General Research Group for Great Earthquakes Along the Kuril Trench

A new research group has been formed to enhance disaster countermeasures for imminent M9-class earthquakes along the Kuril Trench. One key area of focus is tsunami evacuation, crucial due to the significant human impact expected from the Kuril earthquake. The group has reported new findings and developments that identify weaknesses in anti-disaster plans, address gaps in measures, and propose new countermeasure tactics. Fundamental observations, field work, data analysis and accumulation, which are essential for future crustal monitoring, earthquake occurrence probability assessment, and hazard assessment, have also been conducted. The work breakdown structure (WBS) concept forms the foundation of the group’s strategy and the roles of each team. The WBS helps in recognizing expected outcomes, understanding the relationships among research agendas, and identifies missing elements in current research plans. Group research is well-suited for disaster-related issues in that it provides multifaceted, multilayered, and multitrack perspectives, allowing for mutual verification to avoid unexpected pitfalls in disaster countermeasures. Hazard and risk evaluation research and related social collaborative activities are key to enhancing disaster preparedness in this region.