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Home > Policy > White Paper, Notice, Announcement > White Paper > JAPANESE GOVERMENT POLICIES IN EDUCATION, SCIENCE, SPORTS AND CULTURE 1995 > Special Report 2 (5)

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Special Report. The Response of the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture to the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake
2. Restoration of Educational Facilities and improvement of Disaster Prevention Systems
(5) Reinforcement of Earthquake Prediction Researchs


It has been found that the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake was caused by the shifting of the Nojima fault, an active fault beneath Awaji Island, and that it directly struck a densely populated area. Immediately after the earthquake universities and other institutions initiated research on measurement of the temblor, including its aftershocks, with the help of special funds from the Government. Researchers from 14 universities, including Kyoto University's Disaster Prevention Research Institute, entered the disaster area to carry out research and surveys on the seismic mechanism and the extent of damage. In addition, researchers from 9 universities throughout Japan, including the University of Tokyo 's Earthquake Research Institute, took emergency action to establish a wide-area observation network consisting of seismographs and other equipment. Data were provided on a continuing basis to the Meteorological Agency and other relevant agencies.

Meanwhile, a research vessel from the University of Tokyo's Ocean Research Institute surveyed the oceanic crust and other geological features in the affected area. Kyoto University 's Disaster Prevention Research Institute conducted research on comprehensive disaster countermeasures in major cities. This work was carried out with the cooperation of researchers from 16 universities and other institutions with expertise in such fields as seismology, antiearthquake engineering, urban design, medicine, psychology, and information environment science.

The earthquake also prompted a review of the system for promoting earthquake prediction. The Geodesy Council had already begun working on proposals for the relevant ministers under its Seventh Earthquake Prediction Plan, which covers the period from fiscal 1994 to fiscal 1998. As a result of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, however, it was decided to conduct a comprehensive review of the plan, and a proposal titled "Review of the Seventh Earthquake Prediction Plan" was submitted on April 20. This proposal called for

(1) promotion of observational research to form the basis for earthquake prediction,
(2) implementation of special observational research to evaluate the potential for earthquakes,
(3) increased emphasis on research and surveys on active faults, and
(4) reinforcement of systems for distributing earthquake prediction information to the public.

The Government responded to this proposal by allocating approximately 5.1 billion yen in research funds to national universities and other institutions in the first supplementary budget for fiscal 1995. The funds were to be used for research into the deep structure and dynamic characteristics of active faults and the seismic potential of interfaces between oceanic and continental plates (Table SR.2).


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