Research and Practice

Principal Investigator

Zhiwen Zhang (LocationMind Inc)

Co-investigator from IRIDeS

Wei Yuan (Co-creation Center for Disaster Resilience)

Summary of the Research

This research proposes a framework for developing a multi-sourced maritime disaster data platform focused on typhoon events. The framework includes: 1) integrating satellite imagery, AIS signals, and weather data; 2) analyzing ship flow disruptions across ports before, during, and after typhoons; and 3) constructing a maritime disaster knowledge graph for decision support. The proposed data platform will support emergency decisionmaking and recovery efforts in maritime systems.

Principal Investigator

Sayuri Nonaka (IRIDeS,Tohoku University)

Co-investigator from IRIDeS

Susumu Fujii (Disaster Medical Informatics Lab)

Summary of the Research

To promote the appropriate utilization of disaster data, it is essential not only to comply with the Act on the Protection of Personal Information and ethical guidelines, but also to address issues related to copyright and portrait rights. To resolve these challenges, this study investigates the legal basis for data use, practical methods for data anonymization, and strategies for avoiding or managing copyright and related rights. The goal is to clarify standardized procedures and protocols for the responsible and effective use of disaster-related data.

Principal Investigator

Yukiko Takeuchi (Kumamoto University)

Co-investigator from IRIDeS

Akihiro Sibayama (Disaster Culture and Archive Studies)

Summary of the Research

Disaster prevention researchers from Kumamoto University, Gifu University, Tohoku University, Shinshu University, Senshu University and the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention will bring together their accumulated knowledge of regional disaster archives and conduct research on the construction of a platform that enables cooperation and collaboration to facilitate system construction, operation and maintenance, which have been the most burdensome aspects of natural disaster archive construction. The research will be carried out. The utilisation of the archives constructed will also be discussed.

Principal Investigator

Hiroki Ishibashi (College of Engineering, Nihon University)

Co-investigator from IRIDeS

Shunichi Koshimura (Disaster Geo-informatics Lab)

Summary of the Research

Earthquake damage to bridges has significant impacts on the transportation functionality of road networks (i.e., resilience). This project aims to develop a comprehensive disaster management system for bridges subjected to ground motion and tsunami. Seismic and tsunami hazard analyses, bridge vulnerability assessments, and earthquake countermeasure and bridge repair strategy optimizations for maximizing cost-effectiveness and resilience are integrated in the proposed management system.

Principal Investigator

Ayumi Takemoto (IDAC, Tohoku University)

Co-investigator from IRIDeS

Erick Mas (Disaster Geo-informatics Lab)

Summary of the Research

Altruistic behavior during disasters varies by culture and personality, but the mechanisms of decision-making are still not well understood. This study aims to examine personality traits and cognitive processes that promote altruistic behavior during disasters using questionnaires and eye trackers in Japan, the UK, and Europe, and to apply the findings to disaster prevention management strategies.

Principal Investigator

Yao Yao (China University of Geosciences）

Co-investigator from IRIDeS

Wei Yuan (Co-creation Center for Disaster Resilience)

Summary of the Research

This project focuses on crowd flow prediction in disaster scenarios, investigating: (1) Build a dynamic crowd mobility model, integrating geographic, trajectory, and digital twin data sources, to analyze the impact of extreme conditions; (2) Mechanism analysis of disaster impacts and geographical constraints on crowd response within simulated disaster scenarios; (3) State transition forecasting with geographical constraints, leveraging virtual simulation for enhanced prediction and early warning capabilities; (4) Digital twin-enabled evacuation planning and resilience optimization, validating strategies and informing policy recommendations through scenario-based insights.

Principal Investigator

Julia Gerster (IRIDeS,Tohoku University)

Summary of the Research

In the first phase of our project, we created disaster kamishibai based on interviews with non-Japanese disaster survivors and presented them at an international symposium on diversity and disaster risk reduction. Preliminary findings indicate that these performances enhance both disaster awareness among foreign residents and mental well-being among storytellers. With extended funding, we aim to further examine the effects of kamishibai on audience understanding of diverse needs in disaster contexts and on the mental health of performers. This next phase will focus on audience surveys, performer interviews, and the preparation of co-authored publications grounded in these findings.

