Volcano Disaster Resilience Research Division
Volcanoes bring us benefits through tourism and hot springs, but they also sometimes bring disasters that can cause long-term inconvenience to people living at the foot of the volcanoes. A resilient society against volcanic disasters is one that can use volcanoes safely by knowing the risks associated with volcanic disasters and taking appropriate measures in response to changes in volcanic activity and threats. We will promote research on improving the ability to predict, prevent, and respond to volcanic disasters in order to achieve a resilient society.
Center for Integrated Volcano Research
The 2014 Mt. Ontake Eruption was the worst volcano disaster in postwar Japan, claiming many lives. It resulted in the establishment of this center, which functions as a hub for volcano disaster forecasting research and conducts initiatives that could be described as a “general hospital” for volcanoes. In addition to constricting a platform for unifying volcano observation data, the center also promotes research and development for observation/prediction/countermeasure technologies through close linkages with related organizations. It also focuses on cultivating the next generation of researchers, as there is a shortage of volcano experts in Japan.
