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The devastating earthquake that struck the City of Kobe on 17 January, 1995, created many critical issues for the government of Japan. The Kobe shock pointedly revealed that both the central and local governments had neglected to develop the administrative skills necessary for managing major disasters. This paper, first, provides brief background information on the Kobe disaster. It is followed by a discussion of the problems of the Self-Defense Forces and its involvement in Japan’s crisis management. The paper then describes the function of executives at a time of crisis. In the final section, the paper outlines subsequent government efforts to improve the quality of crisis control in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Owing to the stress caused by the behavioral restrictions and lifestyle changes during the COVID‐19 pandemic, suicide rates have increased in Japan, especially among young people. This study aimed to identify the differences in the characteristics of patients hospitalized for suicide attempts in the emergency room, requiring inpatient care before and during the pandemic over 2 years. Methods: This study was a retrospective analysis. Data were collected from the electronic medical records. A descriptive survey was conducted to examine changes in the pattern of suicide attempts during the COVID‐19 outbreak. Two‐sample independent t‐tests, Chi‐square tests, and Fisher's exact test were used for data analysis. Results: Two hundred one patients were included. No significant differences were found in the number of patients hospitalized for suicide attempts, average age, or sex ratio before and during the pandemic periods. Acute drug intoxication and overmedication in patients increased significantly during the pandemic. The self‐inflicted means of injury with high fatality rates were similar during the two periods. The rate of physical complications significantly increased during the pandemic, while the proportion of unemployed individuals significantly decreased. Conclusions: Despite studies predicting an increase in suicides based on past statistics of young people and of women, no significant changes were observed in this survey of the Hanshin‐Awaji region, including Kobe. This may have been owing to the effect of suicide prevention measures and mental health measures implemented by the Japanese government after an increase in suicides and after past natural disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Japan, several local strong winds that are unique to a particular region are known by names such as "oroshi," "dashi," and "kaze," including Akagi‐oroshi and Kiyokawa‐dashi. In the area around Kobe City, northerly downslope winds from Mt. Rokko, or "Rokko‐oroshi," blow. However, there have not been many studies on Rokko‐oroshi, and its nature is not yet fully known. In particular, the nature of Rokko‐oroshi in the middle of Mt. Rokko (34.7321°N, 135.2539°E) and temperature changes induced by the blow of Rokko‐oroshi have not been studied so far. For example, during the blowing of Rokko‐oroshi, wind speeds up to 12 m/s can be recorded at the downwind while experiencing a rapid temperature decrease of between 5 and 8°C. In this study, winds and temperatures in the middle of Mt. Rokko were observed to investigate the characteristics and temperature reduction effect of Rokko‐oroshi. First, characteristics of wind speed and direction in the middle of Mt. Rokko were clarified to determine the intensity and duration in which Rokko‐oroshi blew. Second, hourly changes in temperature, wind speed, and wind direction were analyzed to relate variations in wind speed and direction with temperature reductions upwind and downwind of Mt. Rokko and within Kobe City. Lastly, radiosonde measurements upwind and downwind of Mt. Rokko were inspected to elucidate the physical mechanisms necessary for the generation of Rokko‐oroshi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Please cite this paper as: Ninomiya-Mori et al. (2010) Genetic evidence for containment of viruses in the first outbreak of influenza A pandemic (H1N1) 2009 in Kobe, Japan. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses Doi: 10.1111/j.1750-2659.2010.00188.x. On 16 May 2009, a high school student in Kobe with no history of overseas travel was reported as the first case of influenza A pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus infection in Japan. Subsequently, it was revealed that the infection had spread to some cities in the Kansai region and most patients were high school students. The number of patients decreased rapidly within a week; however, it began to increase in the middle of July. We phylogenetically analyzed viral characteristics using 27 viruses isolated from patients living in Kobe. We demonstrated that viruses isolated in the early phase of the outbreak were distinguishable from those after the reappearance of patients. These findings provide genetic evidence for the effectiveness of public health containment measures in the Kansai region in preventing the progression of the outbreak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: In order for hospitals to work efficiently in a pandemic, it is important to know how a pandemic affects the hospital staff. The aim of the present study was to investigate the psychological impact of the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 on hospital workers and how it was affected by the characteristics of the hospital, gender, age, job and work environment. Methods: In late June 2009, soon after the pandemic had ended in Kobe city, Japan, a questionnaire was distributed consisting of questions on sociodemographic characteristics, 19 stress-related questions and the Impact of Event Scale (IES) to all 3635 employees at three core general