Earthquake
Awareness

The Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion

How strong are groundmotions expected to bein the region
where you live?
Below is a probabilistic seismic hazard map showing the probability of groundmotions equal to or larger than seismic intensity of 6 lower, occurring within 30 years
from 2020. The probability it shows is not that of an earthquake occurring there, butthat of ground motions equal to or larger than seismic intensity of 6 lower in the eventof an earthquake in the vicinity of Japan.

!

Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Map
for Japan

The probability of ground motions equal to or larger thanseismic intensity of 6 lower, occurring within 30 years(Base date: January 1, 2020)

Probability

26%

6%

3%

0.1%

Probabilistic seismic hazard maps are based on the latest surveys and research but the available data are limited and there are uncertainties in the results.
The seismic intensity describes the scale of ground motion at a particular location. It is classified into 10 categories; namely 0 to 4, and 5 lower, 5 upper, 6 lower, 6 upper and 7.
For more detailed information, please see the website for probabilistic seismic hazard maps for Japan listed on P18.

2

Japan has been struck by approximately 10% of the world’s earthquakes. This is despite its small area, being lessthan 1% of the world’s total land area. The 2011 off the Pacific Coast of Tohoku Earthquake was Japan's biggest everrecorded earthquake. Living as we do in Japan, one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries, we need toconsider what can be done to protect our lives and property.
It will help us to deepen our understanding of earthquakes and reduce the damage they cause if we can gain
sufficient data and knowledge from surveys and research with regard to where earthquakes have occurred in thepast, what type they were, and the degree of ground motion and damage likely to be caused if an earthquake occurs
in your area.

More about damage and other phenomena caused
by earthquakes and seismic waves!
What kinds of damage and other effects are caused by earthquakes and seismic waves?
In this pamphlet you will find the explanations about damage and other phenomena caused by earthquakes and theirseismic waves, and how to prepare against them.

What is “long-period
ground motion”?
P8-9

How to protect yourself
from earthquake-induced
landslides

What isa tsunami?
P10-13

P16-17

What areearthquake-induced
fires?
P15

How to prepare
for strong shakes
P6-7

What isliquefaction?
P14

3

?

Why are there so many earthquakes in Japan?
The surface of the earth is covered with more than a dozen huge plates (plate-like masses ofrock) which move in different directions at a speed of several centimeters per year (plate motion).
Tremendous forces are applied by plate motion to the underground rock masses near the plateboundaries. A vast amount of energy (strain) builds up inside the rock masses and stress isaccumulated. If a rock mass fractures, an earthquake occurs.
Four plates collide in the vicinity of Japan, and the large strain energy accumulated causes
many earthquakes.

Continental plate

The plates surrounding Japan(North American plate)
a
him
his
C
e h
Th renc
T(Eurasian plate)houg The Sagami
i Tr
Trough
a
k
n
Na
The

Oceanic plate(Pacific plate)-Ozu
e I ch
h
T en
Tr

ara

aw

s
ga

(Philippine Sea plate)T
Trehe Nnc ans
h
ei

-sh

oto

Oceanic plate

The Japan T
rench

Continental plate

Types of earthquakes that occur in and around Japan

Subduction zone (trench type) earthquake
Inland active fault earthquake

Intra-plate earthquake

Inter-plate earthquake* What is an active fault?

Continental plate

Surveys of geological layers sometimes reveal a dislocation
along a particular plane in what was previously a connected

Oceanic plate

layer. This kind of dislocation is called a "fault". An earthquake
is generated when two adjacent rock masses move in
opposite directions along a fault. An active fault is one that hasrepeatedly generated earthquakes in the past and is still4

deemed to be a source fault of future earthquakes.

Subduction of Oceanic plate!

Past major earthquakes that caused great damage
Subduction zone earthquakes can generate tsunamis resulting in loss of lives and damage to buildings.
Meanwhile, inland active fault earthquakes not only damage buildings but can also generate landslides when strong
seismic waves strike hilly terrain. The above are just a few examples of earthquake damage. Both subduction zone
earthquakes and inland active fault earthquakes actually inflict various forms of damage.
Japan has suffered huge damage in such events as the Kanto Earthquake in 1923, Hyogo-Ken-nanbu
Earthquake in 1995 and the Off the Pacific Coast of Tohoku Earthquake in 2011.
Looking at all the earthquakes in Japan that inflicted major damage over the past 200 years, the average
recurrence interval is 20 years for subduction zone earthquakes and 10 years for inland active fault earthquakes.

