Introduction to
International Research Institute ofDisaster Science (IRIDeS)
Tohoku University

東北大学 災害科学国際研究所
International Research Institute ofDisaster Science(IRIDeS), TOHOKU University• IRIDeS overview:– IRIDeS: International Research Institute ofDisaster Science– Founded in Tohoku University• Tohoku U. : one of a few universities worldwide toexperience a historic mega-disaster• Established on April 1, 2012

– 7 departments, 37 areas of specialization– Approximately 100 researchers– Annual budget: JPY 800 million ($10 million);secured for the first 10 years
2Key Concepts in Disaster Management• Hazard
Strength of natural event• ExposureInhabitants, industries, facilities• Vulnerability weakness of human-social system• Resilience
Speed of bouncing backActivity Level

Vulnerability(1／preparedness)

Arrival of Hazard and Exposure

LossResilience
TimeDamage∝Hazard×Exposure×Vulnerability(∝Hazard × Exposure ÷ Preparedness）

Adaptation Strategies• We cannot control the Natural Hazards• Decrease the vulnerability (prevention)– Building Facilities physically stronger• Decrease the exposure (aversion)– Land-use control– Temporal pre-disaster evacuation• Increase the resilience (mitigation)– Back-up, storage, Response– Insurance, special finance

Combinations

Need of Multi inter-disciplinary Approach• Decrease the vulnerability (prevention)– Building Facilities physically stronger• Decrease the exposure (aversion)– Land-use control– Temporal pre-disaster evacuation• Increase the resilience (mitigation)– Back-up, storage, Response– Insurance, special finance

Combinations

Natural Science,
EngineeringSocial Science,
Behavior Science
Urban PlanningSocial Science,
Economics
Medical ScienceUniqueness : Multi-interdisciplinary structure
Research area

Tohoku Univ.
IRIDeS

Earthquake,
TsunamiHazardand Risk
EvaluationDisaster
ScienceVolcanic

Wind and Rain

Hazard and Risk

Univ. ofTokyo
E InstituteKyoto Univ.
D Institute

研究所全体（4部門，4研究センター，3マネジメントセン
ター）

地震・火山研究グループ

地盤研究グループ
大気・水研究グループ

Natural Disaster
Science

Niigata Univ.
R Institute

Fukushima
Univ.
S Institute

地震・火山研究ユニット
兵庫県耐震工学
研究センター

環境変動科学部門
複合災害科学部門

水・土砂防災研究ユニット

地域安全科学部門

雪氷防災
研究センターSnow Storm
Human & Social Response

Regional& Urban
Reconstruction

D Institute

Human andSocialResponse

総合防災研究グループ

地域安全科学部門

研究所全体（11研究会）

災害リスク
研究ユニット

研究所全体（11研究会）

災害リスク
研究ユニットRegional safety
Radiation
Decontamination

Regional andUrban
Reconstruction

Robotics

Medical ReliefDisaster Medical
SciencePublic Cooperation

Information
management

International Collaboration

Yes

地域安全科学部門総合防災研究グループ
Yes

Yes

Multi-interdisciplinary also includes research on different types/areas of hazards, low frequency high risk
disasters

6

IRIDeS: A new institution in a disaster stricken area
• Principle:– Promote world’s leading research on natural
disasters through:• learning from the GEJE and tsunami;• contributing to the regional recovery; and• set an international paradigm on disaster management
studies7• Mission– Establish “practical” disaster management studies• Identify and theorize disaster-related phenomenon ineach stage of disaster cycle• Establish an area of
disaster management
Disasterstudy that supports
building societies
Preparedness
more resilient toDisaster(Future disasterimpactsmitigation)
disasters
Disaster• InternationallyCycle
driven research/educational activities
Rehabilitation
andReconstruction

Emergency
response8

• Institutional structure– 7 departments, extensive collaboration beyond IRIDeS
DisasterScience

Regional andUrban
Reconstruction
Disaster
Information
Managementand Public
Collaboration

Research institute inJapan and overseas

Hazard andRisk
Evaluation

International ResearchInstitute of Disaster Science(IRIDeS)
Human andSocial
Response

Disaster
MedicalScience

Private companies

EndowedResearchDivision

Affected localgovernments

9• Mid- and long-term objectives
1. Elucidate mechanisms related to global-scale natural
disasters and its impacts
2. Restructure disaster prevention and reduction
technologies (reflecting on the GEJE case)

