Aiming to reduce disasters and improve disaster response capabilities

Masafumi MORI

Director, Disaster Management Office

Nagoya University Disaster Management Office was established in October 2002 for the purpose of improving the disaster prevention system on campus and the disaster prevention capabilities of the local community. Until the establishment of Disaster Mitigation Research Center at 2011, we have been promoting on-campus disaster management and developing practical research and social activities that transcend the specialized fields of humanities, society, and nature in cooperation with researchers and citizens inside and outside the university, including Graduate School of Environmental Studies. After 2011, we have been working as an organization that focuses on the establishment of an on-campus disaster prevention system.

In June 2017, the eight universities around Tokai region concluded an agreement on “cooperation during both disasters and peace-time” in anticipation of large-scale disasters such as the Nankai Trough earthquake. In April 2020, Tokai National Higher Education and Research System was established together with Gifu University. In response to these circumstances, we believe that in addition to disaster management of Nagoya University, it is necessary to proceed with concrete studies on the role of us as this organization or as a member of the eight universities around Tokai area.

In recent years, typhoons and guerrilla torrential rains have caused wind and flood damage in various parts of Japan almost every year. In addition, there have been earthquakes caused by active faults and aftershocks of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. Furthermore, the spread of COVID-19, which began in 2020, give us a situation that requires a fundamental review of how disaster countermeasures should be implemented. In addition, since the implementation of the warning declaration for the Tokai earthquake has been virtually frozen and Nankai Trough Earthquake Extra Information has been released, it is necessary to continue to consider the measures taken by our organization when this information is issued.

While there are many other issues that need to be considered as described above, we will find solutions one by one through the PDCA cycle, and aim to reduce damage and improve our disaster response capabilities. We will continue to work in cooperation with the surrounding area.