member country report of japan - ccop.asiaccop.asia/52as.67sc/52as_ag03-09_mc_report_japan.pdf ·...

CCOP-52AS/3-9

52nd CCOP Annual Session 31 October - 3 November 2016 Bangkok, Thailand

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 2015 – 30 June 2016

1. OUTREACH

1.1 Summary The Geological Survey of Japan (GSJ) considers outreach as an important opportunity to provide its outcomes and technology to the public, particularly to young students, industry personnel, and policy makers. The Geological Museum, an outreach unit of GSJ, exhibits GSJ’s research outcomes both in its permanent exhibition, which is regularly updated, and in annual special exhibitions. 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” 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 monthly open seminar on geological science in Tsukuba City, 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 individual international projects. The major international collaborative research that are related to Southeast Asian countries are: - Geological information (OneGeology, ASEAN Harmonized Geology, and CCOP

Geoinformation Sharing Infrastructure Project) - Geological hazards (Active fault study, ASIA-Pacific region geohazards management) - Geological environment (Coastal geology) International cooperation activity conducted by Kanazawa University in Cambodia is 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 The OneGeology-CCOP project, which implements the OneGeology Global project in East and Southeast Asia, is ongoing. The Geological Survey of Japan (GSJ), AIST provides the leadership in its implementation, cooperating with the member countries of the Coordinating Committee for the Geoscience Programmes in East and Southeast Asia (CCOP). CCOP and GSJ hold a series of training course on the ASEAN WebGIS and the seamless geological mapping project at the scale of 1:1 million. Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia are presently harmonizing the legends of their 1:1 million geological maps. The seamless map will be registered to the OneGeology portal on its completion. The geological map of Myanmar is newly added to the list of WMSs registered to the OneGeology - Global portal, while Cambodia recently expressed its interest in joining the OneGeology project. The WMSs of the geological maps of most East and Southeast Asian countries, i.e. Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Philippines and Papua New Guinea are hosted by the GSJ’s server. Laos, Thailand and Korea host their WMSs on their own servers.

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 ASOMM+3 held in Bali, Indonesia in November 2013. In Nov. 2015, a field workshop for the ASEAN Harmonized Geological Map was held in western Cambodia following the ASEAN Mineral Resources Database Workshop in Phnom Penh. At a side meeting of CCOP SC meeting held in Siem Reap, Cambodia in March 2016, the


summary of the field workshop in western Cambodia was reported and the future plan of the project (2016 in Myanmar, 2017 in Laos and 2018 probably in Vietnam) was presented. Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia are presently working on the harmonization of their 1:1 million geological maps' legends. The harmonized map will be registered to the OneGeology portal on its completion.

Fig. 2.2. Field workshop of ASEAN Harmonized Geological Map (1:1 million) in western Cambodia on 7 - 10 November 2015, following the ASEAN Mineral Resources Database Workshop in Phnom Penh on 1 - 6 November 2015. 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, whose main objective is to develop a web-based system for geoscience information sharing among the Asia-Pacific countries, is implemented by CCOP and GSJ. A better information system can make information readily accessible. The GSi main portal site (Fig. 2.3) provides Web-based functions for spatial data rendering and analysis in the forms of Web Map Service (WMS) and Web Processing Service (WPS), respectively. Data can be downloaded in different formats. Following the standard model of Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI), the system uses unique technology to control data access privileges of users. Its data access privileges component allows data owners to specify users who can view, edit and download their data, and to group the users with same data access privileges together. The system also provides the interface to create a customized WebGIS portal for spatial data viewing and processing. The project officially started with the kick-off meeting on September 1-2, 2015 in Bangkok, Thailand (Fig. 2.4). Twenty-three participants from the CCOP member countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam) and the CCOP Technical Secretariat


(CCOP TS) attended the meeting, where the project plan and data policy were discussed. Currently, CCOP and GSJ provide the servers to host the GSi main portal site and the database, while Indonesia uses their own server to store their data. The first CCOP GSi International Workshop will be held at Solo, Indonesia, on September 20-22, 2016.

Fig. 2.3. CCOP GSi’s main portal site.

