2. Information Collection and Offer

2-7. Disaster Management Internet GIS
2-7-1. Objective of Disaster Management Internet GIS
The objective of the Geographical Information System (GIS) is to make full use of spatial data (datainput and output, analyses, storage, and updating) beyond the limits of conventional paper maps. The term
“spatial data” refers to data consisting of “geographical data” and “attribute data”. Geographical data
relate to distribution, locations, and configurations of topographic features (elevations, rivers, etc.), andfeatures of human activities and social environments (railroads, roads and streets, buildings, land use,
vegetation and population), while attribute data consist of attributes (name, class, numerical value, etc.) ofsuch feature items. A GIS has various functions that help users to take decisions and to perform
environmental or disaster impact assessments. Such functions include: visualization using selective
overlay of spatial data or by legends (classifiers), statistical processing using spatial analysis, extraction(buffering) of disaster-affected areas, and selection of shortest paths. Usually, to use GIS resources,
dedicated hardware, software and databases are necessary. A Web-based GIS has the advantage that it canbe devised to enable analysis, display and acquisition of data using the Internet without requiring the user
to install any special GIS software. This is a very important point in the handling of disaster information,
because it helps reduce equipment investment and facilitates information sharing.
The accessibility to the Internet varies considerably among ADRC member countries. However, it iscertain that Internet user populations will increase in these countries, along with easier access to faster andcheaper connection services. Moreover, the problem of unavailability of fixed-telephone lines is steadily
diminishing thanks to the steady development of the satellite Internet connection technology. Thus,Internet GIS resources can be expected to be a more important component of a disaster risk management
system in an emergency.

2-7-2. Toward Wider Use of Disaster Management Internet GISADRC will closely observe current and future developments in the relevant fields, and seize
opportunities to further promote the use of its disaster management Internet GIS in Asia.

2-7-2-1. Creation, Distribution and Use of Hazard Maps
It seems that cities around the world have been becoming more vulnerable to disasters because ofrapid development, urbanization, and population growth since the second half of the 20th century.
Municipal governments of capitals and major cities of countries in Asia, including Teheran, Istanbul,
Kathmandu, Manila, Ulan Bator, Tokyo, and Yokohama, have prepared estimates of earthquake damage.
Flood hazard maps have also been prepared in Asian countries. As for forest fires, the ASEAN countries,
for example, have developed an Internet GIS network to share hazard data collected using satelliteimagery and observation.
It is important to study and implement the methods of integration of hazard maps into city planning(disaster preparedness), zoning, building standards, and public disaster awareness raising campaigns fromvarious perspectives including international cooperation, central government policies, and local
community activities. It is not enough that the government provides hazard maps to citizens. A
mechanism should be devised in order to incorporate citizens' view points into updated data. Equallyimportant are cross-organizational information exchange among relevant ministries and agencies,cooperation among the public, private, academic and NGO sectors, and disaster education curricula forschools. A disaster management Internet GIS open to anyone is indispensable for all these purposes.

2-7-2-2. Integration of Mobile Telecommunications with Disaster
Management Internet GIS
Mobile phone networks can be developed with a smaller initial investment than fixed telephone
networks. Therefore, mobile phone networks are rapidly expanding in Asian countries, developing
countries in particular. According to some estimates, the world's mobile phone number will exceed 2.6billion in 2009. There are already many successful cases of transmission of early warnings and disasteremergency information using wireless telecommunications technologies such as cell-phone short mailservices. The ongoing diffusion of broadband connections will influence the way mobile phones are used.
It will become more common than it is today to use mobile phones for interactive transmission of image
data in addition to text and voice data.

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2. Information Collection and Offer

To display GIS data on the small screen of a mobile phone, it will be necessary to develop a new data
format different from the existing Internet GIS data formats, as well as a whole new set of data. Therefore,
it is likely that mobile phone-based GIS data will first become available for major cities and surrounding
areas. It is also important, in terms of cost effectiveness, to develop cell phone-based GIS networks as a
useful multi-purpose urban IT infrastructure not only for disaster reduction, but also for daily social lifeand tourism.
Once they become widely used, cell phones bundled with sophisticated digital camera and GPS
functions will provide a powerful Internet tool for semi-realtime GIS data sharing between affected areas
and disaster management headquarters in disaster emergencies. It is also considered that cell phones will
become a useful ubiquitous communications tool for raising disaster preparedness awareness among local
populations and promoting “participatory disaster-resistant city planning.”

2-7-2-3. Utilization of Satellite Imagery and Aerial Photography
Satellite image data and aerial photographic data are useful to enable the user to associate map datawith physical geography. The problems are: that these data are expensive, that raw data need reformatting
for integration into GIS databases (data conversion and management), and that satellite image or aerial
photograph data for areas or times of interest are often unavailable at preferred resolutions.
Recently, there is an increasing number of satellite image and aerial photograph databases being
created and released as part of international cooperation or as national policies. As of February 2008,
there are 162 countries and 16 regions participating in the “Global Mapping” project, Moreover,Geographical Survey Institute is publishing vector map data as well as satellite image data which covers alot of regions in Japan (available in Japanese only. http://mapbrowse.gsi.go.jp/airphoto/index.html).
A national spatial database created primarily with taxpayer's money is a common property of the nation.
The Japanese government should continue taking the initiative in the development of this kind ofdatabases.

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