture process, propagation and amplification characteristics of ground motions, estimation of building response, and damage estimation of lifelines. A Memorandum of Understanding was first signed in 2013 and extended in 2018, to continue a fruitful 10-year cooperation and exchange. This time, with BRGM under a new executive structure and preparing to be re-accredited as a research institution in France, the two institutes have signed a new academic exchange agreement.

Under the new academic exchange agreement, in addition to the research fields that have been collaborating, research on geohazards and landslides, climate change risk, coastal disaster and Tsunami estimation will be the main topics of collaboration.

Details are as follows.

Award recipient: Yoshikawa Shunpei [Research Division of Atmospheric and Fluvial-Coastal Disasters, Wind Engineering and Wind Resistant Structure /Graduate School of Engineering M2]

Name of award: 2024 Architectural Institute of Japan Annual Conference [Kanto] Academic Lectures, Environmental Engineering Committee, Young Researcher Excellent Presentation Award

Presentation Paper Title: Aerodynamic sound source identification and wind speed estimation in the city based on frequency characteristic analysis (translation)

Award date: 2024

Name of award recipient: Rintaro Okugawa Research Division of Atmospheric and Fluvial-Coastal Disasters, Wind Engineering and Wind Resistant Structure /Graduate School of Engineering M1]

Name of award: 2024 Architectural Institute of Japan Annual Conference [Kanto] Academic Lectures, Environmental Engineering Committee, Young Researcher Excellent Presentation Award

Presentation Paper Title: Proposal of a wind pressure measurement method based on the strain of double-glazed glass that constitutes the building envelope (translation)

Award date: 2024

• 日本建築学会大会［関東］学術講演会
• 日本建築学会大会（関東）学術講演会 環境工学委員会若手優秀発表賞受賞者［日本建築学会環境工学委員会］
• 日本建築学会大会 荷重・信頼性部門若手優秀発表賞［日本建築学会荷重運営委員会］

The Scoping Meeting was held to prepare the draft outline of the Working Group contributions to the Seventh Assessment Report and to work on the details of how the Working Group contributions to be prepared and their proposed timelines.

• IPCC Scoping Meeting of the Working Group Contributions to the Seventh Assessment Report
• Seventh Assessment Report
• 気候変動に関する政府間パネル（IPCC）第７次評価報告書Scoping Meeting

In light of changes in the social environment, such as population decline and the shift to a decarbonized society, the collaboration under this agreement aims to promote the development of technologies to deal with natural disasters, such as floods, earthquakes, and fires, and to contribute to sustainable national resilience and regional revitalization by ensuring that these technologies are effectively utilized in local and on-site areas.

The following research and development projects are planned.

– “Development of methods to prevent flooding of river embankments” and “Research on the sophistication of multi-hazard risk assessment methods”

– Research on highly accurate evaluation of the safety of social infrastructure in consideration of climate change, including the use of the latest weather radar “XRAIN” (a service of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism that provides near real-time radar rainfall information nationwide with high accuracy, high resolution, and high frequency).

The institute will strongly promote its efforts to contribute to society through joint research with Hazama Ando Corporation and the establishment of a strong cooperative relationship through personnel exchange.

Agreement signing ceremony (L: Kazuhiko Kuniya, President and CEO of Hazama Ando Corporation, ​​R: Prof.  Tomoharu Hori, Director, Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University)

The signing ceremony

• 京都大学防災研究所と包括的連携協定を締結［安藤ハザマ］

Details are as follows.

Name of recipient: Professor Tetsuya Sumi

Name of award: Commemorative Medal for the Cause of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam

Title of award: (see below)

Date of award: 14 November 2024

As the leader of WP4 (Disaster Prevention) of the Japan-ASEAN Joint Research Platform for Science, Technology and Innovation (JASTIP) – Promotion of Sustainable Development Research, Prof. Tetsuya Sumi has been conducting joint research on river basin management issues of the Mekong River and the Thu Bon River in central Vietnam through Thuy Loi University in Vietnam, with which he has also concluded an MOU.

“On 14 November 2024, at the Science and Technology Conference towards the 80th Anniversary of the Development of the Water Resources Sector, Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep presented the Medal for the Cause of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam to Prof. Tetsuya Sumi – Kyoto University, Japan.”

• A Partnership Networking forum was held by the Thu Loi University to celebrate its 65th Anniversary on 15 November 2024.

Details are as follows.

Name of Awardee: Takashi Nishizawa (Research Center for Earthquake Hazards/Graduate School of Science, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, D2)

Name of Award: Silver Award from the Graduate School of Science

Title of Award: ” Where does the central subduction zone (inland sea) form?”

Date of Award: December 6, 2024

Comments from the Awardee

Unlike academic conferences, this was a very valuable opportunity to present a poster to non-experts. I’m glad that I was able to effectively convey the interesting aspects of my research. (Takashi Nishizawa)

• 第3回企業説明会・研究交流会を開催しました［京都大学理学研究科］
• 賞創設趣旨［京都大学理学研究科］

In addition to the Jose Luis Macias Vazquez, Director of the Instituto of Geophysics and Javier Gomez Castellanos, Investigation Coordinator of the School of Engineering of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, the opening ceremony was attended by Kozo Honsei, Ambassador of Japan to Mexico, Chiaki Kobayashi, Director General of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Mexico Office, Enrique Guevara Ortiz, Director General of the National Disaster Prevention Center, and Jose Alfredo Galvan Corona, Director General of the Project Operation in Mexico, Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs. From Kyoto University, Yasuyuki Kono, Vice-President for International Strategy and Tomoharu Hori, Director of the Disaster Prevention Research Institute attended the ceremony.

In the symposium that followed, Director Tomoharu Hori gave an opening remarks and Associate Professor Yoshihiro Ito, Assistant Professor Genta Nakano from Disaster Prevention Research Institute and Professor Victor Cruz Atienza and Associate Professor Josue Tago Pacheco from National Autonomous University of Mexico summarized the long-term collaboration and outcomes of the international collaboration between National Autonomous University of Mexico and Kyoto University started from the 1990s to the present day, and expressed their hopes for further international collaborative research based at the “International Research Laboratory for Earthquake and Tsunami Risk Cognition and Reduction”.

The symposium also aimed to explore the potential collaboration with Latin American countries. Ana Milena Prada Uribe, Sub-director of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management, Colombia, Marino Protti Quesada, National University of Costa Rica, Miguel Angel Hernandez Martinez, El Salvador University and Marina Manea, National Autonomous University of Mexico introduced the current research activities and some seeds of the potential future collaborations.

Speech by Vice-president Yasuyuki Kono at the ceremony

Exchanging opinions with Ambassador of Japan to Mexico Kozo Honsei

Presentation of Disaster Prevention Research Institute’s activities by Director Tomoharu Hori

Presentation on the On-Site Laboratory by Associate Professor Yoshihiro Ito

Presentation on the collaborative research with Mexico by Assistant Professor Genta Nakano

With the On-Site Laboratory “International Research Laboratory for Earthquake and Tsunami Risk Cognition and Reduction”, which was approved by the Kyoto University in September 2024 as a cross-bound laboratory established within the National Autonomous University of Mexico and the Disaster Prevention Research Institute of Kyoto University, and the ongoing SATREPS project “Compound Disaster Risk Reduction associated with Large Earthquakes and Tsunamis”, the statement aims to utilize the results of international collaborative research between DPRI and Mexico for disaster risk reduction policies in Mexico, and to strengthen the network with government agencies and universities in Mexico. Vice President Yasuyuki Kono (in charge of international strategy) also attended the signing ceremony.

Signing ceremony (from left: Yasuyuki Kono, Vice-president for international strategy of Kyoto University, Tomoharu Hori, Director of DPRI, Chiaki Kobayashi, Director General of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Mexico Office, Enrique Guevara Ortiz, Director General of the National Disaster Prevention Center, and Jose Alfredo Galvan Corona, Director General of the Project Operation in Mexico, Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs.

Presentation on DPRI’s activities by Director Hori

Signing ceremony

After the signing ceremony, implementation process of the Joint Statement was discussed

Details are as follows:

Name of Awardee: Genta Nakano, Assistant Professor, Research Center for Disaster Reduction Systems, Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University

Name of Award: 6th Meeting of the Urban ReDesign Studies Unit

Title of Award: “Action Research in Disaster Prevention Education aimed at Acquiring Learners’ Proactive Attitudes”

Date of Award: 30 November 2024

• 第6回復興デザイン研究賞受賞者［復興デザイン会議］
• 復興デザイン研究賞（旧復興研究論文賞）［復興デザイン会議］

The “Handbook 2024-2025” by the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University is published.

• You can view the PDF version at the link.
• Past issues

Details are as follows.

Award Recipient: Manamu Miyazoe [Earthquake Disaster Research Center/M2, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Graduate School of Science]

Name of award: Student Outstanding Presentation Award at the 131st Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of Japan

Title of Presentation: “Quantification of plastic deformation ratio using recovered samples from shear experiments on quartz polycrystals”

Date of award: 30 September 2024

What is the Outstanding Student Presentation Award at the Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of Japan…

The “Outstanding Student Presentation Award at the Geological Society of Japan” is awarded to outstanding students in their field of research. The person who is entering the competition must be the presenter and the lead author.

• About the Outstanding Student Presentation Award [131st Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of Japan]

Details are as follows:

Book title: Evacuation Studies – Human Science to “Escape”

Author: Katsuya Yamori

Other details: A5 size, 288 pages, published by the University of Tokyo Press, October 2024

• 避難学－「逃げる」ための人間科学－（東京大学出版会・目次が掲載されています）

The group visited the Sakurajima Volcano Observatory, DPRI, Kyoto University on 38 September 2024.

The delegation group members were:

Director-General Muhammad Wafid Agung;

Director Priatin Hadi Wijaya of the Volcano and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center;

Legal Affairs and Cooperation Team Leader Sofie Yusmira Oktane; and

Researcher and Cooperation Team Leader of the Volcano and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center Sir Hidayati.

Director-General Wafid and Sir Hidayati were also graduates of DRPI.  They received research guidance and obtained their doctorates under the supervision of Professor Emeritus Kyoji Sasa and Professor Emeritus Kazuhiro Ishihara, respectively.

DPRI and the Indonesian Geological Agency extended the Memorandum of Understanding for international exchange in July of this year. In this respect, Director Hori and the Director-General Agung discussed future cooperation between the two organizations.

Name of the awardee: Prof. Katsuya Yamori et.at.

Name of the award: JSCE Global Environmental Paper Award for 2024

Awarded paper: Development and trial of a slope disaster prevention monitoring system with citizen participation

Date of award: 26 September 2024

What is the JSCE Global Environmental Paper Award?…

The award is given to those who have published a paper or note on global environmental issues in the JSCE Global Environmental Research Proceedings.

• JSCE GEE Award Winners [JSCE Global Environment Committee]

The 35th Session of the Open Lecture Series was under the theme of “New Developments in Disaster Prevention Research in Kyoto”.  The series focussed on topics and efforts of research conducted at DPRI, and disaster prevention stories related to Kyoto.

The lecture series was opened by a warm greeting by Prof. Tomoharu Hori, Director, DPRI, Kyoto University.

The following five speakers shared very interesting, lively and easy-to-understand presentations which were very much appreciated by the participants:

• Masatoshi Miyazawa – “Earthquakes occurring closer to home – Southern Kyoto Prefecture”,
• Kochi Hayashi, “Underground structure of the Kyoto Basin as seen through physical exploration and AI”,
• Kana Nakatani, “Understanding the risk of debris flow disasters”,
• Associate Prof. Kobayashi, “Characteristics of Japanese rivers and the uniqueness of the Uji River”, and
• Associate Prof. Yoko Matsuda, “Rethinking of ‘Protecting your own life'”.

At the end of the lecture, there was a Q&A Session with many questions by the audience.

The 35th Session of the Open Lecture Series was closed by Prof. Katsuya Yamori, Deputy Director, DPRI, Kyoto University, Japan.

Among the many positive feedback, one enthusiastic participant commented – “I was able to learn on a wide range of specialized subjects, and especially learn about disaster prevention activities and resources limited to Kyoto, in an easy-to-understand manner,” and “Thank you for the meaningful content. I would like to participate again next year.”

The questions and comments received from the participants will be utilized in educational and research activities to improve our research work to the betterment of the science community and the society.

The DPRI Open Lecture Series will be moving around the region and will be held in Kyoto City biennially.

The lectures are available on YouTube.

• 
• Kyoto University Disaster Prevention Research Institute YouTube Channel [YouTube]

The Research Center for Climate Change Adaptation Strategy (CAStr) was established by the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University on 1 July 2024. The Center aims to conduct research on predictions of meteorological and hydrological disasters, which are expected to become more severe in the future due to climate change.  The Center will also focus on social adaptation, as well as promote collaborative research by researchers within and outside of the university and share the results with the society.

The kick-off meeting which started at 3 p.m., was followed by greetings by the DPRI Director, Prof. Tomoharu Hori,  and Prof. Norihito Tokitoh, Executive Vice-President, Kyoto University. The Opening Remarks were delivered by the Director, Mr. Akira Yamaguchi of the Environment and Energy Division of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology; followed by the greeting of the Director, Mr. Masayoshi Hirose of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism; and  Chief Engineer of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism;  and the Director Mr. Yasuaki Hijioka of the Climate Change Adaptation Center of the National Institute for Environmental Studies.

The opening greetings and remarks were followed by introductory speeches by the members of DPRI, including the CAStr Director Prof. Eiichi Nakakita who introduced the “History of Climate Change Research”.  Other members of DPRI included Prof. Tetsuya Takemi, President of Meteorological Society of Japan who spoke on “The Future of Climate Change Predictions and Impact” and Prof. Nobuhito Mori on “The Current State of Prediction and Adaptation Strategies for Extreme Disasters”.   Dean Tachikawa Yasuto of the Graduate School of Engineering and Director Katahira Masato of the Institute of Advanced Energy discussed pathways “Toward Climate Change Research Collaboration at Kyoto University.” The discussion session was moderated by Prof. Hirokazu Tatano, Deputy Director, CAStr.

• Research Center for Climate Change Adaptation (CAStr), Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University

Details of the Award are as follows.

Name of the Award Recipient: Professor Emeritus Hajime Mase,  Kyoto University et. al.

Name of Award: 26th Award of the Japan Institute of Country-ology and Engineering (JICE)

Award Paper Title: Development of a Flap-Gate Type Movable Breakwater – Tidal floodgate that rises utilizing the difference in water level caused by tsunamis and storm surges –

Date of Award: 31 July 2024

• Recipients of the 26th Award of the Japan Institute of Country-ology and Engineering
• Paper on Development of a Flap-Gate Type Movable Breakwater – Tidal floodgate that rises utilizing the difference in water level caused by tsunamis and storm surges – PDF

Details of the award are as follows:

Name of the Awardee: Yoshimasa Ota [Geohazard Research Division/Graduate School of Science, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences D3]

Name of the Award: Japan Geoscience Union 2024 Student Presentation Award (Earth Human Science Section)

Awarded Paper Title: Reconstruction of the long-term geomorphic development history of uplifted mountain areas: Verification based on analysis of cosmic ray-produced nuclides in sediment source and depositional areas

Award Date: 12 July 2024

Name of the Award Recipient: Reiju Norisugi [Earthquake Disaster Research Center/M1, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Graduate School of Science]

Name of the Award: Japan Geoscience Union 2024 Student Outstanding Presentation Award (Solid Earth Science Section)

Award Paper Title: Machine learning predicts earthquakes in the continuum model of a rate-and-state fault and in a meter-scale laboratory experiment

Date of Award: 12 July 2024

What is the Japan Geoscience Union Student Outstanding Presentation Award?

Eligible recipients should be students at the time of the presentation. Criterion is “focused on the individual abilities of the students, logical structure of the presentation, clarity of the research objectives and results, contribution to the development of the research field, knowledge of existing research, and emphasis on the students’ initiative.” The number of awardees is expected to be 5-10% of the total number of applicants.

• Student Outstanding Presentation Award Winners [Japan Geoscience Union]

The main results of this paper were obtained through collaborative research conducted with Dr. Shenghuay Cui (first author, Associate Professor, Chengdu University of Technology) and Dr. Yao Jiang (co-author, Professor, Chengdu Institute of Mountain Disaster and Environment, Ministry of Water Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences), during their sabbatical at the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto Univeristy, Kyoto, Japan.

This paper also won the 2023 Best Paper Award. In other words, this is the second consecutive year that the same paper has won the award.

Name of the Award: Engineering Geology 2024 Best Paper Award

Authors of the Paper: Shenghua Cui, Xiangjun Pei, Yao Jiang, Gonghui Wang, Xuanmei Fan, Qingwen Yang and Runqiu Huang

Awarded Paper Title: Liquefaction within a bedding fault: Understanding the initiation and movement of the Daguangbao landslide triggered by the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake (Ms = 8.0), Engineering Geology, 295: 106455 (December 20, 2021)

Award Date: May 2024

What is the Engineering Geology Best Paper Award?

This award was established in 2022 by Elsevier, the publisher of the international academic journal of Engineering Geology. The editors of the journal thank all authors who have submitted to the journal and encourage the submission of high-quality papers to the journal. The 2023 Best Paper Award was selected from all papers published in Journal of Engineering Geology between 2020 to 2022.  Th 2024 Best Paper Award was selected from all papers published in the Journal of Engineering Geology between 2021 to 2023.

• Engineering Geology 2024 Best Papers Award [Elsevier]

Prof. Takemi was appointed as the 43rd President of the Meteorological Society of Japan at the 1st Board of Directors Meeting held on 7 June 2024. The term of office is for a period of two years.

For details, please see the link below.

• 43rd Director and Auditor of the Meteorological Society of Japan [Meteorological Society of Japan, Public Interest Foundation]

Name of the Awardee: Nanami Naka,  Atmosphere-Hydrosphere Research Division, Climate Enrionment, DPRI, Kyoto University (D3)

Name of the Award: 2024 Matsuno Award from the Meteorological Society of Japan

Award Content: Analysis of the relationship between precipitation in summer in Japan and MAUL

Award Date: 24 June 2024

What is the Matsuno Award from the Meteorological Society of Japan?

This award is given to students who have contributed excellent presentations on research that was independently conducted by graduate students themselves and have produced highly original and remarkable results. [From the Meteorological Society of Japan website].

• Past winners of the Matsuno Award [Meteorological Society of Japan]
• Various awards (commemorative projects) given by the Meteorological Society of Japan [Meteorological Society of Japan]

A report that has been published by the research group led by Prof. Yukitoshi Fukahata, Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University; and Assistant Prof. Ryo Okuwaki, University of Tsukuba et.al., analyzed seismic waveform data observed around the world to estimate the rupture process of the Noto Peninsula earthquake. As a result, it was found that this earthquake consisted of multiple rupture episodes, and in particular, the initial rupture, which lasted about 10 seconds from the onset of the earthquake, overlapped with an area of ​​active crustal activity that had been observed before the earthquake.

The results of this study were published online in the international academic journal “Geophysical Research Letters” on June 8, 2024.

• A Multiplex Rupture Sequence Under Complex Fault Network Due To Preceding Earthquake Swarms During the 2024 Mw 7.5 Noto Peninsula, Japan, Earthquake

• 令和5年度研究発表講演会プレナリーセッション［YouTubeプレイリスト］
• 令和5年度研究発表講演会研究発表講演会プログラム

• DPRI Newletter 106
• Previous issues of DPRI Newletters

The website includes a Disaster Prevention Research Institute teacher guide that introduces stories about teachers, and a manga called “The Story of Kyoto University’s Rikejo Women.”

Please take a look.

• Welcome to the Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University Disaster Prevention Research Institute Gender Equality Promotion Committee Website
• https://www.dpri.kyoto-u.ac.jp/dei/

• Kyoto University Disaster Prevention Research Institute Gender Equality Promotion Committee Website

You can download the guidance manual to develop a response plan for SEWI announcements, as well as  view reports on research findings.

Please visit the links below for further information.