Principal Investigator

Tomoya Kobayashi (Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University)

Co-investigator from IRIDeS

Koichi Chida (Radiological Disasters and Medical Science Lab)

Summary of the Research

Rapid and accurate identification of disaster victims is essential for enhancing family well-being and overall disaster resilience. Clarifying the causes of death among disaster victims is also crucial for preventing disaster-related mortality. The objective of this research is to evaluate the utilization of postmortem imaging (Autopsy imaging: Ai) for personal identification and cause-of-death investigation in mass disaster situations.

Principal Investigator

Daisuke shiozaki (Faculty of Social Welfare, Seisa Dohto University)

Co-investigator from IRIDeS

Motoaki Sugiura (Cognitive Sciences Lab)

Summary of the Research

This study examines large-scale tsunami disasters triggered by trench-type earthquakes along the Japan Trench and Kuril Trench from a geographical perspective. By integrating a VR-based tsunami evacuation training system with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), it seeks to analyze the spatial and cognitive dimensions of evacuation behavior, focusing on the relationship between evacuation success and neural activity.

Principal Investigator

Hideaki Yoshida (Morioka University)

Co-investigator from IRIDeS

Shosuke Sato (Disaster Resilient Society Promotion Lab)

Summary of the Research

This study aimed to examine the impact of the content and sequence of feedback on learners' self-reflection, resilience, and knowledge acquisition, and to identify the process by which formative assessment fosters resilience. Applications in school and social education are also considered in this study.

Principal Investigator

Elizabeth Maly (IRIDeS,Tohoku University)

Summary of the Research

1) Expand analysis factors of local contexts (hazards, disaster culture, pyscho-social) for how narratives (text and images) convey stories of disaster, to indentify and compare messages in Japanese and English disaster picture books.
2) Create 2 original bilingual (Japanese and English) disaster picture books to convey experience and lessons of 3.11.
3) Develop practical applications of disaster picture books as part of disaster education and to raise awareness of hazard risk in Sendai, Japan, and coastal Washingon, U.S.
4) Expand previous research on English and Japanese disaster picture books and develop the online Picture Book Database: https://disasterpicturebooks.com/ 

Principal Investigator

Tamiyo Kondo (Kobe University）

Co-investigator from IRIDeS

Elizabeth Maly (International Research Collaboration Office)

Summary of the Research

This research will investigate roles of rooted placemaking in support of long-term community recovery after disasters: the 1995 Great Hanshin Awaji Earthquake and 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan; 2006 Central Java Earthquake and 2010 volcanic eruption of Mt. Merapi in Indonesia, and 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami in Thailand. 
Defined as 1) various actions of planting, growing, and ecological and food stewardship, 2) with community participation, this research will conduct international comparative analysis of rooted placemaking to clarify effective networks/mechanisms used in the 3 countries, and contributions of rooted placemaking to community resilience across the recovery process.

Principal Investigator

Kaori Yoshida (Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University)

Co-investigator from IRIDeS

Julia Gerster (Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction Lab)

Summary of the Research

Difficult pasts – traumatic experiences of natural/human disasters – negatively impact individuals and groups. It is critical to understand these pasts in the present context, by means that speak to the current generation. Our previous research on disaster tourism and peace tourism have identified similarities in ways that disasters and wars are narrated in Japan. This project investigates how experiences of WWII and Great East Japan Earthquake have been talked about and remembered in Japan, by examining different forms of storytelling and their effects. The data from interviews and surveys with storytellers and visitors at memorial sites will be analyzed.

Principal Investigator

Ryo Saito (GSIS, IRIDeS, Tohoku University)

Summary of the Research

This project seeks to invite teachers with experience of the 3.11 disaster to walk through their former school buildings and surrounding areas while engaging in memory retrieval and narrating how they responded at the time. These recollections will be documented using 360-degree video recording, then developed into educational materials and shared widely. Through these efforts, this project seeks to enhance the disaster response capacity of in-service teachers. In the first year, this experimental initiative will be launched.

Principal Investigator

Hinako Suzuki (Senshu university)

Co-investigator from IRIDeS

Yuichi Ebina (Disaster Culture and Archive Studies)

Summary of the Research

In recent years, there have been reports of changes in the nature of natural disasters and an increase in their severity due to climate change, and in heavy snowfall areas in particular, the increase in snowfall and changes in snow quality have led to a marked increase in the severity of snow damage. On the other hand, there are no established methods for dealing with snow damage in the rescue and conservation of cultural heritage. In this study, we will use a cultural heritage disaster prevention map to identify issues related to cultural heritage in heavy snowfall areas, and conduct research on damage prediction and disaster resilience.