hospitals in Kobe. Exploratory factor analysis was applied to the 19 stress-related questions, and this produced four factors for evaluation (anxiety about infection, exhaustion, workload, and feeling of being protected). Multiple regression models were used to evaluate the association of personal characteristics with each score of the four factors and the IES. Results: Valid answers were received from 1625 employees. Workers at a hospital with intense liaison psychiatric services felt less psychological impact. Workers at a hospital that provided staff with information about the pandemic less frequently, felt unprotected. Workers in work environments that had a high risk of infection felt more anxious and more exhausted. The total IES score was higher in workers in high-risk work environments. Conclusions: It is important for hospitals to protect hospital workers during a pandemic and to rapidly share information about the pandemic. Liaison psychiatric services can help to reduce the impact of the pandemic on hospital workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The 1995 Kobe (Hyogo-ken Nanbu) earthquake (MJMA 7.2, Mw 6.9) occurred on Jan. 17, 1995, at a depth of 17 km, beneath the areas of southern part of Hyogo prefecture and Awaji Island. To investigate P-wave velocity distribution and seismological characteristics in the aftershock area of this great earthquake, a wide-angle and refraction seismic exploration was carried out by the Research Group for Explosion Seismology (RGES). The profile including 6 shot points and 205 observations was 135 km in length, extending from Keihoku, Northern Kyoto prefecture, through Kobe, to Seidan on Awaji Island. The charge of each shot was 350–700 kg. The P-wave velocity structure model showed a complicated sedimentary layer which is shallower than 2.5 km, a 2.5 km-thick basement layer whose velocity is 5.5 km/s, overlying the crystalline upper crust, and the boundary between the upper and lower crust. Almost all aftershock hypocenters were located in the upper crust. However, the structure model suggests that the hypocenters of the main shock and some aftershock clusters were situated deeper than the boundary between the upper and lower crust. We found that the P-velocity in the upper crust beneath the northern part of Awaji Island is 5.64 km/s which is 3% lower than that of the surrounding area. The low-velocity zone coincides with the region where the high stress moment release was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu (Kobe) earthquake, M7.2, occurred along the north-east–south-west trending Rokko–Awaji Fault system. Three boreholes of 1001 m, 1313 m and 1838 m deep were drilled in the vicinity of the epicenter of the earthquake. Each borehole is located at characteristic sites in relation to active faults and the aftershock distribution. In particular, the Nojima–Hirabayashi borehole [Hirabayashi National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention (NIED) drilling] in Awaji Island was drilled to a depth of 1838 m, approximately 320 m southeast from the surface rupture of the Nojima Fault, and it crosses fracture zones below a depth of 1140 m. In situ stress measurements by the hydraulic fracturing method were conducted in these boreholes within 1.5 years after the earthquake. Measurement results suggest the following: (i) Differential stress values are very small, approximately 10 MPa at a depth of 1000 m at each site; (ii) the orientation of maximum horizontal compression is almost the same in the boreholes, perpendicular to the surface trace of the faults, north-west–south-east; (iii) fault types estimated from the state of stress differ among these sites; and (iv) the differential stress value just beneath the fault fracture zone decreases abruptly to one-half of that above the fault zone in the Hirabayashi NIED drilling. These features support the idea that the shear stress along the Rokko–Awaji Fault system decreased to a low level just after the earthquake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The Nojima Fault in Awaji, Hyogo prefecture, Japan, was ruptured during the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake (MJMA = 7.2). Toshima is located close to the fault segment, in which a large dislocation has been observed on the Earth’s surface. Ikuha is near the southern end of the buried fault that extends from the surface rupture. Stresses are measured on core samples taken at depths of 310 m, 312 m and 415 m at Toshima and a depth of 351 m at Ikuha. The measured stresses show that both sites are in the field of a strike–slip regime, but compression dominates at Toshima. Defining the relative shear stress as the maximum shear stress divided by the normal stress on the maximum shear plane, the relative shear stress ranges from 0.42 to 0.54 at Toshima and is approximately 0.32 at Ikuha. While the value at Ikuha is moderate, those at Toshima are comparably large to those in areas close to the inferred fault of the 1984 Nagano-ken Seibu earthquake. Value amounts greater than 0.4 suggest that there are areas of large relative shear stress along faults, thus having the potential to generate earthquakes. Provided that the cores are correctly oriented, the largest horizontal stresses at shallow depths are in the direction from N113°E to N139°E at Toshima and N74°E at Ikuha, indicating that the fault does not orient optimally for the stress field at both sites. The slip is known to be predominant in the right-lateral strike–slip component. Although this slip may appear contradictory to the stress field at Toshima, the slip direction is found to be parallel to the measured stresses resolved on the fault plane for the first approximation. The ratio of shear stress to normal stress on the fault plane is roughly estimated to be greater than zero and smaller than 0.3 near Toshima. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract An 800 m borehole was drilled near the Nojima Fault, on which a strike–slip larger then 1 m occurred during the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake (M = 7.2). Crustal activity near the fault has been observed since May 1996 using a multicomponent instrument installed at the bottom of the borehole. Data of three components of strain, two components of tilt and temperature observed from May 1996 to December 1998 were analyzed. Long-term changes of strain and tilt show a north-east–south-west extension and southwards subsidence. As for the Earth tides and atmospheric effect, orientation of the principal axis of strain was mainly east-west and orientation of the maximum subsidence was mainly north-south. The observational data of strain had variations corresponding to a change in temperature at a depth of 800 m. The thermal expansion coefficient of the crust was calculated to be approximately 2.0 × 10-6/°K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Distinctive fault ruptures, the Nojima Fault and Ogura Fault, appeared along the northwestern coast of Awaji Island at the time of the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake (Kobe earthquake). In order to delineate the shallow resistivity structures around the faults just after they formed, Very Low Frequency Magnetotelluric (VLF-MT) surveys were made at five sites along the Nojima Fault and at one site along the Ogura Fault. Fourteen transects were made at the one site on the Ogura Fault, and another transect covers the area between the two faults. Changes in apparent resistivity or phase, or both, commonly occur when crossing the surface location of one of the faults, except for the northern transects at OGR-0 on the Ogura Fault. Apparent resistivity values of less than 100 Ωm were observed for Tertiary and Quaternary sediments and values larger than 200 Ωm for granitic rocks. The resistivity structures are related to the morphological characteristics of the fault ruptures. Remarkably conductive zones (less than 10 Ωm in apparent resistivity and 30–40 m in width) were found where the surface displacement is distinct and prominent along a single fault plane. If remarkably conductive zones were formed at the time of the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake, the results provide a good constraint on the dimensions of a conductive zone near the surface that was made by one earthquake. Alternatively, if characteristic resistivity structures existed prior to the earthquake, the conductive zone was probably formed by some tens of earthquakes in relatively modern times. In this case, this phenomenon is inferred to be a concentration of fracturing in a narrow zone and is associated with the formation of clay minerals, which enhance rock conductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In situ stress was measured close to the fault associated with the 1995 Kobe Earthquake (Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake; January 1995; M7.2) using the hydraulic fracturing method. The measurements were made approximately 2 years after the earthquake. The measured points were approximately 40 m from the fault plane at depths of about 1500 m. The maximum and the minimum horizontal compressive stresses were 45 MPa and 31 MPa, respectively. The maximum compressive stress and the maximum shear stress are very small in comparison with those of other seismically active areas. The azimuth of the maximum horizontal compressive stress was estimated from the observed azimuths of well bore breakouts at depths between 1400 m and 1600 m and was found to be N135° (clockwise). The maximum stress axis is perpendicular to the fault strike, N45°. These features are interpreted in terms of a small frictional coefficient of the fault. The shear stress on the fault was released and dropped almost to zero during the earthquake and it has not yet recovered. Zero shear stress on the fault plane resulted from the perpendicular orientation of one of the principal stress to the fault plane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The temporal variation of seismic velocity near the Nojima Fault, which ruptured during the 1995 Kobe earthquake (Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake), was detected using an accurately controlled routine-operated seismic source (ACROSS). The source generates elastic waves by a centrifugal force of an eccentric mass rotating around an axis. The mass is driven with an AC servomotor whose angular position is accurately controlled with reference to a very accurate global positioning system (GPS) clock. The error of the mass’ position is less than 0.002 radian and does not accumulate. As a result, the source generates sinusoidal waves of very narrow spectral peaks enabling their detection with an excellent signal-to-noise ratio. Although the stability of the rotation is quite excellent, a large daily variation was found, which seems to be caused by changes in atmospheric temperature. The daily variation was 10% in amplitude and 0.1 radian in phase of the signal observed at the 800 m borehole seismometer. A significant variation was found to be due to that of coupling between the rotational source and the foundation made of reinforced concrete in which the source was situated. In order to make a correction on the signal of the 800 m borehole seismometer, the vibration of the foundation was measured and modeled assuming a rigid body movement. The correction successfully reduced the daily variation by approximately 90%, resulting in a variation of 1% in amplitude and 0.01 radian in phase. The phase variation of 0.01 radian corresponds to 100 μs and less than 0.1% in velocity over 1000 m between the source and the receiver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]