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On 13 October, the JSPS San Francisco Office convened the third in its annual series of joint colloquia, this time in co-sponsorship with UC Berkeley's Center for Japanese Studies (CJS). Held in the University's Alumni House, the colloquium addressed the theme "Responses to Destruction in Japan." Its timing coincided with the 100th anniversary of the Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. Invited to address the colloquium were eight leading researchers from Japan, the US, and Singapore, who gave presentations revolving around the topic of "earthquakes." They not only attracted researchers to the event, but also numerous other people interested in the subject.
On the next day, a closed session was convened by the session chairs and speakers, who engaged in a spirited exchange of views on points distilled from the previous day's discussions. This face-to-face process of brainstorming is thought to have strengthened colleagueal ties among these researchers from Pacific Rim countries. Usual discussions on earthquakes tend to focus on matters of prediction and disaster prevention. This colloquium added "disaster culture," urban planning, and other societal, economic and geographical perspectives to the dialogue. It delved into the response taken for the Great Kanto (Tokyo) Earthquake, Great Hanshin-Awaji (Kobe) Earthquake, and other seismic catastrophes in Japan. The colloquium's interdisciplinary, multifaceted approach also addressed future earthquake preparedness, including the roles of individuals, municipalities, and governments. The program of this event can be found on the following website: - JSPS San Francisco Office |
The event started with remarks by CJS chair Prof. Alan Tansman, who described the colloquium's purpose and program. He was followed by San Francisco Office director Prof. Seishi Takeda, who welcomed the participants. In the morning, keynote speeches were delivered and the first session held; two more sessions were held in the afternoon. Each of the sessions featured paired presentations, followed by questions from the floor. One speaker answered a question while the other provided added commentary. This Q&A format worked to jell the speakers and audience into what felt to be an organic whole.