Silviase/jgov_v1.4_full_ann huggingface dataset:
activity of the island are being continuously monitored by aircraft.

# First Eruption in 39 Years Near Nishi-no-shima of the Ogasawara Islands

On November 20, 2013, based on a report from Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force aircraft that a volcanic plume was visible offshore of Nishi-no-shima which belongs to the Ogasawara islands, the Japan Coast Guard immediately dispatched an aircraft to the scene confirming that eruptions were occurring off the southeast coast of Nishi-no-shima and a new island approximately 100m in diameter was being formed. This is the first eruption in 39 years experienced by Nishi-no-shima since the eruptions between 1973-74.

In order to secure navigation safety, the Japan Coast Guard immediately issued a navigation warning and advised caution to vessels navigating nearby and also reported their observation results to the Coordinating Committee for Prediction of Volcanic Eruptions in their efforts to prevent eruption disasters. Afterwards, the new island continued to actively spew lava, reclaiming the sea around it and as a result, by December 26, 2013 it was confirmed that the diameter of the new island reached 500m and connected to Nishi-no-shima. Currently, as of March 24, 2014, the Nishi-no-shima volcano is still active.

When new land is formed due to volcanic activity, it may increase new land territory and new territorial sea. The range of territorial waters and exclusive economic zone is based on the low-tide line $ ^{Note} $ shown on the large scale nautical chart, which serves as the territorial sea baseline, published by the Japan Coast Guard. In the future, once volcanic activities subside and safety is ensured, a precise hydrographic survey will be carried out and once the newly formed land is recorded on the nautical chart, the new range of territorial sea and exclusive economic zone will be established.

After World War II, there were four cases of submarine volcanic activities leading to the creation of new islands. Although, aside from the volcanic eruption of 1973 in Nishi-no-shima that created new island Nishi-no-shima-Shin To, they all disappeared shortly due to the effect of volcanic explosions and wave erosions. Although newly formed land in this case consists of mostly consolidated lava so it is considered resistant to erosion, the fate of this new land is unpredictable. Japan Coast Guard will continue the surveillance and observation of the Nishi-no-shima volcano.

The Eruption

H25.11.21

H26.01.12

Source) Japan Coast Guard

H25.11.22

H25.12.13
d. Geospatial Information Authority of Japan Initiatives

## (a) Improved Observation and Monitoring of Volcanic Activities

At active domestic volcanoes, observation system such as GNSS-based control station (GNSS Note 1 continuous observation facility), automatic distance and angle measurement devices to survey distance changes around volcanos, and Remote GNSS Monitoring System (REGMOS) is implemented to continuously monitor three-dimensional crustal movements. Also, the GNSS data observed by other organizations are combined and analyzed for more detailed monitoring of crustal movements in the surrounding area of volcanoes.

## (b) Research on Natural Disasters caused by Volcanic Eruptions

In addition to observations of crustal movements by GNSS and SAR $ ^{Note 2} $ interferometry to elucidate mechanics of volcanic activities, research is being conducted to improve observation and analysis.

## (6) Storm Surge and Denudation Measures

### a. Promoting Storm Surge and High Wave Measures

To protect human lives and assets from storm surges and high waves caused by frequently occurring storm surges, a combination of hard and soft measures are being promoted such as the development and repair of coastal levees and the issuing of flood prevention warnings.

### b. Promoting Coastal Erosion Measures

Since a variety of factors contribute to coastal erosion across the nation, the administrators of rivers, coasts, shipping ports, and fishing ports are coordinating to implement measures such as sand bypasses $ ^{Note 3} $ and sand recycling $ ^{Note 4} $ .

### c. Providing Disaster Prevention Information Regarding Storm Surge and High Tides

To enhance disaster prevention activities at municipalities, the Japan Meteorological Agency provides each municipality with Storm Surge Warnings and Advisories for individual municipalities.

Also, to assist victims and aid restoration efforts in regions that ground subsidence occurred following the Great East Japan Earthquake, an “Hourly Tide Level Calendar” consolidating astronomical tide level (forecast values for tide level) is published along with other information regarding storm surges.

