Member Country Report of JAPANccop.asia/53as.69sc/53as_Ag03-08_MC_Report_Japan.pdf · 2017. 10. 3. · Geoinformation Sharing Infrastructure Project) - Geological hazards (ASIA-Pacific

CCOP-53AS/3-8

53rd CCOP Annual Session 16 – 19 October 2017 Cebu City, Philippines

Member Country Report of

JAPAN

Submitted by

Japan Delegation

(For Agenda Item 3)

COORDINATING COMMITTEE FOR GEOSCIENCE PROGRAMMES IN EAST AND SOUTHEAST ASIA (CCOP)

CCOP Member Country Report: JAPAN 1

ANNUAL MEMBER COUNTRY REPORT

Country: JAPAN Period: 1 July 2016 – 30 June 2017 1. OUTREACH

1.1 Summary The Geological Survey of Japan (GSJ), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), gives priority to the outreach as an important opportunity to provide its research results to the public, particularly to young students, industry people, and policy makers. The Geological Museum, the most important outreach facility of GSJ, exhibits GSJ’s research outcomes both by its permanent exhibition, which is regularly updated, and by several short-term special exhibits a year. In addition to the outreach through the Museum, GSJ conducts the following activities. - Geological Information Exhibition at the annual meeting of the Geological Society of

Japan, - Geological exhibition for the “Geology Day (10th of May)” of Japan, - Open Campus and hands-on learning on geology for students, - One-day open exhibit for industry in Tsukuba and regional offices of AIST, - “Geo Salon,” a seminar series on geological science to the public in Tsukuba City or

other places, and - Training course on geological mapping for junior employees of geology-related

companies.

Programme Contact Person: International Coordinating Group, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected]

2. COOPERATION AND PARTNERSHIP

2.1. Summary GSJ conducts international cooperation activities either on a bi-lateral basis or under an international project. The major international collaborative researches that are related to Southeast Asian countries are: - Geological information (OneGeology, ASEAN Harmonized Geology, and CCOP

Geoinformation Sharing Infrastructure Project) - Geological hazards (ASIA-Pacific region geohazards risk) - Geological environment (Coastal geology) International cooperation activity conducted by Kanazawa University in Cambodia and by the University of Tokyo with CCOP are also reported in this chapter.

COORDINATING COMMITTEE FOR GEOSCIENCE PROGRAMMES IN EAST AND SOUTHEAST ASIA (CCOP) CCOP Building, 75/10 Rama VI Road, Phayathai, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand Tel: +66 (0) 2644 5468, Fax: +66 (0) 2644 5429, E-mail: [email protected], Website: www.ccop.or.th

mailto:[email protected]

2 CCOP Member Country Report: JAPAN

2.2. Geological Information 2.2.1. OneGeology GSJ has been implementing the OneGeology project in East and Southeast Asia in cooperation with CCOP and its member countries. The WMSs of the geological maps provided by Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, and Vietnam are hosted in the GSJ’s server. The website of OneGeology portal covering East and Southeast Asia has been moved to the GSi main portal site of CCOP (see Section 2.2.3) and the new URL is https://ccop-gsi.org/gsi/onegeologyasia/index.php (Fig. 2.1).

Fig. 2.1. OneGeology portal covering East Asia.

Program Contact Person: Dr. Kazuhiro Miyazaki, Research Institute of Geology and Geoinformation, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected]

2.2.2. ASEAN Harmonized Geological Map GSJ has been supporting the ASEAN Harmonized Geological Map (1:1,000,000) project since the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) of Thailand proposed the project at the 6th ASOMM+3 held in Bali, Indonesia in November 2013. In August 2016, a field workshop for the ASEAN Harmonized Geological Map was held in eastern Myanmar on 20 - 24 August (Fig. 2.2), following the in-house workshop in Naypyitaw on 15 - 19 August. At a side meeting during the 52nd CCOP Annual Session in Bangkok, Thailand in November 2016, the result of the field workshop was reported and the future plan, where workshops are scheduled in Lao PDR in 2017, was presented. Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Lao PDR and Cambodia are presently working on the harmonization of their 1:1 million scaled geological maps with neighboring countries for the ASEAN Harmonized Geological Map (1:1,000,000).


Fig. 2.2. Field workshop of ASEAN Harmonized Geological Map project in eastern at a border between Myanmar and Lao PDR in August 2016.

Program Contact Person: Dr. Yutaka Takahashi, Research Institute of Geology and Geoinformation, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected] 2.2.3. CCOP Geoinformation Sharing Infrastructure for East and Southeast Asia (GSi) The CCOP Geoinformation Sharing Infrastructure (GSi) Project is implemented by CCOP and GSJ. The main objective of the project is to develop a web-based system for the sharing of geoscience information among the countries in CCOP. The GSi system will also make geoscience information in the region easily accessible. The system provides Web-based functions for spatial data rendering and analysis in the forms of Web Map Service (WMS) and Web Processing Service (WPS), respectively. It could also be used to download data in several formats. The system follows the Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) model. However, unlike the conventional SDI, it uses a unique system of controlling data access privileges of the users. Data owners could decide who can view, edit and download their data using the system's data access privileges component. Users' group could also be created to classify users with the same data access privileges. The system also provides interface for the creation of a customized WebGIS portal for spatial data viewing and processing. The 1st GSi International Workshop was held in Solo, Indonesia, September 20-22, 2016 (Fig. 2.3). Forty-seven (47) participants from the CCOP member countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines and Thailand) attended the meeting. The system development, project future plan and data policy were discussed and a short training on how to use the system was conducted. The preliminary GSi main portal site (https://ccop-gsi.org/main/) was opened to the public during the 50th CCOP anniversary in November 2016 (Fig. 2.4). More than 140 data including geological maps, earthquake and volcanic maps, ground water, mineral resources and topographic maps from eleven countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam) are currently available on the GSi system. Fifteen portal sites from participating countries


and organizations are also created (e.g., https://ccop-gsi.org/gsi/thailand/). The 2nd CCOP GSi International Workshop will be held in Luang Prabang, Lao PDR, November 28-30, 2017.

Fig. 2.3. The 1st GSi International Workshop in Solo, Indonesia.

Fig. 2.4. GSi's main portal site.

