Operation of an early earthquake damage estimation system in Japan

Japan is, like China, an earthquake-prone country. Following the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995, a large-scale network of seismometers was established throughout Japan, and a number of effective systems are now in place. These include systems that are activated immediately after an earthquake, such as the earthquake early warning system and Shinkansen early earthquake detection system, and systems such as the early earthquake damage estimation system described in this paper. In order to lessen earthquake damage, post-quake mitigation measures are just as important as pre-quake disaster prevention measures. The early earthquake damage estimation system functions in this mitigatory capacity by automatically estimating damage within 30 minutes of an earthquake to provide the initial data for formulating emergency response plans. In this paper, we outline the components and functions of Japan´s early earthquake damage estimation system, and examine the challenges that must be addressed to further raise the system´s effectiveness.