Nuclear disaster should also be considered as a new challenge. And the establishment of a regional disaster prevention system that corresponds to this new situation, the promotion of a comprehensive disaster prevention education and research has become an urgent issue to support it.

Kagoshima University Disaster Prevention Education and Research Center, in order to reduce the prevention of disasters in the Nansei Islands region from the southern Kyushu, actual elucidation of the disaster, prediction, disaster prevention education, disaster emergency response, cooperation with local challenges such as disaster recovery reconstruction on effort, do the activities towards the improvement of the local disaster prevention force.

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The Institute of Nature and Environmental Technology at Kanazawa University was established for the purpose to this challenge.

The area of the Circum-Sea of Japan has already become one of the core socio-economic areas of the world due to a significant development of industrial and economic activities. However, atmospheric and oceanic environmental changes caused by human activities have been obvious in the area. Harmful influence of such changes extends to human health and terrestrial ecosystem of the area.
The Institute of Nature and Environmental Technology at Kanazawa University promotes environmental research and education to solve the emergent environmental issues of the area of the Circum-Sea of Japan and to create sustainable future environments in co-operation with the domestic and overseas institutions.

The Institute of Nature and Environmental Technology at Kanazawa University was established as a university joint research and education facility in 2002 on the basis of streamlining plan of existing university facilities such as "Low Level Radioactive Laboratory" at Faculty of Science, "Marine Laboratory" at Faculty of Science, "Electromagnetic Field Control Laboratory" at Faculty of Engineering, and "Botanical Garden" at Faculty of Science. The institute was integrated with the"Japan Sea Research Institute" at Kanazawa University in 2007 to promote the 21^st COE Program"Environmental Monitoring and Prediction of Long- & Short-Term Dynamics of Pan-Japan Sea Area". Further, the institute was again reorganised in 2015 to promote environmental research and education in the pursuit to create sustainable future environments of the world.

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The faculty intends to foster human resources equipped with problem-solving capabilities by developing studies into specialized fields including law, politics, economics, business administration, psychology, sociology, science, informatics, engineering and social medicine as well as comprehensive study of all fields.

The curriculum is centered on the two categories of accidents and natural disasters. Students participate in small-group seminars, and learn current cases of man-made disasters including accidents and natural disasters, while conducting exercises, research and simulations. In the autumn term of their second year, students take either the Man-made Disaster Management Course, or the Natural Disaster Management Course. Depending on their interests and future courses, students are expected to acquire the ability to formulate and implement policies related to safety and security, and thus contributing to society in several fields after graduation.

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Founded as an initiative of Prof. Kazuya Uezu, its first director, RDFES is the first academic institute in Japan to contribute to environmental engineering and firefighting technology with the aim of promoting social safety.

RDFES has become well known among firefighting professionals for its development of an "Environmentally friendly soap-based firefighting agent," as well as new equipment that maximizes the effectiveness of the agent. This is just one example of successful collaboration between RDFES, the Kitakyushu City Fire and Disaster Management Department, a local soap company, and major firefighting enterprises in Japan. Today, RDFES is entering a new research area involving local communities and governments, which aims to mitigate and minimize the risk of fire and natural disasters. Researchers are engaged not only in the development of hardware but also in the creation of an organized social movement that could ensure more effective use of the hardware. Reaching out to local communities reflects the center's position to always welcome new partners to join our important and exciting research activities.

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Our research interest primarily lies in the domain of Disaster Nursing and Global Nursing, pivotal components within the Fundamental Nursing Science Field. We endeavor to cultivate a multifaceted approach in our research and educational programs, focusing on disasters and global health challenges to induce transformative advancements in nursing practices.

We are devoted to developing adept human resources who can proficiently coordinate and collaborate with a spectrum of professionals and organizations. Our aim is to foster the provision of superior care, grounded in clinical judgment and specialized expertise, integrating both care and cure elements seamlessly. We amalgamate findings from our comprehensive research to implement paramount changes in nursing practices, ensuring adaptability and resilience in diverse healthcare environments in the community in changing risk landscape. We utilize our professional capabilities with technology to undertake a pivotal role for care providers, ensuring optimal preparedness and response as first responder to people. The Center for Nursing Care Development in Diversity has been a beacon of communal contribution, particularly in Nishi Ward, Kobe City, exemplified by our ongoing efforts in reconstruction post the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake.

