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Earthquake Disaster Mitigation and Earthquake Engineering in Japan – A Review with a Special Emphasis on the Kobe Earthquake and its Impact
Tsuneo Katayama
Department of Architecture, School of Engineering, Tokyo Denki University, 2-2 Kanda-Nishiki-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-8457, Japan
Received:June 26, 2006Accepted:July 3, 2006Published:August 1, 2006
Keywords:earthquake disaster mitigation in Japan, 1995 Kobe earthquake, Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion, Kiban project, E-Defense
Abstract
This is a review of the changes in earthquake disaster mitigation and earthquake engineering in Japan after the 1964 Niigata earthquake, with a special emphasis on the 1995 Kobe earthquake and its impact in particular. This paper is unique in that it has no equations and also in that it shows the light and dark aspects of Japanese earthquake engineering both before and after the Kobe earthquake. Since this article is prosaic, personal, and often emotional, it may be difficult to call it a scientific review. I have tried to ask myself what I overlooked before the Kobe earthquake. Although I do not think that I was able to touch upon all matters considered important, I have summarized some of the changes and advances that have taken place close to me. Some of the points in this review have been discussed elsewhere [1], but the entire paper has been rewritten in a different framework.
Cite this article as:T. Katayama, “Earthquake Disaster Mitigation and Earthquake Engineering in Japan – A Review with a Special Emphasis on the Kobe Earthquake and its Impact,” J. Disaster Res., Vol.1 No.1, pp. 11-24, 2006.Data files: