IISEE NewsletterOct 2, 2020
Number 185

In This Issue 16 ParticipantsCompleted the 20192020 Training
Course GRIPS Online
Graduation
Ceremony Address in Reply on
Behalf of All theParticipants Courtesy Call on the
MLIT Minister Reports on Kansai
and Kumamoto
Study Trip

International Institute of Seismology and Earthquake Engineering BRI Japan
1 Tachihara Tsukuba Japan 305-0802

tel+81-29-879-0678 facsim+81-29-864-6777

16 Participants Completed the 2019-2020 Training
CourseBy Mr. Takahiro Yamada Head of Administration Division, IISEEOn Sep 14, we had a closing
ceremony of the training courses in
Seismology, Earthquake
Engineering, and Tsunami Disaster
Mitigation, which started on Oct 2,
last year.
16 participants from 12 countries(Bangladesh(1), Bhutan(1), Chile(1),Costa Rica(2), El Salvador(1),Indonesia(2), Mexico(1),Mongolia(2), Myanmar(1), Nepal(1),Philippines(2), and Timor-Leste(1)joined the training course. In the
ceremony, the representative ofparticipants received a certificate ofcompletion and Post Graduate
Diplomas. After that, all of theparticipants were awarded.
During the training period, theparticipants were divided into threecourses, Seismology, Earthquake
Engineering, and Tsunami Disaster
Mitigation, and have attended
specialized lectures considering theirfield. They summarized the researchand solutions for the problems intheir countries.
In the closing ceremony, theDirector of Disaster Management
Policy Program of GRIPS, Mr.
Sugahara, who joined remotely,

Ms. Akiko ODA, Deputy Director
General, Tsukuba Center, JICA

Dr. Mitsumasa MIDORIKAWA,
President of BRI

Mr. Masaru SUGAHARA,
Director of Disaster Management
Policy (DMP) Program, GRIPSannounced 2 participants of the best research award. Dr. Azuhata, thedirector of IISEE, announced 4 participants of the IISEE award.
Lastly, Mr. Pema from Bhutan made an address in reply tocongratulatory speeches.
We wish their success in their country using the knowledge from thistraining course and the network of the pepple.

IISEE Net andTraining
IISEENETIISEE-UNESCO Lecture
Note
IISEE E-learning
Synopsis Database

Presentation of Certificate
Mr. OCTANTYO Ardian Yudhi
from Indonesia, S course

Presentation of Diploma
Mr. BISWAS Rajib Kanti
from Bangladeshu, E course

Best research award, Mr.
GONZALEZ ILAMA Gino Stevenfrom Costa Rica, S course

Best research award, Mr. RAMOSHERNANDEZ William Alexander
from El Salvador, E course

IISEE Director’s Award
Ms. CHAVARRIA ESQUIVELNathalie Yoliana
from Costa Rica, S course

IISEE Director’s Award
Mr. DALAIJARGAL Lkhagvadorj
from Mongolia, S course

Bulletin Database

Earthquakes
The 2011 off the Pacificcoast of Tohoku
Earthquake
Reports of Recent
Earthquakes
Utsu Catalog
Earthquake Catalog

IISEE Director’s Award
Mr. VARMA Amit Kumar
from Nepal, E course

IISEE Director’s Award
Mr. NUROKHIM Ariffrom Indonesia, T course

Enjoy, Now

GRIPS Online Graduation Ceremony

By Mr. Takahiro Yamada Head of Administration Division, IISEEWith the collaboration of the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies(GRIPS), IISEE participants are awarded the degrees of Master of Disaster
Management when they complete a one-year training course.
This year, due to the infection control measures, GRIPS conducted an online
ceremony.
On Sep 15, Eleven of the IISEE participants who have joined the training
course remotely attended the graduation ceremony held at GRIPS.
In closing the 2019-2020 IISEE training course, we would like to express
our sincere gratitude to all the people involved for their cooperation. Thankyou very much.