Principal Investigator

Anna SHINKA (IRIDeS,Tohoku University)

Summary of the Research

This study aims to clarify the cognitive processes and individual differences involved in the understanding and use of hazard maps, and to establish design principles for spatial information presentation and education that enable actionable interpretation by all. By combining brain activity measurement, eye tracking, and questionnaires, the study analyzes how expertise and cognitive traits relate to map reading, and is expected to yield insights that contribute to inclusive disaster risk reduction.

Principal Investigator

Taro Kataoka (Hirosaki University )

Co-investigator from IRIDeS

Atsushi Kawauchi (Uehiro Disaster Risk Reduction Research Division)

Summary of the Research

This research will propose a specific model for a network-based protection system that will enable the protection and inheritance of local cultural heritage in depopulated areas, by extracting issues from case studies in Aomori Prefecture, where the population is declining, through collaboration between history, cultural heritage, and conservation science in order to protect local cultural heritage from disasters in depopulated areas.

Principal Investigator

Takeshi Sato (IRIDeS,Tohoku University)

Summary of the Research

This stdy aims to develop a multi-stakeholder collaborative model to improve the effectiveness of individual evacuation plans for medical care recipients. First, the possibility of support provided by multiple stakeholders in the local community to medical care recipients in home and their families both in normal times and during disasters will be identified. Secondly, through unprecedented interdisciplinary research and social collaboration, individual evacuation plans that are highly effective and match the needs of the parties conserned will be developed and implemented in society finally.

Principal Investigator

Yo Fukushima (IRIDeS,Tohoku University)

Summary of the Research

This research project aims to analyze Tsunami Evacuation preparedness by Shizuoka coastal area residents using a questionnaire survey in collaboration with the prefectural government to identify the impediments each population segment faces. Based on systematic review of existing Tsunami evacuation promotion research and practices, we develop behavior change promotion methods that are feasible and effective for each population segment.

Principal Investigator

Julia Gerster (IRIDeS,Tohoku University）

Summary of the Research

This research investigates the dialectic between practices of remembering and practices of forgetting in Tohoku after the 2011 triple disaster and the Noto peninsula earthquake. We aim to collect interviews with key stakeholders and residents, to produce two co-authored papers and to organize a seminar that will focus on disaster resilience and post-disaster narratives related not only to what people remember and memorialize, but to what they want to forget, both at the individual and at the collective level. Such study will complement work on disaster narratives and disaster preparedness, showing the power of forgetting in overcoming trauma and as tool for community resilience.

Principal Investigator

Natsuko Chubachi (IRIDeS,Tohoku University)

Summary of the Research

Through semi-structured interviews with citizens and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) officials, we will identify elements and contexts that encourage or hinder citizens' everyday DRR behavior and awareness. In particular, this research will focus on citizens' behavior and perception regarding the seismic reinforcement of private houses and the construction of a DRR social network in their community. Those two are critical for DRR but challenging for many people to implement. The findings will help to identify and resolve weaknesses in everyday DRR.

Principal Investigator

Takashi Oda (Graduate School of Arts and Science, The University of Tokyo)

Co-investigator from IRIDeS

Takeshi Sato (Disaster Education Research and Implementation Lab)

Summary of the Research

This study aims to develop a sustainable model of inclusive disaster risk reduction that supports the safety and independence of children with disabilities, based on two strands of practice: seven years of continuous implementation and evaluation of disaster education in a special needs school in Tochigi Prefecture, and disaster management practices to enhance the safety of school bus commuting in Miyagi Prefecture.

Principal Investigator

Motohiro Tsuboi (Advanced Emergency and Critical Care Center, Japanese Red Cross Saitama Hospital)

Co-investigator from IRIDeS

Shinichi Egawa (International Cooperation for Disaster Medicine Lab)

Summary of the Research

This study aims to elucidate the systemic challenges underlying indirect disaster-related deaths in Japan by analyzing anonymized case records of individuals officially recognized as indirect disaster-related deaths by municipalities in Miyagi Prefecture, obtained through information disclosure requests. In addition to cross-sectional analyses of variables such as time of death, cause of death, age, and sex, the study focuses on evacuation living conditions to examine factors and potential countermeasures related to indirect disaster-related deaths through both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Based on the findings, the study seeks to contribute to the visualization and reduction of indirect disaster-related health impacts by formulating recommendations and building consensus on the appropriate documentation of disaster relevance in death certificates and the definition of indirect disaster-related deaths.