• Message from the President [Japan Society of Dam Engineering]
• Past presidents [Japan Society of Dam Engineering]

The data was used to analyze approximately 600 earthquakes (aftershocks) that were simultaneously observed by land-based observation networks (earthquakes with a magnitude of 2 or higher were extracted from the centralized earthquake source catalogue of the Japan Meteorological Agency).

Photo 1

The press released was jointly issued with the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC).

https://www.jamstec.go.jp/j/about/press_release/20240524/（JAMSTEC）

Click here for the full press release.

The newly established Center will contribute to river basin flood control and carbon neutrality – to use dams “wisely,” “increase,” and “for a long period of time” –

Visit the links below for further details:

• Establishment of a new research and development center on Dam Upgrading and Sediment Environment Restoration Engineering
• Dam Upgrading and Sediment Environment Restoration Engineering research area

GADRI expresses solidarity with the affected people and academia, and takes action to provide necessary assistance.

Prof. Wei-Sen Li, Secretary-General, National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction (NCDR) has shared the following two disaster reports.

• 0403 Hualien Earthquake report no. 1
• 0403 Hualien Earthquake report No 4.pdf

In the coming two years, I will be supported by four Deputy Directors. Namely:
– Future Planning – Prof. Takeshi Enomoto
– Research and Education – Prof. Yuki Sakai
– Public Relations and International Affairs – Prof. Katsuya Yamori; and
– Integrity and Evaluation – Prof. Takuya Nishimura
 

I count on you to support me in my endeavors to move forward DPRI as a research centre of excellence.
 

For more than 70 years since its establishment, the Disaster Prevention Research Institute has been engaged and contributed in the pursuit of disaster theory and comprehensive research and education related to the construction of disaster prevention science. Natural phenomena (hazards) that bring disasters to us include, and not limited to, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides and slope failures, debris flows, floods/droughts, and strong winds. A key feature of the Disaster Prevention Research Institute is that we have researchers in place working to elucidate the mechanisms of various hazards.
 

The Institute is also unique in terms of bringing together researchers who are investigating the processes and prevention methods not only in the fields of science and engineering, but also in informatics, the humanities, social sciences, and the arts. The Disaster Prevention Research Institute is a place of comprehensive and passionate activities to deeply understand various types of natural phenomena, to analyze the processes that lead to disasters from multiple perspectives, and to create knowledge for disaster prevention.
 

However, and unfortunately, natural disasters claim many lives and property every year. Disaster research is advancing day by day, and there is no doubt that it is helping to prevent and mitigate damage. At the same time, nature and society continue to change, and we are seeing more and more situations where hazards damage areas that have become vulnerable in the course of social development. For example, the Noto Peninsula Earthquake of 2024, in particular it made it difficult to restore the destroyed water supply facilities. Water resources engineering is my field of specialization. In many areas the water supply was cut off. The wide-area and large-scale development of water supply systems, which transport and supply clean water over large distances, has helped to improve supply capacity and efficiency. At the same time, it has also resulted in the weakness that the entire system cannot function unless many of the damaged areas are repaired. Thus, social changes that at a first glance appear to be progressive, may in fact, encompass the risk of disaster.
 

We have to realize that we live in conditions that are not completely safe but are not in immediate danger. The term ‘unforeseen disaster’ “未災” is used to describe this state of affairs, and the idea was born within the Disaster Prevention Research Institute that we must create a society where people realize that they are in a state of unforeseen disaster, and work on disaster prevention and disaster reduction and incorporate it to their daily activities. Furthermore, due to changes in the mechanism of hazard generation, such as global warming, we may encounter hazards that we have never experienced before, which can be considered a disaster. In April 2023, the Research Center for Landslide Disaster Risk Cognition and Reduction was established to especially work in the area of unforeseen disasters.
 

The departments and centers of the Disaster Prevention Research Institute, which have continued research on the theme of disaster prevention and mitigation, will engage in more multi-layered and comprehensive research and education with a new cross-disciplinary field of disaster prevention studies.
 

As I embark on this journey as the Director of DRPI, I count on your continued support and cooperation.
 

April 2024
 

Damage Survey report

Prof. Cruz Atienza received the 2022 DPRI Award for his excellence and outstanding “Research and Education Contributions” to DPRI, Kyoto University.  With the Award, Prof. Cruz also becomes a lifetime DPRI Fellow.

At the award ceremony, Deputy Director of DPRI, Prof. Shinichi Matsushima introduced Dr. Cruz Atienza’s contributions on research and educational activities to DPRI, and Director Eiichi Nakakita presented him with a certificate of commendation and a commemorative gift.

Following the ceremony, Dr. Cruz Atienza gave a commemorative lecture on “Seismogenesis in a Long-Feard Gap: A Sway of Slow and Fast Slip.”

A press release has been issued on the joint implementation of an academic research emergency cruise vessel “Hakuho Maru” in response to the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake. The research is carried out by the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (hereinafter referred to as “JAMSTEC”), Earthquake Research Institute, the University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Science, Hokkaido University, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, Department of Marine Resources and Energy, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokai University A research team consisting of the University’s Faculty of Oceanography, Kyoto University Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Hyogo Prefectural University Graduate School of Science, and Kagoshima University Graduate School of Science and Engineering to investigate the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake that occurred on 1 January 2024. The academic research vessel “Hakuho Maru” owned by JAMSTEC will be used to carry out navigational observations such as seafloor topography surveys in the sea area around the epicenter where active seismic activity continues. The emergency research cruise will involve the installation of a total of two observation devices. The observational equipment installed on this cruise will be recovered after about a month. The data obtained will be analyzed in detail to clarify the actual state of the earthquake fault that caused this earthquake, the mechanism of earthquake and tsunami generation.

Please see the link below for details.

• Academic emergency research cruise vessel “Hakuho Maru” following the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake [JAMSTEC]

Since its establishment in 1951, the Kyoto University Disaster Prevention Research Institute has been engaged in the pursuit of disaster theory spanning from the natural sciences to the humanities and social sciences, as well as comprehensive research and education related to the construction of disaster prevention science. The recent earthquake was a disaster that was a combination of various phenomena, but Disaster Prevention Research Institute staff from various fields such as earthquakes, tsunamis, ground management, and disaster recovery are working together in this instance, and making all-out efforts to prevent disasters through on-site surveys and other means. In addition to contributing to scientific understanding, we will also contribute to the formulation of regional recovery plans based on scientific understanding.

As a first report, we are releasing explanatory videos and materials about the mechanism of earthquake occurrence and damage to buildings. We plan to continue to publish survey results from time to time.

Our prayers and thoughts are with all of you who are affected by this earthquake.

Eiichi Nakakita

Director

Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University

• 2020 Noto Peninsula Earthquake [Disaster Investigation Report] – in Japanese

Disaster investigation reports will be posted on the links below.

• 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake [Disaster Investigation Report] – in Japanese

The two institutes have been engaged in a wide range of research in the field of earthquake engineering since 2002. Prof. Mosalam is currently on a sabbatical at the Research Division of Earthquake Disasters, Earthquake Resistance Structures Division, DPRI, Kyoto University. It is envisaged that the two institutes will closely work together on areas such as structure maintenance and monitoring technology, large-scale structural experiments and simulations, disaster information collection using AI, and early disaster warning information systems.

• Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center, UC Barkley

The Agreement was entered into force in 2013 between the Faculty of Engineering, now the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Swansea University and DPRI, Kyoto University. Since then, they have continued to engage in research exchanges in the field of coastal disaster research under the leadership of the Deputy Director, Prof. Nobuhito Mori who is also serving as honorary professor at Swansea University. The two institutes will work in close cooperation in the areas of coastal disaster mitigation and climate change using Eco-DRR/Nature-based Solutions.

The primary focus of this meeting was to discuss and evaluate the progress of the SATREPS BLUE project.

During his visit to Kyoto University, Minister Abdurakhmonov gained firsthand insights into the innovative research and initiatives undertaken as part of the SATREPS BLUE project. He emphasised the importance of fostering stronger ties between Uzbekistan and Japan in higher education and scientific advancement.

The meeting served as an opportunity to discuss current challenges, future plans, and potential extensions of the SATREPS BLUE project.

（写真左から）甲山治教授、田中賢治教授、アブドゥラフモノフ大臣、長野宇規准教授

Prof. Kozan, Prof. Tanaka, Minister Abdurakhmonov, Prof. Nagano

甲山 治教授、田中賢治教授、アブドゥラクモノフ大臣、長野 宇規 准教授

SATREPSプロジェクトの成果と2024年の計画についての議論
（田中賢治教授、長野宇規教授, ファヤゾフ・オタベク氏, アブドゥラフモノフ・イブロヒム大臣）

Discussion of the SATREPS project achievements and plans for 2024

Prof. Tanaka and Prof. Nagano Minister Abdurakhmonov, Mr. Fayazov

ファヤゾフ・オタベク氏,、アブドゥラフモノフ ・イブロヒム大臣によるウズベキスタン研究の紹介

Minister Abdurakhmonov, Mr. Fayazov

ファヤゾフ オタベク氏, アブドゥラクモノフ イブロヒム大臣によるウズベキスタン研究の紹介

アブドゥラクモノフ ・イブロヒム大臣 フジャナザロフ・ティムール特任助教

Minister Abdurakhmonov, Specially appointed Assistant Professor Khujanazarov.

アブドゥラクモノフ イブロヒム大臣 フジャナザロフ ティムール特任助教

• DPRI Newsletter 104［PDF］
• DPRI Newsletter バックナンバーページ

Details of the award are given below.:

Award Recipient: Genta Nakano, Assistant Professor, Research Center for Disaster Reduction Systems, DPRI, Kyoto University, Japan

Award:  Japan Society for Natural Disaster Science, 2023 Academic Encouragement Award

Award Winning Paper Title: “Conceptual Framework of Nudge Approach for Disaster Risk Reduction: “Nudge or Judge?” That is the question.” by Genta Nakano, Katsuya Yamori, and Luiza Culau published in the Journal of Disaster Science and Management Vol. 41, vol., 1, 2022, pp. 23-38

Award Date: 18 September 2023

• Japan Society for Natural Disaster Science
• Journal of Disaster Science and Management Vol. 41, vol., 1, 2022, pp. 23-38

It is available at the Kyoto University Press.

• Kyoto University Press
• Publications by Kyoto University Researchers

The paper “Identifying robust changes of extreme precipitation in Japan from large ensemble 5-km-grid regional experiments for 4K warming scenario” analysis showed that the frequency and intensity of once-every-50-year heavy rainfall events and linear precipitation zones in Japan will increase as global warming progresses, as will the heavy rainfalls associated with typhoons.

This data will be made public through the Data Integration and Analysis System (DIAS). The data will be useful for analysis of future disaster prevention in Japan against extreme weather events such as heavy rainfall but also extreme heat and heavy snowfall. This data will also be useful for the formulation of global warming adaptation measures.

The research results were published in the international “Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmosphere” on 19 September 2023.

• Journal: Journal of Geophysical Research－Atmosphere

• Paper Title: Identifying robust changes of extreme precipitation in Japan from large ensemble 5-km-grid regional experiments for 4K warming scenario

• Authors: Hiroaki Kawase1, Masaya Nosaka1, Shunichi I. Watanabe1, Koudai Yamamoto2, Tomoya Shimura2, Yukari Naka2, Y.-H. Wu2, Hiroki Okachi3, Tsuyoshi Hoshino4, Rui. Ito5, Shiori Sugimoto5, Chieko Suzuki5, Shin Fukui1, Tetsuya Takemi2, Youichi Ishikawa5, Nobuhito Mori2, Eiichi Nakakita2, Tomohito J. Yamada3, Akihiko Murata1, Tosiyuki Nakaegawa1, and Izuru Takayabu1

• Press Release
• Kyoto University News

Details of the award are given below:

Award Recipient: Soichiro Kurosawa (Mega Disaster Research Center, Mega Disaster Process Research Area/Graduate School of Informatics, Department of Social Informatics, M2)

Award Name: 2023 Excellent Academic Presentation Award, 42nd  Academic Conference of the Japan Society for Natural Disasters, Reiwa 5th Academic Presentation Award

Award Paper Title: Study of Disaster Prevention Learning Materials Using Historical Disaster Records

Award Date: 17 September 2023

• 42nd Academic Conference of the Japan Society for Natural Disaster Science
• Study of Disaster Prevention Learning Materials Using Historical Disaster Records

This year, the 34th time, the theme was “Preparing for earthquakes and volcanic disasters, including those in the Kinki region.” The course also touched on cases in the Kinki region, such as the 2018 earthquake in northern Osaka and the tsunami in Osaka Bay caused by the Nankai Trough.

The session opened with the greetings by the Director, Prof. Eiichi Nakakita, Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University.  Five prominent experts from DPRI took the podium to share their expertise, experiences and share views on the theme of “Preparing for the unknown Earthquakes and Volcanic disasrters – including those in the Kinki Region”.

• Professor Yukitoshi Fukahata, “Japanese Archipelago and Tectonic Plates”,
• Professor Hiroyuki Goto, “Is the earthquake damage as expected? – Using the data of the 2018 northern Osaka earthquake as an example”
• Associate Professor Takeshi Takeguri “Volcanic Disasters – How far does a large-scale eruption affect you?”,
• Assistant Professor Takuya Miyashita “Simulations on General characteristics of tsunamis assuming a Nankai Trough earthquake”,
• Professor Hirokazu Tatano “Disaster Preparedness  – Risk and Crisis Management”

After the presentations the panelists participated in the Q&A session with many questions from the audience.

The 2023 Public Lecture Series was closed with remarks by Prof.  Ryosuke Uzuoka, Vice-Director, DPRI, Kyoto University.

At the end of the session, many participants shared their views and expressed their gratitude for the members of DPRI for taking the initiative to share and educate the general public on topics that are important and useful.

The lectures will be made available on YouTube at a later date.

• Public lecture “Preparing for earthquakes and volcanic disasters, including those in the Kinki region” (lecture materials can be viewed)

This paper focuses on the simultaneous large-scale fires that occurred in Tokyo City following the Kanto Earthquake that occurred on September 1, 1923, and summarizes the actual and estimated aspects of fire occurrence, spread, and the effects of fire air currents. At the same time, by touching on the recent trends in earthquakes and fires in Japan as well as the latest research results on damage prediction and risk assessment, we emphasize that the risk of earthquakes and fires remains significant even in modern times and should not be overlooked.

As Japan approached the 100th anniversary of the Great Kanto Earthquake, it is hoped that the lessons learned from Japan’s historic earthquakes and fires will once again be widely shared internationally and be  utilized for future disaster prevention in earthquake-prone countries.

• C. Scawthorn, T. Nishino, J. C. Schencking, and J. Borland (2023). Kantō Daikasai: The Great Kantō Fire Following the 1923 Earthquake, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 113, 1902–1923. [SSA]
• News [Seismological Society of America] Largest Historic Fire Death Toll Belongs to Aftermath of 1923 Japan Earthquake [SSA]

Details are below.

Award Recipient: Ayaka Nakatsuji, Seismic and Volcanic Hazards Mitigation Research Group /Graduate School of Engineering, Urban Social Engineering M1

Paper Title: 堆積層の影響を考慮した震源断層の動的破壊シミュレーション

(Dynamic rupture simulation of the source fault taking into account the influence of sedimentary layers)

Award Recipient: Taichi Nishimura, Research Division of Atmospheric and Hydrospheric Disasters / M1, Department of Civil Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering

Paper Title: 2008年神戸都賀川豪雨のLES実験と風速場操作による気象制御

(LES experiment for the 2008 Kobe Toga-gawa heavy rain and wind field manipulation by weather control)

Award name: 2023 Yoshida Graduation Research and Thesis Award

Award date: 10 July 2023

• 「令和５年度吉田卒業研究・論文賞授与式」を挙行しました（2023.07.10）［京都大学工学部・大学院工学研究科］

at the 28th International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) Congress held in Berlin, Germany in July 2023, Assistant Professor Xu Peiliang was elected as the Editor-in-Chief of the Springer Journal of Geodesy

Assistant Professor Xu also gave an invited lecture entitled “From high-rate GNSS to technological invention of accelerometers” at the IUGG conference.

The Journal of Geodesy is one of the renowned academic journals of the International Geodesy Association.

Assistant Professor Xu’s appointment as Editor-in-Chief is the first appointment from Asia in the more than 100-year history of the International Geodesy Association. The term of office for the Editor-in-Chief is four years.

Our heartfelt congratulations to Assistant Professor Xu on this appointment.

• International Association of Geodesy
• Journal of Geodesy [Springer]

Details are as follows.

Award Recipient: Yutaro Okada (Research Division of Earthquake Disasters/D3, JSPS Special Researcher, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Graduate School of Science)

Award Presentation Paper: Comparison of slip distribution for four long-term slow slip events in southcentral Alaska

Award Recipient: Takashi Nishizawa [Earthquake Disaster Research Center/Graduate School of Science, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences D1]

Award Presentation Paper: 島弧の高重力異常と沈み込み帯の各種パラメターとの関係

(Relationship between high-gravity anomalies in island arcs and various parameters of subduction zones)

Name of Award:  Excellent Student Presentation Award (Solid Earth Science Section), Japan Geoscience Union 2023

Award date: 27 May 2023

• Excellent Student Presentation［Japan Geoscience Union］

ICOLD is an international organization in which dam experts and representative organizations related to dams discuss a wide range of issues such as dam construction technology, safety management, climate change adaptation measures, and harmony with the natural environment. The conference is considered as one of the mega-conferences in the area of large dams in each country.  Currently, there are 106 member countries.

The term of office for Prof. Prof. Sumi’s appointment is three years starting from 2023 to 2026.

Professor Sumi’s acceptance speech when he was elected Vice President

• Board member［ICOLD│International Conference on Large Dams］

The award created in 2022 by Elsevier and its editors, is to appreciate and encourage authors to submit high-quality papers to be published in the International Journal of Engineering Geology. Papers for the award was selected from papers submitted during the period of 2020 to 2022.

The paper resulted from the joint research project conducted during the stay at DPRI, Kyoto University by the first author, Dr. Shenghua Cui, Associate Professor, Chengdu University of Science and Technology; and the co-author, Dr. Yao Jiang, Professor.

Award name: Engineering Geology 2023 Best Paper Award

Awarded Paper Title: Liquefaction within a bedding fault: Understanding the initiation and movement of the Daguangbao landslide triggered by the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake (Ms = 8.0), Engineering Geology, Volume 295, 20 December 2021, 106455

Authors: Shenghua Cui, Xiangjun Pei, Yao Jiang, Gonghui Wang, Xuanmei Fan, Qingwen Yang and Runqiu Huang

Award date: June 2023

• Engineering Geology News（Engineering Geology 2023 Best Paper Award）

This award is conferred by the International Academic Journal Engineering Geology (Impact factor: 6.902) for those who significantly contribute to high-quality peer review.

Award Recipient: Prof. Guonghui Wang

Award Name: 2022 Outstanding Editorial Board Member (EBM) Award

Reason for Award: in appreciation of exceptional contributions to the high-quality peer review of the journal

Award Date: March 2023

• Engineering Geology News（2022 Outstanding Editorial Board Members for Engineering Geology）

1. Background and Purpose

To build sustainable business continuity system by improving resilience against natural disasters which are increasing in frequency and intensity due to the effects of climate change, which also have become a priority of business industry.

Japan is a country prone to natural disasters. In order to build a sustainable business continuity system, it is necessary to improve evaluation technology that takes into account corporate attributes and supply chains. Therefore, Sompo Japan and Sompo Risk are working together to develop cutting-edge technologies and develop frontiers for social implementation in order to create a resilient society in Japan.

The collaboration with the Disaster Prevention Research Institute of Kyoto University, which is the first of its kind within the Kyoto University, industry, academia, and government will contribute data and human resources to develop quantitative evaluation methods for the financial impact of disasters, and to research and develop financing methods for business continuity using evaluation technologies.