Program Contact Person: Dr. Shinji Takarada and Joel Bandibas, Research Institute of Earthquake and Volcano Geology, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]


2.3. Geological Hazards 2.3.2. Asia-Pacific Region Global Earthquake and Volcanic Eruption Risk Management (G-EVER) The Asia-Pacific region earthquake and volcanic hazards mapping project aims to develop an advanced online hazard information system that provides past and recent earthquake and volcanic hazards information online. The information system shows distribution of calderas, tephra falls, tsunami inundation areas, active faults and fatalities in an interactive and user-friendly interface (Fig. 2.5). Links to major volcanic eruptions databases, such as Smithsonian, VOGRIPA, ASTER satellite images, Volcanoes of Japan and WOVOdat, are available for each volcano in the system. This project is implemented with the cooperation of major research institutes and organizations in the Asia-Pacific region. The Eastern Asia Earthquake and Volcanic Hazards Information Map, published in 2016, is a collaborative product of the G-EVER Promotion Team of the Geological Survey of Japan, AIST, and several geological institutes in East and Southeast Asia. The map provides information about geohazard including geology and tectonics in the Asia-Pacific region. The information includes the distribution of Holocene volcanoes, calderas, large-scale ignimbrites, ash falls, active faults, earthquake hypocenters and source areas, and fatalities in major volcanic events, earthquakes and tsunami. The fatalities in volcanic eruptions and earthquakes are classified by the main cause of the death and graphically illustrated to facilitate visual understanding of the magnitude of the damage from these disasters. The geospatial information content of the map can be downloaded on the Asia-Pacific Region Earthquake and Volcanic Hazard Information System. The G-EVER Volcanic Hazard Assessment Support System (Fig. 2.6) is developed based on eruption history, volcanic eruption database and numerical simulations. The system using Energy Cone, Titan2D and Tephra2 simulations can predict the area that would be affected by pyroclastic flow, debris avalanche and tephra falls during volcanic eruption. The system can assess any Quaternary volcano in the world (>3,000) using ASTER Global DEM. The area that would be affected by volcanic eruption at any location near the volcano can also be evaluated. The system can determine volcanic hazard risks by overlaying the distributions of volcanic deposits on major roads, houses and evacuation areas using WebGIS.

Fig. 2.5. G-EVER Asia-Pacific Earthquake and Volcanic Hazard Information System

(http://ccop-geoinfo.org/G-EVER).


Fig. 2.6. G-EVER Volcanic Hazards Assessment Support System (http://volcano.g-ever1.org/).

Program Contact Person: Dr. Shinji Takarada, Research Institute of Earthquake and Volcano Geology, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected]

2.4. Geological Environment 2.4.1. Coastal Geology in Asia Collaborative researches on deltas, coastal geology and coastal environment in East and Southeast Asia were carried out by GSJ and organizations in these countries. Joint field surveys were conducted in natural levees and point bars of the Mekong River, Cambodia, with the General Department of Mineral Resources, Cambodia from January to February 2017. The purpose of this survey is to understand the sedimentary facies of levees and point bars of the Mekong. The result is published from the Journal of the Geological Society (Gugliotta, M., Saito, Y., Ben, B., Sieng, S., Oliver, T.S.N., in press. Sedimentology of Late Holocene fluvial levee and point-bar deposits from the Cambodia tract of the Mekong River). Followings are the outcomes of other collaborative activities. Gugliotta, M., Saito, Y., Nguyen, V.L., Ta, T.K.O., Nakashima, R., Tamura, T., Uehara, K.,

Katsuki, K., Yamamoto, S. (2017) Process regime, salinity, morphological, and sedimentary trends along the fluvial to marine transition zone of the mixed-energy Mekong River delta, Vietnam. Continental Shelf Research. in press.

Liu, J.P., DeMaster, D.J., Nittrouer, C.A., Eidam, E.F., Nguyen, T.T., Saito, Y., Nguyen, V.L., Ta, T.K.O., Li, X. (2017) Stratigraphic formation of the Mekong River delta and its recent shoreline changes. Oceanography, 30(3), in press.

Song, B., Li, Z., Lu, H.Y., Limi Mao, Saito, Y., Yi, S.H., Lim, J.S., Zhen Li, Lu, A.Q., Sha, L.B., Zhou, R., Zuo, X.X., Vera Pospelova, V. (2017) Pollen record of the centennial climate changes during 9–7 cal ka BP in the Changjiang (Yangtze) River Delta plain, China. Quaternary Research, 87 (1), 275–287.

Wu, Z.Y., Saito, Y., Zhao, D.N., Zhou, J.Q., Cao, Z.Y., Li, S.J., Shang, J.H., Liang, Y.Y. (2016) Impact of human activities on subaqueous topographic change in Lingding Bay of the Pearl River estuary, China, during 1955–2013. Scientific Reports, 6, 37742.


Wu, X., Bi, N.S., Xu, J.P., Nittrouer, J., Yang, Z.S., Saito, Y., Wang, H.J. (2017) Stepwise morphological evolution of the active Yellow River (Huanghe) delta lobe (1976–2013): Dominant roles of riverine discharge and sediment grain size. Geomorphology, 292, 115-127.

Programme Contact Person: Dr. Yoshiki Saito, Research Institute of Geology and Geoinformation, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected] 2.4.2. International activity of Kanazawa University Kanazawa University carried out research and educational activities in Cambodia in partnership with the National Authority for Protection and Management of Angkor and the Region of Siem Reap (APSARA National Authority), the Institute of Technology of Cambodia (ITC), and the Department of Geology, the Ministry of Mines and Energy of Cambodia (DGMME) from the second half of 2016 to the first half of 2017. Kanazawa University and Komatsu College of Japan sent ten undergraduate students belonging to various departments to the APSARA National Authority from August to September 2016 as a part of capacity building programmes related with research activities in the Angkor World Heritage site and the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve of UNESCO in Cambodia (Fig. 2.7). The students were engaged in the routines of the authority to learn environmental management such as monitoring of groundwater level, water quality survey in local rivers and afforestation in the areas of the world heritage site.

Fig. 2.7. A group photo at Angkor Wat during the internship programme at the APSARA National Authority in August 2016. Serious environmental problems such as water pollution, changes of freshwater ecosystem and coastal erosion have emerged in Lake Tonle Sap and its environs due to recent rapid growth of the Cambodian economy and notable development of tourism in the Angkor World Heritage site. In order to conserve the great biodiversity and unique geological and hydrological settings of the lake, a three-year research programme named “Evaluation of Mechanisms Sustaining the Biodiversity in Lake Tonle Sap, Cambodia (EMSB)" Phase 2 led by Kanazawa University, has started in cooperation with the APSARA National Authority, ITC and DGMME in April 2016. On the basis of the


results of EMSB Phase 1 (2000 - 2007) and preliminary surveys in May and June 2016, bottom sediment sampling, hydrological monitoring, plant ecological investigation, underwater light condition and primary production measurements, and invertebrate and vertebrate sampling were carried out in the entire lake area in August (flooding period), October (highest water period) and December (early falling period) 2016, and March (late falling period) and May (lowest water period) 2017 (Fig. 2.8). Progress reports of these surveys were presented in the international symposium “UNESCO Programmes for Sustainable Development in East and Southeast Asia - World Heritage, Biosphere Reserves and Global Geoparks –“, held at Kanazawa University in March 2017.

Fig. 2.8: Plankton sampling in the central part of Lake Tonle Sap in October 2016.

