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In the previous chapter, measures taken by the Ministry of Transport against
such disasters as earthquake and tsunami were discussed. Compared to other countries,
many volcanos exist in Japan. Japan is apt to suffer disaster other than the
earthquakes such as storms in the rainy season or typhoon season, heavy snowfall
in the winter, erosion of coasts by wind and waves, and high seas.
It is always of concern that maritime disasters would be caused by the large
oil spill or fire at the sea, as Japan is surrounded by the sea and crude oil
and liquid gas are transported in great quantity on the sea.
The Ministry of Transport has been wrestling with these disasters other
than the earthquake for the protection of the people's safety and conservation
of the national land, which will be discussed in this chapter.
There are many volcanos all over Japan. Many casualties caused by the pyroclastic
flow in June 1991 at Mt. Unzen Fugen-dake are fresh in our memory and we have
to be always cautious of large-scale disasters due to the occurrence of the
flood of rocks and mud and pyroclastic flows caused by volcanic eruptions.
The Japan Meteorological Agency monitors 62 volcanos, among 83 active ones,
except ones in the Northern Islands, on the sea bed and at uninhabited islands.
Among them 19 volcanos including Izu Oshima Island, Mt Asamayama, Mt Unzen-dake,
Sakura-jima Island, are very active and a system of continuous monitoring has
been deployed. Field survey teams conduct basic surveys for the other 43 volcanos
generally, and in the case of an usual situations such as eruption, the field
survey team is dispatched to make special observations and monitoring. In the
fiscal year 1995, the volcano observation facilities deployed at Mt. Aso and
Mt. Kusatsu-Shirane will be replaced.
The emergency or extraordinary volcano information, that is issued based
on the observation of the volcano, is conveyed to the governors of prefectures
concerned and plays a great role in the prevention of disaster. In order to
intensify the activities of monitoring volcanos, the Volcanological Division
was established in JMA in April 1995 and the number of staff at the Weather
Station at Mt. Unzen-dake (Picture.
8) has been increased.
As part of measures against volcanic activities, improvement works to improve
refuge quay-walls to secure the safety for inhabitants have been carried out
at Habu Port of lzu Oshima Island and Shimabara Port in Nagasaki Prefecture,
which are included in the areas for emergency improvement and construction of
refuge facilities.
Furthermore, JMA conducts the observation of volcanos by aircraft over the
southern islands, including the Myojinsho, Fukutokuokanoba, and the south-western
island area including Shin lojima Island and lriometejima Island. JMA is also
endeavoring to elucidate the under-ground structure of submarine volcanos by
means of observation of magnetism using aircraft.
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