Overview of the research department:

Name of the project:

Disaster Risk Finance Industry-Academia Collaborative Research Division

 Location:

Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University

Duration of the Research Project:

June 2023 to May 2026

2. Main research contents:

1. Sophistication of flood disaster risk modeling for all of Japan
2. Modeling the recovery process from business interruption for businesses targeting natural disasters
3. Development of financing methods that contribute to disaster mitigation and early recovery
4. Building a data utilization network
5. Support for improving disaster resilience using a risk visualization platform

3. About future development

Appropriate financial support and early recovery of supply chains are essential for the business continuity of companies, especially SMEs, in the event of a disaster. This research division uses business activity data to analyze the business and finances of companies (including supply chains) in the event of a disaster, visualize the factors and processes involved in corporate recovery using advanced technology, and develop effective solutions. Through such services, it is aimed to contribute to improving the disaster resilience of client companies.

• 損害保険ジャパン株式会社
• ＳＯＭＰＯリスクマネジメント株式会社

• Japan Society of Community Disaster Management Plan

The links are given below:

• Opening remarks by Prof. Eiichi Nakakita, Director, DPRI, Kyoto University
• Disaster Investigation Report by Prof. Masato Iguchi
• Technical support report Mr.  Shintaro Komatsu, Technical Staff

Special Session:

• 40 Years of Research on Landslides and Sediment Resources with My Colleagues by Prof. Shoji Fujita
• Simply Change by Prof.  Yoshihisa Iio
• Life, Water by Prof.  Tetsuya Hiraishi
• Closing Remarks Ryosuke Uzuoka, Deputy Director, DPRI, Kyoto University

The award ceremony will be held on May 20th.

Details of the award are given below.

Award Recipient: Tetsuya Takemi [Professor, Storm and Environment Research Division, Meteorological and Hydrological Disaster Research Division]

Award Name: 2023 Meteorological Society of Japan Award

Award Winning Paper Title: (Elucidation of dynamics and mechanisms of meso-precipitation systems in diverse environmental fields – translation)

Award Date Will Be: 20 May 2023

• Meteorological Society of Japan

• National University Corporation, The University of Tokyo Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute Climate System Research Division
• Center for Environmental Change Prediction, Global Environment Division, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology
• Office of Research Promotion Division 1, Research Promotion Department, Japan Meteorological Service Support Center
• Division of Meteorology and Water Hazard Research, Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University
• Earth Observation Research Center, National Aerospace Laboratory, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency

The purpose of this agreement is to promote cross-sectoral collaboration and cooperation within SENTAN by actively utilizing satellite data owned by JAXA and its analysis technology.

The agreement is effective as of 22 March 2023.

Significance of Cooperation

The use of satellite data in numerical models is indispensable for contributing to the solving global environmental issues, and JAXA has made significant progress in the field of short-term forecasting in recent years.

The use of satellite data in climate models for long-term prediction, such as climate change research, has been conducted on a one-off basis but has lacked cross-mission collaboration and cooperation.

SENTAN includes major Japanese climate modeling institutes participating in international climate model comparison projects cited by the IPCC and other organizations, and it is expected that the utilization of satellite data in SENTAN under this agreement will further contribute to the IPCC.

The use of satellite data in SENTAN is expected to further contribute to the IPCC by improving the understanding and modeling of cloud precipitation processes, improving fire processes (background environment, combustion processes, material emissions, etc.) related to material circulation and radiation balance in climate prediction models, and improving disaster prediction based on land surface prediction models using output from climate prediction models as input.

This Agreement will promote collaboration between SENTAN and JAXA on a variety of research issues that utilize satellite data.

Example of collaboration between SENTAN and JAXA using satellite data

• Research Division of Atmospheric and Hydrospheric Disasters, Atmosphere-Hydrosphere Research Group, Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University
• Program for The Advanced Studies of Climate Change Projection (SENTAN)”, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
• Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

The display was opened by the Director of the Institute, Prof. Eiichi Nakakita on 19 April 2023.

List of items on display include:

• Emergency Survey Report on the Great East Japan Earthquake 2011
• The Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake: Efforts in disaster prevention research
• Public Lecture “Urban Disaster Prevention in Cities”
• 10-Year History of Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University”
• 60-Year History of Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto Un iversity”
• Full-point seismometer (compact lightweight seismometer KVS-300
• Perfect score logger (Low power consumption recording device EDR-X7000

Please drop by, and learn about the history of the institute and what we are doing.

Established in 1949, this accolade  is awarded by the Architectural Institute of Japan to 10 outstanding research papers that have been completed and published in recent years that contribute to the advancement of science.

Details of the award are as follows:

Award Recipient: Prof. Norio Maki, Department of Disaster Mitigation Planning for Built Environment, Research Division of Disaster Management for Safe and Secure Society, DPRI, Kyoto University

Name of the Award: 2023 Paper Award of the Architectural Institute of Japan

Awarded paper title:  “A Series of Architectural Planning Research on Housing Management after Natural Disasters”

Date of award: 17 April 2023

• 2023 Award Recipients – 年各賞受賞者［一般社団法人日本建築学会］
• 授賞理由「自然災害後のすまいのマネジメントに関する一連の建築計画研究」［一般社団法人日本建築学会］

Collaboration between the Disaster Prevention Research Institute of Kyoto University and the Japan Weather Association started in October 2009 when the Japan Weather Association established an endowed course at the Disaster Prevention Research Institute of Kyoto University. Through the Endowed Courses, various  research activities were covered on risk assessments of climate change to water resources and increasing severe meteorological and hydrological disasters.

The Japan Weather Association and the Disaster Prevention Research Institute of Kyoto University have decided to conclude a comprehensive partnership agreement to strengthen cooperation with the aim of jointly promoting research and development activities, and the social implementation of the joint research results.

• Japan Weather Association
• Press Release – 日本気象協会、京都大学防災研究所との包括的連携協定を締結 ～気候変動への緩和策と適応策の推進、災害レジリエンスの高い社会の実現を目指す～［日本気象協会］

The Heavy Rain Control project is one of the challenges in JST Moonshot Goal 8, which is planning to  “Realize a safe and secure society free from the threat of extreme wind and flood damage by controlling typhoons and heavy rain by 2050.”

The progress and results of research and development will be published on the linked website. Please continue to check the website for updates.

Logo Mark

“Futokoron”, character designated for the “Heavy Rain Control” character.

The character is derived from the  teru teru bozu fairy doll talisman to wish for good and sunny weather.

• 研究開発プロジェクト「豪雨制御」［JST］
• 「豪雨制御」プロジェクト紹介［JST］

Details of the award are given below:

Award Recipient: Megumi Okazaki, 2 year Master Student, Atmosphere-Hydrosphere Research Division, Climate Environment, DPRI, Kyoto University

Award Name: Presentation Award, Meteorological Society of Japan Kansai Branch

Presentation Title: Observed case analysis of a mixed stratiform/convective rainfall with a new function for raindrop size distribution.

Award Date: 23 February 2023

• 日本気象学会関西支部
• 日本気象学会関西支部発表賞授賞規約［日本気象学会関西支部］

Details of the award are given below:

Award Recipient: Nanami Naka [2nd year Master Student, Atmosphere-Hydrosphere Research Division, Climate Enrionment, DPRI, Kyoto University

Award Name: Presentation Award, Meteorological Society of Japan Kansai Branch

Presentation Title:  Characteristics of environmental heavy rain conditions in Northern Kyushu during the warm season

Award date: 23 February 2023

• 日本気象学会関西支部
• 日本気象学会関西支部発表賞授賞規約［日本気象学会関西支部］

Details of the award are given below:

Award Recipient: Yuna Ishihara, Disaster Mitigation Planning for Built Environment, Research Division of Diaster Management for Safe and Secure Society, DPRI, Kyoto University

Award Name: 2022 Best Paper Award of the Japanese Society for Disaster Medicine

Presentation Title: “Evaluation of the impact of an earthquake disaster on medical functions – Analysis of the impact of the northern Osaka earthquake -” Journal of the Japan Society for Disaster Medicine, Vol.27, No.3, p195-200

Award Date: 10 March 2023

• 2022年度最優秀論文賞・優秀論文賞・優秀査読者賞のお知らせ［一般社団法人日本災害医学会］

In addition to the previous reports of A and B, this time, an additional section C is added to the report.

The contents of the reports, in particular, are as follows:

Report A covers:

• Retirement Awards of Research Achievements and Special Contributions to: Professors James Jiro Mori, Manaby Hashimoto, Toshitake Kamai, Kinya Nishigame and Shigenobu Tanaka.
• Disaster survey reports, and technical support reports

Report B:

• Research reports and materials
• Presentations at the DPRI Annual Meeting 2021

Report C:

• Reports and data activities in response to the enhancement of self-inspection and evaluation of departments in accordance with mid-term goals:
• Organizational management of research institutes
• Research activities
• International activities
• Educational activities
• Cooperation with society
• Research activities of departments and centers

The DPRI Annual Report 2021 A, B and C can be access through Kyoto University Academic Information Repository.

DPRI Annual Reports No 65

No. 65A

No. 65B

No. 65C

The signing ceremony for this agreement was held on January 18 at the Disaster Prevention Research Institute of Kyoto University.

The Kyoto University’s Disaster Prevention Research Institute and Nippon Koei have collaborated on many projects, mainly in the field of Sabo, such as sediment observation, landslide flood analysis, water and sediment model research, and technical guidance and joint research in model experiments.

The current agreement further promotes countermeasures against landslide damage, which has been exacerbated by the effects of climate change in recent years.

Nippon Koei is the first private company to conclude a comprehensive partnership agreement between the Disaster Prevention Research Institute of Kyoto University.

In the future, DPRI intends to expand into the field of basin disaster research, specifically, use and improve analysis models for water and sediment from mountains to river mouths, and a platform for numerical simulations related to water engineering, including rivers, water, and sediment.

From left: Haruhiko Kanai, Representative Director and Senior Managing Executive Officer of Nippon Koei; and

Professor Eiichi Nakakita, Director of the Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University

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.

• The full article can be viewed at the Nature scientific reports.
• Press Release on the Report on High probability of successive occurrence of Nankai Megathrust Earthquakes

A new fault model for the 1662 Hyuga-nada earthquake, which is considered to be the largest in the history of Hyuga-nada, was constructed based on the latest geophysical knowledge, such as positional information on plate boundaries using artificial seismic waves. Based on the survey results of tsunami deposits in the coastal area of Miyazaki Prefecture and tsunami inundation simulations, the fault model confirmed the possibility that the 1662 Hyuga-nada earthquake was a megathrust earthquake of M (magnitude) 7.9.

The results of this research will serve as basic materials used for disaster prevention against earthquakes and tsunamis in the national government and local governments along the coast of Hyuga-nada.

Part of the results of this research was published in the international academic journal Pure and Applied Geophysics (PAGEOPH) on December 15, 2022.

• Kyoto University Press Release
• 1662年日向灘地震の新たな断層モデルを構築―地球物理学と地質学の検証に基づく初の成果―

We look forward to your continued guidance and encouragement for our research and education activities this year.

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. The area around Exit 1 is also filled with messages, bouquets and potted flowers are offered, and covered with a plastic sheet (Photo 1).

Photo 1 Itaewon Station Exit 1

On the night of 29 October 2022, a mass accident occurred in Itaewon, which was due to Halloween celebrations. 158 people lost their lives. Most of them in their 20s and 30s, and more than 100 women among them,  and about 200 were injured. The author had the opportunity to visit the accident site about a month later.

Exit 1 directly leads to the alley which was the scene of the accident. It is hard to believe that so many people were killed in such a narrow alley (Photo 2).

The left side of the alley entrance is lined with shops, and the wall on the right side of the entrance is filled with papers with messages written on them. Some have been cut. Seen from the entrance on the other side of the alley, it slopes down quite steeply toward the main street.

Photo 2 Entrance of the Alley

The messages are written not only in Korean, but also in various other foreign languages, including English and Chinese. Many of the messages in foreign languages are accompanied by photographs, which may be the portraits of the victims. Itaewon is a district where many foreigners live, and the number of foreign victims has reached 26 people from 14 countries. The messages in Japanese included, “Please rest in peace,” and “I pray for the repose of the soul.” Since it was only one month after the accident, the scene was filled with a solemn atmosphere.

The author has long advocated the concept of “symbolic reconstruction.” Reconstruction cannot be achieved unless people feel that it is recovering. Needless to say, it must be implemented by setting up a solid security system to prevent accidents.

The Halloween 2022, for the first time in three years due to the corona virus, they removed the rules to wear masks outdoors and restricted business hours. It became an opportunity for young people to exhilarate with a sense of recovery from the corona wreck, and enjoy freedom from the long periods of self-restraint and oppression.

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.

They had fruitful discussions on future collaborative activities especially on disaster risk reduction. The Director-General Stephen Quest assured Prof. Tatano that EC-JRC will be represented at the planned 6^th Global Summit of GADRI to be held at DPRI from 15 to 17 March 2023.

From L: Ruosuke Uzuoka, PASENIC Liliana, Sabine Henzler,

Stephen Quest, Eiichi Nakakita, and Hirokazu Tatano

The tour was guided by Professor Motoaki Doi of the Graduate School of Agriculture.

It was quite educational and paved a wonderful opportunity to discover the charms of plants while listening to various botanist’s stories on rare plants, and learn about gardening too.

Although the number of faculty and students who participated in the event was small, the Welfare Committee hopes more members will attend events organized them in the future.

Details of the award are as follows:

Award Recipient: Takashi Nishizawa, Graduate Student (M2), Research Center for Earthquake Hazards, DPRI, Kyoto University, Japan

Award name: The 138th Lecture of the Geodetic Society of Japan Student Excellent Presentation Award

Award Winning Paper Title: Relationship between high-gravity anomalies in island arcs and various parameters of subduction zones 「島弧の高重力異常と沈み込み帯の各種パラメターとの関係」

Award date:  7 October 2022

• 学生による講演会優秀発表賞［日本測地学会］

Details are as follows:

Award Recipient: Associate Professor Takahiro Sayama, Innovative Disaster Prevention Technology and Policy Research,  Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University, Japan

Award name: 2022 Japan Weather Association Okada Award

Award Reason: This accolade was awarded for Dr. Sayama’s Achievements in improving river flood prediction technology using rainfall-run-off and flooding (RRI) models”.

Award date: 28 September 2022

A special feature of this issue is the voices “From the Corona disaster to beyond.” From February 2019 to the present, the Disaster Prevention Research Institute have continued its research, education, management, and support activities despite the difficult situation of the global pandemic. In addition, there are activities that have been newly created and developed using adversity as a steppingstone.

• PRI Newsletter 101号
• DPRI Newsletter バックナンバーページ

Details of the award are given below:

• Award Recipient:  Ryosuke Ozaki, M1, Sedimentation Disasters Division, Research Center for Fluvial and Coastal Disasters, DPRI, Kyoto University
• Award Title:  Award for Excellence in Academic Presentation, the 41st Japan Society for Natural Disaster Science, 2022
• Award-winning Paper Title:  “Prediction of impact on intake of water by tsunami around Yodogawa Weir”
• Award date:  18 September 2022

• 41st Japan Society for Natural Disaster Science, 20221

Details of the award are given below:

• Name of the winner: Prof. Norio Maki
• Name of the award: 2022 Disaster Prevention Minister’s Commendation for Distinguished Contributors to Disaster Prevention
• Reason for the accolade:

As an expert in disaster prevention and recovery planning, Prof. Maki has made proposals on recovery measures for the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake from a professional point of view toward the creation of a safe and secure society. This has made a great contribution to the creation of a safe and secure society promoted by Hyogo Prefecture. In addition, he has contributed to pre-reconstruction of local governments (Kainan City, Wakayama Prefecture, Tokushima Prefecture, etc.) where there are concerns about damage from the Nankai Trough earthquake.

In addition to being involved in the formulation of plans, Prof. Maki has been appointed as a member of the Tsunami Evaluation Subcommittee of the Earthquake Research Committee, Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion, headed by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and is extensively engaged in examining tsunami prediction methods and using them to evaluate tsunamis. He has made great contributions to the enhancement of disaster prevention and mitigation measures not only in Hyogo Prefecture but also in Japan.”

• Award date:  15 September 2022

What is the Disaster Prevention Minister’s Award for Meritorious Disaster Prevention?

This award is given to groups or individuals who have contributed to the implementation of disaster prevention activities, the dissemination of disaster prevention ideas, or the development of disaster prevention systems, and whose achievements have been recognized as particularly remarkable. (Cabinet Office)

Prof. Maki is fourth from the left in the front row.

• 令和４年防災功労者防災担当大臣表彰の受賞者決定について ［PDF・内閣府防災情報のぺージ］

In general, localized winds so called land-sea breezes *1 occur in coastal areas. In addition, at the boundary between the sea and land, complex phenomena occur due to the unique behavior of temperature and wind. According to the Osaka Gas weather gauge installed in the Osaka Bay area, it is stated that there is a possibility that the temperatures are lower than usual, and the wind tends to be stronger in the inland and the bay area triggering a weather phenomenon characteristic.

Prof. Tetsuya Takemi of the Severe Storm and Atmospheric Environment Research Division, Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University and his colleagues are elucidating and predicting the development and organization processes of cumulonimbus clouds that cause localized torrential rains, as well as the conditions under which they occur, and the physical mechanisms of torrential rains and typhoons.

In 2008, Osaka Gas began weather forecasting using its own method *2. Since 2013, has been promoting the use of forecast results in its actual operations. In 2018, a weather forecast business license was obtained and established a system to provide weather forecast services outside the company.

In this joint research, observations and analyzes of local weather phenomena in the Osaka Bay area will be conducted by combining Prof. Takemi’s knowledge of mesoscale meteorological phenomena and Osaka Gas’ own knowledge of weather forecasts and meteorological data in the Osaka Bay area.  In addition, the evaluated accuracy of the current meteorological predictions owned by Osaka Gas, increased the resolution of simulations *3 , improved physical models (simplified atmospheric phenomena such as the process of cloud formation expressed in mathematical formulas). Combining resources by both parties, the project aims to establish highly accurate weather forecast technology in the same area.

The results obtained will be used to clarify the relationship between meteorological phenomena in coastal and urban areas’ weather and climate,  and contribute to disaster prevention and environmental problems. It is also envisioned that it will be used in smart cities, where various data services are linked such as in the Yumeshima area of ​​Osaka City*4.

The Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University and Osaka Gas have been conducting joint research *5 since December 2021 to predict phenomena such as extreme cold and heat waves over the medium to long term.

*1: Winds found in coastal areas, local wind circulation caused by temperature differences between land and sea. The wind direction changes from sea to land during the day and from land to sea at night.

*2: the feature is that it aims to aims to predict target area by dividing it into small meshes with high resolution and performing data analysis, it is possible to make detailed predictions that take into account the impact of topography, etc., and also combine machine learning based on observation data to improve accuracy.

*3: In Osaka Gas’s conventional weather forecast model, it was divided into 2.2 km square meshes assuming that the forecast target area is divided into small meshes of 500m to 1km square.

*4: “Building the Yumeshima Platform” was adopted by the Cabinet Office as a research project on the development and construction of cutting-edge services in super cities and digital rural health special zones. Osaka Gas is considering AI weather forecasting as a member of the Yumeshima Platform Review Council, which has entrusted the project (https://www.chisou.go.jp/tiiki/kokusentoc/supercity/pdf/supercity_220715_FlontLine.pdf )

*5: Announced on December 14, 2021, “Commencement of joint research on medium- to long-term weather forecasting -Early prediction of extreme cold and heat to contribute to stable energy supply-” (https://www.osakagas. co.jp/company/press/pr2021/1301824_46443.html)

１．観測地点（風況・気温）＜観測地点の位置＞＊酉島は、大阪ガスによる独自観測地点。その他は気象庁による観測地点

＜酉島地区における観測地点の様子＞

Award recipient: Kato, Graduate Student, Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University, Japan

Award title: Sciences Section, Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2022

Award-winning paper title: Ductile shear zone of the Arima-Takatsuki fault zone as a fluid pathway

Award date: 4 June 2022

The article discusses catastrophic damages done by earthquake-triggered giant tsunamis to coastal populations, ecosystems and infrastructures.

“ In this Review, we summarize progress in understanding tsunami generation, propagation and monitoring, with a particular focus on developments in rapid early warning and long-term hazard assessment.”