## (7) Tsunami Measures

### a. Promoting Tsunami Measures

In preparation for the largest scale tsunami disasters following great earthquakes along the Nankai Trough, building regional tsunami disaster prevention through multiple defenses combining hard and soft measures against the biggest tsunami is being advanced and regional authorities are being supported for measures such as establishing tsunami flooding
retrofitting was reduced from 3/4 to a simple majority retrofitting.

like ordinary resolutions to carry out seismic

## (9) Snow Damage Measures

### a. Securing Winter Road Traffic (Snow and Winter Works)

In accordance with the “Act on Special Measures concerning Maintenance of Road Traffic in Specified Snow Coverage and Cold Districts”, to support safe and comfortable living, strengthen exchanges and cooperation between regions, the “Five Year Plan to Secure Road Transport in Special Snow and Low Temperature Regions” was established in November 2013 by Cabinet decision along with the review of specification for the road within the area of snow coverage and cold, and the projects for removing snow, preventing snow, snow damage, and frost damage on roads (snow and winter works) are being promoted. In addition, the Hokuriku Snow Damage Measures Technology Center was established in July 2012 and is promoting research and development, human resources development, assistance to local governments, as well as providing information and raising public awareness related to snow damage measures across the country. Also, when large vehicles are stalled due to unusual snowfall, to prevent an additional flow of traffic from causing severe traffic congestion; traffic will be closed at an early stage in coordination with prefectural police and carry out concentrated snow removal to ensure traffic is restored quickly. Furthermore, unifying the sharing and dissemination of snow removal conditions and other information as well as improve the efficiency of snow removal, the establishment of information relaying headquarters by the relevant organizations of road administrators is being promoted.

### b. Avalanche Disaster Measures in Heavy Snowfall Regions

Across the nation there are about 21,000 avalanche risk areas and to protect human lives from avalanche disasters in settlements, the development of avalanche prevention facilities is being promoted.

### c. Implementing Snow Clearing Waterways Projects

In heavy snowfall regions, in addition to securing flood control functions, water conveyance channels are being developed for rivers with abundant water volume to supply small and medium-sized rivers flowing through the city with water for snow clearing waterways.

## (10) Sophistication of Disaster Prevention Information

### a. Aggregation of Disaster Prevention Information

The “MLIT Disaster Prevent Information Center Note” enables citizens to easily obtain and utilize disaster prevention information by aggregating and providing information available such as rainfall as well as provide a comprehensive array of information on disaster responses and disaster prevention from a single source.
### b. Development of Hazard Maps

For residents to take appropriate evacuation actions when disasters occur, the creation and distribution of hazard maps by municipalities is being promoted to inform residents in advance of evacuation areas and evacuation paths in addition to creating an Internet portal site $ {Note} $ where various hazard maps from all over the country can be searched and browsed.

### c. Improvement of Disaster Prevention Weather Information

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issues warnings and advisories by municipality as well as provides distribution maps, which are named “nowcasts”, indicating up to an hour forecast for extreme meteorological phenomena affecting a small area such as tornadoes, thunder, and heavy rains. These warnings, advisories and nowcasts are also available to mobile devices. In addition, for tornadoes and other gusts, Hazardous Wind Watch alert will be issued to call for caution.

On the other hand, in the heavy rain disaster in the Kii Peninsula caused by Typhoon Talas in 2011, JMA called for caution against great damages with Heavy Rain Warnings and other measures but there was no effective way to convey the acutely heightened danger due to sustained heavy rains reaching record levels and it did not lead to timely evacuation advisories and orders being given by municipality mayors or speedy evacuation actions by residents. For this reason, in May 2013 the “Meteorological Service Act” was amended and from August 30 of the same year, “Emergency Warnings” began operations. In September 16 of the same year, for the heavy rains in Fukui Prefecture, Shiga Prefecture, and Kyoto Prefecture due to Typhoon Man-yi, a Heavy Rain Emergency Warning was issued for the first time since beginning operations.

## (11) Strengthening the Crisis Management System

In response to natural disasters, in addition to forecasting natural phenomena that could lead to disaster (Japan Meteorological Agency), conducting inspections and emergency rehabilitation of facilities during disasters (departments in charge of facility management), and rescue operations at sea (Japan Coast Guard), there are many places with established initial response systems such as the emergency assembly of staff and the establishment of disaster measure headquarters. But in light of the disaster response during the Great East Japan Earthquake, the crisis management system needs to be strengthened further. Additionally, using the equipment, manpower, expertise and other resources of MLIT and relevant organizations to support local governments stricken by disaster will be promoted more actively.
assistance was provided to Tokyo Metropolitan Area for the establishment of mud flow monitoring system using wire sensors.

In consideration of the fact that this disaster and the sediment disaster northern Kyushu in July 2012 claimed many victims in areas not thought to be at

Night lighting support by lighting cars

The disaster mechanism in Izu Oshima-Machi, Tokyo Metropolitan Area

great risk of sediment disasters, a “Sediment Disaster Measure Improvement Study Committee” consisting of academics and experts was held to further comprehensive investigations into hard and soft measures against sediment disasters.