The Kanto Earthquake

The Great Kanto Earthquake (subduction zone earthquake)
September 1, 1923. Magnitude 7.9

Killed or missing

Over 105,000

This massive earthquake struck the modernized capitaland many people lost their lives in the fires that followed theearthquake. In remembrance, September 1st has been
designated Disaster Preparedness Day and disaster drills arecarried out throughout Japan.
Photo provided by Kyodo News Service

Hyogo-Ken-nanbu Earthquake

Killed or missing

6,437

The Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Disaster (active fault earthquake)
January 17, 1995. Magnitude 7.3

Photo provided by Kobe City, Hyogo Pref.

This earthquake struck a densely populated major city. Many
people lost their lives when buildings collapsed due to theshaking, and infrastructure such as roads and railways was also
badly damaged. It underlined the importance of municipal
disaster prevention and mitigation strategies, as well as“self-help” and “cooperation”.

The Off the Pacific Coast of Tohoku Earthquake Killed or missing
The Great East Japan Earthquake (subduction zone earthquake)
March 11, 2011. Magnitude 9.0

22,010
As of March 2016

This was the Japan's biggest ever recorded earthquake.
Many lives were lost, particularly in the tsunami. It
reminded us of the importance of preparations for tsunamis
and for extensive, serious damage. Measures are currently
being advanced.
Photo provided by Miyako City, Iwate Pref.

* “Magnitude” indicates the size of the earthquake itself.
* The Japan Meteorological Agency names the phenomenon that caused a disaster. Different names are usedaccording to whether the earthquake (phenomenon) or the disaster is being specified. For example, the disaster
caused by what the Japan Meteorological Agency named Hyogo-Ken-nanbu Earthquake, 1995 is designatedby the government as the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Disaster, and the disaster caused by the 2011 off the
Pacific Coast of Tohoku Earthquake as the Great East Japan Earthquake.
This pamphlet uses the names given by the Japan Meteorological Agency.

5How to prepare for strong shakes!

Earthquake damage to buildings

Collapsed wooden house(The Mid Niigata prefecture Earthquake in 2004)(Photo provided by Niigata Pref.)Damage inside a store(The Noto Hanto Earthquake in 2007)(Photo provided by the Hokkoku Shimbun)

Damaged Uto city hall(The 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake)(Photo provided by the Japan Meteorological Agency)

Strong shaking occurs when an earthquake strikes.
Surveys of recent major earthquakes show that strong shaking caused extensive damage, including collapsed wooden?

houses, damaged city hall, overturned furniture and scattered broken glass.

Which places are likely to shake?
The figure on the right shows the estimatedlevel of shaking in surrounding areas if anearthquake occurred on a fault in South Osaka.

Probablistic seismic hazard map
for a hypothetical earthquake source fault *NN
EE

When an earthquake occurs, the slip on the

Area with a large slip

Osaka-shi

fault plane is not uniform; even within the same

Osaka Plain

Osaka-shiKobe-shiNara-shiNara-shi

OsakaSakai-shi
Plain

Nara
Basin
Nara
Basin

Sakai-shi

fault, some parts slip greatly and some not very

Kishiwada-shi
Kishiwada-shi

much. The area within the large rectangle is the
hypothesized extent of the fault, and the two

Extent of
the assumed fault plane

Kobe-shiGojo-shiSennan-shi
Sennan-shi
Gojo-shi
Hashimoto-shiHashimoto-shi

MinamiAwaji-shi
MinamiAwaji-shi

Wakayama-shi
Wakayama-shi

small rectangles enclose the parts of the fault
that would slip greatly. You will see from thediagram that the vicinity of the inner rectangles(areas with big slip) would experience

4

5 upper

6 upper

5 upper
6 lower

3 lower4
5 lower

3 lower

5 lowerintensity 6 lower
Seismic

particularly strong shaking in comparison with* The calculations are
made under anassumption of where arupture starts and ends.
The hazard map obtained
from their results depends
on that assumption.

6 upper
7
7

Seismic intensity

the surrounding areas.
The calculations also show that if the fault started to slip in the starred
location, the slip would spread eastward, intensifying the shaking on the east

Soft groundside of the fault.
There would be strong shaking on the Osaka Plain, with its thick layer of soft
ground, and around the Nara Basin. The low-lying riverside area around
Wakayama is also more prone to shaking than surrounding areas.
The ground has a big influence on the intensity of the shaking in an earthquake.

Shaking is intensified
Slightly soft
groundRock mass
Slightly hardgroundFor example, it is known to become more intense when seismic waves aretransmitted from a hard rock mass to a soft soil, as in the figure on the right.
The intensity of the shaking can be hugely magnified depending on the qualityof the ground, making damage to buildings more likely. Remember that old wooden

6houses have low earthquake resistance and tend to be in greater danger of collapse.

Seismic wave?