Fig. 2.4. CCOP GSi Project Kick-off meeting in September 2015.

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 2.3.1. International collaborative surveys on active faults and paleoseismicity Collaborative work has been conducted both with New Zealand and with Belgium. The former is related to the DFDP-2 (Alpine Fault, Deep Fault Drilling Project-2) in New Zealand. The results of DFDP such as the rock cuttings collected during the drilling and the borehole log were discussed at a workshop between New Zealand and Japan. In the latter collaborative work with the Geological Survey of Belgium and Belgian university


researchers, the surveys of tsunami deposits were conducted and core samples of lake sediments were collected around the Hamana-ko Lake and the Fuji Five Lakes in Japan.

Programme Contact Person: Dr. Koji Masuda, Research Institute of Earthquake and Volcano Geology, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected] 2.3.2. Asia-Pacific Region Global Earthquake and Volcanic Eruption Risk Management (G-EVER) G-EVER provides two web-based information systems that are useful for the reduction of risks caused by earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions: the Earthquake and Volcano Hazard Information System (http://ccop-geoinfo.org/G-EVER/) and the Volcanic Hazard Assessment Support System (Fig. 2.5; http://volcano.g-ever1.org/). These two applications provide users with information needed in assessing the risks about volcanic eruptions and earthquake occurrence. They also provide a spatial data analysis platform which is needed in mapping and identifying the areas that would be affected by the occurrence of the aforementioned geological hazards. The G-EVER volcanic hazard assessment support system (http://volcano.g-ever1.org/), which has been developed based on eruption history, volcanic eruption database and numerical simulations, is a user-friendly online system that delineates the areas prone to volcanic eruptions. It also estimates the volcanic hazard risk at specific locations such as major roads, residential zones and evacuation areas by overlaying the distribution of volcanic deposits on a GIS-enabled map. For the hazard assessment of gravity currents, the Energy Cone and Titan2D simulations are available since June 2016. The potential risk of ash fall for a volcano can be assessed with the Tephra 2 on the system, which numerically simulates tephra fall hazard. The system can assess the potential risks of all volcanoes in the world using the ASTER Global DEM (10m resolution in Japan). The WMS, WPS and WCS technologies are used on this system.

Fig. 2.5. G-EVER Volcanic hazards assessment support system showing the ash fall simulation at Mt. Fuji using Tephra2. The Eastern Asia Earthquake and Volcanic Hazards Information Map (Fig. 2.6), published in 2016, is a collaborative product of the G-EVER Promotion Team organized in the Geological Survey of Japan, AIST and several geological institutes in SE Asia. The


Map contains extensive of information about geohazards in the SE Asia region as well as its geology and tectonics: the distribution of active faults, earthquake hypocenters and source areas, Holocene volcanoes, calderas, large-scale ignimbrites and ash falls. The map also provides information about fatalities caused by major volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and tsunami occurrences. The fatalities in earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are classified by the main causes of death and graphically illustrated to facilitate visual understanding of the magnitude of the damage from these disasters. The map contents will also be made available on the G-EVER hazard information system. The map, which provides valuable information about geological hazards, is a powerful outreach tools and is very useful in their mitigation.

Fig. 2.6. Eastern Asia Earthquake and Volcanic Hazards Information Map.

The hazard information map and documentation can be downloaded from the following sites: Map: https://www.gsj.jp/data/ASIA/JPG/GSJ_MAP_ASIA-E_HZD02_2016_300dpi.zip (64MB). Document: https://www.gsj.jp/data/ASIA/PDF/GSJ_MAP_ASIA-E_HZD02_2016_D.pdf (30MB). 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 research on deltas, coastal geology and coastal environment in East and Southeast Asia were carried out by GSJ and organizations in the area. Field surveys were conducted jointly with the HCMC Institute of Resources Geography, VAST in the river channels of the Mekong River delta, Vietnam in October 2015 and April 2016. The purpose is to understand river-tide interactions in Co Chien distributary channel of the Mekong. Another field survey was carried out in and around Camau Peninsula of the Mekong River delta in June 2016 to understand the late Holocene evolution of the delta. These surveys are supported by JSPS-BF-G8 3-year project “DELTAs” (2013-2016, Japanese Leader: Y. Saito).


