IRIDeS starts a new division system, as detailed below, in April 2021 towards more robust and flexible research and practical activities.

• Risk Evaluation and Disaster Mitigation Research Division

Conducts advanced research on disaster evaluation and response, both in Japan and abroad, through the integration of science and engineering.The activities of this division include field surveys of damage, various observations, numerical simulations of natural phenomena and disaster processes, advanced remote sensing, visualization, and development of robot-related technologies. This division also presents concrete proposals that will lead to disaster risk reduction.

• Disaster Humanities and Social Science Division

Aims at delivering the lessons of past disasters to future generations and contributing to disaster reduction and post-disaster recovery in each region through research focusing on the human mind and activities, architecture, and social infrastructure. By integrating history, disaster culture and archive studies, regional, urban, and spatial designs, and cognitive sciences, this division will conduct research proposing concrete measures for disaster risk reduction in response to evolving disasters and to construct resilient local communities.

• Disaster Medical Science Division

Conducts research on topics of continuous periods from pre-disaster to recovery times through collaboration, aiming at establishing disaster medicine for wide-area and complex disasters, and introducing the latest science and technology to the field. From the standpoint of medicine, this division takes the lead in innovative responses to disasters. The tasks of this division also include comprehensive scientific analysis on and countermeasures against COVID-19.

• Practical Research and Collaboration Division

Works on social implementation of research results and on disaster risk reduction activities through regional and international cooperation, in addition to conducting practical studies. This division disseminates IRIDeS research outcomes (both domestically and internationally) at various venues, including the World Bosai Forum, major international conferences and United Nations events, contributing to the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Besides the above divisions, the part of the IRIDeS organization system that remains the same includes the Endowed Research Division with Earthquake-induced Tsunami Risk Evaluation (Tokio Marine and Nichido Fire Insurance) and Earthquake Disaster Prevention for Urban Areas (OYO Corporation), Global Centre for Disaster Statistics, the Kesennuma Satellite Office, and Public Relations Office.

A complex chain of factors could cause unpredictable damage in the future, such as torrential rains and floods, which are becoming severer due to climate change, the Nankai Trough earthquakes and tsunamis, massive earthquakes directly under the Tokyo metropolitan area, and disasters caused by infectious diseases and radiation. With the new division system, IRIDeS continues to address changing social issues, while promoting further collaboration beyond the framework of existing disciplines.

For inquiries, please contact IRIDeS PR Office at +81-22-752-2049 or email:  @