Tokyo, July 7, 2017 - NEC Corporation (NEC), Kyoto University, Japan's National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), Tohoku Gakuin University, Ibaraki University, as well as the Port and Airport Research Institute (PARI), have commenced joint research and development on a coastal disaster simulation system to verify and evaluate the effects of disaster reduction measures using environmentally friendly "green infrastructure" (*1), such as mangrove cultivation.

In recent years, concerns have been escalating over the impact of large-scale typhoons and other climate variabilities on coastal areas.

This development and research aims to help reduce coastal damage with disaster prediction models based on the evaluation of conditions that include extreme storm surges, waves and the impact of climate change. In addition, a high resolution coastal wave model will be developed to verify and evaluate the effects of green infrastructure-based disaster reduction measures. Numerical models incorporating the biological and physical properties of mangroves, for example, will be developed through research on their ecological distribution and hydraulic model experiments.

By combining these models, the effects of disaster reduction measures in a range of areas, from offshore to coastlines, will be quantitatively verified and evaluated through high-speed calculations using supercomputers. Supercomputers such as the Earth Simulator (*2) employed by the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), will contribute to these studies.

Furthermore, verification will be conducted on the effects of disaster reduction measures on conventional structures (hereinafter, "gray infrastructure")　such as breakwaters, together with green infrastructure-based measures. These efforts seek to establish methods in which the best combinations of green and gray infrastructures can be evaluated from mid- to long-term perspectives.

This research　and development is supported by the Environment Research and Technology Development Fund (2-1712) of the Environmental Restoration and Conservation Agency.

"With the Disaster Prevention Research Institute of Kyoto University taking a leading role, five research institutes and one company have established a research and development system that includes a combination of different approaches, such as simulations, on-site observations and hydraulic model experiments, to leverage their respective knowledge and experience. Through this system, they seek to contribute not only to the central and local governments of Japan, but to a wide range of nations in terms of initiatives to assist in the mid- to long-term evaluation of coastal flood zones and economic risks, the utilization of an infrastructure for development/improvement plans and the enhancement of disaster prevention measures," said Nobuhito Mori, Associate Professor, Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University.

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Notes:

• *1)Green infrastructure, refers to the idea of utilizing functions of the natural environment for infrastructure improvement. The measures are also expected to yield effects such as environmental conservation and landscape maintenance because they are being used as replacements of or complements to conventional structures.
• *2)Use of the Earth Simulator has been authorized for the Development of a Long-term Evaluation Method of Typhoons and Coastal Hazards Under Climate Change, a 2017 proposed research project.

About NEC Corporation
NEC Corporation is a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies that benefit businesses and people around the world. By providing a combination of products and solutions that cross utilize the company's experience and global resources, NEC's advanced technologies meet the complex and ever-changing needs of its customers. NEC brings more than 100 years of expertise in technological innovation to empower people, businesses and society.  For more information, visit NEC at http://www.nec.com.

About Kyoto University
Kyoto University is one of Japan and Asia's premier research institutions, founded in 1897 and responsible for producing numerous Nobel laureates and winners of other prestigious international prizes. A broad curriculum across the arts and sciences at both undergraduate and graduate levels is complemented by numerous research centers, as well as facilities and offices around Japan and the world. For more information please see: www.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en.

About National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES)
The National Institute for Environmental Studies is Japan's only research institute that undertakes a broad range of environmental research in an interdisciplinary and comprehensive manner.  Since its inception in 1974, NIES has played a vital role in solving a variety of environmental problems. http://www.nies.go.jp/index-e.html.

About Tohoku Gakuin University
Tohoku Gakuin University (TGU) is a member of the educational institute called Tohoku Gakuin, which also includes Tohoku Gakuin Kindergarten, Tohoku Gakuin Junior and Senior High School and Tohoku Gakuin Tsutsujigaoka High School. At each level, Tohoku Gakuin offers its students quality education in an environment that allows each of them to develop to their full potential. http://www.tohoku-gakuin.ac.jp/en/

About Ibaraki University
Ibaraki University has developed into a mid-size national university with five undergraduate colleges and four graduate schools. There are approximately 8,400 students. The Institute for Global Change Adaptation Science (ICAS) in Ibaraki University is a research center on adaptation in a range of fields such as disaster prevention, social safety and security, agriculture, and urban environments and lifestyle. For more information, visit ICAS at http://www.icas.ibaraki.ac.jp.

About Port and Airport Research Institute (PARI)
PARI is a National Research and Development Agency under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. PARI has conducted various researches in pursuit of two goals: developing innovative technology, and solving confronting problems. Many of our research results are reflected in practical work as well as the revision of a total of 11 technical standards, including "Technical Standards and Commentaries for Port and Harbour Facilities in Japan," and the formulation of various guidelines. PARI continues to conduct innovative, forward-looking research on ports and airports. For more information, visit PARI at http://www.pari.go.jp/.

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