Programme Contact Person: Professor Shinji Tsukawaki, Division of Terrestrial Environmental Studies, Institute of Nature and Environmental Technology, Kanazawa University Email: [email protected] Web: http://mekong.ge.kanazawa-u.ac.jp 2.4.3. Geophysical research at the University of Tokyo We, the Graduate School of Engineering, University of Tokyo (UTokyo), have investigated the applicability of the interferometry synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) technology for monitoring of crustal movement. We successfully estimated horizontal and vertical displacements of a volcano with high accuracy, which could be closely related to volcanic eruption, by applying the vector composition method to ALOS-2/PALSAR-2 bi-directional data (Fig. 2.9). We believe that such InSAR technology can be a promising tool for monitoring of coastal environment, geohazards assessment and other applications in East and Southeast Asia. We have also developed seismic data analysis methods such as seismic migration and seismic attenuation. Our targets include geothermal, active faults, oil and gas, and methane hydrate. We have recently developed a stable method to estimate seismic attenuation from zero-offset vertical seismic profiling (VSP) and sonic logging data by combining the modified median frequency shift (MMFS) method and seismic interferometry (SI), which led to successful characterization of methane hydrate bearing sediments and fractured carbonate oil reservoirs. CCOP and we, having concluded a mutual agreement on the academic exchange in 2010, agreed to extend it at CCOP Technical Secretariat in Bangkok in March 2017 (Fig. 2.10).


The leading figure of UTokyo has been changed from Prof. Shuichi Rokugawa to Assoc. Prof. Jun Matsushima. We have proposed to start the exchange of young researchers and internship students of CCOP member countries and UTokyo.

Fig. 2.9. Vector composition analysis of PALSAR-2 bi-directional data over Sakurajima Volcano, southwestern Japan (after Rokugawa et al., 2016).

Fig. 2.10. Field trip to coastal erosion and land subsidence areas, south of Bangkok, in March 2017.

Programme Contact Person: Assoc. Prof. Jun Matsushima, Frontier Research Center for Energy and Resources, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo Email: [email protected]


3. KNOWLEDGE ENHANCEMENT AND SHARING

3.1. Summary Systematic geological surveys and researches have been conducted by the Geological Survey of Japan (GSJ) and other geoscience organizations for the development of geological resources, mitigation of geological hazards, geological mapping in coastal areas, and environmental conservation and underground utilization in the past year. The chapter summarizes those research activities.

3.2. Geological Resources 3.2.1. Mineral Resources 3.2.1.1. Introduction The price of base metals and critical metals including rare earths gradually increased in 2016, and exploration activities in mining sector become more active than previous year. On the other hand, the trend of protectionism and nationalism over resources has become significant in developing countries in the past few years. Under such circumstances, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has continued to budget for the securement of base metals and critical metals, mainly through Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC) and AIST.

3.2.1.2. Research Activities at AIST and GSJ (1) Mineral Resources on land The Strategic Urban Mining Research Base (SURE) in AIST is actively conducting large-scale collaborative researches on material recycling technologies, collaborating with major mining and metallurgical industries and local governments in Japan. GSJ has been in charge of mineral exploration, continuously conducting the following three programs: 1) study on the concentration mechanism of critical metals, resource evaluation, and the beneficiation of ore minerals, 2) geological and technical studies on industrial minerals and their processing, and 3) international cooperation and consulting on mineral resources. GSJ has been continuing a five-year joint project (2012-2017) studying the rare earths (RE) potential in South Africa with the cooperation of the Council for Geoscience (CGS), South Africa. GSJ has also conducted joint projects on the study on critical metal deposits with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and Geological Survey of Argentina (SEGEMAR) (Fig. 3.1). Besides metals, GSJ has also conducted the following projects on clay mineral resources: 1) the standardization of performance evaluation technique on bentonite, 2) the geological and mineral processing studies on kaolin resources in central Japan.

Fig. 3.1. Field survey at Pirquitas Ag-Zn-Sn Mine, Argentina.


Programme Contact Person: Dr. Tetsuichi Takagi, Research Institute for Geo-Resources and Environment, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected] (2) Deep-Sea Mineral Resources To establish an efficient survey method for deep-sea hydrothermal sulfide deposits, GSJ conducted a research program using a deep-tow package. Some minor improvements were made to make the operation easier. The package loads three kinds of major equipment: swath bathymetry, side-scan sonar and CTD. Survey cruises using the deep-tow package that also loads a magnetometer was carried out at three hydrothermal fields in the northern Okinawa Trough and the northern Izu Ridge for the surface geological mapping in FY 2016, in which detailed bathymetries and seafloor structures were obtained. Clear images of hydrothermal plumes were recognized on the side-scan images. To understand the formation processes of the deep-sea hydrothermal sulfide deposits, GSJ conducted geological, geochemical and geophysical studies of volcanic rocks obtained from the central Okinawa Trough as a part of the Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program (SIP) under close cooperation with the other institutes and universities. A tentative model of magma genesis for the hydrothermal field was proposed from the petrographic and geochemical data. Cooperative study of deep-sea manganese crusts was also conducted under the SIP program.

Programme Contact Person: Dr. Ken Ikehara, Research Institute of Geology and Geoinformation, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected] 3.2.1.3. Mineral Resource Development by Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC) (1) Introduction In order to ensure a stable supply of mineral resources for industries and people of Japan, JOGMEC supports Japanese companies in securing the interests of resources overseas at the development stages ranging widely from formation of exploration projects to assistance in development and production. The brief introduction of the JOGMEC’s activities and achievements in Asia from July 2016 to June 2017 is given below. The department in parentheses is the one in charge. (2) Overseas exploration (Metals Exploration Department) To reduce the early-stage risks in exploration for Japanese companies and facilitate their overseas mineral exploration activities, JOGMEC carries out mineral exploration jointly with various organizations abroad such as state mineral enterprises, regional governmental organizations, geological survey organizations, local mining companies, and major or junior mining companies that hold mineral properties (“Joint Venture Survey”). If the exploration results are positive, the equity interest is transferred to Japanese companies from JOGMEC. If the Japanese company has already obtained the assurance to get exploration rights in the area with mineral potential, JOGMEC conducts projects and shares the costs with the corporation (“Overseas Geological Surveys”). In the past year, JOGMEC executed projects in four countries in the CCOP region, namely Laos, Cambodia, Philippines and Myanmar. Especially, in July 2016, JOGMEC and the Department of Geological Survey and Mineral Exploration (GDSE) of Myanmar signed


the Minutes of Meeting (M/M), which extends the period of JOGMEC’s exploration activity in Myanmar by three years. (3) Technology development and technical support (Metals Exploration Department and Metals Mining Technology Department) For more efficient exploration, JOGMEC develops the technologies for exploration (remote sensing and high-resolution geophysical technologies), production (extraction of metals from mineral ores and their enrichment) and recycling. JOGMEC also provides technical supports to mining operation sites in developing countries. For example, in order to improve the geological interpretation of remote sensing data in vegetated areas, the DEM data analysis has been applied for the interpretation of granite distribution and tin-tungsten deposits in southern Myanmar. (4) Mine pollution control (Metals Environment Management Department and Metals Finance Department) JOGMEC provides technical and financial support to domestic local governments and companies so that they can implement efficient and reliable measures to prevent mine pollution. JOGMEC also held seminars in Myanmar and Philippines in 2016 and 17, providing local engineers with the latest technological information and know-how of environmental conservation on mine site. In addition, responding to a request from Myanmar, JOGMEC invited Myanmar officials to Japan and provided an opportunity for technical transfer of environmental conservation on mine sites.