Collaborative research for better understanding of the stratigraphy, paleo-geography and modern sedimentation in the Yellow River delta and the Bohai Sea has been undertaken by GSJ and the Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, CGS, and resulted in fruitful results, which were published in two papers (Zhou et al. 2016, Geo-Marine Letters, 36, 247-258; Liu et al. 2016, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 451, 84-96). On-going joint research with QIMG/CGS mainly deals with modern sedimentation in the Yellow River delta, and Quaternary stratigraphy in the Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, and western East China Sea.

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 mainly educational activities in Cambodia from the second half of 2015 to the first half of 2016 in cooperation with the National Authority for Protection and Management of Angkor and the Region of Siem Reap (APSARA National Authority) and the Institute of Technology of Cambodia. The details are as follows: Kanazawa University and Komatsu College of Japan sent ten undergraduate students from various departments to the APSARA National Authority from August to September 2015 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 heritage site and the reserve. Also hand, the university held a two-day special seminar titled “Alluvial Deposits and Depositional Facies in Cambodia for World Heritage Management” at the APSARA National Authority and conducted a related field practice exercise in the Angkor World Heritage site in March 2016 (Fig. 2.8).

Fig. 2.7. Students’ internship programme at the APSARA National Authority in September 2015. Serious environmental problems such as water pollution and coastal erosion have emerged in Lake Tonle Sap and its environs due to recent rapid growth of Cambodian society and notable development of tourism in the Angkor World Heritage site located in


the north of the lake. In order to sustain its rich biodiversity and unique geological setting, a three-year research programme named “Evaluation of Mechanisms Sustaining the Biodiversity in Lake Tonle Sap, Cambodia (EMSB)" Phase 2 started in April 2016, led by the university with the cooperation of the APSARA National Authority and ITC. This programme will first examine the present biological, geological and hydrological features of the lake, then clarify their changes over the last twelve years in comparison with the results of the EMSB Programme Phase 1 carried out from 2003 to 2006.

Fig. 2.8. Field practice at the APSARA National Authority in March 2016.

Programme Contact Person: Prof. 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

3. KNOWLEDGE ENHANCEMENT AND SHARING 3.1. Summary Systematic geological surveys and research have been conducted by the Geological Survey of Japan and other Japanese 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 While the price of base metals and critical metals including rare-earths remained low in 2015, that of other metals such as Zn, Ni, Li and heavy rare-earths has gradually been increasing. The future situation of metal supply has become more and more uncertain due to recent unpredictable movements in the world such as protectionism, Brexit and volatile fluctuation in exchange. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) of Japan continues to budget for the securement of base and critical metals, mainly through Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC) and AIST.


3.2.1.2. Research Activities at GSJ, AIST (1) Mineral Resources on land The Rare Metal Task Force suspended its activity as of 2015 due to the reorganization of research units in AIST. However, some of the activity is taken over by SURE (Strategic Urban Mining Research Base) in AIST. The Mineral Resources Research Group of the Research Institute for Geo-Resources and Environment (GREEN), being in charge of the mineral exploration, conducts the following three programs: 1) study on the concentration mechanism of rare metals, resource evaluation, and beneficiation of ore minerals, 2) geological and technical study on industrial minerals and their processing, and 3) international cooperation and consulting on mineral resources. For the REE program, the group is conducting a five-year joint project (2012-2017) with the Council for Geoscience, South Africa (CGS; http://www.geoscience.org.za), studying the rare earth potential in South Africa based on mutual agreement. The group also conducts joint projects on the study of critical metal deposits with the United States Geological Survey (USGS; http://www.usgs.gov), based on mutual agreement. GREEN has also conducted following projects: 1) the standardization of performance evaluation of bentonite, 2) the geological survey and mineral processing of kaolin ores in central Japan.

Fig. 3.1. Field survey of a kaolin deposit in the Tajimi area, central Japan.