Online Graduation Ceremony

Call for Papers Address in Reply on Behalf of All the Participants
IISEE Bulletin is now
accepting submissionsof papers for the seismol ogy, earthquake
engineering, andtsunami. Developing
countries are targeted,but are not limited.
Your original papers will
be reviewed by theeditorial members andsome experts.
NO submission fee isneeded.
Try to challenge!

Mr. Pema From Bhutan Earthquake Engineering course

Why are we here today? Sixteen participants from twelve countries.
Traveling miles away from family and friends. This is because: “We havethe same vision for better tomorrow and share a common interest inbuilding a resilient and sustainable society using science and technology.
We are here to learn from the best of the world, Japan, the leading
country in disaster management. Here we can see how the theories are
put into real practice”. Our journey has not been easy yet a fulfillingone. A smooth sea never made a great sailor.
Dr. Mitsumasa Midorikawa, President of Building Research Institute,
Professor Masaru Sugahara, Program Director of the Disaster
Management Policy Program of
the National Graduate Institutefor Policy Studies, Mr. Takeshi
Watanabe, General Director of
JICA Tsukuba International
Center, Dr. Tatsuya Azuhata,
Director of International
Institute of Seismology and
Earthquake Engineering,Ladies and gentlemen, A very
good morning to you all.
It is indeed a great honor and
Mr. Pema From Bhutan
privilege to stand here in front
Earthquake Engineering courseof this august gathering in thisauspicious day and say these closing words. Today is the day to rejoice
and be proud of our achievements made thus far but let us not becomplacent. Remember, success is a journey, not a destination.
Having said this, without your blessings, my dear senseis’, we would nothave seen the light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you for being kindand patient. This master’s course was designed to be very practical. It

ensures that we are adequately exposed to the new developments inseismology, earthquake engineering, and tsunami disaster mitigation.
From a series of lectures to practical experimentations works,intertwined with memorable field visits, we are not only equipped withthe skills and knowledge but learned about the diverse and rich cultureof Japan. We were able to re-live the past tragic disasters, but notlimited to, the Great Hanshin Awaji and Great East Japan earthquakes,
which were marvelously preserved to date. Seeing is believing, andlearning through firsthand experience will undoubtedly improve how we
now view great disasters and contribute to society with clear
perspectives.
It was a very intensive course, and I am sure my friend agrees that wewere always racing against time to complete our tasks. However, seeing
the enthusiasm of our senseis’, still guiding us, nothing was impossible.
You believed in us; thus, we were able to stand with dignity. Words canneither qualify nor quantify how helpful your guidance and advice has
been. We shall remain forever grateful for your support! More
importantly, we now join the cohort of expertise that IISEE/ BRI has
nurtured since the 1960s. We want to assure our sensei that yourefforts will not be put to vain. To the staffs of IISEE, I cannot imagine a
day at IISEE without your unweaving support. You have ensured thatthe training course runs smoothly without any hindrance. We would liketo share our achievements with you.
We could focus on our study, living here without worrying, that too
through this pandemic COVID-19; all thanks to the continued support
and guidance from JICA. You have ensured that we live free fromanxiety and all we need to do is focus on our ambition to learn. Thankyou for making our stay in Japan safe and memorable. Disasters know
no boundaries, and the only practical solution is through international
collaboration and efforts. JICA’s commitment and leadership toknowledge sharing with the creation of a self-less environment for abetter future of the people around the globe is an exemplary example.
We look forward to your continued guidance and assistance. Reflecting
to JICA, please remember to avoid 3C’s – Closed spaces, Crowded
places, and Close-contact setting, in welcoming the new normal.
For my colleagues, I have seen all of your work very hard, and your zest
for learning is impeccable. Please continue to learn and be a good
human being as you all are. I learned the value of true friendship andthe spirit of teamwork. Thank you for everything.
Truth-be-told, I have never felt this level of excitement to return to mycountry and start acting on our action plans, which have developed aspart of this master’s course. Let us work together for a better tomorrow.
I wish you all the best in your future endeavors and a safe journey backhome.
Thank you and Tashi Delek.

