On April 24, we had the opportunity to welcome Dr. Yoshio Kajitani, Professor at the Faculty of Engineering and Design at Kagawa University, who delivered a lecture on disaster risk reduction and disaster risk management. The lecture began with an introduction to Kagawa University and its interdisciplinary approach to disaster and crisis management, which combines engineering, data science, economics, and social sciences to address complex global risks. Dr. Kajitani also introduced the geographical characteristics of Kagawa and explained how Japan’s exposure to earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, and other hazards has shaped the country’s strong focus on resilience and preparedness.

The session then explored major disasters around the world, including the Kobe Earthquake, the Turkey Earthquake, the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, recent floods in Pakistan and Europe, wildfires in Australia and Korea, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing from his own field experiences in disaster-affected areas, Dr. Kajitani emphasized the importance of preparedness, resilient infrastructure, evacuation systems, and long-term recovery planning. He explained that disasters are influenced not only by natural hazards, but also by urbanization, climate change, population concentration, and social vulnerability.

In the latter part of the lecture, Dr. Kajitani introduced the fundamentals of disaster risk assessment, focusing on the relationship between hazards, exposure, and vulnerability. He also demonstrated how data science, GIS analysis, and economic modeling can be used to estimate disaster impacts and support policymaking. Concluding the lecture, he stressed the growing urgency of climate change and the importance of collective efforts to build more resilient societies.

On April 24, we invited Professor Yoshio Kajitani from the Faculty of Engineering and Design at the University of Kagawa to give a lecture on disaster risk response measures. He began the lecture with an introduction to the University of Kagawa and emphasized that responding to complex global risks requires an approach that combines various disciplines, such as engineering, data science, economics, and social sciences. Furthermore, Professor Kajitani introduced the geographical characteristics of Kagawa Prefecture and explained the process by which Japan, vulnerable to earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, and other disasters, came to take an interest in disaster preparedness and securing resilience at a national level. 

We examined major global disaster cases, including the Kobe earthquake, the Turkey earthquake, the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, recent floods in Pakistan and Europe, wildfires in Australia and Korea, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on his field experience in disaster-stricken areas, Dr. Kajitani emphasized the importance of preparedness, resilient infrastructure, evacuation systems, and long-term recovery plans. He noted that disasters are influenced not only by natural hazards but also by factors such as urbanization, climate change, population concentration, and social vulnerability.

In the latter part of the lecture, he introduced disaster risk assessment methods, focusing on the relationship between disasters, exposure, and vulnerability. He also demonstrated how to estimate disaster impacts and support policy formulation by utilizing data science, GIS analysis, and economic modeling. Concluding the lecture, he emphasized the growing urgency of climate change and stressed the importance of collective efforts to build a more resilient society.