Japan: Few universities have equipment protection plans for feared Nankai Trough quake: poll

Only 25 percent of universities in areas expected to suffer heavy damage from a potential Nankai Trough earthquake in central to southern Japan have plans to protect their research equipment and historic records, a recent Mainichi Shimbun survey has found.

The poll covered 37 national universities in 24 prefectures that are expected to be affected by a mega earthquake along a fault under the Nankai Trough, which runs between the subducting Philippine Sea tectonic plate and the rising Amurian plate.

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Of the nine universities with those disaster prevention measures, many introduced anti-disaster plans after they experienced earthquakes and other natural disasters. Nagoya University introduced guidelines to prevent damage to important equipment or historic papers after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. Kumamoto University revised its manual describing responses to major disasters following the 2016 earthquakes. Osaka University, which was hit by the earthquake in June, said the school "plans to consider implementing" a program.

Many of the 24 universities without equipment and record protection plans do have programs to save people or avoid secondary damage. Schools such as Kobe University and Hiroshima University, both in western Japan, have countermeasures to prevent equipment or records from falling or catching fire at laboratories or departments. Others, like University of Yamanashi in central Japan, say estimating the damage for such items is difficult.

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