3. Establish “Disaster Supportology”;
Reevaluate disaster management and rebuilding utilizing
historical knowledge
4. Strengthen urban and regional resiliency with multiple
redundancies against natural disasters
5. Constitute mega-disaster and wide-area responsive
medical treatment system

6. Design society with better disaster risk management,
incorporating knowledge and lessons learnt
10• Origin:– IRIS (plural)– Violet (Color of Iris)(Color of Tohoku Univ.)• Nobility and desire– Logo: reversing Chinese
Character for disaster

災

災

災

– A proverb: “Disaster turns
into blessings”

11Current Activities• Project-based research activities– Research with domestic and international
universities• 12 projects granted for type A (corporation with leadinginstitutions); US $4million• 70 projects granted for type B (inside IRIDeS andcooperative ); US $2million• Grants will be provided every fiscal years, up to 10years

12• Collaboration with media– Kahoku Newspaper• Articles published for Tohoku community to learn.
Published once every month, on the 11th day• Recent topics- Restructuring to create resilience to/from natural disasters;
communication collaboration is critical (October 11)- Need to prepare for possible
isolation in an emergency;
evacuation closer and higher(September 11)- Need to reassess
recommended emergency
goods; the importance of
speaking in an authoritative
tone in an emergency(August 11)13

• Events and seminars– Periodical• IRIDeS Friday Forum:– Open to public, presentations of the researcher• GEJE watcher– Open to public, guests from outside institution• Public seminars– Non-Periodical• Public reporting by Tohoku university– 1 month report, 3 months report, 6 months report, one year
anniversary report• Symposium– 1611 Keicho earthquake 400 year anniversary (Dec. 2011)14

• Archival project [Michinoku Shinroku Den]
– Collect and archive disaster information• Data will be collected in Tohoku• Collecting different events’ data, including historic ones
• All types of data will be archived for future needs– Establish global standard on archival science– Will be practical• System to link with government and industry• Linking with education– Create new jobs around this system
15• Government-academic collaboration– National governments• Cabinet office, central disaster management committee• Ministries:– Agriculture and fisheries (MAFF)– Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)– Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT)• Agencies:– Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)– Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)– Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)– Prefectural governments– Local governments (Cooperative Agreements)16• Educational program– Establishing a disaster management program forhigher education– Aims to educate internationally-prominent
researchers in disaster management17• Inter-graduate School Doctoral Degree
Program on Science for Global Safety• 2012-2018 supported by MEXT
Top Leader for Global Safety

NaturalSafety andHuman
DisasterDisaster proof
ScienceScience
Engineering
CourseCourseCourseLinkage betw. Research and Education
Grad.
School ofScienceC. Of NE
Asian Studies

Grad. SchoolofEngineering

Grad. Sch.
Environ.
ScienceInt. Res. Inst.
Desaster Sci.

G.S. Letters
G.S. Infomatics
G.S. Med. Eng.

Center forInst.
Fluid Sci. Aca.Resource18• Inter-graduate School Doctoral Degree
Program on Science for Global Safety• 2012-2018 supported by MEXT
Labo ResearchLabo ResearchMulti-disciplinary

Multi-disciplinary

Pre-researchInternshipCommunication

Research work

found
ation

Research

LecturesResearchworkInternship, overseas
ResearchLectures19

Thank you!
URLs:
http://irides.tohoku.ac.jp/eng/index.html
http://irides.tohoku.ac.jp/index.html

20March 11, 2011 disaster and IRIDeS• March 11, 2011 disaster– Costliest disaster in history from triple tragedy• JPY 16.9 trillion ($210 billion)• e.g. $81 billion (JPY 6.5 trillion) for Hurricane Katrina– Uncovered limitations of modern science and technology• Large-scale disaster impacts can’t be prevented• Need longer time horizons for better understanding;importance of referencing ancient documents– Holistic approach is needed to respond to mega-scaledisasters• Need wider spatial horizons for getting enough casesand experiences : International cooperative research21

Disaster

1923
Great Kanto
Earthquake

Disaster Institute settled inMajor National University
The University of Tokyo
Earthquake Research Institute（1925-）

1950
Typhoon Jane

Kyoto University
Disaster Prevention ResearchInstitute（1951-）

2011
GEJE and Tsunami

Tohoku University International
Research Institute ofDisaster Science（2012-）
22

IRIDeS Building, opened
this Autumn.

AOBAYAMANEW CAMPUS• Permanent space
for the institution
has just prepared!
You arehere!

23

24