Mission / History

<Mission Statement>

The mission of the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI) is to pursue the principles of natural hazard reduction, establish integrated methodologies for disaster loss reduction on the basis of natural and social sciences, and educate students in related fields. DPRI has been performing basic research on various disaster-related themes at local to global scales from the viewpoints of natural science, engineering, and human and social sciences, as well as conducting practical projects that meet the needs of society by organizing interdisciplinary groups. The scope of research, education, and social contributions of DPRI are as follows:

Research:

DPRI will conduct comprehensive academic and applied research on hazard reduction, as well as investigate mechanisms of natural hazards on local to global scales.

Education:

DPRI will foster students as future leaders, who have the ability to harmonize within global societies, while maintaining education standards and high human qualities. Education is carried out in the undergraduate and graduate schools of Kyoto University and uses the accumulated knowledge of DPRI's research.

Social contributions:

DPRI will provide the public with scientic results and knowledge on natural hazards, as well as advise national and local governments on hazard reduction strategies.

Administration:

DPRI will run the institute as a Center of Excellence of the world, as well as of Japan, considering the respect of human rights and the environment, while trying to establish balance with a sustainable society.

<History>

Following table highlights establishment of various research and other entities in chronological order:

1951 Disaster Prevention Research Institute was founded in Kyoto University
Formed 3 departments:
1) Basic Science and Technology Research; 2) Flood Damage Research; 3) Earthquake Engineering and Wind Resistant Structure
1953 Ujigawa Hydraulics Laboratory was established
1958 Crustal Movement Section was established
1959 Landslide Research Section was established
1960 Hydrology Research Section was established(-1978)
Sakurajima Volcano Observatory was established
1961 Wind Resistant Structure Section was established
Coastal Disaster Research Section was established
1962 Geo-Disasters Research Section was established
1963 Geomorphology and Soil Disaster Research Section was established
Drainage Engineering Research Section was established
The original three sections were renamed Earthquake Motion Section, Fluvial Disaster Research Section, and Earthquake Resistant Structures Section
1964 Foundation Seismic Disaster Research Section
Tottori Microearthquake Observatory was established
1965 Sabo Research Section was established
Earthquake Prediction and Monitoring Research Section was established
Kamitakara Crustal Movement Observatory was established
1966 Applied Climatology was established
Shionomisaki Wind Effect Laboratory was established
Shirahama Oceanographic Observatory was established
1967 Dynamics of Foundation Structures Section was established
Donzurubo Crustal Movement Observatory was established
Hodaka Sedimentation Observatory was established
1969 Tokushima Landslide Observatory was established
Ogata Wave Observatory was established
1970 Hokuriku Microearthquake Observatory was established
Research Sections and Administration Office were integrated on Uji Campus
1972 Disaster Prevention Science Information Center was established (-1993)
1973 Microearthquake Research Section was established
1974 Miyazaki Crustal Movement Observatory was established
1977 Severe Storm Research Section was established
1978 Water Resources Research Center was established
1979 Earthquake Resistant Structures Section was renamed Earthquake Resistant Plastic Structures Section
Earthquake Resistant Brittle Structures Section was established
1982 Flood Control System Research Section was established (-1992)
1986 Research Center on Earthquake-resistant System of Urban Infrastructures was established (-1996)
1990 Research Center for Earthquake Prediction was established
(Crustal Movement Research Section, Earthquake Prediction and Monitoring Section, Microearthquake Research Section, Tottori Microearthquake Observatory, Kamitakara Crustal Movement Observatory, Donzurubo Crustal Movement Observatory, Hokuriku Microearthquake Observatory, and Miyazaki Crustal Movement Observatory were integrated into Research Center for Earthquake Prediction)
1992 Research Section for Urban Flood Hazard in Bay Area was established
1993 Regional Disaster Prevention System Research Center was established
1996 Reorganized into 5 research divisions and 5 research centers
(Integrated Management for Disaster Risk; Earthquake Disaster Prevention; Geohazards; Fluvial and Marine Disasters; Atmospheric Disasters; Research Center for Disaster Environment; Research Center for Earthquake Prediction; Sakurajima Volcano Research Center; Water Resources Research Center; and Research Center for Disaster Reduction Systems)
Became a national open institute
1997 Designated as a “Center of Excellence”(COE) of Japan for natural disaster research
2000 Administration offices at the Uji Campus were integrated into the Uji Administration Office
2001 Natural Disaster Research Council(NDRC) was established
2002 Selected as an institute in the 21st Century COE Programs by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
Ujigawa Hydraulics Laboratory was renamed Ujigawa Open Laboratory
2003 Research Center on Landslides was established
2004 Kyoto University incorporated in accordance with the National University Corporation Law
2005 Reorganized into 4 research groups (Integrated Arts and Sciences for Disaster Reduction; Seismic and Volcanic Hazards Mitigation; Geohazards; and Atmosphere-Hydrosphere)
2009 Selected as a Global COE program by MEXT
Certified as a Joint Usage/ Research Center by MEXT
Research Section for Hydrological Environment System endowed by the Japan Weather Association (-2013)
2010 Research Section for Public Policy Studies on Disaster Reduction was established endowed by the Japan Institute of Construction Engineering
2011 Selected as a Program for Leading Graduate Schools
2012 Research Section for Business Continuity Plan for Port Logistics was established
2013 Research Section for Meteorological and Hydrological Risk Information was established
2015 Established Global Alliance of Disaster Research Institutes(GADRI)
2018 Research Section for Sophisticated Earthquake Risk Evaluation endowed by Hanshin Consultants was established
Research Field for Volcano-tectonics was established
Research Section of Health Emergency and Regional Disaster Risk Management was established
2020 Joint Research Unit for Climate Change Risk Projection and Adaptation Strategies was established
2021 Joint Research Unit for Tsunami Hazard was established
Joint Research Unit for Volcanic Disaster Risk Reduction was established
2022 Art Innovation was established
Seismic and Volcanic Hazards Mitigation Research Group was reorganized
2023 Disaster Risk Finance(SOMPO Japan Risk Management)was established
Research Center on Landslides was reorganized to Research Center for Landslide Disaster Risk Cognition and Reductio