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 a convenient and efficient survey method for deep-sea hydrothermal deposits, GSJ conducted a research program using a deep-tow package. The package loads three kinds of major equipment: swath bathymetry, side-scan sonar and CTD. Other survey equipment, such as magnetometer, can be loaded in the package. A survey cruise was conducted in the northern Okinawa Trough in FY 2015 to make a surface geological mapping of a hydrothermal area. Although the mapping was not completed due to the


stormy conditions, the side-scan sonar record acquired the plume image promising the usefulness of the deep-tow survey in detecting hydrothermally active areas.

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 Japan, JOGMEC supports Japanese companies in securing the interests of resources overseas at each stage of the development from the launch of exploration projects to assistance in development and production. The brief introduction of the JOGMEC’s activities and achievements in Asia from July 2015 to June 2016 is given below. Departments in parentheses are the ones 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 and 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. When a Japanese company owns or has assurances of ownership of exploration rights in an 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 six countries in Asia, namely Laos, Cambodia, Philippines, Myanmar, Kyrgyz and Uzbekistan. (3) Deep sea mineral resources exploration (Metals Mining Technology Department) In the efforts to ensure the interests of deep sea mineral resources in offshore Japan, JOGMEC conducts surveys of deep sea mineral resources. JOGMEC conducted deep-sea drilling surveys using a research vessel (R/V) “Hakurei” in the Okinawa Trough and assessed the thickness and distribution of polymetallic sulphides discovered in 2013. Small-scale mining tools were used around sulphide mounds in Okinawa Trough. Basic studies of processing/metallurgical technology and environmental impact assessment (EIA) as well as geological and geophysical surveys using the R/V “Hakurei” were conducted to assess cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts in the offshore Minamitorishima (Marcus Island). The application for the exploration of cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts in high seas of the NW Pacific Ocean was approved at the 19th Annual Session of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) in July 2013, and JOGMEC entered into the fifteen-year exploration contract with ISA in January 2014. The ISA grants JOGMEC the exclusive right to explore the cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts in the high seas for the first time in the world. (4) Technology development and technical support (Metals Exploration Department and Metals Mining Technology Department) For the purpose of more efficient exploration, JOGMEC develops 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 support to mining operation sites in developing countries. For example, at a tin mine in Indonesia, JOGMEC improved the processing technology of rare earth minerals and heavy minerals, and extraction technology of rare earth elements. In addition, to stabilize the supply of zirconium raw materials, JOGMEC established the optimized mineral processing of mineral sand at a zirconium mine in Vietnam. (5) Mine pollution control (Metals Environment Management Department and Metals Finance Department) JOGMEC provides technical and financial support to Japanese local governments and companies so that they can implement efficient and reliable measures to prevent mine pollution. JOGMEC also provides technology and information on mine pollution control to several foreign governments. Seminars and workshops on mine pollution control for government officials and relevant organizations were held in Laos and Myanmar using the past experiences of Japan in pollution control. Having received a request from Laos, JOGMEC conducted survey and technical training on its pollution site. In July 2016, JOGMEC and the Department of Geological Survey and Mineral Exploration (GDSE) of Myanmar signed a Minutes of Meeting (M/M), which extends the period of the geological survey in Myanmar for three more years.

Programme Contact Person: Mr. Daisuke Ariga, Metal 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 Japan Sea side of northeast Honshu. Several oil and gas fields were found in central 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 northeast Honshu and Hokkaido and offshore along the Japan Sea coast of southwest Honshu. From FY2015 to FY2016, domestic exploration and development has been done in several oil and gas fields. Exploration and production were carried out by JOGMEC, JAPEX, INPEX and JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration. JOGMEC has continued 3D seismic survey projects of offshore Japan since 2008, with the seismic survey vessel “Shigen”, processing the data at the technology & research center in JOGMEC. In 2015 and 2016, the “Shigen” acquired 3D data at of West Tsugaru, Kushiro and Ibaraki. INPEX drilled an exploratory well at northern offshore of Yamaguchi Prefecture where water depth is 206 m from May 2016 under the commission of METI, based on the result of 3D seismic survey in 2013. JAPEX has been conducting an initiative on the production of tight oil from the Onnagawa formation at the Ayukawa oil field in the Akita-Yamagata sedimentary basin. The production rate has increased more than five-fold after the acid treatment to dissolve carbonates or silicates that fill microfractures. A new program for Onnagawa tight oil test has started at the Fukumezawa oil field near Akita City. They drilled a horizontal well and performed some hydrofracturing in 2015.