Advising the Mayor of Oshima-Machi based on the inspection

Source) MLIT

Installation of surveillance cameras at the affected site

### b. Improving Business Continuity Abilities

Following the ratification of the government-wide operational continuity plan (government operation continuity plan), previous undertakings of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Operational Continuity Plan (Second Edition) were followed up to create the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Operational Continuity Plan (Third Edition) on April 1, 2014. Also, the operational continuity framework is being strengthened through such measures as the stockpiling of supplies and securing support systems from other regions without awaiting orders from ministry headquarters (immediate dispatch of TEC-FORCE).

### c. Deployment of Information Communication Systems and Equipment in Preparation for Disasters

To secure information communication systems in the event of a disaster, MLIT headquarters, local branch offices, and related organizations are connected with a highly reliable information communication network consisting of microwave networks and optical fibers, in addition to satellite communication channels to strengthen the system for gathering information from the disaster site, are used to create a high mobility system. Also, to rapidly respond to disasters, the deployment of disaster prevention helicopters, satellite communication vehicles, drainage pump vehicles, illumination vehicles, and other disaster response machinery is being expanded at regional development bureaus and local offices across the nation, so that in the event of a large-scale disaster, the framework will be able to execute rapid deployment.
government and regional development bureau officials were given training to conduct accident investigations of elevators and play facilities for the development of staff.

## Section 4 Strengthening Safety Measures in the Transport Sector

Ensuring safety is a central and fundamental issue in the transport sector and once an accident occurs not only can it cause significant damages but also has an enormous impact on society so various measures are being undertaken to prevent accidents from occurring.

## 1 Establishing and Improving the Safety Management System of Public Transportation

The “Transport Safety Management System”, instituted in October 2006 when public transportation accidents and troubles due to human errors began to occur frequently, makes it mandatory for the transportation organization to create and submit a “safety management policy” as well as elect and register the “general safety manager” in addition to top management taking an active leadership role to guide the frontline to work together in establishing and strengthening the safety management system and these efforts will be assessed by national government so that the safety management system can be continuously improved under a PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act) cycle.

From October 2012 to the end of September 2013, transportation safety management evaluations were conducted for a total of 510 companies (103 rail companies, 90 car companies, 299 shipping companies, and 18 airlines). In light of these results, there is a great disparity between major operators and other operators in the status of implementation regarding these regulations. For this reason, a consistent policy across all modes includes: 1) implement a sharper evaluation that prioritizes areas thought to have a greater effect, 2) implement evaluation that is more sophisticated and emphasizes implementable and effective initiatives by the operator for large and medium-sized operators, and 3) for small to medium-sized operators, prioritize initiatives that further promote and raise awareness of regulations including the use of public-private partnerships.

(Note) One through 14 on the radar chart correspond to the item reference numbers in the “Guidelines for Transport Operators to Conduct Safety Management - For the Further Improvement of Transport Safety” formulated and published March 2010 and indicate the rate of sufficiency for the implementation of each item.
Specifically, as part of the “safety and security recovery plan for expressway and chartered buses” created in April 2013 following the Kanetsu Expressway highway tour bus accident, in October 2013, the scope of mandatory transportation safety management implementation was expanded from operators of a given scale (fleets of over 200 vehicles) to all chartered bus operators and others (approximately 4,500) and effective evaluations will be implemented toward operators newly requiring evaluations. Also, in July 2013, a framework for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to certify seminars hosted by the private sector was established and efforts are being made to spread and solidify the operators’ awareness of regulations by utilizing private sector resourcefulness and expertise.

## 2 Railway Transportation Safety Measures

Driving accident numbers for railway traffic show a declining trend over the long term $ ^{*} $ Note due to such factors as the promotion of driving assistance facilities including automatic train stop systems (ATS) and rail crossing measures but the trend is plateauing in recent years, requiring the promotion of further safety measures.

## (1) Improving Railway Safety

In light of past accidents, measures such as creating necessary standards will be implemented and direction will be given to railway operators to ensure implementation as well as confirm the status of implementation for safety audits, give feedback on audit results for further implementation of measures to improve the safety of railways.

### a. Measures from the JR West Fukuchiyama Line Derailing Accident

The “Ministerial Ordinance to Provide the Technical Standard on Railway” was revised to make the installation of Automatic Train Stop (ATS) devices with functions to limit speed on curbs, driver anomaly detection and train stopping devices, and driving condition recording devices mandatory.