What is an “earthquake early warning”?
Seismic waves are detected in the ground by seismometers anda warning issued before the strong shaking starts.
You have probably seen earthquake early warnings on your TV or mobile phone.
They notify us as swiftly as possible of the estimated seismic intensity before the strong shaking of theearthquake arrives.
When an earthquake occurs, the shaking is transmitted as waves (seismic waves). Seismic waves have P
waves (primary waves) and S waves (secondary waves), and damage due to earthquake shaking is mainly
caused by the S waves. P waves are transmitted more quickly than S waves.
Earthquake early warnings exploit this characteristic. The P waves are swiftly detected by the nearby
seismometers to the hypocenter and warn us of the imminent danger of strong shaking before the S waves arrive.

Schools

Information issent to residents
Factoriess)s
ave y wave
w
P mar
(Pri

News media,
disaster prevention
organizations, etc.

Hospitalss ves)ave
S w ondary wa(SecThe general public

Earthquake
early warning

Japan Meteorological Agency

Seismometerel-tim sfer
Rea a trandat

P waves detected

P waves(primary waves)observed

later
onds
c
e
s
Few

An earthquake
occursAnnouncement of
information

MOVIE

A video about earthquake early warnings
http://www.jishin.go.jp/about/abstract/(Japanese)

Earthquake early warnings enable us to take measures to protect ourselves in the
short space of time before the seismic waves arrive, for example by stopping
elevators at the nearest floor, slowing down trains, ensuring the safety of hospitalpatients and activating machine control in places such as factories.
Technological developments by the Railway Technical Research Institute, the Japan
Meteorological Agency and the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster
Resilience make earthquake early warnings possible.

Video: The Headquarters for Earthquake
Research Promotion

7

What is “long-period ground motion”?
It is ground motion with a period of between several seconds and more than a dozen seconds. (“Period”
means the duration of one shake back and forth.) It can travel to places very distant from the hypocenter.
Each building has a period at which it is particularly susceptible to shake. “Resonance” occurs when this period
and the ground motion period match, and the building shakes wildly. Wooden houses tend to be susceptible toshake if the period is 1 second or less, and skyscrapers of 60-70 stories if the period is 6-7seconds.

A building has its own natural
period when it is particularly
susceptible to shake.
If seismic waves occur nearthat period, the building shakes
wildly. This phenomenon iscalled “resonance”.

Short-period seismic motion!

Long-period seismic motion

Damage to skyscrapers
and oil tanks from long-period ground motion
The Off the Pacific Coast of Tohoku
Earthquake led to prolonged wild shaking of
skyscrapers in Tokyo and Osaka that made it
hard for the people in them to remain on their feet.
Elevators stopped and some ceiling boards
fell down in skyscrapers in Osaka, hundredsof kilometers away from the hypocenter. It
was long-period ground motion that shookthose buildings.
In the Tokachi-oki Earthquake in 2003,
long-period ground motion made the floatingroofs of oil tanks in Tomakomai shake wildly
and sink, leading to static electricity-induced
fires two days after the earthquake.
Long-period ground motion thus presents a
new disaster prevention challenge.

8

Oil tank fire in Tomakomai(Photo provided by the Fire and Disaster Management Agency)

Research
Earthquake Disaster
Mitigation

Experiments Using

E-Defense

Verification of the Impacts of Earthquake Shaking on Buildings
Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, etc. From this shaking test, theprocess of damage to the building itself, its interior andfacilities can be observed in detail.
For example, two wooden houses, one with seismic
reinforcement and one without, were shaken simultaneously, and the effect of seismic reinforcement was verified
from the collapse condition of the house without seismic
reinforcement.

National Research Institute for Earth Science andDisaster Resilience (NIED) has a 3-D full-scale earthquake
testing facility called "E-Defense” in Miki City, Hyogo
Prefecture.
At E-Defense, a full-scale building is placed on theworld's largest 3-D shaking table of 20m x 15m andsubjected to a shaking of large earthquake (seismic
intensity 7 class), like the one which caused the GreatAn experiment on the shaking-induced destruction of wooden houses with and without reinforcement

Non-reinforced
Reinforced

Experiment on the destruction of wooden houses
with and without seismic strengthening
http://www.bosai.go.jp/hyogo/research/(Japanese)movie/movie-detail.html#2

MOVIE

Video: E-Defense, the National Research Institutefor Earth Science and Disaster Resilience

From the viewpoint of protecting not only the strengthof building itself but also our lives and livelihoods andsocio-economic activities within it, we conduct shaking
tests at E-Defense to evaluate the functional retention
capacity of buildings that serve as headquarters fordisaster countermeasures and should be protected in theevent of an earthquake. For example, to verify the abilityof a hospital to maintain its functional retention capacity inthe event of large earthquake, we conducted a shaking
test of a seismic-isolated structure building that faithfully

reproduces the functions of a hospital by setting up rooms
equipped with real facilities and equipment, such as
patient rooms, operating rooms, and staff stations, inside
the hospital building. Although the seismic-isolated
structure of the hospital significantly reduced seismic
forces, it became clear that seismic countermeasures forindoor facilities and equipment indispensable for medical
activities are also important for the continuation of
hospital functions during a large earthquake.
Inside the hospital with seismic isolation（Castor free beds moved significantly）