Principal Investigator

Hyejeong Park (IRIDeS,Tohoku University)

Summary of the Research

This project examines the differences in wildfires and wildfire risk management (WRM) between Japan and South Korea through the recent wildfires in February and March 2025. With increasing concerns about the intensification of wildfires due to global warming (Mansoor et al., 2022), this project mainly investigates the intersection of climate-induced wildfire risks and existing WRM. Through a comparative approach, it analyzes wildfire-related documents, WRM, relevant statistics in the recent three decades, and the fire weather index to identify gaps in current WRM practices in both countries. The research proposes evidence-based improvements to WRM to enhance social resilience against the growing threat of wildfires in the era of global warming.

Principal Investigator

Yuichi Ono (IRIDeS,Tohoku University)

Summary of the Research

Researchers and industry experts will work together to conduct a feasibility study on the methodology, effectiveness and practicality of disaster risk reduction ratings, which are created at the local government level by quantifying how much a hazard can be reduced, taking into account the level of the hazard based on external forces from nature and the frequency of occurrence, as well as the power of preparedness and recovery in terms of structural and non-structural measures.

Principal Investigator

Sébastien Penmellen Boret (IRIDeS,Tohoku University)

Summary of the Research

“Leave No One Behind” from the United Nations Sustainable Development Group encourages us to include vulnerable groups, particularly people with disability, in disaster risk reduction. People with disability receiving non-adapted disaster preparedness are still likely to be left at higher risks and vulnerable when facing hazards (Engelman et al., 2022). One of the hurdles to providing for the needs of people with disability during disasters is a lack of understanding of their actual conditions and challenges in daily life. In other words, the erroneous preconceptions about disability stop society from identifying the needs of people with disability and building the coping capacity for disasters (Martinez & King, 2025). This research fills this gap by developing an approach to inclusive disaster risk reduction for people with disability to provide a comprehensive and impartialunderstanding of their capacity and needs during disasters.

Principal Investigator

Kumpei Tsuji (Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University)

Co-investigator from IRIDeS

Reika Nomura (Computational Safety Engineering Lab)

Summary of the Research

Forests play a vital role in reducing disaster impacts as they help mitigate tsunamis, buffer debris flows, and prevent slope failures. Their functions are gaining attention as a core element of Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction (Eco-DRR). However, poor forest management, such as widespread clear-cutting or neglected growth, can increase disaster risk. To support effective forest planning, it is essential to evaluate the disaster resilience of forests quantitatively. This study aims to develop a simulation framework that integrates fluid dynamics with tree structures, accurately modeling their geometry and mechanical behavior. By integrating automatic tree shape generation techniques (e.g., L-systems), high-fidelity fluid-structure interaction methods (SPH, FEM), and advanced constitutive modeling, we seek to evaluate the drag forces and energy dissipation mechanisms of trees in extreme flows. This approach aims to enhance the scientific understanding and practical application of Eco-DRR strategies through resilient forest design.

Principal Investigator

Kenta Tozato (Hachinohe Institute of Technology)

Co-investigator from IRIDeS

Shuji Moriguchi (Computational Safety Engineering Lab)

Summary of the Research

This study aims to conduct numerical simulations of slope hazards caused by heavy rainfall in Hachinohe City, and to evaluate the risk of slope hazards over a wide area. Using the analysis results, we will construct a framework that enables real-time prediction of slope disaster hazard from rainfall information.

Principal Investigator

Ryohei Yamashita (Ishikawa Prefectural University)

Co-investigator from IRIDeS

Yuta Hara (2030 Global DRR Agenda Office)

Summary of the Research

In the process of restructuring land use in rural areas affected by the Noto Peninsula earthquake, it is essential to discuss management methods, including converting affected farmlands into wilderness. This study examines residents' preferences and challenges regarding various methods that could be applied to the impacted farmland, which is extremely difficult to reuse, such as labor-saving smart agriculture, green infrastructure, and planned conversion to adjacent land based on landslide risk. This research project closely connects with the prefectural reconstruction project and will be carried out in collaboration with it.