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The mission of RCUSS is to make contributions in building safe and secure urban society by developing the visions towards such society and by conducting researches and educations on suitable methodologies and frameworks in realizing such society.

The urban society needs to be above of all a safe and secure place to live, while it serves various and extensive functions for lively industrial, economic and cultural activities, as well as comfortable and pleasant living environments.

The urban society is however composed of huge and complex societal and infrastructure systems, accompanied by problems such as urbanization and overcrowding.

Thus such society is highly vulnerable to the natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods, as well as to the environmental destruction and pollution due to human and industrial activities.

The Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake has taught us, through painful sacrifices of people and society, that urban cities are highly vulnerable to disasters and that integrated and holistic researches are required on building a safe and secure urban society. Kobe University that was the only multidisciplinary national university in the quake-stricken area has thus proposed to establish the RCUSS to orchestrate interdisciplinary and integrated researches, both in hardware and software aspects of society, with the aim of creating genuinely safe and secure urban society.

The Ministry of Education has granted this request by renewing and expanding the former Reclamation Engineering Research Institute at Kobe University

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Our activities extend from the academic circle of universities to the 'field campus' of local communities.

They intend to link the universities' research innovation with the implementation of their achievements in society seamlessly as social-knowledge technology. In addition, they aim at nurturing human resources that will contribute to the establishment of robust and resilient social systems against disasters. Organization The IRESC consists of three divisions;

1 ) Research Division for Disaster Reduction in Natural and Social Systems

2 ) Implementation Division of Science and Technology into Society

3 ) Education Division for Disaster Prevention and Reduction

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In 2008, the institute, a research center open to the public, joined with nationwide researchers, media representatives, volunteers and　lawmakers in creating the Japan Society for Disaster Recovery and Revitalization. In 2009, the institute released a draft for a Basic Law on Disaster Reconstruction, and is now working on promoting it.

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The current mission of DPRI is to study the mechanisms of natural hazards, establish integrated methodologies for disaster reduction based on natural and social sciences, and educate graduate students in science, engineering, and informatics. DPRI has five research divisions, six research centers, and a division of technical affairs. In addition, 15 laboratories and observatories located in western Japan conduct experimental studies and field observations on natural hazards. To promote integrated research projects, each division and center belongs to one of four research groups: 'Integrated Arts and Sciences for Disaster Reduction', 'Seismic and Volcanic Hazards', 'Geohazards', and 'Atmosphere-Hydrosphere Hazards'. DPRI provides the public with scientific results and knowledge on natural hazards and advises national and local governments on disaster prevention strategies.

Research Achievements and Challenges:

Regarding to the disaster, GSGES has some researchers in various fields. For example, Prof. Katsumi and Dr. Asari have targeted disaster waste management and reconstruction especially after Great East Japan Earthquake 2011. They have contributed to develop the disaster waste management plan, system and technologies. Prof. Kiyono and Dr. Okumura major in earthquake disaster risk management and have contributed to analyze and reduce the risk. Beside them, education for disaster risk reduction, migration caused by disaster and others are targeted by other researchers.

In 1947, the Faculty of Engineering of Kyushu Imperial University was renamed as the Faculty of Engineering of Kyushu University.

The Faculty of Engineering in Kyushu University has focused on basic education, which provides the foundation for each specialized field, to train students to become people who will play an important role in manufacturing which has led to Japan's development. Our graduates have played a leading role in technological developments in many companies, and our education is highly recognized in industry. Therefore, Kyushu University will continue to focus on basic education in the future.

The Disaster Risk Reduction Research Center, Urban System Planning deals with a wide range of urban problems such as a declining population in local cities and a deterioration of the global environment.

At the point of urban traffic, these circumstances are analyzed and their structures, discuss the solutions and propose them to the government.

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In 1997, RIAM was reorganized
as an interuniversity collaboration research institute　and became a Center of Excellence (COE),　nationally promoted by the Ministry of Education,　Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. RIAM consists of three research divisions and two research centers: the Division of Fundamental Mechanics, the Division of Ocean Atmosphere Dynamics, the Division of Plasma and Material Science, Dynamics Simulation Research Center (DSRC), and the Advanced Fusion Research Center (AFRC). DSRC has started to play a central role in advancing studies on the dynamics of the ocean and atmosphere, particularly for the Sea of Japan. The facility for AFRC was expanded and recognized as a COE in Fusion Science Networking in Japan.

