How did the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan Respond to the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake?: A Case Story used at the Sixth Plenary Meeting of UN-GGIM-AP, 2017

Abstract

Since October 2015, the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI) has served as the President of the Regional Committee of the United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management for Asia and the Pacific (UNGGIM- AP) and other important posts (term: 2015 to 2018), including the Chair of a working group. Through these roles, GSI has contributed to the improvement of geospatial information management in the Asia-Pacific region and led discussions on related policies, frameworks and capacity development by sharing information and experience. GSI has also played a coordinating role in proposing priority issues and conveying requests from the Asia-Pacific region to the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management. In October 2017, GSI hosted the 6th Plenary Meeting of UN-GGIM-AP in Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. On that occasion, GSI led the discussion at a special session entitled ''Geospatial Information for Disaster Response - Case Study on the Disaster Response for the Kumamoto Earthquake in April 2016'' to share Japan's experience with participating member countries by introducing GSI's response to the Kumamoto Earthquake that occurred in the previous year. To facilitate discussions at the special session, GSI prepared a ''Case Story'' about its response to the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake and distributed it to UN-GGIM-AP member countries two weeks before the Plenary Meeting. That case story is reported herein as the Appendix.