Principal Investigator

Shosuke Sato (IRIDeS,Tohoku University)

Summary of the Research

This study develops a method for accurately evaluating the effectiveness of tsunami evacuation signage by integrating evacuation experiments conducted in a virtual reality (VR) environment—where experimental conditions can be easily modified to collect human behavioral data—with machine learning that builds predictive models from the experimental data. The proposed method enables the generalized estimation of effective evacuation signage tailored to regional characteristics, contributing to the implementation of signage that can help reduce human casualties.

Principal Investigator

Naoto Nihonmatsu (Fukushima Medical University)

Co-investigator from IRIDeS

Ryo Saito (Cognitive Sciences Lab)

Summary of the Research

Risk communication about radiation has become increasingly important following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident. This study focuses on the family, which is considered to be a highly reliable source of risk information, and aims to clarify how risk information on radiation taken from the outside is shared within the family.We then propose effective risk communication for families.

Principal Investigator

Atsuko Mizoguchi (Meijo University)

Co-investigator from IRIDeS

Makoto Okumura (Regional Resilience Planning Lab)

Summary of the Research

Our research group has studied the historical changes in disaster risk in Marumori Town, Miyagi Prefecture, based on topography and the reconstruction of past land use.  Building on these findings, this study aims to investigate the historical changes in topography and geology, natural disaster risks, transportation network, and land use patterns.  By analyzing how the balance between disaster risk, convenience, and development costs has evolved over time, we seek to clarify past disaster prevention strategies and recent approaches to River Basin Disaster Resilience and Sustainability

Principal Investigator

Aiko Sakurai (GSICS, Kobe University)

Co-investigator from IRIDeS

Takeshi Sato (Disaster Education Research and Implementation Lab)

Summary of the Research

This study aims to develop and implement a real-time disaster risk reduction (DRR) information utilization model in schools, focusing on enhancing the decision-making capacity of teachers̶non-experts in disaster response̶during emergencies. Recognizing that schools serve children, who are considered a particularly vulnerable population, the project introduces a “School Timeline” to support timely evacuation decisions by making effective use of the limited lead time available. The model will be integrated into existing school-based disaster preparedness mechanisms, including evacuation plans, manuals, drills, collaboration with local communities, and disaster education. Through this approach, the study seeks to advance a comprehensive and context-sensitive risk communication framework for school disaster management.

Principal Investigator

Kanako Iuchi (IRIDeS,Tohoku University)

Summary of the Research

This study examines the reclamation project of Cancabato Bay area in Tacloban City, where the goal was to enhance regional resilience in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan, but both the plan and the design of the project changed over time. Using the bay area as a case, this study examines the key stakeholders involved in the development of reclamation project and their changing interpretations of resilience over time. Stakeholder interviews and field reconnaissance will be conducted to understand the actual change adopted. We aim to revisit the concept of resilience to inform its transformative nature where it is currently overlooked, and suggest that planners and policy makers consider incorporating the transformative aspect in achieving resilience.

Principal Investigator

Kumiko Nakano (Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University)

Co-investigator from IRIDeS

Yuta Hara (2030 Global DRR Agenda Office)

Summary of the Research

This study conceptualizes and identifies the impacts of permafrost thaw—such as land deformation, inundation, related housing damage, and potential health risks from the release of water and microorganisms stored in permafrost—as a form of slow-onset disaster. By integrating geoscientific, epidemiological, and humanistic knowledge, the project aims to assess and respond to these risks through a participatory approach. Conducted as a Japan–U.S. collaborative effort, the study seeks to develop community-based risk communication strategies that enhance the disaster resilience and preparedness of Indigenous communities in Arctic Alaska.

Principal Investigator

Yusuke Koshiba (Faculty of Engineering, Yokohama National University)

Co-investigator from IRIDeS

Toshiaki Muramotoi (Cognitive Sciences Lab)

Summary of the Research

Reducing Natech risks (i.e., explosions and fires) caused by the release of hazardous/toxic chemicals during major earthquakes has become an urgent societal concern. This study aims to elucidate the mechanisms by which educational manga materials contribute to reducing unsafe reentry into buildings at risk of Natechs immediately after a major earthquake and to develop a disaster education guideline. The findings gained from this study would offer valuable insights for designing effective educational materials for disaster risk reduction.

Principal Investigator

Rieko Takahashi (IRIDeS,Tohoku University)

Summary of the Research

Since 2021, the creation of individual evacuation plans has become a duty of effort for municipalities, and it has become possible to create individual evacuation plans for children who require special support based on past disaster experiences, rather than just focusing on disaster education during their school years. An investigation and analysis of the situation regarding the creation of individual evacuation plans in schools for special needs children will be conducted through education boards across the country to clarify the circumstances and processes involved.

