The “Open Seminar” is a forum for dialogue between researchers and citizens on themes such as disaster prevention and recovery. Organized once a month by the Kobe University Research Center for Urban Safety and Security, its 300th session will be held in November 2024. The series started in May 1997, about two years after the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. It was initiated by Professor Emeritus MUROSAKI Yoshiteru (then a professor at the Faculty of Engineering), who deeply felt the importance of disseminating information to the public after the disaster claimed the lives of over 6,000 people. As we approach the 30th anniversary of the disaster in January next year, starting this September, researchers from various fields will be invited each month to discuss the theme “30 years since the earthquake and the future.”

Speakers from a wide range of fields and open to the public

The Research Center for Urban Safety and Security was established in 1996, the year after the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. The Open Seminars are held in principle once a month, inviting a wide range of speakers, including researchers from within and outside the university, government officials, and company employees. The seminars feature research findings on domestic and international disasters, as well as presentations on disaster prevention efforts by local governments and companies. Open to the public, the seminars attract a diverse audience, including university faculty and students, citizens interested in disaster prevention, and local government and corporate officials.

The first lecturer 27 years ago was Murosaki talking on the theme of “Performance-based regulations in the building standards act and the future of disaster-resistant design.” Initially, the focus was on issues related to the reconstruction and urban planning from the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake and disaster and fire prevention measures, but the themes gradually expanded.

Whenever major disasters occurred, such as the Western Tottori Earthquake (2000), the Great East Japan Earthquake (2011), the Kumamoto Earthquake (2016), the Heavy Rain Event of July 2018, and the Noto Peninsula Earthquake (2024), the seminars promptly addressed the actual damage and challenges. There have also been numerous sessions focused on international disasters, such as earthquakes in Taiwan, Turkey, China, and India, as well as hurricanes in the United States. Discussions have frequently been held on preparedness for a potential Nankai Trough megaquake and urban development during non-disaster times.

A significant feature is that the seminars have addressed not only natural disasters but also human-made disasters, such as the Akashi pedestrian bridge accident (2001) and the Amagasaki JR derailment accident (2005). The seminars have also covered topics like the COVID-19 pandemic, providing a broad platform for discussing crisis management.

Role in talent development

Murosaki says that the words of the bereaved families and victims of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake were the impetus for holding the seminars.

“Before the disaster, we believed that presenting research findings at academic conferences or reporting them to the government would convey the information to the public. In fact, the danger of disasters was not being communicated effectively. The bereaved families told us, ‘If only the professors had warned us more about the possibility of a major earthquake in Kobe…’ I felt a deep sense of responsibility and realized the need to connect with the citizens.”

In the beginning, however, there was not much public participation. Murosaki recalls, “At first, it was like opening up a university lecture and most of the participants were students. As we continued, more disaster prevention professionals and citizens from outside the university began to join and eventually government officials also started participating.”

Professor Emeritus HOKUGO Akihiko (a former professor at the Research Center for Urban Safety and Security), who took over from Murosaki, says, “I vividly remember Professor Murosaki writing numerous postcards to announce each Open Seminar. I felt an immense passion from him.”

The Open Seminars, which have continued for almost 300 sessions, have never run out of lecturers or topics. Hokugo talks about the significance of holding the seminars, saying: “I chose topics that I personally wanted to learn about at that time. Listening to people from various fields was a valuable opportunity for both myself and the students, and sometimes the content of the Open Seminars would lead to discussions in our classes.”

Meanwhile, the style of the seminars has gradually changed: In 2012, when the Research Center for Urban Safety and Security and the Kobe City Fire Department signed a comprehensive agreement, the seminars began to be hosted at the Crisis Management Office in Kobe’s city hall. This change made it easier for citizens to attend compared to when it was held on campus, leading to an increase in participants.

Furthermore, as a consequence of the spread of COVID-19, sessions have been hosted online and are now held in a hybrid format both in-person and online. This has allowed people to join from all over the country, which is a significant advantage. At times, more than 60 people participate.

Professor KONDO Tamiyo of the Research Center for Urban Safety and Security, who is currently in charge of the Open Seminars, looks ahead and says: “I want to continue the seminars as a place where we can think and learn together with the participants. Disaster and social safety are not confined to a single academic field but are related to a wide range of fields, so the topics are limitless. Even as we reach the milestone of 300 seminars, we have no intention of stopping.”

Murosaki also says: “The Open Seminars have become a place where various people can connect and are a venue for talent development. Recently, student participation has been declining, so I encourage them to participate actively. I hope it will continue to be a place where everyone can freely discuss and exchange ideas.”

Established to share information: the “Friends of the RCUSS Open Seminar”

Starting this year, the Open Seminars have introduced a membership system, which is free of charge but requires participants to register with the “RCUSS Open Seminar Tomonokai” (Friends of the RCUSS Open Seminar). Upon joining, members can also access past videos and materials online where the lecturer consents, further expanding learning opportunities for participants.

From this September, the focus will be on “30 years since the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake,” with the following schedule:

• September 21: “30 Years of disaster and reconstruction legislation and the future” (Professor KANEKO Yuka, Kobe University Center for Social Systems Innovation)
• October 19: “30 Years of disaster volunteerism and the future” (Assistant Professor YORIMASA Ryota, School of Human Welfare Studies, Kwansei Gakuin University)
• November 16: “30 Years of architectural and urban safety planning and the future” (Professor Emeritus HOKUGO Akihiko, Kobe University).

To register for the Open Seminar Tomonokai, visit the website of the Friends of the RCUSS Open Seminar (Japanese).