About DPRI Message from the Director DPRI in Brief Mission / History Medium-Term Goals and Plans Facilities Brochure and Pamphlet of the DPRI Access People Organization Members Job Openings Research Disaster Reports Research Projects Achievements Publications CollaborativeResearch Joint Usage / Collaborative Research InternationalActivities Academic Exchange Agreements GADRI Secretariat DPRI Award Learn aboutDisaster Graduate Courses How to Apply News&＃xB7;Events&＃xB7;Data News Event Calendar DPRI Open Lecture Kyoto University weeks(Uji Open Campus) DPRI Annual Meeting DPRI Database Contact Us Access Sitemap--> JAPANESE Top About DPRI Mission / History Mission / History The mission of the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI) is to pursue the principles of natural hazard reduction, establish integrated methodologies for disaster loss reduction on the basis of natural and social sciences, and educate students in related fields. DPRI has been performing basic research on various disaster-related themes at local to global scales from the viewpoints of natural science, engineering, and human and social sciences, as well as conducting practical projects that meet the needs of society by organizing interdisciplinary groups. The scope of research, education, and social contributions of DPRI are as follows: Research: DPRI will conduct comprehensive academic and applied research on hazard reduction, as well as investigate mechanisms of natural hazards on local to global scales. Education: DPRI will foster students as future leaders, who have the ability to harmonize within global societies, while maintaining education standards and high human qualities. Education is carried out in the undergraduate and graduate schools of Kyoto University and uses the accumulated knowledge of DPRI's research. Social contributions: DPRI will provide the public with scientic results and knowledge on natural hazards, as well as advise national and local governments on hazard reduction strategies. Administration: DPRI will run the institute as a Center of Excellence of the world, as well as of Japan, considering the respect of human rights and the environment, while trying to establish balance with a sustainable society. Today's society becomes ever more rapidly vulnerable to natural disasters due to the concentration of populations in mega-cities. Additionally, changes in the global environment threaten us with the possibility of severe typhoons, rising sea levels, droughts, among others. Considering these rapid changes of ambient conditions, and to meet urgent research requirements in a more timely manner, in 1996 the Institute reorganized itself into five research divisions and five research centers; namely, Integrated Management of Disaster Risk; Earthquake Disaster Prevention; Geo-Disasters; Fluvial and Marine Disasters; Atmospheric Disasters; Research Center for Disaster Environment; Research Center for Earthquake Prediction; Sakurajima Volcano Research Center; Water Resources Research Center; and Research Center for Disaster Reduction Systems. The Division of Integrated Management of Disaster Risk and the Research Center for Disaster Reduction Systems have been set up by rearranging and increasing the number of staff members who have been involved in disaster study from human, social, and planning aspects. The Research Center for Disaster Environment unifies experimentation stations and observatories located in distant places; namely, the Ujigawa Hydraulics Laboratory, the Shionomisaki Wind Effect Laboratory, the Hodaka Sedimentation Observatory, the Shirahama Oceanographic Observatory, the Ogata Wave Observatory, and the Tokushima Landslide Observatory. The Center carries out synthetic observational and experimental research projects, collaborating not only with other staff members but also with researchers outside the Institute. Although the Institute belongs to Kyoto University, it has been open since 1996 to all researchers from other universities around the country who are concerned with investigations of disasters. Collaboration is maintained through joint research projects and research meetings. These research projects are proposed by researchers both inside and outside of the Institute, and proposals are approved through the peer review lead by the Collaboration Committee, a group consisting of members from both outside and inside the Institute. The Advisory Board will advise the Director General on the policy of the institute's operation. The Board is composed of two members from the Institute and seven from outside. The research staff members of the Institute are also affiliated with the Graduate Schools of Science and Engineering of Kyoto University. Many graduate students come to the Institute to carry out their studies under supervision of its staff members. --> Following table highlights establishment of various research and other entities in chronological order: 1951 Disaster Prevention Research Institute was founded in Kyoto University Formed 3 departments: 1) Basic Science and Technology Research; 2) Flood Damage Research; 3) Earthquake Engineering and Wind Resistant Structure 1953 Ujigawa Hydraulics Laboratory was established 1958 Crustal Movement Section was established 1959 Landslide Research Section was established 1960 Hydrology Research Section was established(-1978) Sakurajima Volcano Observatory was established 1961 Wind Resistant Structure Section was established Coastal Disaster Research Section was established 1962 Geo-Disasters Research Section was established 1963 Geomorphology and Soil Disaster Research Section was established Drainage Engineering Research Section was established The