Test structure

BeforeAfter

Hospital room

Operating room

Examination room
Laboratory

MOVIE

Experiment to preserve the function of importantfacility (hospital)
https://www.bosai.go.jp/hyogo/research/movie/movie-detail.html#20 (Japanese)
Video: E-Defense, the National Research Institutefor Earth Science and Disaster Resilience9What is a tsunami?

!

A tsunami hit the Pacific coast of East Japan
A tsunami was recorded on the Pacific coast of the Tohoku region and other coastlines throughout Japan due tothe 2011 off the Pacific Coast of Tohoku Earthquake. It flooded huge swathes of land as far as several kilometers
inland all along the Pacific coast of East Japan and caused immense damage.
TomiyaSen

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Matsushima Bay

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Matsushima-Kaigan

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Shichigahama Town

Tagajo City

Sendai City
Miyagino Ward45

SendaiSendai Miyagi

Sendai-higashi

4

Sendai-Shiogama Port
Nanakitagawa River

Wakabayashi Ward

Photo provided by Miyako City, Iwate Pref.

oadSendai-Wakabayashi JCT

Natori00.51

Natorigawa River

Se

nd

ai

-T

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Natori City
NatoriSendai Airport
4

IwanumaSendai Airport

Iwanuma City

2

3

4 km

The extent
of the flooding

Sendai Bay

Watari
6

Watari Town Abukumagawa River
Torinoumi sea

The extent of the flooding in part of Miyagi Pref.
The Geospatial Information Authority of Japan 1: 100,000 scale flooding map

Photo provided by the Iwate General Construction Association

Traces still remain of the more than 10-meter high tsunami (higher than
the third floor of a school) which hit a 530 km stretch of the Tohoku region's
Pacific coastline in the Off the Pacific Coast of Tohoku Earthquake.
That is not the only earthquake to cause tsunami damage in Japan.
The 1993 Southwest off Hokkaido Earthquake devastated Okushiri Island.

10m

The tsunami struck 2 to 3 minutes after the earthquake.
The Japan Sea coast and Pacific coast of West Japan have also
experienced great damage from tsunamis. Also, in 1960 a tsunami generated
by an earthquake in Chile hit Japan roughly one day later and caused greatdamage. (See P. 12)
Coastlines throughout Japan are thus in danger of tsunamis, which insome cases can strike within minutes.

10Changes in speed and height as a tsunami progresses
36km/hTsunami speed
80km/h250km/h

800km/hMeanwater-level

Cont

inen

tal p

late

Rise

In an inter-plate earthquake, the end of the continental platejumps up and the seawater immediately above it rises andfalls. This movement of the seawater becomes a tsunami.

Rise

Unlike the surface waves and swells generated by strong
winds, all the seawater from the seafloor to the surface moves
simultaneously, inundating the coastline with a huge volume of

Oceanic platewater and causing great damage.

Research
Introduction

Aiming for the Early Detection and Information
Transmission of Earthquakes and Tsunamis
Large-scale earthquakes often occur in the ocean around the Japanese archipelago, and the seismic waves from anearthquake can last from a few seconds to several tens of seconds, while a tsunami can reach the shore a few minutes.
Therefore, it is important to quickly and accurately detect the occurrence of earthquakes and tsunamis, and to promptly
convey this information to disaster response agencies and other organizations. National Research Institute for Earth
Science and Disaster Resilience (NIED) is operating the Seaﬂoor observation network for earthquakes and tsunamis along
the Japan Trench (S-net), which consists of 150 seismographs and water pressure gauges (for tsunami observation) for
real-time observation using ocean bottom cables in the sea area from oﬀ the coast of Hokkaido to Boso Peninsula in Chiba
Prefecture, mainly where the 2011 oﬀ the Paciﬁc Coast of Tohoku Earthquake occurred.
In addition, in order to prepare for the Nankai Trough earthquake, which is considered to be highly likely to cause amega-earthquake, NIED is operating the "DONET (Dense Oceanﬂoor Network system for Earthquakes and Tsunamis)" oﬀ
the Kii Peninsula, etc. In addition, since 2019, NIED is also developing and maintaining the "Nankai Trough Seaﬂoor
Observation Network for
Earthquakes and Tsunamis(N-net)" in the Hyuga-nada,from oﬀ Kochi Prefecture to oﬀ
Miyazaki Prefecture, which iswest of the expected seismic
source region of the Nankai
Trough Earthquake.
Data obtained at theseseaﬂoor observation stations
are also sent in real time to theJapan Meteorological Agency(JMA) for use in issuing earthquake early warning andtsunami information.