Contact Us
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We encourage you tocontribute a report andan article to this newsletter. Please let us
know your current
activities in yourcountries.
We also welcome yourco-workers and friends
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iiseenews@kenken.go.jp

Courtesy Call on the MLIT Minister
By Mr. Takahiro Yamada Head of Administration Division, IISEEOn Sep 8, IISEE participants made a courtesy call on Mr. Kazuyoshi
Akaba, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism.
To prevent infection spread, three representatives from Costa Rica,
Indonesia, and Nepal visited representing 16 participants from 12
countries. The rest of the other participants from Bangladesh, Bhutan,
Chile, Costa Rica,
El Salvador,Indonesia,
Mexico, Mongolia,
Myanmar,Philippines, andTimor-Lestejoined from
Tsukubaremotely.
Minister Akaba
introduced his
ideas ofearthquake disaster prevention measures and countermeasure examples
in Japan based on the self-experience of the Great Hanshin-Awaji
Earthquake.
He encouraged the participants to use what the participants havelearned in this training to become a leader in earthquake disasterprevention measures in their home countries and work as a bridge withJapan in the future.
Representing IISEE participants, Ms. CHAVARRIA ESQUIVEL Nathalie
Yoliana from Costa Rica, expressed her gratitude for supporting todeveloping countries
through the venerable
IISEE training course.
She stated that all theparticipants will improvedisaster response
capacity back home andkeep passion to prove
the greatness of whatthay had learned in thiscountry.
Finally, this year’s
courtesy call became ahybrid one from other places, Tokyo and Tsukuba via the internet.
The group photo was a different style, but wonderful one.
I hope this opportunity of the visit encourages them to take importantroles for the future of their home counties.

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Minister Akaba with 2019-20 participants

URL of Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism：
https://www.mlit.go.jp/en/kokusai/0000035.html
URL of Building Research Institute：
https://www.kenken.go.jp/english/award/20200910.html

Reports on Kansai and Kumamoto Study Trip
Back Numbers
http://iisee.kenken.go.jp/
nldb/(1)Ms. LKHAGVA Dagzinmaa from
Mongolia, Seismology course
The aim of our four days study trip, which took
place from 19th August to 22th August in
2020, was an exposure to the Great Hanshin
Awaji earthquake disaster, also called Kobe
earthquake (on January 17, 1995, at 05:46:53
JST (January 16 at 20:46:53 UTC) in thesouthern part of Hyōgo Prefecture) disasterareas.
The first day of the trip started with the observation tour of Honryu-Ji
temple refurbishment work, it is the oldest temple in the Shijo Omiya
area of Kyoto. We have observed every detailed process of heritage
recovery work. More else, on this day, we had a chance to visit theGolden Pavilion, one of the main tourist attractions in Japan.
The second day of the trip mostly concentrated on the lessons learned
from the Kobe earthquake. With our visit to Disaster Reduction and
Human Renovation Institution, we watched some simulation anddocumentaries of the whole experience of earthquakes.
We have finished the second day of the trip with a visit to the Nojima
Fault Preservative Museum. An exhibition and 4D simulations in themuseum gave us a clear idea about the disaster condition and geologicalfeatures. One of the exciting parts was the tour of the longest

suspension bridge in the World named Akashi Kaikyo Bridge and its
exhibition center.
The following days of the trip continued in the Kumamoto area, and themost impressive part was the Aso Mount area and Aso Volcano with Aso
caldera, which is the second-largest caldera in Japan.
This four days study trip
to Kansai andKumamoto district was
an inspiring activity toenhance ourunderstanding ofdisaster mitigation
programs. We havebroadened ourknowledge of natural
disaster as earthquakes
and discovered many
interesting places at thesame time. It made me
the observation tour of Honryu-Ji temple
realize the hardships therefurbishment work
people suffering fromnatural disasters, go
through and learn theimportance of preparation and prevention for the life of the citizens. The
exhibitions and simulations at the museums helped to catch a clear idea
about the disaster condition and geological features for the senses in amore realistic way. From the selected observation points at Aso mount,
we have noticed a characteristic of the landscape to consider the
relationship between the geological condition and seismic activity in amore conscious way.