Annual domestic production for each fuel in 2014 is as follows: Crude oil: 591.4 thousand kl (3.7 million barrel) Gas-condensate: 364.7 thousand kl (2.3 million barrel) Gas: 2,785 million Nm3 (98.4 billion cubic feet) Japanese oil development companies 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 the following 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: http://www.mcexploration.com/en/index.html

Fig. 3.2. Hydrofracturing operation in Fukumezawa Oilfield. Photo by JAPEX.

Programme Contact Person: Yuichiro Suzuki, Research 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/


As to the sand bed type methane hydrates, MH21 completed the general resource assessment around Japan by 2008 and currently conducts the R&D for the gas production in offshore methane hydrate fields in Japan. The test production of gas from offshore gas hydrates by depressurization was performed for the first time in the world at the Dai-ni Atsumi Knoll in the Nankai Trough area by JOGMEC and JAPEX from February to April 2013. Chikyu, a riser drill vessel of JAMSTEC, was used for the test. Some amount of methane gas was successfully produced for six days. The outline of the test is available at the MH21 website. MH21 is currently improving the technologies of gas production from the sand bed type methane hydrate. 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. It 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 of AIST has carried out an intensive research program supported by METI for the evaluation of resource potential mainly in the Sea of Japan since FY2013. The research program is performed in cooperation with Meiji University and other universities.

Programme Contact Person: Dr. Sumito Morita, Research Institute for Geo-Resources and Environment, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected] 3.2.2.3. Coal Most of the coalfields 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 of the coalfields in Japan were deposited in the Paleogene. Several seams lie as deep as 1,000m below the ground surface, and sometimes they run under the sea floor. Domestic coal production has decreased to 1.3 Million Metric ton (MMt) in 2014 from about 50 million tons in1960. Half of the national production comes from the Kushiro Coal Mine, the only 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 revised by the Japan Coal Center (J-Coal)* in 2008. The result is as follows: Proven reserves: 4,899 MMt Probable reserves: 3,422 MMt Possible reserves: 11,824 MMt *Japan Coal Energy Center (J-Coal): http://www.jcoal.or.jp/eng/ Programme Contact Person: Yuichiro Suzuki, Research Institute for Geo-Resources and Environment, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected]


3.2.2.4. Geothermal Resources (1) Overview Estimated theoretical potential of geothermal energy down to the depth of basement rock (~3 km deep) is estimated to be approximately 23 GWe in Japan. However no geothermal power plants had been newly constructed for more than 10 years until the nuclear accident in March 2011, mainly due to social or economic barriers. After the accident, the government started giving incentives for geothermal development, such as financial support for exploration drillings, cost incentives by FiT and relaxation of regulations on national parks. The guideline for local governments to issue a geothermal drilling license was revised by the Ministry of Environment to shorten the time to give drilling permission. These governmental support measures have encouraged the private sector to explore new eothermal resources and/or to install small binary systems. As of October 2015, nineteen geothermal power plants with total power generation capacity of 10 MWe have opened since the enactment of geothermal FiT, making the total national geothermal capacity 520 MWe. More than fifty prospects are under exploration or development including nineteen prospects whose capacity is over 10 MWe. As to ground source heat pump (GSHP) system, this is not so widely used in Japan as in many other countries. However, the number of installations has recently been increasing by 20% each year. About 1,500 systems were installed by 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). JOGEMC also conducts its own geothermal R&D such as regional airborne geophysical survey, technology for artificial recharge by river water (EGS technology), and drilling technology. Aiming to promote the use of intensive renewable energy, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) established the Renewable Energy Research Center (RENRC) in October 2013, in which the Geothermal Energy Team (GET) and the Shallow Geothermal and Hydrogeology Team (SGHT) are included. GET develops 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. Recently, GET has led a national project on the development of subduction-origin supercritical geothermal resources, which is sponsored by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) (Fig. 3.3). SGHT is conducting suitability mapping and developing system optimization technologies for GSHP application, both based on hydrogeological data to consider advection effect of groundwater for both closed and open loop systems. SGHT is conducting several collaborative projects on the installation and monitoring of a GSHP system in Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia (see Section 3.2.3. Groundwater Resources). RENRC finished the two-year research project “Sustainability Assessment of Utilizing Conventional and New Type Geothermal Resources in East Asia,” sponsored by the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), in June 2015 and posted the report with recommendations to policymakers onto the ERIA website late 2015. RENRC has begun another three year ERIA project “Assessment on Necessary Innovations for Sustainable Use of Conventional and New-Type Geothermal Resources and their Benefit in East Asia” in September 2015, cooperating with researchers from China, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.