• Giant tsunami monitoring, early warning and hazard assessment [Nature Reviews Earth & Environment]

• Award Recipient: Yoshiki Ikeda, Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University, Japan
• Award Title: The 2022 International Association for Structural Control and Monitoring, Takuji Kobori Prize
• Award-winning Paper Title: Fundamental equation based on pole allocation for interstory seismic isolation of buildings (Structural Control and Health Monitoring, Volume 28, Issue 3, March 2021, DOI:10.1002/stc.2687)
• Award Date: July 2022

•  Fundamental equation based on pole allocation for interstory seismic isolation of buildings [Wiley]
• Kobori Prize [Wiley]

James Jiro Mori

(Professor emeritus of Kyoto University)

The Icelandic volcano Fagradalsfjall in the Meradalir valley began a strong lava eruption on 3 August 2022.  The volcano is located in an unpopulated area so it is not causing any local damage.  Also, the levels of ash emissions are relatively low, so it is not disrupting airline traffic, as Eyjafjallajökull did in 2010.  On the contrary, there is the hope that the eruption will be good for the Iceland economy by attracting many tourists.  The volcano is located about 1 hour drive from the largest city of Reykjavik and because of the type of effusive eruption, people can walk quite close to the volcano in relatively safely.  This is providing a rare opportunity for people to have a close encounter with an erupting volcano.

I visited the volcano on 12 August 2022.

The volcano viewpoint is about a 2 hour hike from the parking lot.

This photo shows the first part of the trail which is easy to walk.  The path is very good because it also leads to the site of the 2021 eruption last year. During that time, the condition of the trail was greatly improved.

The 2nd half of the hike to the 2022 eruption is more difficult with lots of rocks and no clear path.  It is not recommended for small children or people not in good physical condition.  However, to encourage visitors, they are currently working to improve the path and every day the portion of the trail that is in good condition is being extended.

The hike passes the large lava flow (dark gray rocks) from the 2021 eruption.

The activity in March to September 2021 was similar to the current eruption, but in a slightly different location. The volcano attracted several hundred thousand Icelandic and foreign observers.  However, because of the travel restrictions due to the Covid pandemic, there were relatively few foreign visitors.  This year with the improved health conditions, Iceland is hoping that the presently erupting volcano will attract more foreign tourists.

This is the current main vent which opened on 3 August 2022 as part of a 360 meter long fissure eruption.  The eruption is presently no longer a fissure eruption, but concentrated from this one main vent and a spatter cone is being built up. The black rocks are new lava which flowed out during the past 9 days.

Since the eruptive style is mainly an effusive lava eruption with relatively low explosive activity, it seems fairly safe to observe at close distances of less than 1 km. Of course, volcanoes are always dangerous and a sudden large explosion or a sudden change in the location of the vent is possible.

The physical and volcanic conditions here are unique and enable people to approach close to an erupting volcano.

At the close distance where the people are sitting in the photo, you can feel the heat and hear the sounds of the lava fountaining. The temperature of the erupting lava is over 1000 ℃.

This is another photo of the current lava fountaining.

The eruption last year in 2021 lasted for 6 months from March to September. The Iceland tourist industry is hoping that the 2022 eruption will also last for a similar or longer duration and attract many foreign visitors.

Video of the erupting lava taken on 12 August 2022.

Details of the award are as follows.

Award recipient: Noriyuki Kawatani [Meteorological and Hydrological Disaster Research Division, Hydrological and Meteorological Disaster Research Field / Graduate School of Engineering, Department of Social Infrastructure Engineering M1]

Award title: 2022 Yoshida Research Graduation and Treatise Award

Award-winning paper title: LESを用いた波動が生起する線状対流系の勃発メカニズム (Outbreak mechanism of linear convection system caused by wave motion using LES)

Award date: 8 July 2022

• 「令和4年度吉田卒業研究・論文賞授与式」を挙行しました（2022.07.08）［京都大学工学部・大学院工学研究科］

The details are as follows.

Award Recipients: Assistant Professor Issei Doi, Professor Emeritus Toshitaka Kamai, and Professor Wang Gonghui, Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University

Award title: 2022 Japan Society of Engineering Geology Paper Award

Award-winning paper title: 地震波形記録による斜面崩壊の発生場所と発生形態の推定　－

2017年九州北部豪雨災害・日田市小野地区の斜面崩壊を例として－）応用地質、61巻、5号、245-254, 2020.

(Estimating the location and form of slope failure by seismic waveform recording – 2017 Northern Kyushu heavy rain disaster- slope collapse of the Ono district of Hita city as an example – OYO, Vol. 61, No. 5, 245-254, 2020)

Award date: 17 June 2022

• 一般社団法人日本応用地質学会

Professor Emeritus Shuichi Ikebuchi served as the Director of the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University from 1999 to 2001.

The award ceremony to present the medal of honour to Prof. Ikebuchi by Prof. Eiichi Nakakita, Director, DPRI, Kyoto University was held at the Special Conference Room of DPRI on 4 July 2022.

• 令和4年春の叙勲 瑞宝中綬章［内閣府］

Everyone wants to know the occurrence of a huge earthquake as soon as possible.

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.

“These signals allow us to track the extent of an earthquake in real time as soon as it reaches magnitude 8 and above,” says author Bertrand Rouet-Leduc.

In the past, however, the small amplitude of PEGS has hindered its application to earthquake and tsunami warning systems. Standard early warning systems based on seismic waves estimate magnitude directly from shaking but fail to detect rapidly the size of an earthquake.  Magnitude 9 earthquakes have 30 times more energy than magnitude 8 earthquakes, which saturates the early warning system and tends to make it impossible to estimate the magnitude for larger earthquakes.

“When our research team developed a deep learning AI model using the information carried by PEGS, we were pleasantly surprised by the success of the first prototype to classify earthquakes according to magnitude,” said Rouet-Leduc.

The research team was then able to demonstrate the power of their deep learning model to instantly track earthquakes in real time after they reach a certain size. Although the algorithm needs to be further tested on raw data, scientists believe the results could improve seismic and tsunami warning systems.

“Our new model may help people to know quickly about the tsunami that will occur after a major earthquake,” the author concludes.

• KyotoU PEGS away at catching quakes at light speed［Kyoto University］
• Instantaneous tracking of earthquake growth with elastogravity signals [Nature]

In addition to sea level rise and coastal climate change due to global warming, there is a risk that the coastal environment will change significantly due to changes in global wave characteristics. Therefore, predicting future changes in waves is important for adapting to coastal climate change.

Previous studies have shown that waves can be classified into several global wave climate types. This study analysed future ocean waves climate reproduced by global climate models used by IPCC, and revealed the types of waves and regional hotspots that are susceptible to global warming.

With warming, the power of waves in the polar regions and the Southern Ocean increases, and the frequency of waves propagating from the east on the coasts located in the western part of the ocean such as the Pacific Ocean, and the wave climate propagating from the south on the eastern coast.

In Japan, it was predicted that the frequency of wave climate types propagating from the west in high latitudes would increase. In addition to rising sea levels, this will further intensify the effects of warming in coastal areas and will be a factor in changing coastal environment.

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.

• 地球温暖化により変わる波浪―温暖化に伴う波浪変化リスクの高い沿岸域を解明―［京都大学］
• 地球温暖化により変わる波浪 ―温暖化に伴う波浪変化リスクの高い沿岸域を解明―［京都大学・プレスリリース本文］
• Climate-fuelled wave patterns pose an erosion risk for developing countries [The Conversation; 本件の解説記事]

This is in recognition of his significant contribution as an editor over the past five years to the international academic journal Engineering Geology (Impact factor: 6.755).

Award recipient: Prof. Wang Gonghui, Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University, Japan

Award title: Outstanding Editorial Board Member Award

Award-winning title: In appreciation of outstanding editorial service (2016-2021)

Award date: January 2022

• Engineering Geology [Elsevier]
• 2021 Outstanding Editorial Board Members for Engineering Geology [Elsevier]

Climate change and sea-level rise pose greater challenges to worldwide coastal communities, urging more efficient strategies to mitigate natural hazards and enhance coastal resilience. Green infrastructure/Eco-DRR (Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction)/Nature-based solution (NBS), which utilizes ecosystems to provide an eco-friendly approach to coastal protection and climate change mitigation, has been gaining attention in recent years. Specifically, mangrove forests are the major type of nature-based infrastructure in the tropics and subtropics. Mangroves, featured by the special root system, are well-known for their resistance against ocean waves and coastal disasters. To quantify mangrove effects on wave attenuation, we need to properly parameterize mangrove-induced resistance, which relies on a better understanding of wave-mangrove interactions.

This study used 3D-printed models to replicate a mature mangrove, the first time in literature to the best of our knowledge, to study wave-mangrove interactions in model-scale experiments. We directly measured fluid velocity and wave forces on mangrove models in different wave conditions. Based on the measurements, we proposed empirical relationships of force coefficients to parameterize mangrove effects which could be used in numerical simulation. Additionally, we observed that as waves propagate through mangroves, the irregularly-shaped mangrove roots caused the fluctuation of fluid velocity and the enhancement of turbulent kinetic energy. Please refer to the published paper for more details.

Fig.1: Mangrove forests (left: Iriomote, Japan; right: Kiribati)

Fig.1: Mangrove forests (left: Iriomote, Japan; right: Kiribati)

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.

• Click here to view the press release in Japanese.
• 災害拠点病院の水害対策タイムラインを策定～令和2年豪雨を想定した防災訓練で効果を検証～［京都大学］

• Authors: Eeltink, H. Branger, C. Luneau, Y. He, A. Chabchoub, J. Kasparian, T. S. van den Bremer & T. P. Sapsis
• Title:Nonlinear wave evolution with data-driven breaking
• Abstract:Wave breaking is the main mechanism that dissipates energy input into ocean waves by wind and transferred across the spectrum by nonlinearity. It determines the properties of a sea state and plays a crucial role in ocean-atmosphere interaction, ocean pollution, and rogue waves. Owing to its turbulent nature, wave breaking remains too computationally demanding to solve using direct numerical simulations except in simple, short-duration circumstances. To overcome this challenge, we present a blended machine learning framework in which a physics-based nonlinear evolution model for deep-water, non-breaking waves and a recurrent neural network are combined to predict the evolution of breaking waves. We use wave tank measurements rather than simulations to provide training data and use a long short-term memory neural network to apply a finite-domain correction to the evolution model. Our blended machine learning framework gives excellent predictions of breaking and its effects on wave evolution, including for external data.
• Published:29 April 2022

• Nonlinear wave evolution with data-driven breaking [Nature Communications]
• Engineers use artificial intelligence to capture the complexity of breaking waves [Press release, MIT News]

Details are as follows:

Award Recipient: Associate Prof. Fumiaki Nagashima, Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University

Award Title: Research Paper Encouragement Award of the 2021 Annual Meeting of the Japan Association for Earthquake Engineering

Award Paper Title: Fumiaki Nagashima, Hiroshi Kawase, Eri Ito  – Examination of scaling rules using the inversion result database of overseas inland crustal earthquakes, published in the Proceedings of the Japan Association for Earthquake Engineering Vol.21 (2021), No.5, pp.140-160.

Award date: 25 March 2022

• Japan Association for Earthquake Engineering

Future global warming can change the intensity of waves and storm surges as well as rising sea levels. Therefore, in order to adapt to climate change in coastal areas, it is important to predict future changes in storm surges and waves in addition to general sea level rise. In this study, it is shown for the first time the future changes of global storm surges and waves that have been evaluated separately, based on the continuous climatic conditions from the past to the future reproduced by the global climate model.

The results of this research were published online in the international academic journal “Geophysical Research Letters” on 14 March 2022.

• 地球温暖化による地球の高潮と波浪の変化予測 －世界の沿岸域の沿岸災害リスクの評価－［京都大学］
• 地球温暖化による地球の高潮と波浪の変化予測 －世界の沿岸域の沿岸災害リスクの評価－［PDF・Press Release］

Details are as follows:

Award Recipient: Research Fellow Takashi Sugiyama, Integrated Disaster Reduction Systems, Research Center for Disaster Reduction Systems, Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University

Award Title: 2021 Safe and Secure Life and ICT Study Group Research Encouragement Award

Award Paper Title: Development of a preliminary evacuation analysis tool when the “temporary information” of the Nankai Trough earthquake is announced-Based on an interview survey with local government officials- (translation)

Award date: 16 March 2022

• 電子情報通信学会 安全・安心な生活とICT研究会

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.

• For further details, please check here : Disaster investigation report page) (updated from time to time).

The details are as follows.

Award Recipient: Prof. Masaharu Fujita, Sakurajima Volcano Research Center, Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University

Award Title: Reiwa 3rd Akagi Award

Award Paper Title: (Major achievements in sabo science and sabo administration, remarkable achievements in the development of sabo business and improvement of technical capabilities)

Award date: 16 February 2022

• 令和３年度赤木賞授与式が開催されました［一般社団法人全国治水砂防協会］

List of the winners are given below:

• A121 柳瀬友朗「下層循環と自由対流圏変動の結合を通じた湿潤対流の自己集合化メカニズム」
• A123 大野哲之「線状対流系における3次元降水強度分布のマルチフラクタル解析」
• B112 岡田悠太郎「アラスカ沈み込み帯における短期的スロースリップイベントの系統的検出」
• B123 加藤滉大「逆変位増幅TMDにおける支持フレーム重量の効果」
• C107 田坂彰英「気候モデルを用いた日本の将来の水資源評価」
• C109 Peng-An Chen「Integration of Multiple Outlets’ Operation and Sediment Management Options in the Reservoir for Increasing Efficiency of Turbidity Current Venting and Clear Water Storage」
• D103 Chengrui CHANG「Pre-failure Kinematics Strongly Modulated by Shear Localization: An Experimental Study and Its Implication for the Failure-time Forecast of Landslide」
• E105 伊藤達彦「避難行動モデルの定量的評価プラットフォーム構築に関する考察」
• E109 藤田翔乃「空撮映像を用いたMulti Object Trackingによる倒壊建物検出」
• P06 山田怜史「湿潤対流の数値シミュレーションにおける鉛直解像度の変化に対する雲物理スキームの応答」
• P15 伊藤裕也「液状化地盤のスロッシング現象によるひずみの局所化に関する解析的検討」
• P38 大野遼太「大阪府北部地域で発生する内陸地震の深さ依存性について」

• 令和3年度京都大学防災研究所研究発表講演会［特設サイト］

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.

In addition, a long-period (50 minutes) pulse was recorded in the barometer record, and it was found that this pulse also propagated concentrically at the speed of sound.

Assuming that the tsunami is due to changes in sea level due to the collapse of the volcanic mountain body, the speed of the tsunami is slower than the speed of sound on average, so we cannot explain the observed value of this tsunami arrival time.

From this, it is considered that the extremely strong shock wave generated by the eruption of the volcano became an atmospheric Lamb wave and propagated on the earth’s surface, and the change in atmospheric pressure caused by this shock wave changed the sea level and excited the tsunami.

Please click on the link to review the report (it is a translation of the report written by Dr. Yamada in Japanese.):

https://gadri.net/disaster-reports/20220115.html

Plot of the arrival time of the tsunami (marked with △) and the arrival time of the pulse recorded on the barometer (marked with ○). The white circles generally depict the wavefront of sound waves (v = 0.3km / s). The number in the lower right is UTC time (Japanese time-9 hours).
Tunami arrival (triangle) and shock wave arrival (circle).

Research paper title: Effects of episodic slow slip on seismicity and stress near a subduction-zone megathrust

• It was clarified that the occurrence of slow slip * 1, which is said to be the preparation process for a huge subduction-zone earthquake, occurs in conjunction with an intra-slab earthquake (an earthquake that occurs inside a subducting oceanic plate) * 2.
• For the first time in the world, verification of long-term and continuously recorded observation data of intra-slab earthquakes showed that the cause of the interlocking was due to the movement of water (crustal fluid) in the deep underground.
• In addition, we have succeeded in capturing in more detail the peeling off of the coupling plates, which has been captured by geodetic methods, using the observation data of intra-slab earthquakes for the first time in the world.

(Glossary)

* 1 Slow slip: A slow crustal movement phenomenon called slow slip or slow earthquake, which lasts for several days to sometimes years. In the Japanese archipelago, it occurs at the plate boundary at the edge of a large subduction-zone earthquake. Compared to ordinary earthquakes, the stress and seismic motion released are significantly less, but it is thought to be responsible for the preparation process for subduction-zone earthquakes.

* 2 Intra-slab earthquake: An earthquake that occurs inside a subducting oceanic plate (slab). Occasionally, it may be a damaging earthquake, such as the 1994 M7.8 Kushiro-oki earthquake and the 2001 M7.0 Geiyo earthquake.

Please see the link below for details.

• Nature Communications – Full Article

The following two documents are in Japanese:

• Details of Press Release: Successful detection of detailed sticking peeling of Nankai Trough earthquake! [PDF]
• Succeeded in detecting detailed sticking peeling of Nankai Trough earthquakes! [Building Research Institute]

The details of the award are as follows.
• Award Recipient: Professor Katsuya Yamori

• Award Name: 2021 Minister’s Commendation for disaster prevention research conducted by individual researchers ([Development of disaster prevention system])

• Award date: 14 September 2021

 
Details of the award are as follows:
• Award Recipients: Kenji Tanaka, Associate Professor
•Award Name: International Award of the Hydrological and Water Resources Society of Reiwa 3rd year
• Award date: 7 September 2021

Registration to the DPRI 70th anniversary ceremony and exchange party is now open.
Click the button below for Registration to the DPRI 70th anniversary ceremony and exchange party.

• Award name: Excellent Oral Presentation Award at the 24th National Conference of the Ecology and Civil Engineering Society

• Award Recipient: Kazuaki Tamagawa (Water Resources and Environment Research Center / Graduate School of Engineering, Department of Urban Social Engineering M2)

• Award Paper Title: Research on Kizu Riverbed topographical difference modification effect [Kazuaki Tamagawa, Yasuhiro Takemon, Sohei Kobayashi (Wenzhou University), Tetsuya Sumi]

• Award date: 24 September 24 2021

Associate Professor Yoshihiro Ito, Associate Professor Takuya Nishimura, Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University and their colleagues in National Autonomous University of Mexico, University of Rhode Island, and University of California, Santa Cruz, analyzed crustal deformation from GNSS stations in Mexico, as an international collaborative research project to identify slip distribution of slow slip events and interpolate coupling on the plate interface between Cocos and North America plates. As a result, it was clarified that an interaction among three large earthquakes with magnitude larger than 7 and slow slip events occurred in Mexico from 2017 to 2019. Slow slip events sometimes trigger a large earthquake, and a large earthquake conversely triggers slow slip. These triggering of large earthquakes by the slow slip events and those of slow slip by large earthquakes have been individually reported in several regions. There have been, however, few studies that have investigated the interaction among some of the large earthquakes and slow slip events in detail.

Part of this international collaborative research between Japan and Mexico was supported by JST and JICA with SATREP “Integrated Research for Mitigating Mega-Earthquake and Tsunami Hazards in Coastal Mexico” (PIs: Y. Ito, Kyoto University and V.M. Cruz-Atienza, UNAM).

These results were published in Nature Communications on 12 April 2021.

Abstract of the Article:

“Either the triggering of large earthquakes on a fault hosting aseismic slip or the triggering of slow slip events (SSE) by passing seismic waves involve seismological questions with important hazard implications. Just a few observations plausibly suggest that such interactions actually happen in nature. In this study we show that three recent devastating earthquakes in Mexico are likely related to SSEs, describing a cascade of events interacting with each other on a regional scale via quasi-static and/or dynamic perturbations across the states of Guerrero and Oaxaca. Such interaction seems to be conditioned by the transient memory of Earth materials subject to the “traumatic” stress produced by seismic waves of the great 2017 (Mw8.2) Tehuantepec earthquake, which strongly disturbed the SSE cycles over a 650 km long segment of the subduction plate interface. Our results imply that seismic hazard in large populated areas is a short-term evolving function of seismotectonic processes that are often observable.”

• Nature Communications

Currently, we are in the preparation stage and further details of the ceremony and other related events will be posted on [Official site] as and when the information is available. We will also notify you from time to time through our mailing list.
 

Greetings!

