Original post from Tohoku University
Photos by Tohoku University and APRU
Tohoku University’s International Research Institute of Disaster Science (IRIDeS) hosted the APRU Multi-Hazards 2025 Summer School from July 29 to August 1, attracting over 40 participants from various countries and regions across East Asia and the Pacific Rim.
In his welcome speech, Tohoku University President Teiji Tominaga emphasized the university’s role in developing disaster science following the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami.
“Since 2012, Tohoku University and IRIDeS have played a crucial role in disaster response and recovery in affected areas,” he said. As Japan’s first University for International Research Excellence, “we will enhance our educational and research activities, and strengthen our collaboration in disaster science with your universities, to help build a disaster-resilient future.”
Tohoku University President Teiji Tominaga
During the first three days, participants attended lectures on the lessons learnt from the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami through various perspectives, including urban planning, health and disaster management, and the preservation of historical materials.
They heard from a diverse group of stakeholders, including local government officials, academics and non-governmental organizations directly involved in recovery efforts.
“The week has been really valuable, learning from scientists and social scientists about their specialties. It has taught me a great deal,” said Catherine Smith from the Australian National University, who found Professor Shinichi Egawa’s lecture on the health sector’s role particularly thought-provoking. “I especially enjoyed learning about how hazards affect health. We often think about destruction to buildings and ecosystems, but I hadn’t considered the impacts on physical health, mental health and the long-lasting effects on people.”
For the first time, sessions on AI and Big Data in disaster management were also included.
“Big data and AI are trending topics in disaster risk reduction. They help with prediction and forecasting, which is currently their main application. But increasingly they are also supporting early warning systems, hazard maps and disaster education through simulation exercises,” said Takako Izumi, Director of the APRU Multi-Hazards Program and a professor at IRIDeS.
Professor Rajib Shaw of Keio University, who spoke on the importance of AI and Big Data in complex risk scenarios, cited forest fires as an example. “Previously, we relied on mathematical modelling – like if the wind comes from this direction and the forest cover is like that, the spread will be like this. It was human-based computing, which took time,” he explained. “But now with AI, it’s much easier to predict and much faster, which is crucial as reaction speed can significantly impact outcomes in emergencies.”
Professor Rajib Shaw of Keio University
Hiroshi Yamauchi and Ryo Cho from Softbank demonstrated how the mobile provider uses AI, Big Data and drones for risk analysis in Japan, particularly for rescuing lost hikers and detecting landslides early.
Group work sessions on the second and third days allowed participants to exchange expertise across different countries, cultures and academic disciplines. Small groups discussed how interdisciplinary research can address global issues and presented on AI applications for earthquake and flood predictions, and wildfire tracking.
The final day featured a field trip to the disaster-affected towns of Onagawa and Minamisanriku to witness recovery efforts firsthand.
“Onagawa exemplified positive urban revitalisation after a disaster,” observed Seungmo Yeon of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). “Beyond restoring infrastructure, there was a deliberate effort to create an attractive town that people would want to visit.”
“The field trip reminded us that disasters and resilience aren’t just about physical environments and statistics; these experiences are deeply emotional and rooted in culture and community,” said Patricia Reyes from the University of the Philippines Resilience Institute. ” Meeting local residents who survived the disaster and hearing their stories was both humbling and inspiring. Their determination to rebuild for future generations – not by forgetting but by sharing knowledge – will have a lasting impact on me.”
The rebuilt Onagawa Train Station
Participants also visited Okawa Elementary School in Ishinomaki, where 74 students and 10 teachers perished in the 2011 tsunami.
“At the elementary school, we encountered profound sorrow, heavier than I ever anticipated,” said Yeon. “But through the preserved ruins and museum, I felt the determination to learn from past tragedies rather than concealing them. It’s an approach that I believe will positively impact future disaster preparedness systems. Japan’s disaster response and recovery experience could serve as a model for other countries facing similar challenges.”
The ruins of Okawa Elementary School in Ishinomaki
The APRU Multi-hazards Program was established in 2013 by the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) and Tohoku University to address natural disasters in the Ring of Fire – the seismically active zone fringing the Pacific basin. Besides organizing the annual summer school, IRIDeS has also hosted the program’s secretariat since its inception.
