The International Institute of Seismology and Earthquake Engineering (IISEE), at the Building Research Institute (BRI), was originally established in January 1962 as an organization dedicated to training to researchers and engineers in developing countries  and to carrying out researchers to contribute to earthquake disaster mitigation. Currently, IISEE carries out training courses with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and offers following three training programs. A total of 1,380 participants from 96　countries and region have completed the training courses, and these courses have received high praises in Japan and around the world. The IISEE-net (information network of earthquake disaster prevention technologies for buildings), which is accessible via the IISEE website, is effectively used by participants for their follow-up studies.

Seismology Course and Earthquake Engineering Course

Participants at the Second World Conference on Earthquake Engineering in Tokyo in 1960 discussed and confirmed the need for training of young researchers in other countries in seismology and earthquake engineering. As a result, the first courses were given at University of Tokyo in the same year. The results of courses were widely acclaimed by the international community. Therefore, the Japanese Government established the International Institute of Seismology and Earthquake Engineering (IISEE) in BRI to provide the training courses continuously. The second courses were given in the following year at Waseda University, and the IISEE took over the latter half of the course.

The 2nd Annual Training courses on Seismology and Earthquake Engineering Participants (1961- 1962)

Tsunami Disaster Mitigation Course

Gigantic tsunami generated by a major earthquake offSumatra in 2004 wreaked havoc in the coastal areas of the Indian Ocean. In response, the Tsunami Disaster Mitigation Course was established in October 2006 to provide advanced education in earthquakes and tsunami, with the aim of training tsunami specialists who can apply and diffuse their acquired knowledge and techniques in tsunami disaster mitigation in their home countries.

Height of tsunami along the coastlines devastated following the earthquake off Sumatra in 2004 (simulation result)

Master’s Degree

Since October 2005, a part of the training course in partnership with the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) was certified as GRIPS’s lecture course. Today, each trainee can get ‘Master of Disaster Mitigation’ certified by GRIPS and BRI if he/she acquires required credits. On September 2006, 19 participants became the first graduates under new system. With diplomas, participants secure their complete background as specialists in seismology and earthquake engineering back in their home countries.

Support of UNESCO　

Logo, whose use is granted by UNESCO

Courtesy visit to Minister of Land,
Infrastructure and Transport (2006)

Visit by President of JICA to
the training course (2005)

Lecture at the training course (2006)

Participants’ presentation (2005)

The international community is making efforts to put the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) into effect and to provide the International Monitoring System (IMS) to verify compliance with the CTBT. Seismological observation technology plays an important role in the IMS, because it can be used to detect nuclear explosions. At a request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, IISEE started a training course on global seismological observation in 1995. This course is part of Japan’s contribution to nuclear disarmament and is organized with the Japan Metrological Agency and JICA.

IISEE accepts individual researchers from developing countries as part of our technical cooperation on earthquake damage mitigation. Under the Individual Course, subjects are selected that need urgent attention in each trainee’s country or that are up-to-the-minute and essential. Individual training programs are prepared to match the needs of each participant and are provided under the guidance of IISEE staff and lecturers from universities, research institutes, and private companies.

Visit to a construction site (Sapporo, 2005)

Study trip (Hiroshima, 2005)

Note: In addition, 175 participants completed the Seminar Course (conducted from 1980 to 2000 and 2008).
The total number　 reached　1,380.    (As of March 31, 2009)