Collapse Slope Recovery site in Aso Ohashi area
URL of Honryu-Ji temple refurbishment work(Japanese):
http://www.hokkeshu.jp/news/repairwork.html
URL of Countermeasures of Slope in Aso Ohashi area(Japanese):
http://www.qsr.mlit.go.jp/kumamoto_r/erosion.html

(2)Mr. NADIMPALLY Bryan from Philippines, Seismology course
Reliving the effect of earthquakes in southern Japan through the eyesand voices of the Japanese people and learning from thecountermeasures
A study in seismology would never be complete
without seeing the great strides taken by Japanin preserving and engraving the memories ofpast earthquakes upon museum walls or
exhibits. But what truly amazes me is how
Japan learns from failure and takes measures
to thwart severe damage resulting from theinevitability of earthquakes. To understand wetravelled to the south of Japan, a region whosedevastation caused by earthquakes is matched
only by its resilience to earthquakes in terms oftechnological milestones and imparting lessons
learned from previous disasters.
The Honshu-Shikoku Bridge Expressway and Aso Ohashi Bridge stand as
testament to how dedicated Japan is to molding a secure future forgenerations to come. The use of techniques such as PC Rigid-Frame
Bridge and unmanned i-Construction technology came to the fore during
the lectures delivered by Mr. Yasuyuki Teramoto and senseis from the
Ministry of Land,
Infrastructre, Tranport
and Tourism (MLIT). Also
the comprehensive
lecture given by
Hayashida sensei wasextremely helpful inunderstanding volcanoes
and the formation of Aso
volcano in particular.
For people who haveexperienced tragedies
the memories of past
Preservation of fault line at Nojima fault
disasters will forever bepreservation museum
etched into their minds
but for future
generations it is but tales
handed down from elders. Evidence and tangible materials are whatallow future generations to learn from and understand what happened in
the past without having to endure the traumatic experience. Akashi
Kaikyo museum and Nojima fault museum are such places where future
generations of Japanese and foreign origin can bear witness to theevents that transpired after the occurrence of earthquakes. Not only inthe hopes of creating more resilient and safer communities but also
allowing people to heal by remembering that their suffering and sacrificehas passed but will never be forgotten.
URL of Nojima fault preservation museum
http://nojima-danso.co.jp/nojima.html

(3)Mr. BISWAS Rajib Kanti from Bangladesh, Earthquake
Engineering course
At first, I want to say thank you to theauthority of International Institute of
Seismology and Earthquake Engineering(IISEE), BRI, JICA for the arrangement offour days long study trip to Kyoto, Kobe, andKumamoto with taking extreme precautions
for not having infected by Covid-19.
After reaching Kyoto on 19th August, wevisited Honryu-ji Temple to observe therefurbishment work. I was amused to see
how they have tried to preserve the oldelements of the structure and to use theancient method for inserting the newelements. After that, we went to Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion), whose top
two floors are covered in golden leaf, and enjoyed the environment
around the place.
The next day in the morning, we went to Disaster Reduction and Human
Renovation Institution. I learned the experiences & lessons from theGreat Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake and the process of reconstruction of
the city.

