Seminar

Friday Seminar (Jan. 18th, 2019) by Assoc. Prof. N. Kamaya (Coordination Center for Prediction Research of Earthquakes and Volcanic Eruptions)

I came to ERI from Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) last April. Unlike universities, JMA is a government agency which observes natural phenomena in real time and issues information for disaster prevention to the public promptly. Since the influence of the information is very large, when the staffs of JMA decide the contents of the information, they discuss many times and give their full attention to the contents. However, the staffs of JMA are not satisfied with conservative information announcement. With strong feelings to save as many people as possible at the time of a natural disaster, they are considering what kinds of information should be issued.
I have considered what kinds of information for earthquake prediction we can issue in the department related to Tokai Earthquake Prediction and Earthquake Activity Evaluation in JMA. Although earthquake prediction is very difficult for the present, I have felt at the workplace in JMA that the public wants prediction information of earthquakes. I feel that it is public desire to know at least “market view” of seismologists. What kinds of information should be issued which are not beyond seismology and encourage people to take appropriate disaster prevention behavior without causing social panic?
At the seminar, I will explain 3 “earthquake prediction information” which JMA is now operating. In addition, I would like to talk my opinion about what kinds of earthquake prediction information have possibilities to be issued in the future. Moreover, I would like to introduce one example of career path at JMA by introducing myself.