By Ms. Yoriko Iiba & Dr. Bunichiro Shibazaki of IISEE

The participants of the Global Seismological Observation Course visited Hiroshima and Kobe from February 6 (Thu) to 8 (Sat).
On the morning of Feb. 6, the participants had the lecture titled, “Japan’s Perspective on Nuclear Disarmament,” by Mr. Ken Ono, Principal Deputy Director, Arms Control and Disarmament Division, Disarmament, Non-Proliferation and Science Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. After the lecture they headed east to Hiroshima by Shinkansen, a bullet train.

Please see the Newsletter attached on page 1.

(1)Mr. Gonzalo Antonio Fernandez Maranon (Bolivia)
Once we got in the Museum and I read this phrase “War is the work of man, war is the destruction of human life,” I could imagine what was inside the Museum, how the US took the decision to drop the bomb over Hiroshima and how the clear summer weather helped the US army to realize such a horror project.

Please see the Newsletter attached on page 2.

(2)Mr. Isikeli Waisega Duwai (Fiji)
When we visited the Peace Memorial Museum, I learned that the bomb was fired by the US army to ensure that the effects of the bomb could be accurately observed and the selected target should within an urban area and at least three miles in diameter. Hiroshima was chosen to be the target since there was no Allied Prisoner of War Camp in this city.

Please see the Newsletter attached on page 2.

(3)Ms. Indira Shiwakoti (Nepal)
I have never thought that Hiroshima was such a city with a green environment, and I am really happy on viewing the very developed Hiroshima now.
When we get out from tram, the view “THE HIROSIMA DOME” firstly reflects how the destruction at that time was. By looking the condition of that building we were able to imagine people’s circumstances around affected part by “ATOM BOMB.”

Please see the Newsletter attached on page 3.

The meeting of the Council for Training and Promotion of the International Institute of Seismology and Earthquake Engineering was held in Yotsuya, Tokyo on the 26th of February.
The Council is constituted on the purpose of giving advice and suggestion to the BRI Chief Executive relating to the activities of dissemination of knowledge and technology of seismology and earthquake engineering as well as the planning and implementation of the training program.

Please see the Newsletter attached on page 3.

(1)Ms. Raquel Noemi Vasquez Stanescu (Venezuela, Seismology Course)
Japan has been prone to severe natural disasters such as floods, mudflows, landslides, earthquakes, and tsunamis.
Due to its long history facing the ravages of nature, it was necessary to adopt strict measures to contribute to the reduction of disaster vulnerability and risk management, in order to protect the population.

Please see the Newsletter attached on page 4.

(2)Mr. Md. Emdadul Huq (Bangladesh, Earthquake Engineering Course)

In GRIPS, there were 35 participants from different courses of Disaster Management Policy Program including three Ph.D students for two weeks. In this time we had two courses and also two study trips, one in Nagoya City and another at Roppongi Hills Mori Tower in Tokyo.

Please see the Newsletter attached on page 4.

On February 18, we had a general meeting which is set for frank discussion between regular course participants and staff members. This is the second time for the course.

It was with profound sorrow that we received the sad news of the passing away of Prof. Angel San Bartolome of Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru on February 11 of 2014.
Ms. Lucia Casaverde de Suzuki, 1980-1981 Earthquake Engineering course participant, kindly informed us on the sad news of her good friend.

Please see the Newsletter attached on page 5.

JICA will soon send the general information of 2014-15 course to the selected countries. Those are India, El Salvador, Thailand, Turkey, Nicaragua, Nepal, Bangladesh, Philippines, Peru, Myanmar, and Mongol for seismology & earthquake engineering course, and Indonesia, Chili, Nicaragua, Philippines, Peru, Myanmar for tsunami disaster mitigation course. For further information, please ask a JICA Office in your country.

Please see the Newsletter attached on page 5.

We have been conducting strong motion observation for building structures since 1957. During the past half a cenury, the great number of strong motion data were accummulated and used to develop the technology for improvement of earthquake resistance design tehcnology.