My name is Eiichi Nakakita and I have taken the post of the Director of the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University as of 1^st April 2021. This year, DPRI, which has been advanced with the cooperation of many faculty members, students, technical staff, clerical staff, and the cooperation of Kyoto University and other research communities in Japan and overseas, will be celebrating the 70th Anniversary since its founding in 1951. It is a great honour and responsibility to be the director of the institute during this milestone, and I accept the challenge heartily.

As I take this position to direct the institute, my attention was caught with a paradigm shift that is occurring in both the society and the natural world. I would like to work together with the staff to create a new form of thinking and a mechanism so that our research institute can contribute to and be central to the paradigm shift taking place around us. While endeavouring to take the lead on this initiative, I will work together with you with utmost effort behind the scenes.

The executive departments that will work together with me are:

• Prof. Nobuhito Mori, Deputy Director, Future Planning,
• Prof. Shinichi Matsushima, Deputy Director, Research and Education,
• Prof. Ryosuke Uzuoka, Deputy Director, Public Relations and International Affairs, and
• Prof. Ryokei Yoshimura, Chairman, Self-inspection Evaluation Committee.

My association with the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University dates back to 1985, when I dropped out of the doctoral program in September 1985 under the supervision of Prof. Takuma Takasao, Hydrology and Hydraulic Engineering Planning Laboratory at the Graduate School and joined in October of the same year as a research associate to Prof. Shuichi Ikebuchi of the Water Resources Research Center. After that, I was appointed as an associate professor in January 1991 and in April 2000 as an associate professor to the Graduate School of Engineering.

Going back to the paradigm shifts, everyone will have various ideas on this, for example, climate change and adaptation, SDGs, earthquake swarms and major earthquakes in the future, infectious diseases, and so on. I would like to collate your thoughts and ideas on those themes, and create a place where the staff members themselves promote research with a passion and commitment and move forward full of energy within.  I would like you to share those thoughts, ideas, and themes and say to me, “yes, let’s do it!”. I endeavour to create such an atmosphere.

I think everyone involved in disaster prevention research has a sense of mission. It is this sense of mission to “save people’s lives, make people happy, and make them smile”, which is engraved in our hearts that drives us to continue to fulfil our mission at DPRI. I would like to proceed with this from the perspective of not only with the current generation, but also pass it on to the next generation, and the generations to come.

To that end, taking advantage of the good natured-atmosphere and the collegiality of this institute, which was the original strength and foundation of the Disaster Prevention Research Institute, we will adhere to deepen each person’s research, discover new cross-cutting research efforts, and work together with everyone inside and outside the institute to attain that mission. With your help, I aspire to do more and more. The Deputy Directors will work as one with the young Deputy Director and Chair of the Self-inspection Evaluation Committee to make the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University a Centre of Excellence in the area of disaster risk reduction and resilience to disasters.

I count on your continued support and cooperation as we walk together in the path to contribute to make our society and the world a better place.

Thank you.

Prof. Eiichi Nakakita

Director

Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI)

Kyoto University

Prof. Masumi Yamada et.al. published a research paper on “Identifying Landslides from Continuous Seismic Surface Waves: A Case Study of Multiple Small-scale Landslides Triggered by Typhoon Talas, 2011” in the Geophysical Journal International (Oxford Academic) on 1^st April 2021.

The summary of the paper is as follows:

“Landslides can cause devastating damage. In particular, heavy rainfall-triggered landslides pose a chain of natural hazards. However, such events are often difficult to detect, leaving the physical processes poorly understood. Here we apply a novel surface-wave detector to detect and locate landslides during the transit of Typhoon Talas 2011. We identify multiple landslides triggered by Typhoon Talas, including a landslide in the Tenryu Ward, Shizuoka prefecture, Japan, ∼400 km east from the typhoon track. The Tenryu landslide displaced a total volume of 1.2-1.5 × 10^{^6} m. The landslide is much smaller than those detected by using globally recorded surface waves, yet the event generated coherent seismic signals propagating up to 3000 km away. Our observations show that attributes of small and large landslides may follow the same empirical scaling relationships, indicating possible invariant failure mechanisms. Our results also suggest an alerting technology to detect and locate landslides with a sparse seismic network.”

• Geophysical Journal International, (Oxford Academic)

Prof. Yukitoshi Fukahata et.al. published a paper on the “Consecutive ruptures on a complex conjugate fault system during the 2018 Gulf of Alaska Earthquake” in the Scientific Reports volume 11 on 16 March 2021.

Following is the Abstract:

Abstract

We developed a flexible finite-fault inversion method for teleseismic P waveforms to obtain a detailed rupture process of a complex multiple-fault earthquake. We estimate the distribution of potency-rate density tensors on an assumed model plane to clarify rupture evolution processes, including variations of fault geometry. We applied our method to the 23 January 2018 Gulf of Alaska earthquake by representing slip on a projected horizontal model plane at a depth of 33.6 km to fit the distribution of aftershocks occurring within one week of the mainshock. The obtained source model, which successfully explained the complex teleseismic P waveforms, shows that the 2018 earthquake ruptured a conjugate system of N-S and E-W faults. The spatiotemporal rupture evolution indicates irregular rupture behavior involving a multiple-shock sequence, which is likely associated with discontinuities in the fault geometry that originated from E-W sea-floor fracture zones and N-S plate-bending faults.

• Scientific Reports 11 –

This book presents selected papers from the 3rd Global Summit of Research Institutes for Disaster Risk Reduction – Expanding the Platform for Bridging Science and Policy Making, which was held at the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University, Uji Campus from 19 to 21 March 2017. It was organised by the Global Alliance of Disaster Research Institutes (GADRI), which was established soon after the second Global Summit and the UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in March 2015, and is intended to support the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.

The book is available here. Customers can order here.

Award recipient: Dr. Fumiaki Nagashima, Assistant Professor, Research Division of Disaster Management for Safe and Secure Society, DPRI, Kyoto University

Award name: 2020 Japan Association for Earthquake Engineering Excellent Presentation Award
Award-winning Paper: “Study of scaling law using inversion result database of overseas inland earthquakes”
Award date: 3rd December 2020

The Excellent Presentation Award of the Japan Association for Earthquake Engineering is awarded to young researchers who are under 35 years old or enrolled in universities as of the end of the academic year, and who have made excellent presentations at annual conferences or international symposia.

• 日本地震工学会　各賞と受賞者

• Award Recipient: Ishikawa (Graduate School of Engineering / Research Center for Fluvial and Coastal Disasters, DPRI, Kyoto University
• Name of the award: 2020 Encouragement Paper Award, Hydraulic Engineering Committee, Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE)
• Award-winning paper: “北海道胆振東部地震によって発生した泥流の流動特性” (Flow characteristics of mud-flow generated by the Hokkaido Eastern Iburi Earthquake)
• Award date: 27th October 2020

The Hydraulic Engineering Encouragement Paper Award is awarded to best published papers on hydraulic engineering for their originality, development and contribution to the development of hydraulic engineering.

• 土木学会水工学委員会 水工学論文奨励賞 受賞者一覧

It contains summaries of research results of DPRI.

This issue consists of two parts. Part A and Part B.

Part A – lists activity status of DPRI.
Part B – onsists of research papers, materials, etc., including the contents of the presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University.

Visit the link below to access the publication.

• 第63号A
• 第63号B
• 京都大学防災研究所年報バックナンバー一覧

Award Recipient: Prof. Masato Iguchi

Name of the Award:  The Sixth JDR Award

Awarding Institute: Center for Integrated Volcano Research, National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience, Japan

Award date: 6^th October 2020

• JDR AWARD 2020 WINNER［富士技術出版株式会社］
• JDRとは［富士技術出版株式会社］

This book provides insight on how disaster risk management can increase the resilience of society to various natural hazards. The multi-dimensionality of resilience and the various different perspectives in regards to disaster risk reduction are taken explicitly into account by providing studies and approaches on different scales and ranging from natural science based methods to social science frameworks. For all chapters, special emphasis is placed on implementation aspects and specifically in regards to the targets and priorities for action laid out in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. The chapters provide also a starting point for interested readers on specific issues of resilience and therefore include extensive reference material and important future directions for research.

• Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience [Springer]
• GADRI Book Series [Springer]

気象庁解析雨量による39時間の総雨量： (2020/9/6 3:00 – 2020/9/7 18:00)

• 2020年9月台風10号を対象にした長時間アンサンブル広域洪水予測： 予測と検証結果のまとめ［佐山敬洋・山田真史］
• 災害調査報告

• Title of the Award ：　Sir Richard Stone Prize, International Input-Output Association
• Award Recipients　：　Yoshio Kajitani, Kagawa University, and Prof. Hirokazu Tatano, Kyoto University
• Paper Title：　Applicability of a Spatial Computable General Equilibrium Model to Assess the Short-Term Economic Impact of Natural Disasters, Economic Systems Research, 30(3), pp.289-312, 2018, Kajitani, Y. and Tatano, H.:
• Award Date　:   August 2020

What is the Sir Richard Stone Prize?

Sir Richard Stone Prize is awarded every other year for the best paper(s) that was submitted and accepted for publication in IIOA’s journal Economic Systems Research in the two consecutive volumes. The prize is donated by Francis & Taylor, the Publisher of the journal.

Sir John Richard Nicholas Stone (1913-1991) was an eminent British economist who in 1984 received the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for developing an accounting model that could be used to track economic activities on a national and, later, an international scale. He is sometimes known as the ‘father of national income accounting’, and is the author of studies of consumer demand statistics and demand modeling, economic growth, and input-output. http://www.econ.cam.ac.uk/Stone/about-sir-richard-stone

Summary of the Paper:

サプライチェーン被害を考慮した災害の経済影響評価のアプローチ

In this paper, the authors provide an important contribution to the literature on the choice of and effectiveness of disaster impacts assessments approaches, with a specific focus on the role of estimated elasticities of substitution relative to the analytical time-frame. They quite effectively situate their research within the context of the relevant literature, and provided an exceedingly clear and concise description of the salient aspects of their model. their work supports the conclusion “that plausible settings can make CGE models suitable for disaster impact analysis, at least for short-run cases.” The jury deemed this paper to be a significant contribution to the model validation literature.

• （ Newsletter No.45, Aug2020, International Input Output Association p.7より）

• IIOA Fellows, Prizes and Past Presidents [International Input-Output Association]

Recipient of the Award :   Prof. Michinori Hatayama, DPRI, Kyoto University

Title of the Award : METI 2020 Chairman’s Award for Industrial Standardization Contribution

Date Awarded:  1 October 2020

To view the award ceremony in YouTube, click here.

• 令和2年度産業標準化事業表彰の受賞者を発表します［経済産業省］
• 令和２年度 産業標準化事業表彰［経済産業省］

Click here to view the paper.

• 大雨を伴う台風は森林倒壊リスクを増大させることを解明 －雨台風による森林倒壊のメカニズムに迫る－［京都大学］

The two-year term of office will end in June 2022.

• 役員構成・組織図［公益社団法人砂防学会HP］

5th Global Summit of GADRI: Engaging Science with Action will take place in Milan, Italy from 15th to 17th March 2021.

The GADRI 2021 conference aims at stock taking of progress in DRR research from its Members towards targets of the Sendai Science and Technology Roadmap. The programme will communicate academic science across scientific disciplines to policy makers and practitioners. It is an important aspect for academics to be aware how science can directly contribute to national and local disasters, for example, a dam break or an epidemic outbreak, etc. Such situations prompt scientists’ interventions, expertise, and experience and to share them with emergency managers in crisis situations.

The conference will be held back-to-back with the European Commission, Joint Research Centre annual conference of the Disaster Risk Management Knowledge Centre which will be held from 17th to 19th March 2021.

The biennial Global Summit Series was initiated by the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University, Uji Campus, Kyoto Japan with the first Global Summit of Research Institutes for Disaster Risk Reduction session held in November 2011 during the same year a triple disaster – Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami devastated Japan in March 2011.

Prof. Andrew Collins, Northumbria University, Newcastle, UK was honoured with the 6^th DPRI Award for Outstanding Contributions to Research and Education recognition. The Award was presented by Prof. Manabu Hashimoto, Director, DPRI, Kyoto University to Prof. Andrew Collins on 20^th February 2020 during the DPRI Annual Meeting held at DPRI, Obaku Plaza, Kyoto, Japan from 20^th to 21^st of February 2020.

The DPRI Award honours individuals and organizations that have contributed towards various joint research projects and activities of DPRI, Kyoto University undertaken in Japan and abroad.

To commemorate the occasion, Prof. Collins delivered a lecture on the “Progress and Prospect for Action Data in People Centred Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience Building”.

Professor Hirose Kawase of the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University has been elected as a member of the Board of Directors of the Seismological Society of America [SSA].

The term of office is three years starting from 27 April 2020.

For further information, visit the website – 2020 SSA Board of Directors Election [SSA]

The 30^th DPRI Public Lecture series was held at the Campus Plaza Kyoto, Kyoto Station, Kyoto, Japan on 24^th September 2019. The theme of the 30^th Session was “Managing disasters ~ Preparing to live flexibly even after a disaster ~”. The event was attended by over 250 participants.

For further details visit the website in Japanese. http://www.dpri.kyoto-u.ac.jp/news/12544/

Building damage was particularly severe in the coastal region near the border between Yamagata and Niigata Prefectures. In Koiwagata, Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture, tilt of storehouse, fallen roof tiles, fallen tombstones, and fallen mortar walls were observed.

Based on the drone aerial photos, the percentage of houses with damaged roof tiles is about 30%. In the Fuya, Murakami City, Niigata Prefecture, where JMA seismic intensity 6 upper was recorded, we observed only a few percent of buildings with damaged of roof tiles, a collapse of a retaining wall embankment, and fallen ceiling panels in a gym.

Although strong shaking with seismic intensity 6 upper was recorded, we did not observe any collapsed buildings. The improvement of seismic performance of buildings and the relatively short-period ground motion are likely reasons why there were no casualties for this earthquake.

For more information, please check this website.

Fig. 1: Aftershock locations and seismic intensities reported by JMA.

Fig. 2: Roof damage in Koiwagawa.

Fig. 3: Roof damage in Fuya and Koiwagawa. More blue sheets (houses with damaged roofs) were observed in Koiwagawa.

Fig. 4: Fallen mortar wall in Koiwagawa.

Fig. 5: Collapse of embankment in Fuya.

The First SEAMEO RIHED-JANU Seminar and Study Visit to Japan under the theme of Technology Innovation and Social Engagement for Sustainable Development was organized by the Japan Association of National Universities (JANU) and the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Centre for Higher Education and Development (SEAMEO-RIHED) with the support of Kansai University, Kobe University, Kyoto University, Osaka University and Risumeikan University.

The first programme was designed for senior executives and administrators of Southeast Asian higher education institutions with extensive backgrounds and expertise in teaching and research.  The seminar and study visits are to provide in-depth insights into the Japanese higher education and research landscapes through an exclusive seminars and visits to leading higher education institutions throughout the Kansai region.

Participants visited the Disaster Prevention Research Institutes (DPRI), Kyoto University, Uji Campus on 27 June 2019.  Prof. Manabu Hashimoto, Director, DPRI and Prof. Hirohiko Ishikawa, Vice Director for International Relations, DPRI, met with the group. They received lecture presentation on in-depth research carried out by DPRI researchers and about the state-of-the-art research facilities laboratories.

In addition, they visited the DPRI Bosai Museum where they were given a guided and detailed tour by Mr. Hideki Matsuura.  The DPRI Bosai Museum, teaches about natural phenomena causes and effects and covers earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, and other disasters.  It also disseminates advance research and innovations by DPRI researchers and introduces DPRI research facilities.  The museum includes a section for community participatory activities and an introduction to “Nige-tore” – tsunami evacuation drill developed by Prof. Katsuya Yamori’s team.

Details of the award are as follows.

Award Recipient　：　Professor Eiichi Nakakita, Head, Research Division of Atmospheric and Hydrospheric Disasters, DPRI, Kyoto University
Award Title：　Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award, Japan Society of Civil Engineers
Paper Title：　最新型気象レーダーの高度利用研究と土木工学・気象学の融合
Award Date　：　14 June 2019

During the meeting, they provided details of the Exploiting the science of slow earthquakes to mitigate disasters from mega thrust earthquakes and tsunamis under the SATREPS project on Hazard Assessment of Large Earthquakes and Tsunamis in the Mexican Pacific Coast for Disaster Mitigation and presented a simulation of the tsunami inundation of Guerrero State and other educational activities conducted under the project which was appreciated by Minister David Leon Romero.  The meeting was also featured in the Mexico Federal Government Twitter.

• メキシコ連邦政府市民防災コーディネーションのツイート
• SATREPS project on Hazard Assessment of Large Earthquakes and Tsunamis in the Mexican Pacific Coast for Disaster Mitigation

Details of the recipients are as follows:

Award Recipient　：　Daiki Yamashita, Graduate School of Engineering / Research Division of Earthquake Disasters M1
Award Title：　Excellent Presentation Award at the 2019 Japan Society for Civil Engineers Kansai Branch Annual Academic Lecture
Paper Title：　強度にばらつきを持つ分岐断層の破壊方向に関するXFEMシミュレーション (XFEM Simulation on Failure Direction of Bifurcated Fault with Variation in Strength)
Award Date　：　25 May 2019

Award Recipient　：　Shoya Takata, Presently, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Public Works Research Institute/ at the time of contribution, Graduate School of Engineering / Water Resources Research Center M2
Award Title：　Excellent Presentation Award at the 2019 Japan Society for Civil Engineers Kansai Branch Annual Academic Lecture
Paper Title：　ダムの堆砂進行に伴う常用洪水吐きゲートの閉塞リスクの高いダムの抽出方法の提案 (Proposal on a method for extracting sedimentation from dams at high risk of clogging at the flood gates)
Award Date　：　25 May 2019

Award Recipient　：　Junya Ishizuka, Graduate School of Engineering / Water Resources Research Center M1
Award Title：　Excellent Presentation Award at the 2019 Japan Society for Civil Engineers Kansai Branch Annual Academic Lecture
Paper Title：　河道外貯留ダムの類型化及び河川環境への影響に関する検討 (Study on typology of extra-vessel storage dam and influence on river environment)
Award Date　：　25 May 2019

Award Recipient　：　Maki Iwamoto, Graduate School of Engineering / Water Resources Research Center M1
Award Title：　Excellent Presentation Award at the 2019 Japan Society for Civil Engineers Kansai Branch Annual Academic Lecture
Paper Title：　亀岡盆地の氾濫解析に基づく日吉ダムの治水操作手法の検討 (Examination of flood control operation method of Hiyoshi dam based on Kameoka basin inundation analysis)
Award Date　：　25 May 2019

Award Recipient　：　Masashi Takagi, Graduate School of Engineering / Research Division of Atmospheric and Hydrospheric Disasters M1
Award Title：　Excellent Presentation Award at the 2019 Japan Society for Civil Engineers Kansai Branch Annual Academic Lecture
Paper Title：　砕波による表層混合のパラメタリゼーションと台風に対する応答 (Parameterization of surface mixing by breaking waves and response to typhoon)
Award Date　：　25 May 2019

JSCE Awards

JSCE Award program (founded in 1920) recognizes outstanding achievements, remarkable accomplishments, and significant contribution to civil engineering progress.  JSCE has developed the award program to further promote the civil engineering profession, encourage civil engineers to achieve their goals, and to introduce technological innovations widely.

The awards are conferred at JSCE General Assembly in June every year.

• 年次学術講演会優秀発表賞受賞者［土木学会関西支部HP］

Details of the award are as follows.

Award Recipient　：　Prof. Masato Iguchi, Director of Sakurajima Volcano Research Center, DPRI, Kyoto University

Award Title：　The Volcanological Society of Japan Award

Paper Title：　多項目観測による火山活動評価と比較研究に基づく噴火過程の解明 (in Japanese) (Evaluation of Volcanic Activity and a comparative study on the Eruptive Process)

Award Date　：　28 May 2019

On 19th of June 2019, Prof. Iguchi visited the City Hall to share the news of the award with Mr. Hiroyuki Mori, Mayor of Kagoshima Prefecture. The briefing session was reported in the media (please see the link below).