### b. Measures from the JR East Uetsu Line Derailment

A “Railway Wind Measures Council” was convened to consider both soft and hard measures for strong winds and in addition to installing additional wind gauges, the wind observation system for railways was strengthened along with other measures.

c. Measures to Ensure the Safety of JR Hokkaido from the JR Freight Hakodate Line Train Derailment See the column for more information.
·25 truncated domes (5 x 5)

·Line shaped protrusion indicating the inside of the platform (boundary line)

## 3 Safety Measures for Maritime Traffic

In the waters around Japan, around 2,500 vessels are involved in ship accidents every year. Once a ship accident occurs, not only are precious lives and property lost but Japan’s economic activities and marine environment may be adversely affected in a major way requiring the promotion of further safety measures.

## (1) Improving Ship Safety and Ensuring Ship Navigation Safety

### a. Improving Ship Safety

Regarding ship safety, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is central in stipulating international standards and in addition to actively participating in IMO discussions, in December 2013, the installation of stability computers was made mandatory in accordance with the amendment of the SOLAS Convention $ {^{Note 1}} $ and domestic laws were also revised.

Regarding the breakage accident of the Bahamas-flagged large container ship, MOL COMFORT, that occurred in the Indian Ocean, a committee was convened in June 2013 to evaluate safety measures for large container ships. In December, an interim report was prepared and published on the details of safety measures to be taken for the time being.

Also, to eliminate substandard ships Note $ ^{2} $ , Port State Control (PSC) Note $ ^{3} $ is being implemented.

### b. Ensuring Ship Navigation Safety

In accordance with the “Act on Ships’ Officers and Boats’ Operators” which complies with the STCW Convention $ ^{4} $ , the qualifications for ship personnel are defined to ensure ship navigation safety from human factors. In June 2010, the revised STCW Convention (Manila Amendments) with amendments stipulating additional competencies that ship personnel must possess was adopted and domestic laws are under revision for April 2014. Also, for the pilotage system, qualifications for people who can perform pilotage are defined for the safety of vessel traffic but finding successors is turning out to be challenging, therefore, securing a stable supply of human resources and the provision of necessary incubation training are being promoted.

Investigation and inquiry, in accordance with the “Act on Marine Accident Inquiry”, are conducted for a marine technician, a small craft operator, or a pilot who causes a marine accident intentionally or negligently in the course of duties and in 2013 there were 310 cases of determinations and a total of 402 marine technicians, small craft operators, or pilots were performed disciplinary actions of suspension of business operation (one to two months) or admonition to prevent the occurrence of marine accidents.
## Column

## The Third Traffic Vision - Initiatives for the Safety of Vessel Traffic -

In the waters around Japan, around 2,500 vessels are involved in ship accidents every year. Once a ship accident occurs, not only are precious lives and property lost but Japan's economic activities and marine environment may be adversely affected in a major way requiring the promotion of further safety measures. In October 2013, the Council of Traffic Policy Maritime Subcommittee compiled the "Initiatives for the Safety of Maritime Traffic (Report)" which outlined the direction of maritime traffic safety policy along with specific measures (7 issues and 3 goals) over the next five years.

The Japan Coast Guard positions this report as the “Third Traffic Vision” and will promote measures to achieve the goals.

The Seven Issues

(1) Safety measures for congested waters $ ^{Note 1} $

(2) Safety measures for semi-congested waters $ ^{Note 2} $

(3) Efficiency and safety of vessel traffic inside the harbor

(4) Safety measures for small boats

(5) Policy for the maintenance and management of Aids to Navigation (AtoN)

Illustration of Maritime Traffic Safety Measures in the Event of a

(Note) Virtual AIS AtoN emit signals from AIS land stations in the vicinity to display AtoN virtually that do not exist physically

(6) Safety measures for vessel traffic in the event of a large-scale disaster

(7) Strategic technology development

The Three Goals

(1) Maintain a low occurrence rate for collision and running aground accidents in congested waters

(2) Reduce the number of collision and running aground accidents within harbors, etc.

(3) Reduce the number of small boat accidents

Additionally, by promoting various initiatives comprehensively through coordination with relevant agencies, in the long-term, the aim is to reduce the current number of vessel accident numbers in half by the 2020s.

Also, Maritime Traffic Safety Sub commission was established within Council of Traffic Policy Maritime Subcommittee to meet around once every year to confirm the implementation status of the measures in the Third Traffic Vision and continue with deliberations on the approach for measures of the next fiscal year, drafting of the next traffic vision, and the way forward for Maritime traffic safety measures from a long-term point of view.

Note 1 Tokyo Bay, Ise Bay, Seto Inland Sea, and Kanmonkou Bay (waters where the Act on Maritime Traffic Safety Act or the Act on Port Regulations are applicable).

Note 2 Waters that lead to Seto Inland Sea that connect congested sea areas through each of the waters of the mouth of Tokyo Bay, Irouzaki offing, the mouth of Ise Bay, Shionomisaki offing, Murotomisaki offing, and Ashizuri offing.