Akashi Kaikyo Bridge
After that, we moved to the place of the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge exhibition
center. Here, I learned the construction procedure of the Akashi Kaikyo
Bridge and the materials used for the construction. I was pleased to see
the 40 m long 1/100 scale model of the bridge.
Then, our next destination was the Nojima Fault Preservation Museum
to observe the exposed surface fault of the Great Hanshin-Awaji
Earthquake. Here, I learned what happened in this disastrous event.
In the next two days, we visited the disaster area of Aso, the collapse
slope recovery site in the Aso Ohashi area, Kumamoto Castle, andMount Aso area. We observed the process of slope recovery site, theconstruction procedure of Aso bridge, the reconstruction procedure of
Kumamoto Castle, and the volcanic mountain Aso.
It was an excellent opportunity for us to visit those kinds of places bywhich we could learn not only the lessons from the natural disasters that
the Japanese people faced but also the preparedness for next thenatural disasters.
URL of Akashi Kaikyo Bridge
https://www.jb-honshi.co.jp/english/bridgeworld/index.html(4)Mr. OROPEL Joseph Christopher from Philippines, Earthquake
Engineering course
The participants stayed in Kobe City for the firsttwo days while studying the effects of the 1995
Great Hanshin Awaji Earthquake. In theremaining two days, they stayed in Kumamoto
City and studied the impact of the 2016
Kumamoto Earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture.
These earthquakes had unique challenges fromeach other. They were an excellent opportunity
to learn from experts who dealt with thechallenges in disaster mitigation and response.
There were many locations covered during the study trip that I learnedso much; however, the sites that struck me the most were the Disaster
Reduction and Human Renovation Institution and the Akashi-Kaikyo
Ohashi. The memoirs from the 1995
Great Hanshin Awaji Earthquake
survivors reminded us how
important our responsibility as
earthquake engineers to safeguard
the lives of the countless membersof our community.
As our time in Japan is slowly
setting, I believe this is an excellent
opportunity to reflect on pastexperiences and the learnings we
had from the past year to focus ourattention on our home country
where we can be an instrument tohelp contribute towards life
Memoirs from Earthquake
preservation. We hold ourselves
Survivors
accountable for the countless lives
we can protect from the structuresthat we continue to use daily.
The other location that had a significant impact on me was the visit to
the famous Akashi-Kaikyo Ohashi. It has been a long time since I firstlearned about the bridge, and finally seeing it in person was one of myfavorite memories in Japan. It has stood as a hallmark structure thatshowcases the best technology in Japan regarding bridge infrastructure.
The trip was successful as most of the locations were covered in the
program despite hindrances from COVID-19. I applaud the efforts of

JICA and IISEE for conducting the program under the looming healthconcerns.
URL of Disaster Reduction and Human Renovation Institute:
http://www.dri.ne.jp/en(5)Mr. NUROKHIM Arif from Indonesia, Tsunami Disaster
Mitigation course
UNFORGETTABLE MOMENT AND STUDY
As part of the course, we carry out study trips toother parts of Japan. To be able to learn about
the culture and traditions of Japanese society.
This time is heading towards the west of Japan,
namely, Kyoto, Kobe, to the Kumamoto area.
In Kyoto, we reminisce about the historicalbuildings at Honryuji temple and Kinkakuji
temple. It is awe-inspiring that a building that is
hundreds of years old still stands majestically asa witness to Japanese society's splendor. The
traditional techniques used by the community atthat time were very capable of being developed as the basis forbuildings today.
Furthermore, in Wakayama, we learned a story about the heroism of a
Goryo Hamaguchi when a devastating tsunami hit the area. Inamura nohi, a tale of Hamaguchi's intelligence in disaster preparedness. An
initiative to burn "Inamura" (rice sheaves), which the community used
as an evacuation route from the waves of the tsunami that hit at thattime. Prepare ourselves from disaster by learning from people who havebeen through it. The essential and memorable lessons, don't forget thehistory of social life and the tragedy because the nature of thecatastrophe will happen again. The historical record is vital for us tolearn how an event occurred in the past, be it in the form of literature,monuments, museums, and others.
Finally, feast on the eyes of the green mountains in a giant caldera, Asovolcano. An incredible view, a peaceful atmosphere, and a fantastic
experience during thetrip.
And finally I would liketo express my deepest
gratitude to BRI, IISEEand JICA staff, andpeople guided us at thesite for thisunforgettable
experiences.

Inamura in Wakayama

Nojima fault preservation museum

Kumamoto Castle
URL of Inamura-no-Hi no Yakata, Hamaguchi Goryou Archives Tsunami
Educational Center:
https://www.town.hirogawa.wakayama.jp/inamuranohi/english/
URL of Kumamoto Castle
https://castle.kumamoto-guide.jp/en/