Principal Investigator

Toshiaki Aoki (Graduate school of Internationla cultural studies, Tohoku university)

Co-investigator from IRIDeS

Takako Izumi (International Environment and Disaster Management Research Lab)

Summary of the Research

It is important for relocated disaster victems to recover their quality of life in the new area; if their quality of life is low, their intention to resettle will also decline. If the intention to resettle declines, the significance of developping a new place to live will also decline. This study aims to clarify the psychological structure and process of the QOL recovery and the psychological factors that form  the intention to settle down.

Principal Investigator

Mika Ishikawa (IRIDeS,Tohoku University)

Summary of the Research

The study explores how daily contact with hearing-impaired colleagues influences faculty awareness of disaster response, aiming to promote inclusive workplaces and strengthening organizational disaster resilience.

Principal Investigator

Chiaki Oguchi (Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University)

Co-investigator from IRIDeS

Takayuki Takahashi (Inland Earthquake and Volcano Lab)

Summary of the Research

This study continuing the previous year’s project carries out the geological and geomorphological survey in the Kashio River, Kanagawa Prefecture, in order to develop the suitable method of disaster resilience in small river basins. Landform development and flood history in the alluvial plain are reconstructed by the landform classification, the drilling survey and the analysis of borehole data. Simultaneously, the survey for weathering of the rock composing the Underground Built Heritage in this river basin and the analysis of micro landform data are carried out.

Principal Investigator

Itaru Morita (NIPPON KOEI CO.,LTD.)

Co-investigator from IRIDeS

Erick MAS (Disaster Geo-informatics Lab)

Summary of the Research

This research aims to visualize changes in demographics and economic activity during disasters using people flow data, and to build a versatile damage prediction model for multiple disasters, thereby establishing evaluation technology that contributes to the resilience of local industries, etc.

Principal Investigator

Makoto Tsukai (Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University)

Co-investigator from IRIDeS

Makoto Okumura (Regional Resilience Planning Lab)

Summary of the Research

In analyzing big data of mobile phone's population, pattern analysis is effective for summarizing data characteristics, but the impact of differences in the temporal and spatial aggregation units of data on extracted patterns has been largely unexplored. This study aims to clarify the reliability and stability of patterns extracted from Docomo human flow data by focusing on differences in the temporal and spatial aggregation units of the data.

Principal Investigator

Naohiko Hibino (National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies)

Co-investigator from IRIDeS

Makoto Okumura (Regional Resilience Planning Lab)

Summary of the Research

Mobile phone location data (Mobile Spatial Statistics) can capture people's presence volumes across vast spatiotemporal dimensions. However, there exists information that cannot be obtained as human mobility data, such as 'movement'-related information including transportation modes and speeds, as well as information from low-density areas. In response to this, we aim to develop methods that combine other information sources to reveal actual behavioral patterns during both normal and disaster situations.

Principal Investigator

Wenjing Li (LocationMind Inc.）

Co-investigator from IRIDeS

Wei Yuan (Co-creation Center for Disaster Resilience)

Summary of the Research

This research presents an innovative, mobility data–driven approach to assess the impacts of floods disasters on human mobility. By integrating disaster systemic risk theory with big mobility data, the proposed framework dynamically capture the interdependencies among urban systems to simulate the cascading impacts of floods on human flows. The cascading impacts of urban flooding under various synthetic disruptions and the effectiveness of key interventions are evaluated. The research will enhance the disaster resilience of urban systems and provide robust support for resilient urban planning and disaster risk reduction.

Principal Investigator

Sunkyung Choi (Gunma University）

Co-investigator from IRIDeS

Makoto Okumura (Regional Resilience Planning Lab)

Summary of the Research

This research investigates how natural disasters and extreme weather—such as heavy rain, heatwaves, and cold spells, affect urban mobility to move within and across the regions in Japan. Using Mobile Spatial Statistics, transportation networks, and thermal comfort indicators (UTCI), the study develops a model to track changes in mobility and identifies when and where vulnerable populations are most at risk. It also develops hourly risk estimates and compares findings with international efforts on climate and mobility. The goal is to support urban and transport planning that enhances disaster resilience, protects public health, and ensures safer, more adaptive cities.