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July 27, 2017
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo


SIP Disaster Prevention Symposium 2017

The SIP Open Symposium was jointly held by the Cabinet Office and the Japan Science Technology Agency (JST) at Fukurashia, Tokyo Station on July 27, 2017.The project, called “SIP Enhancement of Societal Resiliency against Natural Disasters”, is one of the projects of the Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program (SIP). The goals of the project include establishing mechanisms of sharing information and applying the latest science and technology in assisting real time responses through inter-ministerial collaboration. At the same time, the project aims to improve the individual response capability of each person by raising disaster literacy at the local level.

In the opening talk, Dr. Kazuo Kyuma, Executive Member, Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (CSTI), Cabinet Office of Japan, noted that the project has produced significant results in the response to the Kumamoto Earthquake in last year and the heavy rainfalls in the northern regions of Kyushu in July. He expressed his expectations for the disaster prevention information service platforms, which enable not only public organizations, such as the central and local government, but also public sectors and communities to tackle prevention activities together, and thereby realize “Society 5.0” in the field of disaster prevention.

The next presenter, Program Director, Muneo Hori, Professor and the head of Center, Research Center for Large-Scale Earthquake, Tsunami and Disaster, the Earthquake Research Institute of University of Tokyo, stated that SIP aims to establish and implement SIP4D (Sharing Information Platform for Disaster management). SIP4D enables immediate and effective responses in rescue, reconstruction, and early economic recovery from natural disasters, such as predicting the Nankai Trough earthquake and Tokyo inland earthquake. Furthermore, he reported that SIP is working on development of Disaster Prevention Information Service Platform on the base of SIP4D from prefectural to municipal levels in order to realize Society 5.0.

In the following lecture section, themed “To a New Stage of Disaster Prevention for the Realization of Society 5.0”, research directors of the seven R&D themes of “SIP Enhancement of Societal Resiliency against Natural Disasters” and representatives of disaster prevention promotion who work on the ground at local public organizations and companies, gathered and listened to the lectures. The first portion of the lecture focused on R&D in relation to Tsunami, heavy rain, tornado, and liquefaction with a theme of “Forecast and Prevent Disaster”. The latter portion of the presentation introduced information sharing, information distribution technology, and regional collaboration based on the theme of “Responding Disaster.”

In the panel discussion, which focused on the theme “Disaster Risk Society an AI Future Creation Society; Society 5.0”, researchers and users exchanged their thoughts in a dialogue format regarding the current state of SIP, operations and the utilization of SIP, and issues for the future. Users from Chiba prefecture and Hekinan city, Aichi prefecture, pointed that not only public assistance but also activities undertaken with self-awareness, including the mindset of aiding oneself and others, are very important from the viewpoint of local governments. Finally, Mr. Ryo Kuroda, Councilor, Cabinet Secretariat, said, “the Cabinet Office also expects to implement the outcome of SIP by promoting government and ministry collaboration.”

At another venue, more than 20 research institutions attended the poster session, and researchers presented their studies by displaying posters, figures, or demo devices while they responded to visitor’s questions. The “SIP; Enhancement of Societal Resiliency against Natural Disasters” project will further facilitate government and ministries collaboration and make an effort to implement R&D results in society.


Dr. Kyuma at the greeting speech


Project Director, Hori introduced
the project overview


Presentation Session


Panel Discussion


Mr. Kuroda of Cabinet Secretariat


Poster Session


JST, an integrated organization of science and technology in Japan, establishes an infrastructure for the entire process from the creation of knowledge to the return to the society. For more information, visit http://www.jst.go.jp/EN/