The present research areas of RIAM encompass a wide range of experimental and theoretical fields from micro mechanical phenomena on an atomic scale, to macro mechanical phenomena on a global scale. In addition to individual research at the divisions and centers of the institute, two large research projects have been organized in interdisciplinary research areas: the ocean atmosphere science and engineering research project and the fundamental fusion research project utilizing a spherical tokamak "QUEST" which is now under construction. The aim of the QUEST Project is to investigate both long duration current drive of a spherical tokamak plasma and plasmawall interaction with advanced wall control. RIAM academic staff also play an important role in education through participating in departments of the Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Engineering Sciences (Molecular and Material Sciences, Advanced Energy Engineering Science, and Earth System Science and Technology) and the Graduate School of Engineering (Aeronautics and Astronautics).

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As part of the institute's social contribution, the center, which is staffed by faculty members from a variety of fields transcending departmental boundaries, carries out research related to the environment, disaster prevention and new energy in collaboration with other centers on campus.

We are striving to contribute to global environmental improvements and the preservation of local environments, and to develop disaster management technologies and systems that will help prepare us for natural disasters.
We organize our instructors in such a way that they can work across the boundaries of various research fields, having created a cooperative structure between MuroranIT's various centers on campus. At the same time, we are contributing to society by promoting research in the fields of environmental science, disaster management, and new energies.

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We energize in "University Consortium for Disaster Mitigation Research in Tokai Area" established in March, 2013. And six national universities participating in consortium let each activity of disaster prevention and mitigation cooperate strongly.

The activities of ADPEC are as follows.

l To oppose a menace of the large-scale natural disaster such as earthquake, tsunami and typhoon, we perform the practical study for the making of city resisting the disaster that can keep people, assets, economic activities by utilizing ability for technology development of ADPEC overall.

l We cope by a social request about disaster prevention and mitigation quickly and support activity to control a disaster from the both sides of hardware and software.

We build Tokai area base of a study, the service of city disaster prevention and mitigation. Furthermore, I build the international collaboration network about the East Asia disaster prevention.

NIED (National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience) aims to protect people's lives and properties from natural disasters and to prepare society to be resilient to natural disasters, through research on disasters caused by earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, landslides, meteorological changes, snow and ice damages.

It has 3 Divisions (Environmental Change Science, Complex Disaster Science, Local Security Science), and 8 Sections. About 60 academic staffs and 3 administrative staffs are involved. • Oriented to the most major research institute covering the Japan Sea coast area.

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Much more larger scale disasters of damages and hazardous materials releases will be estimated in Tokyo Bay, Ise Bay or Osaka Bay if Tokai-Tonankai-Nankai earthquake simultaneously occurs. It is very urgent to perform risk assessment of damages and hazardous materials releases caused by large scale earthquake and tsunami, and take countermeasures to decrease such disasters. This research initiative purposes to perform risk assessment of damages and hazardous materials releases caused by large scale earthquake and tsunami, propose countermeasures to decrease such disasters, and finally make concrete guidelines for them.

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In 2011 the School of Human Sciences launched a new program taught entirely in English. The new program aims to cultivate self-motivated and reflective students with a sophisticated knowledge base and the necessary practical skills to meet the challenges that they will face in our fast-changing, globalized world. The program offers students two majors to choose from Global Citizenship and Contemporary Japan. While offering an English language learning environment in the classroom, students will also be given an opportunity to begin learning or improve their Japanese language skills.

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The history of Ritsumeikan dates back to 1869 when Prince Kinmochi Saionji, an eminent international statesman of modern Japan, founded "Ritsumeikan" as a private academy on the site of the Kyoto Imperial Palace. In 1900, Kojuro Nakagawa, former secretary of Prince Saionji, established Kyoto Hosei School, an evening law school that was open to working people. This school formally adopted the name Ritsumeikan in 1913 and was finally given the status of a university in 1922.

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the University established the Research Center for Disaster Mitigation of Urban Cultural Heritage to lead research activities where arts and sciences work in cooperation, with substantial external funds such as the 21st Century COE Program and the Global COE Program adopted by Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). The primary objective of the Center is to protect urban cultural assets from disasters, and establish the necessary knowledge and technology to protect cultural heritage for future generations.

Since the UNESCO headquarter authorized the Ritsumeikan University as a UNESCO Chair in 2006, we have implemented an international training program on disaster mitigation for cultural heritage for nine consecutive years up to 2014. This has been taking on the role as an international network hub for the study.

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