Program Contact Person: Ms. Yukie Asano, Metals Strategy Department, JOGMEC E-mail: [email protected] 3.2.2. Energy Resources 3.2.2.1. Oil & Gas The major domestic oil and gas fields are located in the Niigata Basin and Akita-Yamagata Basin, both in the Sea of Japan side of northeastern Honshu. Several oil and gas fields were found in the central zone of Hokkaido, in the area extending north and south. Some oil and gas fields are expected to be discovered in the offshore basins along the Pacific coast of northeastern Honshu and Hokkaido and offshore along the Sea of Japan coast of southwestern Honshu. From FY2016 to FY2017, domestic explorations and developments have been done in several oil and gas fields. Oil production was carried out by JAPEX, INPEX and JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration. Natural gas was produced by INPEX, JAPEX and JX. JOGMEC continues 3D seismic survey projects offshore around Japan since 2008, with the seismic survey vessel Shigen and processing the data at a center in JOGMEC. In FY2016, the Shigen acquired 3D data at the off West Tsugaru, off West Tempoku, off Tottori and Hyogo and off Ibaraki. INPEX drilled an exploratory well at 140 km northern offshore of Yamaguchi Prefecture, where water depth is 206 m, from May 5th to October 26th, 2016, under the commission of METI, based on the results of 3D seismic surveys conducted by JOGMEC in 2011 and by INPEX in 2013. The drilling reached 2900 m below the sea floor, only to find a thin gas reservoir in a shallow zone and some gas indications in deeper zones.


JAPEX has been conducting the initiative program of tight oil from the Onnagawa formation at the Ayukawa Oilfield in the Akita-Yamagata sedimentary basin. The production rate has increased more than 5-fold after the acid treatment to dissolve carbonates or silicates that fill microfractures. The tight oil production test was operated by JAPEX from 2014 to 2017 at the Fukumezawa Oilfield near Akita City. After drilling of a horizontal well and fracturing operations in the well, JAPEX conducted the first deliverability test in February 2015, however, could not confirm any natural flow of oil. They continued the verification tests to clarify the cause and to explore measures for its improvement. They transferred its phase and started the long-term continuous production test by the artificial lifting method. Tight oil and shale gas have been produced since December 2016. JAPEX estimated that tight oil reserves in the Ayukawa area are 2 million bbl using the method by Downey et al. (2011). Annual domestic production for each fuel in 2016 is as follows: Crude oil: 548,915 kl (condensate: 327,349 kl) (= 9,450 bbl/day) Natural gas: 2,754 million Nm3 (water soluble gas: 498,951Nm3) (= 266 cubic

feet/day) Japanese oil developers have been exploring and developing oil and natural gas resources all over the world, focusing on Southeast Asia, PNG, Western Australia, Middle East, Africa, Norway, UK, Caspian Sea, Russia, North America, Venezuela and Brazil. Their recent activities in the CCOP region are available in their websites. * JOGMEC: http://www.jogmec.go.jp/english/index.html * INPEX Corporation: http://www.inpex.co.jp/english/index.html * JAPEX: http://www.japex.co.jp/english/index.html * JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration: http://www.nex.jx-group.co.jp/english/index.html * Mitsui Oil Exploration Co. (MOECO): http://www.moeco.co.jp/english/index.html * Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.: http://www.idemitsu.com/ * Itochu Oil Exploration (CIECO): http://www.itochuoil.co.jp/e/index.html * Mitsubishi Corporation Exploration(MCX):

http://www.mcexploration.com/en/index.html * Petro Summit E&P Corporation: http://www.psep.tokyo.jp/ (Japanese only)

Programme Contact Person: Yuichiro Suzuki, Institute for Geo-Resources and Environment, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected] 3.2.2.2. Gas Hydrate The Research Consortium for Methane Hydrate Resources in Japan (MH21), established in 2001 and organized by the Agency of Natural Resources and Energy of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (ANRE/METI), is composed of JOGMEC, AIST and some other organizations from industries and universities. The MH21 program has two targets for methane hydrates: sand bed type and shallow type ones. The recent activities regarding the research and development of natural gas hydrate are shown on its website: http://www.mh21japan.gr.jp/english/ The main research objective of the sand bed type methane hydrates is the R&D for the gas production in offshore methane hydrate fields in Japan. After the first production test of gas from offshore gas hydrates at the Dai-ni Atsumi Knoll in the Nankai Trough area from February to April 2013, the second offshore methane hydrate production test was


carried out on the same knoll from April to June 2017 in order to establish gas production technologies. The outline of the second test is available at the MH21 website. The Methane Hydrate Project Unit in the Research Institute of Energy Frontier of AIST (MHPU, https://unit.aist.go.jp/rief/mhpu/), which was re-formed from the Methane Hydrate Research Center of AIST in FY2015, has been developing safe and efficient methods for producing natural gas from methane gas hydrate as a project of the MH21 consortium. MHPU has carried out in-situ analyses and characterization of pressurized core samples of hydrate concentrated layers, and physicochemical behavior analysis during gas production from gas hydrate deposit using simulation and history matching. For the shallow type methane hydrate, the Geological Survey of Japan (GSJ) of AIST has finished an intensive research program supported by METI for the evaluation of resource potential mainly in the Sea of Japan in cooperation with Meiji University and other universities in FY2016.

Programme Contact Person: Dr. Takeshi Nakajima, Research Institute for Geo-Resources and Environment, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected] 3.2.2.3. Coal Most of the coal fields in Japan are located in central and eastern Hokkiado, and northern Kyushu. The Ishikari coalfield, one of the most famous ones, is distributed in central Hokkaido and had produced high volatile bituminous coking coals. Most coalfields were deposited in Paleogene. Several seams lie deep at 1,000m below the ground surface, and sometimes they run under the sea floor. Domestic coal production has decreased to 1.3 million metric tons (MMt) in 2014 from about 50 million tons in 1960. Half of the national production comes from the Kushiro Coal Mine, the only operating underground coal mine in Japan, and the rest is produced by several open-pit coal mines in Hokkaido. The amount of imported coal is 189 MMt in 2014. Details of coal reserves in Japan were surveyed in the 1950’s and are revised by the Japan Coal Center (J-Coal)* in 2008. Proven reserves: 4,899 MMt Probable reserves: 3,422 MMt Possible reserves: 11,824 MMt JOGMEC supports the overseas activities of Japanese companies and holds training courses on mining safety for foreign mining engineers from Indonesia and Vietnam. Idemitu Kosan Co. Ltd. operates several coal mines in Australia. * Japan Coal Energy Center (J-Coal): http://www.jcoal.or.jp/eng/

Programme Contact Person: Yuichiro Suzuki, Institute for Geo-Resources and Environment (GREEN), GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected]


