1. The 5th Japan-Italy Technical Conference on Sediment-Related Disaster Prevention

The 5th Japan-Italy Technical Conference on Sediment-Related Disaster Prevention was held in Tokyo on Monday, October 30, 2006. Total seven presentations were made in three different sessions: remote sensing, risk management (1), and risk management (2), and information and opinions on measures and researches in Italy and Japan were exchanged.

<<Remote Sensing>>

1) Koichi Shimizu (Senior Researcher, Erosion and Sediment Control Div., Research Center for Disaster Risk Management, National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management, MLIT)

"Technology to analyze sediment movement and learn sediment disasters using satellite image"

2) Paolo Farina (Researcher, Earth Science Dept., University of Florence)
"Remote sensing technology and sediment disasters ? Examples in Italy"

<<Risk Management (1)>>

3) Hideaki Mizuno (Senior Researcher, Erosion and Sediment Control Div., Research Center for Disaster Risk Management, National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management, MLIT)

"Risk management for sediment disaster measures in Japan"

4) Paola Reichenbach (Researcher, Research Institute for the Hydrogeological Protection of Central Italy, Perugia, National Research Council)
"Landslide disaster assessment in drainage basins and possibility to identify areas to be damaged"

5) Nobutomo Osanai (Head, Erosion and Sediment Control Div., Research Center for Disaster Risk Management, National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management, MLIT)
"Hazard map of sediment disasters to be caused by earthquakes"

<<Risk Management (2)>>

6) Fausto Guzzetti (Chief Researcher, Research Institute for the Hydrogeological Protection of Central Italy, Perugia, National Research Council)
"Landslide risk assessment in drainage basins and mapping"

7) Masaru Kunitomo (Senior Deputy Director, Sabo(Erosion and Sediment Control) Planning Div., Sabo(Erosion and Sediment Control) Dept., River Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation)
"Handling of sediment disasters caused by Mid Niigata Earthquake in 2004"

2. Japan-Italy Sediment Disaster Prevention Joint Research Symposium

<<Keynote Speeches>>

1) Koji Kamee (Director General of SABO Dept., River Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)
"Present state of sediment disaster measures in Japan and issues to be addressed"

2) Marino Sorriso Valvo (Research Director, National Research Council)
"Natural and man-made disasters research project in Italy"

<<Achievements from joint researches on mudflows>>

3) Junichi Kurihara (Team Leader, Volcano and Debris Flow Team, Erosion and Sediment Control Research Group, Public Works Research Institute)
"Debris flow detection system using oscillation sensors"

4) Sandro Silvano (Director, Research Institute for the Hydrogeological Protection in North-East Italy, Padova, National Research Council) "Development of debris flow monitoring and alarm system using oscillation sensors"

<<Achievements from joint researches on landslides>>

5) Alessandro Pasuto (Director, Italy-Japan Joint Lab on Hydrogeological Risk, National Research Council)
"Italy-Japan joint research on landslides ? Italy"

6) Kazunori Fujisawa (Team Leader, Landslide Research Team, Erosion and Sediment Control Research Group, Public Works Research Institute)
"Final report on landslide monitoring technology"

3. Site Inspection

On November 1 and 2, following the technology conference and symposium, the party from Italy visited the Takizaka landslide area, which is under the jurisdiction of Agano river office, Hokuriku Regional Development Bureau and a model site of the joint research on landslides, and inspected restoration works for the areas devastated by mid-Niigata earthquake, which are under the jurisdiction of Nagaoka Regional Promotion Bureau in Niigata and Yuzawa Sabo Office of Hokuriku Regional Development Bureau.

Inspection of restoration works for landslide at Takizaka