Votive tablet : Tsunami in 987
PREFACE
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This is the proceedings of the 6th Joint Meeting of the UJNR Panel
on Earthquake Research held in Tokushima from 8 to 11 November, 2006.
Since the First Joint Meeting of the Panel for Earthquake Prediction Technology held in Tokyo in 1979, research on earthquake has made a remarkable progress. Such progress is undoubtedly based on the observations and analyses in which many of panel members are engaged. I believe that exchange of information and cooperation through this panel have played an important role for advancement of earthquake researches.
After the last joint meeting in Monterey, two extraordinary earthquake
disasters occurred in Asian region. First one was an unprecedented level
of tsunami damage on the countries around the Indian Ocean brought by the
massive earthquakes off Sumatra Island in Indonesia in December 2004 and
March 2005, which reminds us the necessity of further progress in research
on megathrust earthquakes in subduction zones. Moreover, only a half year
later, the tremendous earthquake damages were reported in the Kashmir Region
in October 2005, which teaches us the importance of active fault research
as well.
On the other hand, there were many remarkable achievements of research
in these two years. In Japan,“the National Seismic Hazard Maps for Japan”was
officially released in March 2005, based on nation-wide evaluation of long-term
earthquake occurrence probabilities and prediction of damaging ground shakings.
In August 2006, the Japanese earthquake early warning system has stepped
into its operational stage. Concerning observation results, we found that
the slow slp event in the Tokai region has recently ceased after its four-year
continuous activity.
Reflecting such circumstances, technical sessions held at the Tokushima Tokyu Inn were full of hot discussions. Techni al sessions focused on “interplate earthquakes in subduction zones and tsunami”, “slow-slip and tremor”, “crustal deformation and fault system”,“seismic activity”, “mechanism” and “simulation and hazard map”. In total 66 papers were presented.
The meeting included very productive exchanges of information on approaches to systematic observation of earthquake processes. Through our animated discussion, we recognized the potential benefits of working together to achieve our common goal of reducing earthquake hazard, continued cooperation on issues involving densification of observation networks and the open exchange of data among scientific communities. We confirmed the importance of making information public in a timely manner.
At the end of the meeting, a resolution, which includes words of agreement on continuation of collaboration, specific areas of cooperative research, importance of exchanges of personnel, data and fundamental studies in earthquake research throughout Asia and the world and encouragement of small workshop activities, was adopted.
I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Panel members,
participants and the staff of the Secretariat for their contributions,
which have led the meeting a great success, and also to Tokushima Prefecture
government and Kaiyo Town office for their cooperation and assistance
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