3.2.2.4. Geothermal Resources (1) Overview Though Japan has approximately 23 GWe of estimated theoretical potential of geothermal energy down to the depth of basement rock (~3 km deep), no new geothermal development had been conducted in this century until the nuclear accident occurred in March 2011. After the accident, the government put incentives for geothermal development, such as financial supports for exploration drillings, cost incentives by FiT and relaxation of regulations on national parks. These measures have encouraged private sectors’ geothermal business. As of March 2017, thirty-two new geothermal power plants with total power capacity of 16 MWe have opened since the enactment of geothermal FiT in July 2012, which makes the total national geothermal capacity 526 MWe. Although the majority are small binary power plants, more than fifty prospects are currently under exploration or development including ones using larger systems with capacity of over 10 MWe. In April 2017, geothermal FiT system was revised to include renewal of existing geothermal power plants. The new FiT, however, mandates monitoring of surrounding aquifer systems to the developers. As to ground source heat pump (GSHP) system, the number of installation has recently been increasing by 20% each year. About 2,230 systems were installed by the end of 2015, which was 1,500 at the end of 2013. (2) Research Activities Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC) is the current operating agent to give financial supports to companies and other organizations for exploration, development and research activities on geothermal resources, under the policy of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). JOGMEC conducts its own geothermal R&D such as regional airborne geophysical survey, heat-hole survey and drilling technology development as well. Another METI’s funding agent New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) also conducts geothermal technology development for surface technology and long-term technology. In the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), the Geothermal Energy Team (GET) and the Shallow Geothermal and Hydrogeology Team (SGHT) in the Renewable Energy Research Center (RENRC) conduct geothermal R&D. GET develops the technologies for effective and sustainable use of geothermal energy by measurement, monitoring and verification of geothermal field data, R&D for EGS, and construction of geothermal resource database. GET leads a national project on the development of subduction-origin supercritical geothermal resources, sponsored by NEDO. SGHT is conducting suitability mapping and developing system optimization technologies for GSHP application, based on hydrogeological data to consider advection effect of groundwater for both closed and open loop systems. SGHT is collaborating with universities and institutes in Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia on demonstration projects of GSHP. RENRC has been conducting a three-year project “Assessment on Necessary Innovations for Sustainable Use of Conventional and New-Type Geothermal Resources and their Benefit in East Asia” sponsored by the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) since September 2015, cooperating with researchers from China, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. RENRC held the 11th Asian Geothermal Symposium in Chiang Mai, Thailand in November 2017 in collaboration with the Institute of Georesources and Environment (GREEN) of AIST, the


Department of Groundwater Resources (DGR) of Thailand, and Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) supported by CCOP, the Asia-Western Pacific Regional Branch (AWPRB) of International Geothermal Association (IGA) and the International Energy Agency – Geothermal Implementation Agreement (IEA-GIA).

Programme Contact Person: Dr. Kasumi Yasukawa, Renewable Energy Research Center, Fukushima Renewable Energy Institute (FREA), AIST E-mail: [email protected] 3.2.3. Groundwater Resources (1) Summary GSJ is implementing groundwater research on the following five topics: 1) construction of hydro-environment maps, 2) basic study for groundwater hydrology, 3) study of coastal deep groundwater, 4) technical cooperation with Southeast Asian countries, and 5) study of ground source heat pump systems. (2) Scientific Research Activities for Groundwater GSJ has published a series of digital hydrogeological map “Water Environmental Map” for several basins and plains in Japan (Fig. 3.2). They are composed of geological and geomorphological maps and hydrological information such as water quality and groundwater table. A total of nine maps had been published by 2017. Next target areas are Osaka Plain, Niigata Plain and Yufutsu Plain. GSJ has also conducted a study for a high-level nuclear waste program, developed an evaluation method for stability of deep groundwater in coastal areas, and determined the zones where the groundwater is scarcely affected by long-term sea level change. As a member of a national committee, GSJ has contributed to tackling the groundwater contamination problem at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. GSJ played a part in a JICA-related work on groundwater, too.

Fig. 3.2. An example of the Hydro-Environmental Map, showing the groundwater table and temperature distribution around Mt. Fuji.


(3) Activity in CCOP The CCOP-GSJ-GA Groundwater Project Phase III Meeting was held in Bali, Indonesia on 21-23 March 2017. In the meeting, it was confirmed that the report of the CCOP-GSJ/AIST-NAWAPI Groundwater Phase III Meeting, held in Hanoi, Vietnam in March 2016, had been published and circulated to all the participants of the meeting, and that it had been uploaded to the CCOP website, http://ccop.asia/pdf/publication/GW-6.pdf. As to the project’s main objective of compiling groundwater data of CCOP Member Countries using Open Web GIS System, the data have been submitted by Japan, Korea, Malaysia and Philippines, and available at the GSi Groundwater Portal, https://ccop-gsi.org/gsi/ccop_water/index.php. For Thailand and Vietnam, survey data from the previous CCOP-GSJ Groundwater Project are available at this portal, too. In the Sub-Project of the Development of Ground-Source Heat Pump (GSHP) System in the CCOP Region, a new GSHP system was installed at the Vietnam Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (VIGMR), Hanoi, in October 2016 (Fig. 3.3). The system arrangement is the same as the one at the Geological Museum in Thailand installed in March 2015. But at VIGMR, synthetic polymer (shale stabilizer) were used as the drilling mud for drilling of the two 50 m deep heat exchanger boreholes. This provides higher efficiency of the heat exchange than a case using bentonite for the drilling mud.

Fig. 3.3. Installation site of GSHP system at VIGMR (left) and the fun coil unit of the system in the Director’s room (right: yellow oval).

Programme Contact Person: Dr. Youhei Uchida, Research Institute for Geo-Resources and Environment, GSJ, AIST Email: [email protected]

3.3. Geological Hazards 3.3.1. Earthquake Related Studies 3.3.1.1. Studies of Active Faults In FY 2016, GSJ carried out field surveys to determine the distribution and past activities of the following active faults: the Ayasegawa fault (Ina-Kawaguchi segment), the Sone-kyuryo fault zone and the Nagaoka-heiya-seien onshore fault zones, with financial support from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). In addition, we started paleoseismic investigations of the Hinagu fault zone (Fig. 3.4) and the Futagawa fault zone that were the source faults of the 2016 Kumamoto

mailto:[email protected]


earthquake. The results are used in the long-term evaluation of active faults by the Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion (HERP) of the Japanese Government. HERP website: http://www.jishin.go.jp/main/index-e.html

Fig. 3.4. Trenching survey on the Hinagu fault zone (Yamaide site) in Kumamoto Prefecture.

Programme Contact Person: Dr. Yukari Miyashita, Research Institute of Earthquake and Volcano Geology, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected] 3.3.1.2. Studies of seismotectonics GSJ has been constructing the local stress map in the Kanto area based on the focal mechanisms of earthquakes within the earth's crust. In this fiscal year, the study area was extended to cover the region of long-term evaluation of active faults in the Kanto area (The Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion, 2015), which resulted in further analyses of 300+ earthquakes. More than 2,000 well-determined focal mechanism solutions including the new results have been obtained for earthquakes shallower than 25 km that occurred over 14 years. Our focal mechanism catalog has been merged with the earthquake catalog of the Japan Meteorological Agency, which provides the information for the assessment of the stress map. For each focal mechanism, the direction of the maximum horizontal compressive stress (SHmax) and the type of faulting were determined first. SHmax direction was determined following the characterization method of Zoback (1992) based on plunge of P, B, and T-axes. Regarding the type of faulting, the rake-based classification approach introduced by Shearer et al. (2006), which provides a single scalar value on a continuous scale (fptype) varying from -1 (normal faulting) via 0 (strike-slip faulting) to +1 (reverse faulting), was adopted. Then the stress pattern was estimated by computing the mean SHmax and fptype on a grid interval of 10 km (Fig. 3.5), which can be regarded almost as the final version. Comparing with previous stress maps (e.g., Townend and Zoback, 2006; Yukutake et al., 2015), our map successfully reduced the blank area of stress information. The obtained map clearly shows a complex pattern of the stress orientation as well as the type of faulting, which cannot be explained by the relative plate motion and the collision of the Izu Peninsula. However, in the spatial scale


of a few 10 km, the stress field shows similar pattern, suggesting an existence of multiple tectonic stress provinces in the area.