11

?
!

What are the characteristics of a tsunami?

They rush ashore withthe speed of
an Olympic sprinterWhen a tsunami hits the shoreline, it

maintains its height and destructive power as it
moves inland. It also races upstream in rivers.
Offshore, tsunamis move at the speed of a jet!

A tsunami is a seriesof waves
A tsunami strikes in a series of waves. Sometimes
the second or succeeding waves are the biggest, notthe first one to strike. Vigilance is needed until thetsunami warning has been lifted and the area isconfirmed to be safe.

First wave

Second wave

plane. Their speed decreases as they near the
shoreline but they rush ashore with the speed of
an Olympic sprinter so the average person
cannot outrun them.
You must start to evacuate before you see
the tsunami heading towards the shore.

!

Seawaters do not always
recede before a tsunami
Depending on how the earthquake occurred,sometimes a huge wave strikes suddenly. Seawaters
did not recede before a huge wave struck in the case of
the tsunami after the Tokachi-oki Earthquake in 2003,
and the tsunami generated by the 2004 earthquake off
Sumatra Island, Indonesia that struck the coastlines of
Sri Lanka and India.

Earthquake occurs

2 hours later

4 hours later

8 hours later

14 hours later

16 hours later

20 hours later

Passing Hawaii

Northbound andsouthbound tsunamis
converge

Hawaii
Chile

Tsunami generated!

Reaching Hawaii

Tsunamis can cross the Pacific?

24 hours later

At just after 04:00 (JST) on May 23, 1960 a Magnitude 9.5 earthquake, the biggest
ever recorded, occurred in Southern Chile.
The huge tsunami this generated crossed the Pacific at an average speed of 750 km/h
and arrived at the opposite Japanese shoreline 22.5 hours later at around 03:00 on May
24. It reached as 8 m in places along the Sanriku coast and caused immense damage,nationwide leaving 142 people dead or missing, around 1,500 homes destroyed andJapan

Tsunami reaches Japan
36 hours lateraround 2,000 homes badly damaged. Damage was caused in almost every area along
the Pacific coast, from Hokkaido to Okinawa.
Source: “Report of the Committee for Technical Investigation on Countermeasures for Earthquakes and Tsunamis
Based on the Lessons Learned from the Past Disasters - Tsunami of Chilean Earthquake, 1960" (The Cabinet Office)12

Tsunami continues
for a while longer!

Waves converge atplaces such as
cape tips and inside
V-shaped bays
Tsunami height is greatly influenced bycoastal terrain.
Particular caution is required at places
where waves converge, such as cape tips
and inside V-shaped bays.

!
!

Even a 50-cm tsunami
is dangerous
A tsunami surges with tremendous force and adults
are sometimes washed away by a 30-cm one. It is

50cm

impossible to stay on your feet in a 50-cm tsunami.

Even if there is no strong shaking,seek a safe place from tsunamis
if you feel a jolt that is long in duration
There have been cases where very big tsunamis have come ashoreeven though no particularly strong shaking was felt. Such earthquakes
are known as "tsunami earthquakes".
A famous example of a Japanese tsunami earthquake is the Meiji
Sanriku Earthquake in 1896, which claimed 21,959 victims. Although
the shaking on the Pacific coastline is estimated to have been around
Intensity 4, the Sanriku coast was hit by the second biggest tsunami inmodern times, surpassed only by the one in the Off the Pacific Coast of
Tohoku Earthquake.
Video of a tsunami experiment(Approx. 1 min.)This experiment shows an
artificially generated tsunami. It
demonstrates the difference
between waves and tsunamis, andMOVIE

also the force of a tsunami.
http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/kishou/books/tsunami_dvd/index.html(Japanese)

Video : The National Institute of Maritime, Port and Aviation Technology
Port and Airport Research Institute

What to do
if a tsunami
occurs!

1

If you feel a strong ground motion, or a jolt that is not that strong but is longin duration, immediately leave the shoreline and hurry to high ground.

2

If a tsunami warning is issued, leave the shoreline and evacuate to asafe place even if you did not feel an earthquake.

3

Get accurate information from sources such as radio, TV,
loudspeaker announcements, mobile phones and smartphones*

4

During a tsunami advisory, refrain from sea bathing or seashore fishing.

5

A tsunami strikes in a series of waves. The first wave is not always thebiggest and may be followed by bigger ones, so remain vigilant while atsunami warning or advisory is in place.