Fig. 3.3. Conceptual model of subduction-origin supercritical geothermal resources.

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 The Groundwater Research Group of GSJ is implementing 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 transfer to Southeast Asian countries, and 5) study of ground source heat pump systems. (2) Scientific Research Activities on Groundwater The Groundwater Research Group has published a series of digital hydrogeological map “Water Environmental Map” for several basins and plains in Japan (Fig. 3.4). They are composed of geological and geomorphological maps and hydrological information such as water quality and groundwater table. A total of eight maps had been published by 2015. In 2016, the ninth of the series “Mt. Fuji” has been released. The Group also have 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 regions where the groundwater is scarcely affected by long-term sea level change. As a member of national committee, it has contributed to tackling the groundwater contamination problem at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. It played a part in a JICA training course on groundwater, too.


Fig. 3.4. An example of the Hydro-Environmental Map, showing the groundwater table and temperature distribution around Mt. Fuji. (3) Activity in CCOP The CCOP-GSJ/AIST-NAWAPI Groundwater Project Phase III Meeting was held in Hanoi, Vietnam on 16-18 March 2016. In the meeting, it was confirmed that the report of the CCOP-GSJ/AIST-DGR Groundwater Phase III Project Kick-Off Meeting held in Bangkok, Thailand on February 2015 was published and circulated to all the participants of the meeting, and that it was uploaded to the CCOP website. The compiled groundwater data of Japan, Thailand and Vietnam obtained from the Project Phase II are currently available at http://jcbwebgis.com/ccop_water/, and they will soon be made accessible at the GSi portal (http://ccop-gsi.org), which is under development by the CCOP Geoinformation Sharing Infrastructure for East and Southeast Asia Project, and is accessible by the project members.

Fig. 3.5. Arrangement of GSHP system in the Notional Geological Museum in Thailand.


In the CCOP Groundwater Sub-Project of the Development of Renewable Energy for Ground-Source Heat Pump (GSHP) System in CCOP Regions, systems were installed at two locations: (1) a horizontal heat exchanger of GSHP at Chulalongkorn University, Saraburi Campus, Thailand, and (2) a GSHP System at the Golden Jubilee National Geological Museum, Department of Mineral Resources, Thailand in March 2016 (Fig. 3.5).

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 Surveys to determine the distribution and past activities of onshore and offshore active faults were conducted at the Umi fault (Fig. 3.6) and on shore fault zones of Hinatatoge-Okasagitoge, Futagawa, Midorikawa and Tokamachi with financial support from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). 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. 3.6. Trenching survey at the Umi fault, Fukuoka 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 seismotectonic map in the Kanto district based on multiple sets of stress indicators. In particular, the creation of the high spatial resolution stress map in an area of over a few tens kilometers square in northeastern Yamanashi Prefecture (Fig. 3.7a), where stress heterogeneity is previously pointed out, was given a priority. High quality records were obtained by seismic observations around the area over the past two years. The focal mechanisms of shallow microearthquakes determined from the P-wave polarity data as well as the body wave amplitudes provided over 250 well-determined solutions. Reverse-faulting earthquakes are prominent through the area, but earthquakes with strike-slip components are also found locally. Most of the P-axes are oriented in two directions, approximately N-S in the northern part and E-W in the southern part, which indicates strong variation in stress even in a small area. The analysis of stress tensor inversion shows that the studied area can be divided into five tectonic stress provinces, each of which has a similar principal stress orientation and faulting style (Fig. 3.7b). Local-scale stress variations identified in this study will help to assess the slip potential of near-by active faults as well as to better understand the local tectonics. A 3D viewer which can display various kinds of geophysical and geological datasets (Fig. 3.8) is also developed. The viewer will provide further insight toward resolving the complex seismotectonics in the Kanto region.

Fig. 3.7. (a) Studied area (black rectangle) in northeastern Yamanashi Prefecture. Filled and open squares represent the locations of temporary and permanent stations. Red lines show active faults compiled by the Research Group for Active Faults of Japan (1991). (b) Stress map in northeastern Yamanashi Prefecture. Five provinces are distinguished by the character of stress fields. Gray dashed lines indicate the boundaries of stress province. The color of each province represents its Aφ of Simpson (1997), indicating the faulting style. The orientations of SHmax (maximum horizontal stress) and their 95% confidence regions are represented by red lines and spread of rose-colored fans. Orange lines show the Sone Hills fault (SHF) and the Tsurukawa fault (TF).


Fig. 3.8. 3D viewer. Focal mechanisms and seismic reflection profiles are shown in 3D.

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 To evaluate past seismic and tsunami hazards, it is very important to clarify the source fault and its rupture history of the past giant earthquakes that were generated in a subduction zone. GSJ conducts paleoseismological survey in coastal areas based on various kinds of records such as in historical documents, tsunami deposits and marine terraces. Surveys of coastal geology and geomorphology were conducted along the Pacific coast, in the areas facing the subduction zones of the Kuril-Japan Trench, Sagami Trough and Nankai Trough. The field data were used to infer a source fault model, along with simulation of tsunami inundation or coseismic crustal movement. The activity and results of surveys in each area in 2015 are as follows: Kuril-Japan Trench: In the Sendai Plain, sand from a layer intercalated between those correspond to the events of the 869 Jogan tsunami and the 2011 Tohoku tsunami was analyzed for 14C (Fig. 3.9). The dating results and records in historical documents suggest a high probability that the layer was deposited by the 1454 Kyotoku tsunami. The simulation indicates that the tsunami was caused by an earthquake of almost the same magnitude as the 869 Jogan event. Sagami Trough: Holocene marine terraces, which record coseismic uplift associated with the repeated large earthquakes along the Sagami Trough in some of the steps, develop along the southern coast of the Boso Peninsula. Fifty-six sub-samples, picked up from drilling cores at 15 sites in the Chikura lowland of the Boso Peninsula, were radiocarbon dated to evaluate the emergence timing of the marine terraces. The results contribute to long-term forecast of a future large earthquake which will strike the Tokyo metropolitan area. Nankai Trough: Two projects on paleoearthquakes along the Nankai Trough are ongoing: an international collaborative one with European researchers and the other supported by domestic fund. In the former, “BRAIN-be project on earthquakes and tsunamis along the Nankai subduction zone, Japan”, drilling was conducted in the Fuji Five Lakes and


Hamana Lake. In the latter, “Disaster mitigation research project on Mega thrust earthquakes around Nankai/Ryukyu subduction zones”, includes the ground penetrating radar survey on 14 lines across the Fujikawa-kako Fault Zone, which is located at the eastern end of the Nankai Trough.

Fig. 3.9. Study of the 1454 Kyotoku tsunami based on geological evidence and tsunami simulation. These geological data such as tsunami deposit in each site are being compiled and will be published on the GSJ’s website as the tsunami deposit database (https://gbank.gsj.jp/tsunami_deposit_db/).