Fig. 3.5. Stress map in the Kanto area inferred from focal mechanisms of earthquakes within the earth's crust. Black lines and background color show the direction of maximum horizontal compressive stress (SHmax) and the type of faulting, respectively. Red lines are active faults after the Research Group for Active Faults of Japan (1991). Gray bold line represents the region of long-term evaluation of active faults in the Kanto area (The Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion, 2015).

Programme Contact Person: Dr. Kazutoshi Imanishi, Research Institute of Earthquake and Volcano Geology, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected] 3.3.1.3. Study of subduction zone paleoearthquakes GSJ is working on paleoseismological research to clarify the source fault of past giant earthquakes generated in subduction zones, and its rupture history in coastal areas. Geological and geomorphological surveys along with the study of historical documents have been conducted in three areas along the Pacific coast of Japan: areas facing the subduction zones of the Kuril-Japan Trench, the Sagami Trough, and the Nankai Trough. Simulating tsunami inundation or coseismic crustal movement based on the obtained field data such as tsunami deposit and marine terrace, source fault models are inferred. Our activities and findings in FY2016 are as follows. Kuril-Japan Trench: Because the distribution of sandy tsunami deposit is generally narrower than the actual tsunami-inundated area, it is difficult to determine the area of past inundation by ordinary observation of geological facies. Instead, distribution of biomarkers and cosmogenic nuclides can provide clues as invisible evidence of past tsunami recorded in soil. Various types of geochemical analysis are being tried for samples collected in Sendai, Fukushima and Eastern Hokkaido. These data will improve the accuracy of the source model for giant earthquakes along the Kuril-Japan Trench.


Sagami Trough: The study of the Holocene marine terraces in the Boso Peninsula suggests that two types of large earthquakes, the Taisho-type and the Genroku-type, have repeatedly occurred along the Sagami Trough. The timing of the Genroku-type earthquake has been reevaluated by dense drilling survey and DEM analysis (Fig. 3.6). Five steps of marine terraces have been identified, and from each terrace, a lot of samples of deposits were collected for radiocarbon dating, which indicated aperiodic recurrence of earthquakes. The results of the study contribute to the long-term forecast of large earthquakes which will cause serious damage to the Tokyo Metropolitan area. Nankai Trough: There are two ongoing projects along the Nankai Trough. One is the “Disaster mitigation research project on Mega thrust earthquakes around Nankai/Ryukyu subduction zones” funded by MEXT, in which drilling survey is conducted in the uplift side of the Fujikawa-kako Fault Zone, Shizuoka Prefecture, which is located at the eastern end of the Trough. In the Miyazaki Plain, located at the western end of the trough, reconnaissance survey for tsunami deposit was conducted. Another is an international collaboration project “BRAIN-be project on earthquakes and tsunamis along the Nankai subduction zone, Japan”. A coring survey was conducted in the Holocene alluvial lowland near the Hamana Lake, Shizuoka Prefecture with European researchers. The geological data of each site such as tsunami deposit are compiled and being prepared for the publication on the GSJ’s website of the tsunami deposit database (https://gbank.gsj.jp/tsunami_deposit_db/).

Fig. 3.6. Study of the Holocene marine terraces in the Boso peninsula. a: Source areas of the historical large earthquakes along the Sagami Trough. b: Schematic image of dense drilling survey on marine terraces. c: Paleoshorelines and its renewed emergence ages in the Chikura lowland. All figures are revised from Komori et al. (2017).

Programme Contact Person: Dr. Masanobu Shishikura, Research Institute of Earthquake and Volcano Geology, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected]


3.3.1.4. Precise monitoring system for the Tokai, Tonankai and Nankai Earthquakes GSJ has been constructing observatories to monitor groundwater and borehole strain in and around the expected focal zones of the Nankai and Tonankai earthquakes since 2006. Each observatory has three wells of 30, 200 and 600 meters deep to measure groundwater level and groundwater temperature. A multi-component borehole strainmeter and a borehole tiltmeter are installed at the bottom of either the 600 or 200 meters deep well. Sixteen observatories are in operation as of June 2016. In estimating the fault-model of short-term slow slip events (S-SSEs) occurring at the plate boundary of the Nankai Trough, one of the issues to be solved is that there are no appropriate/good observation sites for high quality monitoring of crustal deformation in the western part of Aichi Prefecture and the northern part of Mie Prefecture around the Ise Bay. The casing pipe of the HKS observation well in northern Mie Prefecture was sealed with borehole packer and used to observe the aquifer pressure there. The changes in the aquifer pressure associated with S-SSEs around the Ise Bay were detected in July and December 2016. The detected changes in aquifer pressure were compared with the ones calculated from the fault models of the S-SSEs determined by borehole strainmeters and tiltmeters.

Programme Contact Person: Dr. Norio Matsumoto, Research Institute of Earthquake and Volcano Geology, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected] 3.3.2. Volcanic Hazards GSJ performs multidisciplinary study on volcanic and magmatic activities. Eruptive histories of active volcanoes were studied with geological mapping and radiometric dating techniques. Volcanic activity was assessed from the analyses of eruptive materials and volcanic gas. The second edition of the geological map of Fuji Volcano was published 48 years after the publication of the first edition (Fig. 3.7). This map was revised based on the results of traditional field survey, borehole drilling, trench excavation, 14C dating and geochemical analysis, and aims to be used for the mitigation of volcanic disasters caused by eruption of Fuji Volcano. https://gbank.gsj.jp/volcano/Act_Vol/fujisan/index-e.html


Fig. 3.7. Geological Map of Fuji Volcano, 2nd Edition (GSJ, AIST).

Nishinoshima Volcano, Ogasawara Islands, has been erupting since 2013. In October 2016, as a member of the research team led by the Earthquake Research Institute (ERI) of the University of Tokyo, a GSJ researcher landed on Nishinoshima Island while the eruption ceased, and investigated the eruption products (Fig. 3.8). https://www.gsj.jp/hazards/volcano/nishinoshima/2016/index.html

Fig. 3.8. Lava flow of Nishinoshima Volcano that flowed out between 4th and 10th December 2014. There is vegetation on the old island. Photo by Shun Nakano, GSJ, on 20th October 2016.