*You can get reliable information on a mobile or smartphone from the Japan Meteorological Agency website.
http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/indexe.html

13What is liquefaction?

Building collapse due to liquefaction(Niigata Earthquake, 1964)(Photo provided by Toda Corporation)

Manhole pushed up by liquefaction(Hyogo-Ken-nanbu Earthquake, 1995)(Photo provided by Takashi Tanikawa,
Saitama University)

Gushed sand(The 2011 off the Pacific Coast of Tohoku Earthquake)(Photo provided by Tomioka Estate Home Management
Association, Urayasu City, Chiba Pref.)Liquefaction is a phenomenon where, due to the shaking of an earthquake, weak ground such as reclaimed land becomes like liquid.
Liquefaction causes water-logged soil and water to erupt to the surface, sometimes damaging essential utilities or tilting buildings.
Liquefaction became widely-known after causing such damage as the collapse of a 4-storey reinforced concrete building at thetime of Niigata Earthquake, 1964.
In recent years, large-scale liquefaction has occurred in areas such as reclaimed land, damaging buildings and roads, in thecases of both the 1995 Hyogoken-nanbu Earthquake and the 2011 Off the Pacific Coast of Tohoku Earthquake.

?

Why is ground such asreclaimed land vulnerable
to liquefaction?

The liquefaction process

1) Before an earthquake
Sand particles

Pore water

Soil on low land or reclaimed land contains a lot of water (porewater). In soil such as this, sand particles are holding each othertogether. With their water-filled pores, they stay stable.
When a strong shake is applied by an earthquake, this system
is destroyed. When this happens, the water pressure between
the sand particles increases. This turns the ground into a muddy,2) During an earthquake

The sand gushes out

water-like state. The muddy water tries to support the load fromabove. However, if there are fissures or weak parts in the groundsurface, the water becomes unable to support the load. This
causes muddy water to erupt to the surface.
Liquefaction can cause various types of damage. In addition to3) After an earthquake
Subsidence

ground subsidence, it can cause underground tanks or manholes
to float, and buildings and other structures to lean or collapse.

In the Off the Pacific Coast of Tohoku Earthquake, buildings were damaged by liquefaction not

Check which
only on coastal reclaimed land but also inland on riverside land reclaimed from ponds and rice
areas are vulnerable fields. A grasp of a plot of land's history is essential to know about any potential for liquefaction.
That is shown in topographic and land condition maps drawn up by the Geospatial Information
to liquefaction!
Authority of Japan, so please check the conditions of the area you live in.

You can check which municipalities have liquefaction hazard maps on the Ministry of Land,
Infrastructure and Transport and Tourism's hazard map portal site*.
* http://disaportal.gsi.go.jp/ (Japanese)14What are earthquake-induced fires?
Earthquake-induced fires break out simultaneously in many locations. They then tend to spread due to a combination offactors such as fire engines being unable to use roads that have been damaged or blocked by fallen buildings, and fire
hydrants and water pipes being broken.
Most of the fires are caused by the shaking, and start simultaneously within a short time of the earthquake. The morecollapsed buildings there are, the further the fires spread. In the case of the Kanto Earthquake in 1923, the earthquake
occurred while people were using open flames to prepare lunch, so there was extensive fire damage.
Fires can also be caused by devices such as electric stoves, aquarium heaters and incandescent light bulbs, or bysparks from severed or damaged electrical cords, when the power is restored.
Fires were started by the shaking in the Off the Pacific Coast of Tohoku Earthquake, just as they had been in the
Hyogo-Ken-nanbu Earthquake. There were also tsunami-generated fires which were then spread by the drifting ofburning objects.

Conflagration caused by Hyogo-Ken-nanbu Earthquake, 1995
(Photo provided by Hito-Machi-Nagata Earthquake Library, Kobe City)

Conflagration caused by the 2011 Off the Pacific Coast of Tohoku Earthquake(Photo provided by Yamada Town, Iwate Pref.)Prepare against fire!
Precautions against fire

Prepare tofight a fire
Keep a fire extinguisher
within easy reach and thebathtub filled. (Never leave achild unattended in thebathroom.)
If an earthquake occurs
while you are using open
flames, move away from the

1

2

3

Unplug electrical

Install circuit breakers

Install fire alarms indevices that are notor outlets with ayour home to detectin use.

seismic shut-off

fires quickly.

function to prevent gas
or electric fires.

flames and then calmly
extinguish them when the
shaking stops. If a fire starts,
stay calm and put it out.

15

How to protect yourself from earthquake-induced!

