10 Years since the Great East Japan Earthquake, and 5 Years since Kumamoto Earthquakes. The Current State of R&D That Protects Lives from Earthquakes

March 11, 2021

This year (2021) marks 10 years since the Great East Japan Earthquake and 5 years since Kumamoto Earthquakes. We must not forget the scars that yet remain and must pass on the lessons learned at the sacrifice of great many to future generations. To date, RISTEX has supported numerous R&D and the social implementation of their outputs aimed to resolve issues faced by victims and affected areas, in order to contribute to recovery/reconstruction from the earthquake disasters. Here, among numerous R&D projects, we would like to pick up 3 projects - we look back on their outputs and describe some of the subsequent developments and activities.

Life-Saving Restoration of Coastal Zone / Community-Based Reconstruction
ISHIKAWA Mikiko (Professor, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Chuo University)

While supporting the community relocation of Sennan Alluvial Flats, including Tamaura District of Iwanuma City, Miyagi Prefecture, which was severely damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake, this project has developed/demonstrated methods related to the formulation of reconstruction planning and urban/regional plans. At the time of Kumamoto Earthquakes, too, these research outputs were used in the conduct of reconstruction actions.

Click here for the overview of outputs and further developments of this R&D Project (Available in Japanese)

Related Information (Available in Japanese)

Related Awards

Activities related to reconstruction following the Great East Japan Earthquake supported by Professor Mikiko Ishikawa and her lab received the following awards:

  • September 2020: Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Award, Award for Greening Merit, Greening Competition (Miyagi Prefecture, Nissay Green Foundation)
  • October 2020: Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Award, the 40th Green City Award (Tamaura-Nishi Machizukuri Resident Committee)
  • Implementation of "A Life Recovery Support System" Using the Victim Database for Kumamoto Earthquake Victims
    TAMURA Keiko (Professor, Headquarters for Risk Management, Niigata University)

    Aiming for a swift transition to post-disaster reconstruction/livelihood recovery, this project has introduced a mechanism which correctly certifies the extent of building damage and issues disaster victim certificates fairly and smoothly, and built a speedy livelihood recovery support system, including the digitization of the victim database, with no mistake or omission. Initiatives to promote their utilization are still ongoing.

    Click here for the overview of outputs and further developments of this R&D Project (Available in Japanese)

    Related Information (Available in Japanese)

    Related Awards

    • October 2014: "A Life Recovery Support System for Disaster Victims" Good Design Award, Japan Institute of Design Promotion
    • (reference) September 2018: FY2018 Award for Distinguished Contribution to Disaster Prevention, the Minister of State for Disaster Management, Cabinet Office

    Promotion of Intergenerational/Interregional Cooperation Through Evacuation Map Creation
    KINOSHITA Isami (Professor, Graduate School of Horticulture, Chiba University)

    Applying the evacuation map creation method devised to support the reconstruction and community building in the area stricken by tsunami after the Great East Japan Earthquake, activities have been continuously conducted to date to promote risk communication between generations, and to work toward interregional cooperation, thereby creating a strong and flexible society with the reconfiguration of self-help and mutual help together with a new interregional cooperation.

    Click here for the overview of outputs and further developments of this R&D Project (Available in Japanese)

    Related Information (Available in Japanese)

    Related Awards

    • June 2018: Educational achievement award, Architectural Institute of Japan
      Isami Kinoshita, Toshiya Yamamoto, Community Design Partners for Children's Safety, and others

    A List of Leading Projects That Focused on R&D Related to the Great East Japan Earthquake
    * Affiliations and positions at the time of project completion

    A List of Leading Projects That Focused on R&D Related to Kumamoto Earthquakes
    * Affiliations and positions at the time of project completion

    Implementation-Support Program [Call for Proposal-Type]

  • Implementation of "A Life Recovery Support System" Using the Victim Database for Kumamoto Earthquake Victims
    TAMURA Keiko (Professor, Risk Management Office, Headquarters for Risk Management, Niigata University)
  • Emergency Implementation for Recovery of Vistims' Residence and Life after the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake
    TAMBA Fuminori (Associate Professor, Faculty of Administration and Social Sciences, Fukushima University)
  • Implementation of integrated care system of Behavior analysis data of the elderly and Information obtained from doctors, public health nurses, and life support counselors for Elderly people living in temporary housing in the affected areas of the Kumamoto earthquake
    SHIROUZU Mako (Associate Professor, Faculty of Administration, Prefectural of University of Kumamoto)
  • Implementation of wide-area cooperated information utilization support mechanism for recovery from Kumamoto earthquake
    SUZUKI Shingo (Deputy Manager Research Fellow, National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience)

"Creating Community-based Robust and Resilient Society" R&D Focus Area

Related Information

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