The information on the 2016 Eruption of Aso Volcano, central Kyushu, is available at the GSJ’s website. https://www.gsj.jp/hazards/volcano/aso/2016/index.html Volcanic ashes from ongoing eruptions of Sakurajima in southern Kyushu have been analyzed and the results were reported to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).

Programme Contact Person: Dr. Yoshihiro Ishizuka, Research Institute of Earthquake and Volcano Geology, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected] 3.4. Coastal Zone Geology 3.4.1. Seamless geological map in coastal area GSJ has been implementing the “Investigations on geology and active faults in the coastal zone of Japan” project since 2008. In order to obtain geological information that contributes to earthquake disaster mitigation in major coastal zones where many active faults develop, the project conducts a variety of surveys such as high-resolution seismic profiling survey, sediment sampling and re-examination of past geological data. From 2014 to 2016, field surveys were conducted in the eastern coast area of the Boso Peninsula (Chiba Prefecture) and northern coast area of Sagami Bay (Kanagawa Prefecture), which are located in the south of the capital area (Fig 3.9). The purpose of the surveys is comprehending the detailed active structures around the focal areas of 1923 (Taisho) and 1703 (Genroku) Kanto Earthquakes. The findings are currently being compiled and will be released on the website in 2018. Meanwhile, from 2017, new surveys have started in Ise and Mikawa Bays (Aichi and Mie Prefectures) as a three-year project. The purpose of this project is to grasp the existence and activities of unknown active faults.

Figure 3.9. (Left) The areas surveyed in the past three years (eastern Boso Peninsula and northern Sagami Bay), and (rigjt) target areas for the next three years (Ise and Mikawa Bays).

Programme Contact Person: Dr. Kohsaku Arai, Research Institute of Geology and Geoinformation, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected]


3.4.2. Three-Dimensional Geological Model in Coastal Urban Area The 3D geological map is a map with a new style of geoinformation expression that can show subsurface geology beneath coastal urban areas. Its prototype covering the northern Chiba Prefecture on the east of Tokyo Metropolis is under development as a cooperative work with the Research Institute of Environmental Geology, Chiba (RIEGC). The 3D geological map is constructed mainly by analyzing borehole and outcrop data. To establish the standard stratigraphic framework, GSJ conducts drilling surveys including detailed core description (sedimentary facies, marker tephra layers, and fossils), age measurement, and PS velocity and density logging. Stratigraphic data are also obtained from our outcrop surveys. Currently, the data of the drilling (23 sites) and outcrop surveys (196 sites) have been released as the standard stratigraphic data, together with the 2D geological map on the website of the “Urban Geological Map” (https://gbank.gsj.jp/urbangeol/). Subsurface geological strata in the study area are identified on the basis of the borehole logs of past public construction works in Chiba Prefecture, which were accumulated by RIEGC, in accordance with the established standard stratigraphic framework. Stratigraphic correlation and 3D modeling are in progress towards the forthcoming release of the 3D geological map.

Programme Contact Person: Dr. Tsutomu Nakazawa, Research Institute of Geology and Geoinformation, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected] 3.4.3. Coastal Environment of Okinawa Islands The study of the coastal environment of the subtropical Okinawa/Ryukyu Islands and the adjacent regions is one of GSJ’s projects. The objective is to better understand the relationship between marine coastal ecosystems and climate change at regional and global scales. The project consists of laboratory-based culture experiments of coral reef organisms, as well as field sampling and observation in the Ryukyu Islands. A series of culture experiments using coral reef organisms was conducted to examine the potential influence of climate change at the Sesoko Station of the Tropical Biosphere Research Center, the University of the Ryukyus. Ocean acidification is widely recognized to have a negative impact on marine calcifying organisms by reducing calcifications, but controversy remains over whether they can cope with ocean acidification within a range of phenotypic plasticity and/or adapt to future acidifying ocean. A laboratory rearing experiment was performed using clonal fragments of the common branching coral species Porites cylindrica and Montipora digitata under acidified seawater conditions (~400 and ~900 μatm in the partial pressure of CO2 in seawater, respectively) and the intraspecific variations in their responses to ocean acidification was evaluated. Intra- and interspecific variations in calcification and photosynthetic efficiency were evident according to colony, indicating that responses to acidification may be individually variable at the colony level. Our results suggest that some corals may cope with ocean acidification within their present genotypic composition by adaptation through phenotypic plasticity, while others may be placed under selective pressures resulting in population alteration. The result was published in Marine Pollution Bulletin (Sekizawa et al., 2017, v. 122, p. 282-287, doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.06.061). A physiological study on corals was conducted at the cellular level. Coral calcification is believed to occur in a physiologically controlled environment in the extracellular calcifying fluid located in the tissue–skeleton interface. The conditions in calcifying fluid


during active calcification are assumed to be very different from those of the external seawater environment. To address these questions, direct pH imaging was performed at calcification sites to visualize active pH upregulation in live aposymbiotic primary coral polyps treated with HCl-acidified seawater. Active alkalization was observed in all individuals using vital staining method. Our results showed that corals can regulate pH of calcification medium more dynamically than was previously believed. These observations will have important implications for determining the tolerance to ocean acidification within a range of phenotypic plasticity and/or adapt to future acidifying ocean. The result was published in Scientific Reports (Ohno et al., 2017, v. 7, 40324, doi: 10.1038/srep40324).

Programme Contact Person: Dr. Atsushi Suzuki, Research Institute of Geology and Geoinformation, GSJ, AIST. E-mail: [email protected] 3.5. Environmental Geology 3.5.1. Soil Contamination Soil contamination, frequently caused by industrial activities, can be considered as a “negative heritage” of industrial development. While the situation has become more serious in rapidly developing countries, remediation of contaminated soil remains a big challenge in developed countries as well. R&D associated with the technologies that cover characterization, remediation and risk assessment of different kinds of contaminants together with continuous development of intellectual infrastructure have been strategically performed in GSJ. Representative research topics in 2016 are as follows: 1) Improvement and application of rapid detection technology for low concentration radioactive cesium in water: The technology has been improved to be applicable to both river and marine water. Application and verification of the technology has been promoted through the activities of the AIST consortium for radioactive cesium monitoring. 2) Increment of reliability associated with characterization of leaching properties of heavy metals in soils: Factors that affect both upward flow column test and batch experiment have been continuously and systematically examined. Some new findings have been used to update the ISO standard ISO/21268-3. 3) Bioremediation of multiple volatile organic contaminants (VOCs): The technology of integrated anaerobic-aerobic biodegradation of multiple VOCs has been developed. Representative results have been published and are publicly accessible at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11270-016-3216-1 4) Improvement of the Geo-Environmental Risk Assessment System (GERAS): GERAS has been improved to combine cost effectiveness analysis, and applied to a couple of contaminated sites through collaborative research with industry partners. Different versions of GERAS are available on request: https://unit.aist.go.jp/georesenv/georisk/english/home/home_geras.html 5) Development of intellectual infrastructure: Field surveys and laboratory analyses associated with publishing the Geochemical and Risk Assessment Map of Subsurface Soils of Kochi Prefecture have been completed. The maps are publicly accessible at: https://www.gsj.jp/Map/JP/soils_assessment.html (in Japanese).