Sediment disasters canisolate communities andcreate landslide dams

Landslides can occur when strong ground motion generated by alarge-scale earthquake strikes hilly terrain. Earthquake-induced

Landslide caused by Nagano-Ken-Seibu Earthquake, 1984
(Photo provided by Kajima Corporation)

landslides are characterized by their large scale.
Caution is required since unstable slopes may crumble whenaftershocks occur.
In addition, there may be more extensive damage when slopes
weakened by earthquakes later collapse due to rainwater or snowmelt.

Prefectural Highway 24

The 2004 Niigata Prefecture Chuetsu Earthquake led to many
Imokawa rivercommunities being isolated when roads to the outside world were cut

Natural dam

off by the frequent landslides.
The collapsed soil also blocked rivers and streams, creating many
natural (landslide) dams. Some communities were flooded, while those
downstream were at an increased risk of a debris flow disaster if thedam burst.
Even in cities there are many places where there is a danger oflandslides, so caution is required.

The Mid Niigata prefecture Earthquake in 2004
Terano District (formerly Yamakoshi Village), Nagaoka City
Natural dam on the Imokawa river right bank
(Photo provided by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure,
Transport and Tourism Hokuriku Regional Development Bureau)

How to protect yourself from earthquake-induced landslides:
Earthquakes weaken the soil deep into the ground, so there is a danger of landslides from aftershocks or even a little rain,

1

POINT

Check whether you live in a“sediment-related disaster hazard area”.

Areas where there is a risk of landslides are called “sediment-related disasterhazard area”. Check on the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport andTourism Erosion and Sediment Control
Department's website* whether your home islocated in such a zone. Please contact yourlocal municipality for further details.
Earthquakes in mountainous areas canlead to communities being cut off bydamaged roads, causing problems with
evacuation, rescue work and daily life after
the disaster.
You need to consider the likelihood of
being cut off and the safety of local roads.
* http://www.mlit.go.jp/river/sabo/link_dosya_kiken.html (Japanese)

16

2

POINT

Evacuate swiftly if you noticethat precede a landslide

If you notice phenomena such as
fissured ground, falling stones or
rumbling in the ground, inform any otherpeople nearby and swiftly evacuate to aplace of safety.
Many landslides occur with no suchpreceding phenomena, so their absence
does not mean that there is no danger.

Researchlandslides

Introduction
Storm, Flood,and Landslide

Experiments Using Largescale Rainfall Simulator

Mitigation Measures of Landslide Disasters
When rain falls on slopes destabilized by earthquakes, the risk of landslides (slope failure)
increases. At the Large-scale Rainfall Simulator of National Research Institute for Earth Scienceand Disaster Resilience, located in Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture, experiments and researchare being conducted to mitigate landslide disasters during rainfall.
The Large-scale Rainfall Simulator has the world's largest rainfall area and rainfall capacity,which can reproduce rainfall from drizzle to torrential rains. Experiments using model slopes withthe same conditions as the real thing are conducted in collaboration with universities, research
institutes, and companies.
Specifically, slope collapse experiment is conducted using the same type of soil as decomposed granite soil “Masado” (which is susceptible to erosion by typhoons and heavy rain) widelydistributed in western Japan to elucidate the collapse mechanism and conduct collapse prediction research using IoT sensors. In collaboration with a company, a disaster mitigation technology is developed to assess the surrounding risks by installing real-size utility poles withvibration-capturing sensors inside the experimental facility and identifying the vibrations thatcause sediment to flow down the slope from among all the vibrations that occur during rainfall.

Landslide caused by the Iwate-Miyagi
Nairiku Earthquake in 2008
(Photo provided by South Wide-area
Development Bureaus, Iwate Pref.)Collapsed Matsurube Ohashi Bridge due
to large-scale slope failure causedby the Iwate-Miyagi Nairiku Earthquake(Photo provided by South Wide-area
Development Bureaus, Iwate Pref.)3 mainmain points
points
3

1 2 3

POINT

POINT

POINT
Sediment
disaster alert

not just
just onon daysdays with
with heavy
heavy rainfall.
rainfall.
notphenomena
phenomena

3

POINT

Be alert when it rains after an earthquake

Slopes may have been destabilized by an earthquake, so
be particularly vigilant when it rains.
If a sediment disaster alert* has been issued for your area,
go to an evacuation center or other safe place as quickly as
possible.
People in an area at high risk of landslides should
evacuate at an early stage, even if an alert is not issued.
If you cannot go to an evacuation center, take refuge in asafer room in your house, such as one upstairs or on the
opposite side to the slope.

