Lesson learned from the 11 march 2011 Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

Having experienced the catastrophic disaster in 2011, the Government of Japan supported Tohoku University to found the International Research Institute of Disaster Science (IRIDeS). Together with collaborating organizations from many countries and with broad areas of specializations, the IRIDeS conducts world-leading research on disaster science. Based on the lessons learned from the earthquake and tsunami disaster, the IRIDeS aims to become a world’s leading disaster research institute. Throughout, the IRIDeS will contribute to on-going recovery/reconstruction efforts in the affected areas, conducting action-oriented research, and pursuing effective disaster management to build sustainable and resilient societies. Enhancing the cooperation with the local municipalities and governments in the affected areas, and contributing to their recovery and reconstruction efforts, the IRIDeS conducts the action-oriented research.They aim to create the disaster-resilient societies that enable to overcome the complex and diverse processes of forthcoming natural disasters, not only by preventing but also preparing and responding to them, and achieving recovery and renovation, hence to engender the culture of disaster-resiliency incorporating into our social systems. The action-oriented research of the IRIDeS focus on;1. Investigating the physics of global scale natural disasters such as mega-earthquakes, tsunamis and extreme weather 2. Reconstructing disaster response and mitigation technologies based on the lessons of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami disaster 3. Inventing "Affected Area Support logy" in the aftermath of natural disasters 4. Enhancing disaster-resiliency and performance of multiple-fail-safe systems in regional and urban areas 5. Establishing disaster medicine and medical service systems towards catastrophic natural disasters 6. Designing disaster-resilient societies and developing the digital archive system to pass the lessons from the disastersWhat worked well and what did not work well will be reviewed to minimize future disaster risks. It is important to disclose taboo and consider a worst case scenario and develop plans for that. Accurate simulations are very useful tools. A multi-layered system is effective as well.