original three sections were renamed Earthquake Motion Section, Fluvial Disaster Research Section, and Earthquake Resistant Structures Section 1964 Foundation Seismic Disaster Research Section Tottori Microearthquake Observatory was established 1965 Sabo Research Section was established Earthquake Prediction and Monitoring Research Section was established Kamitakara Crustal Movement Observatory was established 1966 Applied Climatology was established Shionomisaki Wind Effect Laboratory was established Shirahama Oceanographic Observatory was established 1967 Dynamics of Foundation Structures Section was established Donzurubo Crustal Movement Observatory was established Hodaka Sedimentation Observatory was established 1969 Tokushima Landslide Observatory was established Ogata Wave Observatory was established 1970 Hokuriku Microearthquake Observatory was established Research Sections and Administration Office were integrated on Uji Campus 1972 Disaster Prevention Science Information Center was established (-1993) 1973 Microearthquake Research Section was established 1974 Miyazaki Crustal Movement Observatory was established 1977 Severe Storm Research Section was established 1978 Water Resources Research Center was established 1979 Earthquake Resistant Structures Section was renamed Earthquake Resistant Plastic Structures Section Earthquake Resistant Brittle Structures Section was established 1982 Flood Control System Research Section was established (-1992) 1986 Research Center on Earthquake-resistant System of Urban Infrastructures was established (-1996) 1990 Research Center for Earthquake Prediction was established (Crustal Movement Research Section, Earthquake Prediction and Monitoring Section, Microearthquake Research Section, Tottori Microearthquake Observatory, Kamitakara Crustal Movement Observatory, Donzurubo Crustal Movement Observatory, Hokuriku Microearthquake Observatory, and Miyazaki Crustal Movement Observatory were integrated into Research Center for Earthquake Prediction) 1992 Research Section for Urban Flood Hazard in Bay Area was established 1993 Regional Disaster Prevention System Research Center was established 1996 Reorganized into 5 research divisions and 5 research centers (Integrated Management for Disaster Risk; Earthquake Disaster Prevention; Geohazards; Fluvial and Marine Disasters; Atmospheric Disasters; Research Center for Disaster Environment; Research Center for Earthquake Prediction; Sakurajima Volcano Research Center; Water Resources Research Center; and Research Center for Disaster Reduction Systems) Became a national open institute 1997 Designated as a “Center of Excellence”(COE) of Japan for natural disaster research 2000 Administration offices at the Uji Campus were integrated into the Uji Administration Office 2001 Natural Disaster Research Council(NDRC) was established 2002 Selected as an institute in the 21st Century COE Programs by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) Ujigawa Hydraulics Laboratory was renamed Ujigawa Open Laboratory 2003 Research Center on Landslides was established 2004 Kyoto University incorporated in accordance with the National University Corporation Law 2005 Reorganized into 4 research groups (Integrated Arts and Sciences for Disaster Reduction; Seismic and Volcanic Hazards Mitigation; Geohazards; and Atmosphere-Hydrosphere) 2009 Selected as a Global COE program by MEXT Certified as a Joint Usage/ Research Center by MEXT Research Section for Hydrological Environment System endowed by the Japan Weather Association (-2013) 2010 Research Section for Public Policy Studies on Disaster Reduction was established endowed by the Japan Institute of Construction Engineering 2011 Selected as a Program for Leading Graduate Schools 2012 Research Section for Business Continuity Plan for Port Logistics was established 2013 Research Section for Meteorological and Hydrological Risk Information was established 2015 Established Global Alliance of Disaster Research Institutes(GADRI) 2018 Research Section for Sophisticated Earthquake Risk Evaluation endowed by Hanshin Consultants was established Research Field for Volcano-tectonics was established Research Section of Health Emergency and Regional Disaster Risk Management was established 2020 Joint Research Unit for Climate Change Risk Projection and Adaptation Strategies was established 2021 Joint Research Unit for Tsunami Hazard was established Joint Research Unit for Volcanic Disaster Risk Reduction was established 2022 Art Innovation was established Seismic and Volcanic Hazards Mitigation Research Group was reorganized 2023 Disaster Risk Finance（SOMPO Japan Risk Management）was established Research Center on Landslides was reorganized to Research Center for Landslide Disaster Risk Cognition and Reductio Message from the Director DPRI in Brief Mission / History Medium-Term Goals and Plans Facilities Academic Exchange Agreements --> Brochure and Pamphlet of the DPRI Access About DPRI Message from the Director DPRI in Brief Mission / History Medium-Term Goals and Plans Facilities Brochure and Pamphlet of the DPRI Access People Organization Members Job Openings Research Disaster Reports Research Projects Achievements Publications Collaborative Research Joint Usage / Research International Activities Academic Exchange Agreements GADRI Secretariat DPRI Award Learn about Disaster Graduate Courses How to Apply News&＃xB7;Events&＃xB7;Data News Events Calendar DPRI Open Lecture Kyoto University weeks(Uji Open Campus) DPRI Annual Meeting DPRI Database BOSAI Q&A --> Contact Us Access Site Map Copyright (C) Disaster Prevention Research Institute Kyoto University. 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