* http://www.jma.go.jp/jp/dosha/ (Japanese)17What you can do to prepare against earthquakes
Check on your smartphone
The probabilistic seismic hazard maps mentioned on P2 can also be seen on the J-SHIS
Map website. The smartphone app enables you to set the map display to your current location
with GPS and see data such as the “probability of ground motions equal to or larger thanseismic intensity of 6 lower, occurring within 30 years”.
Go to the J-SHIS Map website and enter your address in the "Place name" box. The map willshow the probability of ground motions equal to or larger than seismic intensity of 6 lower,So,
how was it?

occurring within 30 years where you live.
The iPhone app "Moshi Yure" does a simulation of possible damage if a major earthquake
hits your current location.

Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Map
for Japan on the J-SHIS Map website“Moshi Yure” simulation screenshots

Check for earthquake and subsoil info
The National Research Institutefor Earth Science and Disaster Resilience
Prevention

A simulation of seismic damage
in your current location● For the J-SHIS Map website
http://www.j-shis.bosai.go.jp/en/

The National Research Institutefor Earth Science and Disaster Resilience● For “Moshi Yure”
http://www.j-shis.bosai.go.jp/app-ifearthquake(Japanese)● For the official J-SHIS smartphone app
http://www.j-shis.bosai.go.jp/app-jshis(Japanese)

How to ensure your safety at homewarning
Earthquake early

According to a survey by the Tokyo Firewarning
Earthquake early

Department, roughly 30-50% of injuries inepac
fe s ay)
Sa hallw(

recent earthquakes have been due to fallingor shifting furniture. The danger is not just of
being directly hit by furniture. People haveepace s m)
Saf edroo(bbeen injured by tripping over fallen furniture ortreading on broken glass or crockery, and it(Provided by the Tokyo
Fire Department)

can also block their escape route.

How to keep furniture from falling or moving

18

Tips

Create safe spaces at home

- Secure furniture in place.
- Take measures to keep cupboard and window
glass from shattering and scattering.
- Store heavy articles lower down in bookshelvesand cabinets.
- Do not place dangerous articles high up on
shelves or cupboards.
- Take measures so that glass objects (bottles etc.) do not fall overor roll out of store cupboards.

- Create uncluttered safe spaces in your home
- If you see or hear an earthquake early warning, take refuge in your safe
space and crouch down low.
Visit the Japan Meteorological Agency website for explanations onwhat to do in the event of an earthquake early warning.
http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/en/Activities/eew.html
Examples of safe spaces- Bedroom, home hallway, communal hallway, elevator lobby etc.

The nerve center of Japan's earthquake research

The five missions of the
Headquarters for Earthquake
Research Promotion!
The Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion was establishedby the government after the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Disasterto promote research of earthquakes in order to strengthen earthquake disasterprevention measures and reduce earthquake damage.
These are its five missions.
sion
Mis

1 To determine policies for earthquake research initiatives nationwide

sion
Mis

As an earthquake-prone country, Japan has installed many observation networks, accumulated a wealth ofexpertise in seismic activities and made great progress in earthquake surveys and research.
However, earthquakes are complex phenomena and many questions remain unanswered.
The Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion indicates research policy and promotes measures toreduce earthquake damage.

2 To coordinate the national budget for earthquake research

sion
Mis

It compiles and coordinates the national budget for earthquake research.
The Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion ensures that all earthquake-related surveys and researchat government organizations and universities accord with its policies, and that the various initiatives do not overlap.

3 To produce roadmaps for earthquake-related survey and observation
It plans how to proceed with the surveys and observations needed for helpful disaster prevention research.
Based on its plans, government organizations and universities collaborate in setting up facilities to observe
earthquakes nationwide and carrying out various surveys.

sion
Mis

4

sion
Mis

To get a clear picture of seismic activity based on researchand observation results, and study outcomesThe “Earthquake Research Committee” holds monthly meetings where it classifies andanalyzes research and observation results, to evaluate seismic activities in acomprehensive manner and publish its evaluations.
Ad hoc meetings are held in response to destructive earthquakes or marked crustal
activity to assess the seismic activities.
Based on survey, observation and research results, it studies and assesses themagnitude and probability of future earthquakes, and their predicted shaking and tsunamis,and publishes the results in forms such as probabilistic seismic hazard maps.

5 To convey earthquake research results clearly
to the general public

In addition to conveying research results to the general public in a clear and understandable
form to boost disaster prevention awareness and encourage people to take definite action,
earthquake research results are being publicized to encourage detailed disaster planning by
disaster prevention organizations at the state and local government levels.

The Headquarters
for Earthquake
Research Promotion

19

The Headquarters for
Earthquake Research Promotion
The Earthquake and Disaster-Reduction Research Division,
Research and Development Bureau, Ministry of Education,
Culture, Sports, Science and Technology(Secretariat Division of the Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion)

100-8959 3-2-2 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Tel: 03-5253-4111 (switchboard)
URL: https://www.jishin.go.jp/main/index-e.html
Word to search: headquarters for earthquake
headquarters for earthquake

March ,2022

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