Research Topics - PARI's Response to the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake

(1) PARI’s response immediately after the earthquake

The Tohoku Region Pacific Coast Earthquake, which occurred around 14:46 on March 11, 2011, recorded the largest magnitude in Japan's history of seismological observation – 9.0. The earthquake caused huge tsunamis mainly from the Tohoku region to the Kanto region on the Pacific Ocean side; many people died or became missing. The ports and airports in these regions were also severely damaged due to flooding by tsunamis, and the clashing and scattering of debris such as destroyed houses, cars, boats, ships and lumber.
PAR I immediately established the disaster countermeasures office, and promptly sent investigation
teams to ports and airports in the Tohoku region and Ibaraki prefecture, upon request from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. These teams investigated the damage due to the earthquake and tsunamis regarding the ports, airports and their surroundings, and examined how they could be restored. Furthermore, we conducted joint research with related societies including the Japan Society of Civil Engineers, Japan Association for Earthquake Engineering and American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). By the end of June 2011, a total of 61 researchers were sent to the ports and airports in the disaster-stricken areas.

State of investigation of the run-up height by a range finder

sendai shiogama port

(2) Report and publication of the research results

We published the results of the local research as needed on PARI's homepage as a flash report. Also, we organized the research results, published reports, and officially announced them in magazines, lecture meetings, etc.

- Publication of the Port and Airport Research Institute’s information (April 28, 2011)

Made a flash report of the research on the damage from the earthquake and tsunamis to the ports, coasts, and airports in the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.
Distributed pamphlets, and presented information on the PARI’s homepage.

- Conducted the port, airport and fishery harbor technology lecture meeting in Tokyo (May 11, 2011).

We conducted a lecture meeting regarding the results of the research on the damage from the earthquake disaster for researchers and the general public (about 1,000 attendants).

- Examples of the lectures conducted in Japan

Conducted many lecture meetings around Japan, such as:
"Lecture meeting at the Japan Institute for Port Policy Studies of the Ports and Harbours Association of Japan”
"Ise Bay tsunami disaster prevention symposium”

- Examples of lectures conducted abroad

"Busan general assembly of the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH)”
"American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)”

Port, airport, fishery harbor technology lecture meeting (May 2011)

Report by Acting-President Fujita at IAPH general assembly (May 2011)

(3) Participation in technical committees, etc., as members

We participated, as committee members, in conferences (expert examination committee of the Central Disaster Prevention Council and others) established with the purpose of elucidating the damage mechanism from the recent disaster and studying future disaster prevention measures.
Also, we received many requests for interviews on earthquakes and tsunamis, and our researchers gave explanations on TV shows and in other media.
(Refer to P. 18 "Media Appearances")