• NPO法人日本火山学会・日本火山学会研究奨励賞・日本火山学会賞歴代受賞者リスト［日本火山学会HP］
• 京大 井口教授に日本火山学会賞［NHK鹿児島NEWS WEB］
• 京大・井口教授が日本火山学会賞受賞［KTS鹿児島テレビ］

You can see the PDF version through the link below.

• 2018年平成30年7月豪雨災害調査報告書［全ページ・PDF］

I am honoured to be appointed as the Director of the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University as of 1 of April 2019. After graduating from the Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University and being engaged in earthquake disaster mitigation in the Geographical Survey Institute since then, I joined DPRI in April 1997. While this appointment brings with its own responsibilities and challenges, it gives me great pleasure and indebtedness to assume the role of the Directorship of DPRI, Kyoto University.

At the end of 2018, the Central Disaster Management Council of the Japan Cabinet Office, published two reports on countermeasures to earthquakes, and weather and water related disasters.

These reports highlighted a wide range of disasters occurred recently in Japan, and revealed existing defects in the Japan’s disaster prevention and mitigation measures. Currently, discussions are in progress among government and other stakeholders to foster measures against various types of large disasters, enhance promotion of disaster countermeasures, and dissemination of information to local administrations, communities and residents.

How could we contribute to this challenge?

As a leading institute in the disaster prevention and mitigation research, I believe, we should bring our resources and efforts together and engage in active dialogue with various stakeholders to contribute and shed enlightenment in these endeavours.

I would like to firmly encourage all staff members to promote our cutting-edge research in their respective fields of expertise, actively engage in expressing their opinions while enhancing the presence of the Disaster Prevention Research Institute within Japan and abroad as a leading science and technology community institute promoting disaster reduction and resilience to disasters.

While we pursue our goals, we need to be conscientious about educating the next generation.  I could see that DPRI is approaching a time of generation change too.  It is our mission to guide the younger generation and foster them to act freely and become future leaders in carrying out these tasks in an efficient manner. In this regard, I am open to hear your voice and engage in meaningful dialogue in our efforts to contribute to resilience to disasters.

To support me in my task as the Director of DPRI, Kyoto University, I have in my team, three Deputy-Directors, Prof. Hirokazu Tatano, Future Plans; Prof. Michinori Hatayama, Research and Education; Prof. Hirohiko Ishikawa, Public Relations and International Exchange; and Prof. Yoshiki Ikeda as Chairperson of the Self-Evaluation Committee.

And finally, I would like to join forces with you all in this journey and pass-on a vibrant and a leading disaster prevention research institute to the next generation.

I count on your continued support and cooperation.

Thank you.

Prof. Manabu Hashimoto
Director
Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI)
Kyoto University

Congratulations to Prof. Manabu Hashimoto in his appointment as the new Director of the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University.  Prof. Hashimoto took office from 1st April 2019. After graduating from the Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Prof. Hashimoto formerly joined DPRI in April 1997.

We look forward to supporting him and working under his able leadership.

The fourth Global Summit of Research Institutes for Disaster Risk Reduction (4thGSRIDRR2019) took place at the Disaster Prevention Research Institutes (DPRI), Kyoto University, Uji Campus, Kyoto, Japan from 13^th to 15^th March 2019.  It was sponsored by the Global Alliance of Disaster Research Institutes (GADRI) and Kyoto University and is the fourth session of the Global Summit Series which was initiated by DPRI in November 2011.

The conference program included 16 keynote speeches by prominent speakers from various fields and areas of specializations among which were the Government of Japan, The World Bank, UNISDR, Public Health England, Northumbria University Newcastle and others. In addition, the conferences included two group discussion sessions, panel sessions and attracted 52 poster presenters. Among the final outcomes of the conference were the contributions to the contextualization of the global science and technology roadmap.

The 4th Global Summit was attended by 246 participants from 33 states.

For further information visit the GADRI website.

Graduate students Kento Matsui and Hiroki Okuda were presented with the Master’s Thesis Award by the Japan Association for Wind Engineering (JAWE) on 18 March 2019.

Details of the award are as follows.

Award Recipient　：　Kento Matsui, Graduate School of Engineering, Wind Engineering and Wind Resistant Structures – M2

Award Title：　Master’s thesis award for 2018

Paper Title：　ブラフボディの動的空力特性に関する実験的研究 (in Japanese)

(Experimental study on aerodynamic characteristics of bluff bodies)

Award Date　：　18 March 2019

Award Recipient　：　Hiroki Okuda, Graduate School of Engineering, Wind Engineering and Wind Resistant Structures – M2

Award Title：　Master’s thesis award for 2018

Paper Title：　床下の通風空間に着目した高床式建築物の空気力学的特性の解明 (in Japanese)  (Clarification of Aerodynamic characteristics on raised floor type buildings)

Award Date　：　18 March 2019

Japan Association for Wind Engineering (JAWE)

The Fifth DPRI Award for international research recognition was awarded to Prof. John G. Anderson, Nevada Seismological Laboratory, University of Nevada, USA during the DPRI Annual Meeting held at DPRI, Kyoto University, Uji Campus from 19th to 20th February 2019.

The award ceremony was held at DPRI, Uji campus, Kyoto University, Obaku Plaza, Kyoto, Japan on 19 February 2019. During the occasion, Prof. Anderson delivered a lecture on “ Seismic Hazard Analyses in Three Decades of Research with Special Emphasis on the Importance of Quantitative Strong Motion Predictions”.

For further details of the DPRI Annual Meeting (Japanese only).

The Fourth Global Summit of Research Institutes for Disaster Risk Reduction, sponsored by the Global Alliance of Disaster Research Institutes (GADRI) and Kyoto University, will be held at the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University, Uji Campus, Kyoto, Japan from 13 to 15 March 2019.

The Fourth Global Summit under the theme of “Increasing the effectiveness and relevance of our institutes” will explore:

• GADRI Contributions to the 2016 Science & Technology Roadmap; and how best could GADRI promote SFDRR 2030 agenda?
• SDGs and Climate change and adaptation – what engagement mechanisms and research linkages are needed to influence research directions among policy makers, governments, localities, media, etc.?
• The Tokyo Statement 2017 and the SFDRR Agenda 2030 – Nation’s Synthesis: Online Synthesis System and Pre-synthesis
• Research Funding – Where are the funding for disaster risk reduction activities coming from and are they invested to right causes and areas that are most needed?

Visit the website for further details.

They were given a detailed tour of the facilities and participated in  a flood simulation exercises related to disaster risk reduction and management.

(L-r) Ms. Shanelle Simmonds, Foreign Service Officer; Her Excellency Jasmine Huggins, Non-resident Ambassador of St. Kitts and Nevis to Japan; Mrs. Sharon Brantley; Hon. Mark Brantley, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Prof. Norio Maki and Dr. Tetsuya Hiraishi, Professor Coastal Sedimentary Environment, Ujigawa Open Laboratory, DPRI, Kyoto University

Hon. Mark Brantley, Minister of Foreign Affairs in St. Kitts and Nevis and his wife Sharon Brantley, participated in a flood simulation exercise at the Ujigawa Open Laboratory, Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University

• Nevis Island Administration

Four researchers from the Korea Institute of Construction Technology (KICT), Research Center for Securing Flood Golden Hour visited the Research Division of Hydrometeorological Disasters (Nakakita Laboratory), DPRI, Kyoto University from 24 to 25 October 2018.

During the meeting, an academic exchange agreement was concluded between the Research Center for Securing Flood Golden Hour and the Research Division of Hydrometeorological Disasters (Nakakita Laboratory).  After the meeting, a research survey was conducted of the Amagase Dam and Yodogawa Dam Integrated Management Office.

Award details are as follows:

Award Recipients　：　Haruhisa Nakamichi, Masato Iguchi, Takeshi Tameguri, and Tadaomi Sonoda
Award Title：　Hazards 2000 International Award of the Japan Society for Natural Disaster Science
Paper Title：　Quantification of seismic and acoustic waves to characterize the 2014 and 2015 eruptions of Kuchinoerabujima Volcano, Japan
Award Date　：　2018年10月7日

• 日本自然災害学会　学会賞一覧
• Quantification of seismic and acoustic waves to characterize the 2014 and 2015 eruptions of Kuchinoerabujima Volcano, Japan (Journal of Natural Disaster Science Vol.38, No.1, 2017, pp.65-83.)

Award Recipient: Lee FuHsing (Researcher) (Co-presenter: Katsuya Yamori)
Award Title: Excellent Conference Presentation Award of the 65^th Conference of the Japanese Group Dynamics Association – Speech Division
Paper Title: Inter-locality of disaster stricken areas and unrelated areas
Award Date: 8 November 2018

Award Recipient: Genta Nakano (School of Informatics D3)
Award Title: Gold Prize Paper Award in Young Scientists Session,  The 9th Conference of the International Society for Integrated Disaster Risk Management (IDRiM)
Paper Title: The “Relaying Effect” of Education for Disaster Risk Reduction: A Case Study in Nuwakot District, Nepal
Award Date: 4 October 2018

Award Recipient:  Genta Nakano (School of Informatics D3)
Award Title:  Excellence Award at the 37^th Academic Presentation of the Japan Society for Natural Disaster Science
Paper Title:  Long-term Effects of Fundamental Disaster Prevention Education
Award Date:  6 October 2018

Award Recipient:  Natsumi Okuda (School of Information D3)
Award Title:  Excellence Award at the 37^th Academic Presentation of the Japan Society for Natural Disaster Science
Paper Title:  The effects of community on disaster prevention map education at schools: a case study
Award Date:  6 October 2018

• 日本グループ・ダイナミックス学会
• IDRiM
• 日本自然災害学会

Program in Japanese

Access

Award details are as follows.

Award Recipients:  Noerdin Basir and Tetsuya Hiraishi

Award Title: Distinguished Paper Award, 2018 International Conference on Engineering and Natural Science-Summer Session

Paper Title:  Shoreline Response due to Detached Breakwater in Tropical Peat Coast of Bengkalis Island Indonesia

Award Date:  30 July 2018

• Awards & Publications | ICENS-Summer
• ICENS-Summer

The Hon. Minister Mr. Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief; and Member, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief visited DPRI, Kyoto University, Uji Campus on 24^th July 2018 on a study tour. The Minister was greeted by Prof. Norio Maki, Vice-Director, DPRI, and Mr. Yasuhiko Hironaka, Head, Administration Office.

The Honourable Minister Maya was accompanied by 5 other parliamentarians, a few other members of the ministry and the Mr. Mohammad Jobayed Hosen, First Secretary of the Embassy of Bangladesh in Tokyo.

After greetings, Prof. Maki delivered a lecture on Post-Disaster Management in Japan. The group visited the Geotechnical Centrifuge laboratory and the Wind Tunnel Laboratory prior to leaving DPRI.

The visit was arranged by the Government of Bangladesh under its initiative as a study tour on post-disaster management and to learn on disaster preparedness for effective disaster response and Japan’s experience on post-disaster management.

Hon. Minister Mr. Maya and
Hon. Chairman Mr. Shambhu, Government of Bangladesh

Prof. Norio Maki exchange souvenirs with the Minister

Group photograph at the DRPI Director’s Office

  Group photograph in front of
DPRI, Kyoto University, Uji Campus

To read the Newsletter, visit The World Bank Newsletter.

Report on Incorporating Resilience in Infrastructure Prioritization: Japan’s Road Transport Sector

Prof. Yoshihisa Iio, Prof. Hirohiko Ishikawa, Ms. Aimee Gonzales
Prof. Hajime Nakagawa, Dr. Subhajyoti Samaddar and Ms. Wilma James

Current issue – PDF

Previous issues

京大防災研 技術室日記

After the session, the group toured the Geotechnical Centrifuge Laboratory. Clad in with helmets, they visited the basement to take a closer look at the centrifuge machine. Next they visited the Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel Lab where they had the chance to experiment the wind speed of 15 m/s. The tour concluded with a visit to the Bosai Museum without which the it could not have been completed.

Finally the Head of the Department presented DPRI with a souvenir of the Universitas Islam Indonesia.

Presentation by Prof. Norio Maki

Group Photograph

Head of Department presenting a souvenir received by Ms. Kaoru Saeki

http://www.dpri.kyoto-u.ac.jp/publications/manga/

You are most welcome to join this event.

Website：　http://www.dpri.kyoto-u.ac.jp/hapyo/18/

  ※20 February from 9：30 ～ 15：30 Ustream is available at the following link:

「http://www.ustream.tv/channel/dpri」

Documents for DPRI Annual Meeting 2018

• Program
• Poster
• Information for Oral Presentations
• Information for Poster Presentations
• Floor Plan for Poster Presentation
• Abstract for Oral Session
• Abstract for Poster Session
• Access

The 6^th DPRI-NCDR Workshop was held at the National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction (NCDR) in Taipei from 6 to 7 December 2017.  The Opening Remarks were delivered by Prof. Fong-Chin Su, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology; and Prof. Eiichi Nakakita, Disaster Prevention Research Institutes (DPRI), Kyoto University.  The workshop was attended by 50 participants among which 12 were from DPRI.

For further details on the workshop can be found at Newsletter NCDR.

Following is the draft programme.

DAY 1: December 6^th (Wednesday)

DAY 2: December 7^th (Thursday)

NCDR website

京大防災研 技術室日記

A tripartite Agreement of Cooperation was signed on 30 November 2017 between the Faculty of Engineering, Muhammadi University of Yogyakarta; and the Faculty of Engineering, and Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI) of Kyoto University for academic and student exchanges.

The Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta is a private university founded in 1981. Currently, there are 8 faculties, 9 graduate schools, 3 faculties of arts school and about 19,000 students. In February 2013, they received an A rating from the Department of Higher Education in Indonesia.

In the afternoon, Prof. Sammonds met with Prof. Hirokazu Tatano, Secretary‑General, Global Alliance of Disaster Research Institutes (GADRI); and Professor, DPRI, Kyoto University.  Prof. Tatano presented Prof. Sammonds the GADRI Membership certificate for the University College London Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction.

Please use the following link to access the Comic Books of “Kyoto University Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI) Laboratory Diary Series- episode 8” on “Abuyama Observatory”.

http://www.dpri.kyoto-u.ac.jp/publications/manga/

For further information, visit the link below:

• 防災研究所附属火山活動研究センター（桜島火山観測所）を林芳正 文部科学大臣が視察されました。（2017年8月20日）［京都大学 News］

Award Recipient:  Sakaue（Research Center for Earthquake Prediction – D2）
Award Title:  JpGU – AGU Joint Meeting 2017
Paper Title:  Estimation of the spatiotemporal evolution of the slow slip events in the Tokai region, central Japan, since 2013 using GNSS data
Award Date:  2017/5/31

Award Recipient:  Ito (Research Center for Earthquake Prediction – D1）
Award Title:  JpGU – AGU Joint Meeting 2017
Paper Title:  Estimation of spatiotemporal distribution of interplate slip after the 2003 Tokachi-oki earthquake incorporating viscoelastic relaxation
Award Date:  　2017/5/31

• JpGU – AGU Joint Meeiting 2017 学生優秀発表賞受賞者（日本地球惑星科学連合サイト内ページ）

http://www.dpri.kyoto-u.ac.jp/publications/manga/

Use the following link to view the full report in Japanese.

http://www.dpri.kyoto-u.ac.jp/news/9494/

• 九州北部豪雨災害現地調査 速報 2017/7/15-17 朝倉・日田（千木良雅弘・平田康人 ・佐藤達樹・横山 修）

The objective of this project is to develop a disaster prediction model that simultaneously evaluates weather conditions, storm surges and wave conditions from typhoons.   In addition, a high resolution coastal wave model is to be developed to verify and evaluate the effect of disaster reduction by green infrastructure.

台風・高潮・波浪の結合評価モデル

For further details, visit the following links:

• NEC Corportation – Launch of research and development on a coastal disaster simulation systems
• Kyoto University HP：グリーンインフラを用いた減災効果を検証・評価する 「沿岸災害シミュレーションシステム」の研究開発を開始しました。（2017年7月7日）
• グリーンインフラを⽤いた減災効果を検証・評価する 「沿岸災害シミュレーションシステム」の研究開発を開始 〜巨⼤台⾵による沿岸災害の対策に向けて〜

http://www.dpri.kyoto-u.ac.jp/publications/manga/

Episodes 1 to 5

Xinmocun Rock avalanche induced by rainfall in Songping area, Maoxien, Sichuan, China, 24 June 2017

Masahiro Chigira¹⁾, Wu Xiyong²⁾, Zhao Siyuan¹⁾
 
1) Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University. 2) Southwest Jiatong University
 
June 28, 2017
 
A large rock avalanche with a volume about 8 million m³ was induced 6 am, 24 June 2017 in Xinmocun village, Maoxien, Sichuan China (Figs. 1, 2). Chinese TV news reported over 100 people are missing or dead. We had been studying this area for years before this landslide and now recognize that the new landslide is the retrogression of a previous landslide scar and remobilization of the old landslide deposits in the lower portion of the slope.

Fig. 1 Location map of the Xinmocun landslide.

Fig. 2 Xinmocun landslide (Image via Herald Net (AP/N1 Han Guan), through the landslide blog of AGU).

Fig. 3 Sight seeing panel, which shows landslide dams and lakes. The right most lake is the lake of the Diexi landslide. The Cinmocun landslide is located to the left of the red star.
 

Geologic setting

The new landslide is located in the upstream of the Min River Sichuan China (Fig. 1). The riverbed elevations range from 2000 m to 2500 m and the elevations of nearby ridges 3500 m to 4000 m.
 
There are many landslide dams in this area, which is a sight seeing spot called Songping area (Fig. 3). A few kilometer downstream of the Cinmocun ｌandslide is the largest landslide dam of the Diexi landslide, which partially failed to form a new landslide dam during 1933 Diexi earthquake. It was partially breached to cause a flood downstream but this dam lake is still remaining as the largest lake in this area.
 
Bedrock in this area consists of Triassic sedimentary rocks, which are now metamorphosed to be psammitic, pelitic, or calcareous schists.
 

Xinmocun landslide

The Xinmocun landslide occurred on a SW-facing slope and buried a village on a previous landslide deposits on the riverbed (Fig. 4). The riverbed at the landslide site was 2200 m and the ridge top of the landslide was 3800 m from 5-m DEM of AW3D (ALOS World 3D topographic data).
The bedrock in and around the Xinmodun landslide consists of alternating beds of psammitic and pelitic schists, which are commonly calcareous and show dissolution features (Fig. 5). The beds trend E-W, slightly obliquely to the slope trend, and dip to S at 48 °, steeper than the slope.
 
The source area of the 2017 landslide was rather small as is shown in Figure 4, judging from the images taken after the event. However, the whole landslide area became very large, larger than the previous landslide. It could be attributed to the energy of the rock mass that rushed down from the source area. The rock mass hit the old landslide deposits 400 to 800 m below and probably mobilized them, which flew over the flat land.

Fig. 4 Topographic map and profiles of the Xinmocun landslide made from the 5-m DEM of AW3D. Dashed line delineates the old landslide and the red area indicates the source area of the rockslide of 2017 landslide. The depositional area of the new landslide seems to be larger than that of the old landslide, but it cannot be clearly delineated now..
 

Fig. 5 An outcrop of alternating beds of psammitic and pelitic schists. This outcrop is just on the west of the landslide. We see many holes up to a few tens of cm in diameter, which are made by the dissolution and removal of calcareous material. The beds just above the person in the left picture are slightly buckled to have a convex hinge.

The landslide slope before the 2017 event showed planar rock surface parallel to the bedding in the middle and upslope (Figs. 6A and 6B), and had landslide deposits in the lower part (Figs. 4 and 6A); The planar surface was the sliding surface of the old landslide. We observed small buckling deformation on an outcrop to the west of this landslide (Fig. 5) and also observed nearly horizontal fractures on the planar rock surface (Fig. 6B), which may be buckled portions of beds. We observed buckle folds at the foot of the slope of the old landslide (Fig. 6D), which could be a part of the old landslide body but it remained after the 2017 landslide.
 

Fig. 6A Overview of the landslide of Xinmocun taken in 2016. Leftside outcrops are stationary bedrock. The heave in the lower right is landslide deposit.
 

Fig. 6B Planar rock surface parallel to the bedding. We see horizontal trace of fractures near the top of the ridge.

Fig. 6C Lower part of the slope of the old landslide. We see bedding surface, which is buckled to have sharp bends. This portion remained as similar outcrops after the 2017 landslide. Looking from the west.

Fig. 6D Upper part of the old landslide. We see planar bedding planes.

Precursory features before the 2017 event

Comparison of geologic features before and after the 2017 event is possible using the Google earth image and the photograph taken by Xu Qiang of Chengdu University of Technology.
Figures 6 and 7 are Google earth images of the whole landslide site and of the ridge-top portion before teh 2017 event. We clearly see a buckle fold hinge just below the ridge top and cracks running parallel to the maximum slope (Cr2 and Cr3). Figure 8 compares the ridge-top portion before and after the 2017 event, which strongly suggests that both sides of the source area of the 2017 rockslide was already bounded by Cr1 and Cr3 before the event and Cr1 became a high steep scarp, which bounded the west of the major volume of the source area.
The buckle fold hinge and the cracks described above clearly suggest that the rocks in the source area of the 2017 landslide had been already gravitationally deformed and prepared for the future rock slide. I assume such a gravitational slope deformation could have been detected by airborne LiDAR.
When we carefully look at the photograph of the sliding surface of the 2017 event, we recognize small holes (Fig. 9), which likely were the result of the dissolution of calcareous materials like those in Fig. 5. Dissolution of calcareous materials forms openings, which are generally connected to each other so increase the permeability and decrease the chance of pore pressure build upt. However, if the connectivity is not so good or rainfall amounts are too much, pore pressure likely builds up .
 

Fig. 6 Google earth image of the whole landslide before the 2017 event.
 

Fig. 7 Google earth image of the ridge top of the old landslide before the 2017 event. We see a buckle fold hinge (red dashed line) and cracks (Cr2 and Cr3).
 

Fig. 8 Ridge-top portion of the 2017 landslide before (upper, Google earth) and after (photo by Xu Qiang) the event. A, B, and C are markers. Cr1, Cr2, and Cr3 are cracks, which were already identified before the landslide. Cr1 became the major border of the 2017 landslide and made a steep high scarp, which bounded the west side of the source of the landslide.

Fig. 9 Holes on the sliding surface (central portion of Fig. 8). These holes are probably due to the dissolution of calcareous materials like those in Fig. 5.

Concluding remarks

The landslide of 2017 occurred on the same slope of a previous landslide. We supposed that unstable rock mass had already slid off, but there occurred buckling deformation and cracking of beds behind the landslide scar to prepare for the next landslide even though rock debris were not remaining in the source area. Now, we know that a sequential phenomena could occur in such a cataclinal slope of calcareous psammitic and pelitic schist alternations. In addition, even a source volume is not large, when it hit the older landslide debris much lower than the source, the rock debris may be mobilized and likely cause a catastrophic disaster.

After the June landslide, there still remain a large amount of rock debris on the sliding surface in higher elevations, which must be monitored because they may be remobilized in future. The height of the landslide is over 1000 m, so kinetic energy of rock debris from the higher elevations would be so high that they hit the downslope accumulation of debris to much increase its volume.

http://www.dpri.kyoto-u.ac.jp/publications/manga/

GADRI was represented at the recently held UNISDR Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Cancun, Mexico from 22 to 26 May 2017.  Prof. Hirokasu Tatano, Secretary-General, GADRI, and Professor, DPRI, Kyoto University, Prof. Andrew Collins, Chair of Board of Directors of GADRI, and Leader, Disaster and Development Network, Northumbria University, UK, Prof. Yuichi Ono, International Research Institute of Disaster Science (IRIDeS), Tohoku University and a few other members attended conference.  GADRI shared a booth at the marketplace under the theme “Academia, Science and Technology in DRR” which was managed by IRIDeS, Tohoku University.

Prof. Collins participated in the session organized by WHO in the ‘Thematic Platform for Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management’.

During IGNITE Stage special venue where selected participants are allowed 15 minutes to present a disaster risk reduction topic, project or initiative, Assoc. Prof. Yoshihiro Ito, Research Center for Earthquake Prediction, Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University, introduced the SATREPS project “Public partnership between Japan and Mexico on disaster mitigation of large earthquake and tsunami hazards” –  a collaborative project between Japan and Mexico to mitigate earthquake/tsunami disaster impacts. The presentation was held on Thursday, 25 May 2017.

For further details, please visit the link:
http://www.unisdr.org/conferences/2017/globalplatform/en/programme/ignite-stage/view/725

Professor Hirokazu Tatano, Head, Social Systems for Disaster Risk Governance, Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University, Japan; and Secretary-General, Global Alliance of Disaster Research Institutes (GADRI), is elected as a member of the Science and Technology Advisory Group (STAG) for the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) for a term of two years in cognition of his contribution and experience, as well as potential of GADRI’s contribution to disaster research.

• UNISDR Science and Technology Advisory Group (STAG)
• Global Alliance of Disaster Research Institutes (GADRI)

Award Title:  2016 Encouragement Award by Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE)

Award Recipient:  Program-Specific Researcher Kazuki Yamanoi, Sedimentation Disasters, Research Center for Fluvial and Coastal Disasters – D3

Paper Title:  豪雨時の水・土砂災害に関わるハザード群の発生リスク評価［水工学論文集第60巻］(Evaluation of hazard risks related to heavy rain/sediment disasters (Annual Journal of Hydraulic Engineering Volume 60)

Award Date:  15 March 2017

• 水工学論文奨励賞 受賞者一覧

Award Recipient:  Wendi Harjupa, Hydrometeorological Disasters – D 2

Award Title:   Best Paper Award at the 2017 International Symposium on Weather Radar and Hydrology

Paper Title:   Wendi Harjupa, Eiichi Nakakita, Kosei Yamaguchi ： Preliminary Investigation of Generation of Guerilla-Heavy Rainfall Using Himawari-8 and XRAIN in Japan for Flash Flood Disaster Prevention

Award Date:   13 April 2017
Award Recipient:  Tomohiro Niibo, Hydrometeorological Disasters – M1

Award Title:   Best Paper Award at the 2017 International Symposium on Weather Radar and Hydrology

Paper Title:   Eiichi Nakakita, Tomohiro Niibo, Hiroto Sato, and Kosei Yamaguchi：A preliminary analysis of cumulonimbus cloud structure using Ka-band Doppler polarimetric radar for flash flood disaster prevention

Award Date:   13 April 2017

• 2017 International Symposium on Weather Radar and Hydrology

Award Recipient:  Prof. Masahiro Chigira, Research Division of Geohazards

Award Title: 2017 Prize for Science and Technology by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)

Paper Title: 深層崩壊の準備過程と発生場所予測に関する研究　*1
(Study on Deep-seated gravitational deformation location prediction)

Award Date:  19 April 2017

Award Recipient:  Assistant Professor Masumi Yamada, Research Division of Earthquake Disasters

Award Title:  Young Scientists Award by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)

Paper Title:  地震波形を用いたリアルタイム災害モニタリングの研究 *2
Study on real-time disaster monitoring using seismic waveforms * 2

Award Date: 19 April 2017

平成29年度科学技術分野の文部科学大臣表彰受賞者等の決定について

http://www.dpri.kyoto-u.ac.jp/publications/manga/

Prof. Hajime Nakagawa, Director, DPRI, Kyoto University

I took office as the Director of the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University on 1 April 2017. I am grateful to my predecessor Prof. Kaoru Takara for the excellent work carried out to enhance the research and academic capabilities of the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI) during the past two years.

I joined the Sabo Research Section (current Sedimentation Disasters, Research Center for Fluvial and Coastal Disasters) in 1981 and have served DPRI for 36 years. I have proudly observed the progress it has made over the years, and I am deeply and strongly attached to this institute. It is, therefore, my greatest honour to serve as the Director of DPRI. I count on your guidance and support to carry out the tasks at hand.

First of all, I would like to introduce the new staff members who have joined the Disaster Prevention Research Institute as of 1 April.

There were five new members as follows:

• Prof. Ryosuke Uzuoka, Geotechnics, Research Division of Geohazards
• Prof. Yoshiki Ikeda, Earthquake Resistant Structures, Research Division of Earthquake Hazards
• Associate Prof. Akira Yoshida, Field Research Section for Fluvial and Coastal Hazards, Research Center for Fluvial and Coastal Disasters
• Senior Lecturer Florence Lahournat, Innovative Disaster Prevention Technology and Policy Research, Research Division of Disaster Management for Safe and Secure Society; and
• Program-Specific Assistant Prof. Kensuke Takenouchi, Meteorological and Hydrological Risk Information (endowed by JWA), Research Division of Atmorspheric and Hydrosheric Disasters.

In addition, Rie Kurisu joined as a technical support staff member.

I hope the new members will familiarize themselves with the work of DPRI and we will see more research results in the future.

I would like to share with you my visions and plans anticipated during my term as the director of the institute.

First and foremost, it is all about research!  DPRI is a unique institute in disaster prevention and disaster mitigation especially in terms of its acclaimed facilities – nearly 15 observatory stations, laboratories, and facilities – a feature that is not seen among any other graduate school of the Kyoto University. In addition, DPRI is designated as a nationwide Joint Usage/Research Center for the Reduction of Natural Disasters and our facilities are open to researchers nationwide. We have successfully conducted many collaborative research projects producing applicable and valuable research results. In this context, I would like to strengthen our collaborative partnerships and continue to challenge new and unique research initiatives. I hope, our young researchers would stand-up to undertake new and unique challenges for research opportunities with a fresh fervor.  Challenges push us forward to progression. We must significantly support our future generation of young researchers with their new research ideas and initiatives to tackle the global problems in the field of disaster prevention and risk reduction towards creating a disaster resilient world.  Our young researchers – please do not hesitate to share your views and opinions with me. As for the senior researchers, I seek your support to strengthen our research activities and education in nurturing doctoral students to engage in generating outstanding research results and publications thereby contributing to the research excellence of DPRI.

Next is education, and international cooperation.  The Global Alliance of Disaster Research Institutes (GADRI) was launched in March 2015 and the DPRI serves as its secretariat. As we saw recently at the 3^rd Global Summit of Research Institutes for Disaster Risk Reduction, GADRI has become a recognized network in the world. To date, there are nearly 130 member institutes who have joined GADRI. In addition to this, DPRI has concluded agreements of cooperations with 56 overseas institutes (as of 31 March 2017). GADRI is a global network working in close cooperation with international stakeholders such as JICA UNESCO, UNISDR and other research bodies involved in disaster prevention/risk reduction in a globalized scale. Taking advantage of these prospects, we should move forward to improve collaboration and partnerships with the international community through academic exchanges and research collaborations and achieve globalization of DPRI research work. I would like to take this opportunity to invite those institutes who are yet to become a member of GADRI to join the network as soon as possible. In addition, I would like to promote the Strategic Young Researchers Overseas Visits Program for Accelerating Brain Circulation through academic exchange programmes.

Public Relations and Social Collaboration is another important sector – we need to disseminate our research results broadly and globally, and promote evidence-based practices around the world. While submission of papers and publications in prominent journals are of utmost importance, creating new research results and promoting them for practical use in the world is an equally important aspect towards overcoming barriers and promoting research result practices. Our basic principle is “to generate practical research results in disaster prevention and mitigation aimed at solving problems of the real world and contribute to a safe and a secure society”. Based on this principle, we should take advantage of our facilities and resources, and engage prominently to disseminate evidence-based research results among the local and international communities through various public relations activities and events such as public lectures, forums, campus publications, participation in international conferences, workshops and symposia, and also through collaborative research projects and activities.

Another important area is databases – Integrated Disaster Reduction Systems, Research Center for Disaster Reduction Systems has been maintaining the natural disaster database “SAIGAI” (http://maple.dpri.kyoto-u.ac.jp/saigai/) with a collection of more than 100,000 data from around the world.  The Research Center for Disaster Reduction Systems has been working in cooperation with the Natural Disaster Research Council and various research studies and considerable work were carried out to build the databases. However, much improvement is needed in terms of collecting data, data input, computer searching systems and policies of published materials, etc. These tasks are currently piled-up and their resolution is an urgent issue. I truly count on your support to improve the database system and bringing it up to date.

Last but not least, recently, we have heard of numerous reports of fraudulent accounting at research institutes, rise in plagiarism of articles and reports which are quite disturbing. While working to improve research, education and social contributions, I would like to urge you to maintain a higher standard of ethical conduct in your activities.

In closing, I would like to introduce my team of executive officers who would be serving with me during the coming two years:

• Prof. Tomoharu Hori, Deputy Director in charge of “Future Plan”
• Prof. Takuo Shibutani, Deputy Director in charge of “Research and Education”
• Prof. Norio Maki; and, Deputy Director in charge of “Public Relations & International Exchange”
• Prof. Yoshihisa Iio, Chairperson of the Self-evaluation Committee

Much work lies ahead of us.  Together, with your continued guidance, cooperation and support, we can accomplish our goals and make the Disaster Prevention Research Institute a world renowned Center of Excellence in the field of disaster prevention and disaster risk reduction.

Thank you!

Prof. Hajime Nakagawa

Director, Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI)

Kyoto University

The research group will investigate different characteristics of “slow earthquakes” occurring in the shallow plate boundary of the Hyuga-nada (near the trench axis), patterns and features in detail. The data will be used to ascertain the relationship between mega earthquakes along the Nankai Trough which usually trigger tsunamis, slow earthquakes that occur in the shallow parts of the plate, and other sophisticated research simulations.

Click here to view the full document in Japanese.

Observing position relationships of slow- and mega- earthquakes occurring in Southwest of Japan and the shallow and deep sides of mega-earthquakes occurring along the Nankai Trough.

Outline of the self-levitating ocean bottom seismometer. The data is taken out at the time of assembly / disassembly. Unlike cable type ocean bottom seismographs such as DONET and S – net, it is not possible to acquire real-time data.  However, with its excellent mobility, it is possible to arrange multi-point dense observations.

A photograph of the ocean floor observation equipment.  Above is a long-term observation type ocean bottom seismograph (sphere diameter 50 cm); and the picture below is a broadband ocean bottom seismograph (diameter of ball is 65 cm) with a pressure gauge sensor. The pressure gauge sensor was attached for long-term observations. When collecting, it separates the weight and levitates.

• プレスリリース：日向灘における海底観測機器を用いた地震・測地観測の実施について(PDF)

Associate Professor Masatoshi Miyazawa is received the 2016 Highlighted Papers Award from Earth, Planets and Space Papers published by Springer Open.

Award Title: EPS 2016 Highlighted papers

Award Recipient:  Associate Professor Masatoshi Miyazawa, Research Center for Earthquake Prediction

Paper Title:  An Investigation into the Remote Triggering of the Oita Earthquake by the 2016 Mw 7.0 Kumamoto Earthquake Using Full Wavefield Simulation

Award Date:  6 February 2017

• 受賞対象論文閲覧ページ（SpringerOpen）：An investigation into the remote triggering of the Oita earthquake by the 2016 Mw 7.0 Kumamoto earthquake using full wavefield simulation
• EPS 2016 Highlighted papers　受賞論文一覧
• EPS Highlighted papers について

The Fourth DPRI Awards for international research recognition was awarded to Prof. Michel Jaboyedoff, University of Lausanne; and the Risk Resilience Program of the International Institute for Applied Systes Analysis (IIASA).  The award ceremony was held on at DPRI, Uji campus, Kyoto University, Obaku Plaza, Kyoto, Japan on 21 February 2017.

We look forward to welcoming you at the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University Annual Meeting and the 4th DPRI Award Ceremony which will be held at the Uji Campus, Obaku Plaza from 21 to 22 February 2017.

 
The researchers and students at DPRI will present their latest research results through poster and oral presentation sessions which will take place at the Hybrid Space of the Oubaku Plaza.

 
You are most welcome to join this event.

※21 February from 9：30 ～ 15：30 Ustream is available at the following link:

「http://www.ustream.tv/channel/dpri」

Programme for the rest of the day and 22 February 2017 could be found at the following link –

http://www.dpri.kyoto-u.ac.jp/web_j/hapyo/17/h28-program.pdf

Documents for DPRI Annual Meeting 2017 

• Program
• Poster
• Information for Oral Presentations
• Information for Poster Presentations
• Floor Plan for Poster Presentation
• Access

Dear Participants and Presenters who are attending the DPRI Annual Meeting,

On the day of the event, prior to moving on to presentations/main hall, please register at the Reception Desk at the entrance of KIHADA Hall.

Prof. Nakagawa will serve a term of two years from 1 April 2017.

Register NOW!!!!!

>> ※Early Bird registration until 31 January 2017:
JPY10,000/person (around US$98/person)

>> ※ Oral / Presentation Sessions

The 3^rd Global Summit of Research Institutes for Disaster Risk Reduction:  Expanding the Platform for Bridging Science and Policy Making  (GSRIDRR 2017) will be held at the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI),  Kyoto University, Uji Campus from 19 to 21 March 2017.  The 3^rd Global Summit will build on the achievements of the last two Global Summits and GADRI projects.

The 3^rd Global Summit will bring together representatives from research institutes involved in disaster risk reduction(DRR) research with the following objectives:

• To serve as an advocate for key research policy statements that are in line with real, evidence-based disaster research needs.
• To carry out a more detailed assessment of key research challenges and to identify priority research areas
• To identify pioneering scientific initiatives to effectively reduce the gaps between science and practice in disaster risk reduction activities.
• To share and build on achievements, and outcomes of past and ongoing GADRI Projects addressing research gaps.
• To foster links between local and international organizations and their programs through the GADRI network.

For further details, visit the 3rd Global Summit homepage

Book outline:

Natech Risk Assessment and Management: Reducing the Risk of Natural-Hazard Impact on Hazardous Installations covers the entire spectrum of issues pertinent to Natech risk assessment and management. After a thorough introduction of the topic that includes definitions of terms, authors Krausmann, Cruz, and Salzano discuss various examples of international frameworks and provide a detailed view of the implementation of Natech Risk Management in the EU and OECD. There is a dedicated chapter on natural-hazard prediction and measurement from an engineering perspective, as well as a consideration of the impact of climate change on Natech risk. The authors also discuss selected Natech accidents, including recent examples, and provide specific ‘lessons learned’ from each, as well as an analysis of all essential elements of Natech risk assessment, such as plant layout, substance hazards, and equipment vulnerability.
The final section of the book is dedicated to the reduction of Natech risk, including structural and organizational prevention and mitigation measures, as well as early warning issues and emergency foreword planning.

You can see more details at: http://store.elsevier.com/product.jsp?isbn=9780128038079

The book can now be ordered at a reduced price.

Among the authors is Dr. Ana Maria Cruz who is a Professor at the Research Center for Disaster Reduction Systems, Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University, Japan.

Facilities/Equipment open for collaborative projects(Only in Japanese)

The Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University commemorated the 50^th Anniversary of the Hodaka Sedimentation Observatory since its inception in 1967. The celebration took place at the Nakao Community Center in Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture on 17 October 2016.  The Hodaka Sedimentation Observatory is one of the few research facilities, which have carried out continuous monitoring for sediment transport in a mountainous watershed.

Visit the website of the Hodaka Sedimentation Observatory for further details.

Award Title:   49^th MBC Award

Award Recipient:  Prof. Masato Iguchi, Sakurajima Volcano Research Center, Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University

Paper Title:  「桜島を拠点にした火山の観測や研究、防災活動」(“Observation, research and disaster prevention activities of volcanoes based on Sakurajima”)

Award Date: 7 October 2016

• 
  第49回（平成28年度）MBC賞　受賞者
• 公益財団法人ＭＢＣ畠中文化基金

Details of the award are as follows:

Name of the Award:  Hazards 2000 International Award of the Japan Natural Disaster Association

Award Recipients:  Prof. Hirokazu Tatano, and Dr. Subhajyoti Samaddar

Social Systems for Disaster Risk Governance, Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University

Paper Title:  Where do Individuals Seek Opinions for Evacuation? A Case Study from Landslide-prone Slum Communities in Mumbai, Journal of Natural Disaster Science, Vol. 36, No.1, 2015, pp.13-24.

Award Date:  21 September 2016

• Journal of Natural Disaster Science Vol.36, No.1, 2015
• 日本自然災害学会

The 5^th International Symposium on the Effects of Surface Geology on Seismic Motion (ESG5) was held at the Taipei International Convention Center, Taipei, Taiwan from 15 to 17 August 2016.  The symposium discussed key issues related to seismic site effects with special focus on the main theme “Challenges of Applying Ground Motion Simulation to Seismology and Earthquake Engineering”. The symposium was jointly hosted by National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering, Taiwan (NCREE) and National Taiwan University, Taiwan (NTU).

The three-day symposium consisted of a fully packed programme with invited keynote and guest speakers; interactive presentations and poster sessions. Booth spaces were allocated for exhibitors and the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University was among them.

Among the Keynote speakers were Prof. Kojiro Irikura, former Director, DPRI, and Executive Vice President of Kyoto University; and Prof. Hiroshi Kawase, DPRI, Kyoto University. Prof. Kawase delivered a keynote lecture on “Studies on the Deep Basin Site Effects Based on the Observed Strong Ground Motions and Microtremors”. Prof. Tomotaka Iwata, DPRI, Kyoto University was an invited speaker and presented a paper on “Long-period Ground Motion Characteristics and Simulations in the Osaka Basin During the 2011 Great Tohoku Earthquake”.

Prof. Shinichi Matsushima presented a paper and a poster at the interactive presentations on “Directionally Dependent H/V Spectral Ratios of Microtremors at Onahama, Fukushima, Japan”. Other poster presenters from DPRI, Kyoto University included among others Dr. Hiroyuki Goto, Dr. Haruko Sekiguchi, and Dr. Masumi Yamada.

Nearly 125 scientists presented their papers and posters at the ESG5 Symposium. The ESG symposiums are organized by ESG working group under the joint auspices of the International Association of Seismology and Physics of the Earth’s Interior (IASPEI) and the International Association of Earthquake Engineering (IAEE).

For further details of the ESG5 Symposium, please visit the website – ESG5

For further details, in Japanese, please visit the following links:

• 京都大学：無動力／人為操作不要のフラップゲート式陸閘の実用化 －津波、高潮、浸水対策－
• プレスリリース全文：無動力／人為操作不要のフラップゲート式陸閘の実用化 －津波、高潮、浸水対策－（pdf）

You could find Further details, in Japanese, through the following link:

（http://www.dpri.kyoto-u.ac.jp/disaster_report/#8135：災害調査報告ページ

Details of the awards are as follows:

Name of the Award: 2015 Paper Award of the Japan Earthquake Society

Award Recipient: Dr. Takuya Nishimura, Associate Professor, Research Center for Earthquake Prediction, Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University

Paper Title:  Takuya Nishimura(2014)：Short-term slow slip events along the Ryukyu trench, southwestern Japan, observed by continuous GNSS,Progress in Earth and Planetary Science, 1:22, doi:10.1186/s40645-014-0022-5

Award Date:  5 October 2016

Name of the Award:  2015 Paper Award of the Japan Earthquake Society

Award Recipient:  Dr. Masumi Yamada, Assistant Professor, Research Division of Earthquake Hazards, DPRI, Kyoto University

Co-winners: Dr.. T. Ishiguchi (Meteorology Institute Meteorological Research Institute), Stephen WU Assistant Professor (Statistical Mathematics Institute)

Paper Title:  溜渕 功史・山田 真澄・Stephen WU(2014):緊急地震速報のための同時多発地震を識別する震源推定手法,地震第2輯, 第67巻, 2号,41-55

(Hypocenter estimation method to identify simultaneous multiple earthquakes for earthquake early warning)

Award Date:  5 October 2016

• 2015年度日本地震学会論文賞（日本地震学会）

The report on the activity of the volcano published by Sakurajima Volcano Research Centre and Bristol University team is featured in BBC News.

Read more..

The completion of the third observation tunnel, Koumon, makes Sakurajima volcano to be the one and only volcano in the world to have three observation tunnels. Other two observations tunnels are Haruta observation tunnel (completed in 1985) and Arimura observation tunnel (completed in 2006 by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Management). These will facilitate the research of early warning of movements and prediction of eruptions.  The completion of the tunnel was considered an urgent task as a major eruption of the volcano is expected in the near future.

Further details in Japanese, click link..

Other links:

Sakurajima Volcano Research Center

Nikkei Shinbun – Japan Islands of Fire, December 2014

Details of the awards are as follows:

Award Recipient：Akiko Suzuki (Research Division of Earthquake Hazards – D1)
Name of the Award：Architectural Institute of Japan Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award
Thesis Award Title：Data-Driven Assessment of Residual Seismic Performance and Aftershock Risk for Earthquake-Affected Steel Buildings
Award Date: 24 August 2016

Award Recipient：Sadahisa Takeda (Research Division of Earthquake Hazards – M1)
Name of the Award：Architectural Institute of Japan Outstanding Graduation Thesis Award
Thesis Award title in Japanese 鋼骨組耐震補強における低負荷補強機構の開発と適用基準の構築
Award Date: 24 August 2016

Award Recipient：Hironari Shimada (Research Division of Earthquake Hazards – M1)
Name of the Award：Architectural Institute of Japan Outstanding Graduation Thesis Award
Thesis Award title in Japanese初期偏心とガセットプレートを用いた剛性調律ブレースの開発
Award Date: 24 August 2016

Further details:

• 2016年度　日本建築学会「優秀修士論文賞」「優秀卒業論文賞

Details of the award are as follows:

Name of the Award：2016 Best Student Presentation Award, Architectural Institute of Japan, Kinki Branch

Award Recipient：Hiroyuki Inamasu (Research Division of Earthquake Hazards – D-1)

Paper Title：Naturally Buckling Braceの骨格曲線算定法の提案と地震応答性能評価

Award Date：3 August 2016

Details of the award are as follows:

Name of the Award ：  20th Congress of IAHR-APD Best Paper Award

Award Recipient ：  Dr. Kenji Kawaike, Associate Professor, Research Center for Fluvial and Coastal Disaster, Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University

Paper Title ：  Inundation damage in urban area affected by pump operation

Award Date：  31 August 2016

• 20th Congress of the Asia Pacific Division of the International Association for Hydro Environment Engineering & Research ( IAHR APD 2016, August – 28, 29, 30, 31 Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Details of the award are given below:
Award Recipient： Satoshi Katakami (M1)
Name of the Award：Best Student Presentation Award , 2016 Japan Geoscience Union Tournament,
Poster Title：日本海溝における単独観測点法を用いた低周波微動の検出 (Detection of low-frequency tremors in the Japan Trench using a single observation point method)
Award Date：31 May 2016
Award Recipient： Atsushi Takahashi (D1
Name of the Award：Best Student Presentation Award , 2016 Japan Geoscience Union Tournament,
Poster Title：高密度GNSS速度場のクラスタ解析による日本列島の変形場の解析 (Analysis of the deformation field of the Japanese archipelago applying the Cluster Analysis of the high density GNSS velocity field)
Award Date：31 May 2016

• 日本地球惑星科学連合2016年大会「学生優秀発表賞」

The signing ceremony was held on 24 June 2016.

Details of the award are given below:

Name of the Award：　Japan Society of Civil Engineers 2016 Award

Award Recipients：　Hitomu Kotani, JSPS Fellow, and Dr. Muneta Yokomatsu

Paper Title： Local Assets as Artifacts and a Resident’s Identity Formation: Category-Selection-Model Approach「アーティファクトとしての地域資産と住民のアイデンティティ形成 ：カテゴリー選択モデルアプローチ」［土木学会論文集D1（景観・デザイン），Vol.71,No.1,pp.10-25,2015］

Award Date： 2016年6月10日

Link: 平成27年度土木学会賞受賞一覧：　https://www.jsce.or.jp/prize/prize_list/p2015.shtml#s04

Details of the award are as follows:

Name of the Award:　Hydrological Research Letters: Highest Impact Article

Award Recipients and the Paper Title:　Nobuhito Mori, Tomohiro Yasuda, Hajime Mase, Tracey Tom and Yuichiro Oku (2010) Projection of Extreme Wave Climate Change under Global Warming, Hydrological Research Letters, Vol.4, pp.15-19.

Award Date：　10 November 2015

LinkL: https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/hrl/4/0/4_0_15/_article (J-SAGE 論文ダウンロードページ)

Details of the award are as follows;

Name of the Award:　2015 Japan Logistics Society Award

Award Recipients:　Prof. Kenji Ono, Research Division of Disaster Management for Safe and Secure Society, et.al

Paper Title:　自動車産業サプライチェーンに対する東日本大震災のインパクト分析 (Impact Analysis of the Great East Japan Earthquake to the automotive industry supply chain)

Award Date:　10 September 2015

Link：　http://www.logistics-society.jp/JLS-prize1.html

  

Prof. Eiichi Nakakita et.al Hydrometeorological Disasters Research Group, Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University won the Japan Meteorological Society 2016 “Kishi Tamotsusho” award.

Details of the award are as follows:

Name of the Award: Japan Meteorological Society 2016 “Kishi Tamotsusho” award

Research Group members:  Prof. Masayuki Maki (Kagoshima University), Prof. Hiroshi Ueda (Nagoya University), Prof. Eiichi Nakakita (Hydrometeorological Disasters Division, Atmoshere-Hydroshere Research Group, Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University)

Research Project:  Development and social implementation of rainfall observation technology through the X-band polarimetric radar

Award Date: 19 May 2016

Mr. Koshiba Kota’s paper was selected as “The Best Symposium Paper by a Young Professional” at the 84th Annual Meeting of ICOLD held in Johannesburg, South Africa from 15 to 20 May 2016. Mr. Kota is a student at the Water Resources Research Center, Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University

Details of the award are given below:

Award Title： The Best Symposium Paper by a Young Professional at the 84th Annual Meeting of ICOLD in South Africa.

Paper Title： Development of a bedload transport measuring system for sediment bypass tunnels in Japan

Award Date: 18 May 2016

Prof. Jim Mori, Research Division of Earthquake Hazards, Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University is elected as President of the American Seismological Society for a term of one-year starting from 19 April 2016.

An international team of seismologists recorded a slow event in a shallow area of plate boundary at the Hikurangi margin off the northeast shore of New Zealand, showing for the first time that such slippage can occur near troughs. This implies that subduction plates may be accumulating much more stress and strain than previously believed –before they bounce back to set off tsunami earthquakes.

Credit: Elizabeth Brenner, Scripps Institute of Oceanography

Authors say that the finding, published 6 May in Science, helps assess earthquake occurrence risk in coastal areas near subduction zones, especially at locations of shallow depth. “Slow earthquakes on the plate interface increase stress on the foci of the large earthquakes, ultimately triggering the largest inter-plate earthquakes,” says study author Yoshihiro Ito of Kyoto University. “In fact, a slow slip event was recorded one month prior to the 2011 Tohoku-Oki Earthquake. When the main shock occurred, the plate slipped drastically about 30 meters, leading to the damaging tsunami.”

Slow slips last from a few days up to an entire year. Compared to normal earthquakes, deformation occurs at a much more gradual pace. In the Hikurangi Trough, the Pacific plate subducts beneath the continental plate at a rate of 3-6 cm per year. Slow slips occur in 18-24 month cycles in concert with subduction of the plate.

Some of the areas in which these slow slips occurred match the epicenter of the 1947 Gisborne Earthquakes. Tsunami earthquakes like these are accompanied by waves much larger in scale than would be expected from shaking originating on land. The results from the current study imply that slow slip regions’ seismic slips are just like any other earthquake, and that they also have the potential to become the epicenter of major tsunami earthquakes.

The team, named HOBITSS (Hikurangi Ocean Bottom Investigation of Tremor and Slow Slip), installed 24 seabed pressure gauges in the Hikurangi subduction margin in May 2014 and collected them in June 2015. A slow slip occurred in September 2014 and lasted for 10 days. Records from the seabed pressure gauges and GPS measurements on land indicated that the sea floor rose between 1.5 to 5.4 cm.

Ito elaborates that the current study revealed important clues about the role of seamounts on megathrust earthquakes. “We know that in places like the Japan Trench and the Nankai Trough, there are some seamounts that subduct beneath the landward plate. But whether these seamounts are megathrust culprits or whether they ameliorate slips was a mystery,” he says. “Since the locations of the slow slips and subducting seamounts don’t match, our current study suggests that ocean mountains play a barrier-like role when slow slips occur.”

“Submarine drilling is planned for 2018, in the area where we observed the current slow slip,” Ito adds. “In addition, there are also plans underway for drilling with Chikyu, Japan’s scientific drilling vessel for deep ocean research. We look forward to integrating geological and materials data from drilling with geodetic observation, which should lead us to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying slow slips.”

DPRI updates prompt report on the field survey and research results.

The NHK Kagoshima Broadcasting Station presented Prof. Masato Iguchi, Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University with a Letter of Appreciation on 23 March 2016 for his outstanding contributions towards disseminating information on disaster prevention and mitigation to the public concerning the current volcanic situations of Sakurajima and Kuchinoerabujima through countless number of appearances in news programmes, symposia, and issuance of update reports.

The Uji City Mayor Mr. Tadashi Yamomoto proudly presented and enumerated the talents of the Uji Junior High School Brass Band, and he did not boast. With skillful mastery of the instruments, movements and constant connection with the audience – the band displayed an outstanding performance which included among others “theme from Lupin III ’78 (ska version)” and a great Enka medley. The second half was taken over by the three musicians – the rapturous “Boogie into Yokotsuka” had the audience clapping while the vocal spellbounded the audience with performances including “Sakura Sakura”and “Ardor gl’incensi (from the opera Lucia di Lammermoor)” – giving the audience an exceptional experience of communication between the piano and voice. The master of ceremony was none other than Prof. Takashi Maruyama, Vice Director, Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University and the concluding remarks were delivered by Prof. Kaoru Takara, Director, DPRI, Kyoto University. As Prof. Takara mentioned, the Uji Junior High School Bras Band excelled as Japan’s No. 1 band while the three musicians to the international levels in their respective performances. It was a great concert. What a wonderful Spring evening for Cherry blossom viewing!

The Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University and the Kochi Prefecture signed an Agreement of Cooperation in the area of disaster prevention and disaster response concerning Nankai Trough earthquake or wind and flood damage. As part of the agreement, both parties agree to cooperate to increase Kochi Prefecture community awareness in disaster prevention research and education, and promote research that could contribute to measures against natural disasters.

The Agreement of Cooperation was signed on 25 February 2016.

–Earthquake and Volcanic Disaster Group —

Workshop on Bridging Strong-motion and Earthquake Damage

Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University

Uji Campus, S Building – Room S-519D

25 February 2016

The Earthquake and Volcano Hazards group workshop was held Feb. 25 from 11:00 to 18:30 at the Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University. There were 31 participants from Italy, Taiwan, US and Japan.

There were talks and discussions on a range of topics including, simulations of strong ground motions, damage and casualty reports from recent earthquakes in Nepal and Taiwan, GEM building taxonomy, GEM Earthquake Consequences database and possible development of a new GADRI multi-hazard database.

Participants discussed possible future activities for the group.

1. The group supports the database efforts, such as the GEM Earthquake Consequences database. It was suggested that GADRI could provide applications to facilitate use of the database.

2. The group supports development of a GADRI multi-hazard database. There are currently several useful databases for earthquake studies, however a comprehensive database is needed that consistently cover many natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, floods, and storms. Improvements can be made to current earthquake databases by including information on lifelines.

3. GADRI should help coordinate field investigations of important seismic and volcanic events. As a organization of research institutes, GADRI could provide advanced planning and facilitate international efforts. The field investigations should provide consistent report, such as using the GEM building taxonomy.

4. GADRI can provide a platform for research institutes to voice opinions on important disaster-related policies and activities.

Prof. Jim Mori explaining the workshop objective.

Prof. Charles Scawthorn delivering his lecture on GADRI and Earthquake Consequence Data Collection

Dr. Lap-Loi Chung delivering his lecture on 6 February 2016 Earthquake in Southern Taiwan

Dr. Catalina Yepes Estrada deliver her lecture on GEM Building Taxonomy

DPRI takes pleasure in sharing its latest research findings and disaster survey results through presentations and poster sessions at the 2016 DPRI Annual Meeting.

We look forward welcoming you at one or all of these sessions.

Please refer the following links for further information.

※ Ustream is available on 23February from 9：30 ～ 15：15 hours       「http://www.ustream.tv/channel/dpri」

※ Programme

※ Poster

• Disaster Investigation 1: Active volcanoes in Kyushu by Prof. Masato Iguchi
• Disaster Investigation 2: Survey on Kinugawa flood inundation depth distribution around Joso City By Associate Prof. Takahiro Sayama)
• Towards high-precision prediction of liquefaction by Assistant Prof. Kyohei Ueda
• [Bosai (disaster prevention) Q & A] How to protect yourself from landslide disasters? By Prof. Masaharu Fujita
• [Feature Articles] Success of Science Communicators
• Event reporting / Awards / New Staff / Personnel Changes

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Our Research Activities

Details of the award are as follows:

Awarding Title: Coastal Engineering Journal (CEJ) Citation Award

Paper Title: NATIONWIDE POST EVENT SURVEY AND ANALYSIS OF THE 2011 TOHOKU EARTHQUAKE TSUNAMI
Award Date: 11 November 2015

Coastal Engineering Journal (World Scientific)

http://www.worldscientific.com/worldscinet/cej

The samples used for the laboratory experiments were collected from the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake fault zone recovered during the IODP^*2Expedition 343, “Japan Trench Fast Drilling Project (JFAST)” carried out byChikyu from April 1^st to May 24^th in 2012 (reported by press releases issued onMarch 9^th and May 25^th in 2012). Previous laboratory experiments using the same samples had reproduced a large coseismic slip of the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake and revealed the fault slip mechanism during the earthquake (reported by press release issued on December 6^th, 2013). The team’s new study found that, not only high-velocity slip but also slow slip events could occur on shallow portions of plate boundary faults. It urges scientists to review conventional models suggesting that megathrust earthquakes occur in locked zones.

These study results were posted on a British scientific journal, Nature Geoscience on October 16^th, 2015 (JST).

Illustrations by Nariyuki Yoshiwara

Figure 1: Drilling site (C0019), the epicenter (star) and the rupture area of the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake. The light gray area is the huge coseismic slip of >50 m. Slow slip area is shown by dark gray. The samples for laboratory experiments were collected from the plate boundary fault at 820 meters below seafloor at site C0019.

Figure 2: (A) Occurrence of the plate boundary fault, showing scaly fabric. Red rectangular indicates the interval used for the laboratory experiments. Two types of samples: (B) intact samples formed parallel to scaly fabric; (C) powered samples.

Figure 3: Schematic diagram of the single-direct shear apparatus. Not to scale.

Figure 4: Experimental results using two types of samples from the plate boundary fault.
A) intact samples formed parallel to scaly fabric and B) powered samples. SSE denotes slow slip events. Box indicates the close-up view shown in Fig. 5.

Figure 5: Close-up view of experimental data showing slow slip events observed in the experiemnts using intact samples. The stress drop of ~120 kPa (equivalent to 0.12 MPa) occurred over a few hours, during which slip velocity increased from 2.7 nm/s to 6.3nm/s.

For further information, please refer to the Press Release by Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC).

Award Details:  2015 Society Award (Hiroi Award) of the Japan Disaster Society (Department of Academic Achievements) at the 17th Convention of the Japan Disaster Information Society

Award Date: 24 October 2015

Japan Society for Disaster Information Studies日本災害情報学会

* The “Hiroi Award” is created as a commemorative project that succeed the aspirations of Prof. Kohiroshi Osamu, First President of University of Tokyo Graduate School, to honour individual and organizational achievements in the field of disaster information.

It could be reviewed at the following link:

http://rcfcd.dpri.kyoto-u.ac.jp/frs/swel/camera.html

Live cameras were installed in the following affiliated facilities as well:

＜Sakurajima Volcano Research Center＞

Kyoto University live camera images of Sakurajima volcano

桜島火山観測所本館の様子
桜島火山観測所黒神観測室の様子