Detailed information and other research subjects are available from the following website: https://unit.aist.go.jp/georesenv/georisk/english/home/index.html

Programme Contact Person: Dr. Ming Zhang, Research Institute of Geo-Resources and Environment, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected] 3.5.2. CO2 Storage (CCS) The Geological Carbon Dioxide Storage Technology Research Association, which is composed of four companies (OYO Corporation, INPEX Corporation, Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd., and Taisei Corporation) and two organizations (Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth, and Geological Survey of Japan), was established in April 2016, to work on the project “Research and Development of Safety Technology for Geological CO2 Storage” funded by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). Its mission is to promote the technology development for large-scale geological storage (1 million ton CO2 /year) suitable for the geological conditions in Japan, and the improvement of social acceptance. The project has three major themes: (1) Establishment of safety management technology for large-scale geological storage of CO2, (2) Establishment of technology for effective injection into a large-scale storage site and its utilization, and (3) Development of the criteria and standards favorable for promoting CCS. Among these schemes, AIST conducts the study of unique and superior core technology in low-cost monitoring, coupled-analysis of hydraulics and dynamics, and measurement of geochemical reaction rate. Our geophysical monitoring experiment has successfully detected the gravity changes at high resolution using a superconducting gravimeter at the CCS demonstration test site in Tomakomai, Hokkaido for more than two years. The current issue is how to extract a weak signal derived from injected CO2 from various noise contents. Technology exchanges and the dissemination of our R&D results is also promoted taking every opportunity such as Japan-US cooperation on CCS research, and international conferences of GHGT-13 (13th International Conference on Greenhouse Gas Control Technology) and AOGS2016 (13th Annual Meeting of Asia Oceania Geosciences Society). Programme Contact Person: Dr. Masao Sorai, Institute of Geo-resources and Environment, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected]

4. DATA AND INFORMATION

4.1. Summary This chapter describes the publication and distribution of geo-information done by the Geological Survey of Japan (GSJ) from July 2016 to June 2017. 4.2. Publication (1) Maps GSJ has published two map sheets and one CD-ROM during the period.


Map sheets - 1:50,000 Geological Map (1) - Miscellaneous Map Series (1) CD/DVD ROM - Marine Geological Map (1) Web - Seamless Geological Map of Coastal Zone (1) - Gravity Map (1) - Soil Assessment Map (1) - Seamless Digital Geological Map of Japan (1:200,000) (1) (2) Others Six reports have been published as GSJ Open-File Reports. Monthly newsletters “GSJ Chishitsu News” have been published both in print and on the web. Geoscientific reports newly published are: - Bulletin of the Geological Survey of Japan (Vol. 67, No. 3 - Vol. 68, No. 3) (7) - Annual Report on Active Fault and Paleoearthquake Researches (No. 16) (1) - GSJ Interim Report (No.70-73) (4)

Program Contact Person: Mr. Osamu Kase, Geoinformation Service Center, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected] 4.3. Data Services The new version of the Seamless Digital Geological Map of Japan (1:200,000) with highly detailed legend based on the latest geological knowledge has been opened to the public (https://gbank.gsj.jp/seamless/v2full/?lang=en) on May 10, 2017 (Fig. 4.1). Some geospatial data provided by other organizations have been added to GeomapNavi (https://gbank.gsj.jp/geonavi/), GSJ’s main viewer application. The geological maps of volcanoes have been made downloadable in vector data and their web services (WMS/WMTS) become available. The vectorization of 1:50,000 geological maps to Shapefile and kml file is currently underway. GSJ has developed some applications for its WMS/WMTS geological maps. They are open-source applications and downloadable from our website and GitHub (https://github.com/gsc-gsj-aist). Some of them such as 3D geological map viewer and multi-geological-map viewer are developed for enhanced usage of the vector data. GSJ has renewed the data policy in October 2016. Under the new license, the data on our website can be freely used, copied, publicly transmitted, translated, and modified on the conditions that the source is cited and that editing and processing of original data are specified.


Figure 4.1. Comparison of the old version (left: opened in 2005) with the revised version (right: opened in May 2017) of the Seamless Geological Map of Japan (e.g., Miura and Boso Peninsulas).

Program Contact Person: Mr. Toshiyuki Yoshikawa, Geoinformation Service Center, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected] 4.4. Data Archive GSJ has provided 1,564 records of the metadata of its maps to the geospatial information clearing house of the government, in Japan Metadata Profile (JMP) ver. 2.0 formats in this period. GSJ has also been operating a bibliographic database GEOLIS (Geological Literature Search System) since 1986, in which about 486,000 metadata are currently registered.

Program Contact Person: Information Resources Office, Geoinformation Service Center, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected] 4.5. ASTER Value-Added product open to the public GSJ released ASTER Value-Added (hereafter ASTER-VA) product free of charge in April 2016. ASTER, Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer, is an advanced optical sensor onboard NASA’s TERRA satellite. GSJ has been involved in the sensor development originally for the earth resource exploration. Its data of over 3 million images collected from 2000 to 2017 cover the entire globe, and have great potential for use in variety of businesses. Aiming to promote their use, GSJ has distributed them for free with added value so as to meet not only for the exploration but the industry needs. A technique to simulate a blue band, which ASTER lacks, has been developed to reproduce images in natural color. For example, it enables a composite image of forests to look more natural. The data can easily be integrated with other GIS data as images are ortho-rectified with DEM with geographic coordinates. MADAS (https://gbank.gsj.jp/madas/) is a system which can search for the ASTER-VA data without registration. ASTER-VA can be browsed and downloaded as KML and GeoTIFF format. ASTER-VA data as KML can be browsed on Google Earth and other web maps. ASTER-VA displayed on a map makes it easy to observe the state of the earth surface as the pseudo-natural color image. Images can be viewed on a tablet terminal or a smart phone by using the satellite imagery inspection application.


The user can also download ortho-rectified ASTER-VA by pushing the Tar button. This ASTER-VA contains all the ASTER ortho-rectified bands plus generated scene based DEM, except for the band3B data (some bands may not be included depending on the observation mode). Atmospheric correction is not applied for the image. GeoTIFF format, which is easy to use with GIS software, is applied. Data is compiled as a single tar.gz file, which can be uncompressed by using free software. In order to ensure the download capacity for all users, only scene-by-scene download is available. More than 1.4 million scenes were accessed in one year. Also, several services associated with ASTER-VA are operational. The Image Database for Volcanoes contains all ASTER images acquired at 964 volcanoes in the world and is open to the public. (https://gbank.gsj.jp/vsidb/image/index-E.html). ASTER hot spot detection system, which provides all hot spots observed by ASTER thermal band (in Japanese only) is available at https://gbank.gsj.jp/nyouga/all/.

Programme Contact Person: Dr. Koki Iwao, Research Institute of Geology and Geoinformation, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected]

Documents

Member Country Report of JAPANccop.asia/53as.69sc/53as_Ag03-08_MC_Report_Japan.pdf · 2017. 10. 3. · Geoinformation Sharing Infrastructure Project) - Geological hazards (ASIA-Pacific