Programme Contact Person: Dr. Masanobu Shishikura, Research Institute of Earthquake and Volcano Geology, GSJ, AIST Email: [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. The data of groundwater, strain and tilt observed from November 2014 to October 2015 are available in the Report of the Coordination Committee for Earthquake Prediction, Japan (CCEP*) (Kitagawa et al., 2015; 2016). Short-term slow slip event (SSE), which is aseismic transient slip of faults that occurs over days, is one of the important crustal events in monitoring the Nankai subduction zone. GSJ has estimated fault models for SSEs using multiple-source data such as the NIED** Hi-net tilt data and JMA*** borehole-strainmeter data in addition to GSJ’s own observation results. Twenty-eight fault models have been estimated for SSEs from November 2014 to October 2015 (Ochi et al., 2015; 2016).


* CCEP: http://cais.gsi.go.jp/YOCHIREN/index.e.html **NIED: National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention, http://www.bosai.go.jp/e/ *** JMA: Japan Meteorological Agency, http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/indexe.html References Kitagawa et al., (2016) Rept of CCEP, 94, 301-313, http://cais.gsi.go.jp/YOCHIREN/report/kaihou94/08_05.pdf Kitagawa et al., (2016) Rept of CCEP, 95, 305-318, http://cais.gsi.go.jp/YOCHIREN/report/kaihou95/08_06.pdf Ochi et al., (2015) Rept of CCEP, 94, 250-261 http://cais.gsi.go.jp/YOCHIREN/report/kaihou94/06_04.pdf Ochi et al., (2016) Rept of CCEP, 95, 255-264, http://cais.gsi.go.jp/YOCHIREN/report/kaihou95/06_04.pdf Programme Contact Person: Dr. Norio Matsumoto, Research Institute of Earthquake and Volcano Geology, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected] 3.3.1.5. Volcanic Hazards GSJ performs multidisciplinary study on volcanic and magmatic activities. Volcanic activity was assessed from the analyses of volcanic gas and eruptive materials. Eruptive histories of active volcanoes were studied with radiometric dating techniques and geological mapping. Surveys to determine the distribution of volcanic ash were performed at the Hakone Volcano, located 80 km southwest of Tokyo, after the small phreatic eruptions at the end of June 2015. Eruption volume was estimated and ash was analyzed (Fig. 3.10). The “Volcanoes of Japan”, a database compiling volcanoes in Japan from 2.6 Ma to present, has been revised. The detailed eruptive history of active volcanoes including Zao in Tohoku and Kuju in Kyushu were added to the database. Some of them include shaded relief images and 3D geological maps (Fig. 3.11). https://gbank.gsj.jp/volcano/index_e.htm Volcanic ashes from Sakurajima and Aso volcanoes in Kyushu, both of which continue to erupt, have been analyzed and the results were reported to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).

Fig. 3.10. Fumarolic activity of Hakone Volcano about one month after the eruption. Photo taken on July 29, 2015.


Fig. 3.11. 3D geological map of Kuju Volcano.

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 The Geological Survey of Japan (GSJ) launched the “Geology and Active Fault Survey of the Coastal Area” project in 2008 as one of the multidisciplinary projects. The aim is to obtain enough geological information in a seamless manner in densely populated coastal areas where active faults are distributed continuously from land to sea, in order to contribute to earthquake disaster risk reduction for major infrastructure and ensuring the safety at industrial locations in coastal areas. GSJ conducted high-resolution seismic profiling survey, drilling and outcrop exploration in land areas, and other geological and geophysical surveys, collecting and reviewing previous geological data. In 2013, surveys were conducted in the northern coast of the Suruga Bay, Shizuoka Prefecture, which is located southwest of the capital area. The Fujikawa-kako Fault Zone, the plate boundary that is exposed on land, is presumed to have the highest level of seismic activity in Japan. Therefore, the surveys focused on clarifying the geographic relationship of active faults between land and sea. Onshore shallow seismic reflection surveys, drilling surveys, and offshore seismic reflection surveys were conducted to determine the continuity and configuration of the faults. Four offshore faults have been confirmed to be the seaward extensions of the Fujikawa-kako fault zone. The Zenpukkuji-oki fault, which is the seaward extension of the Zenpukuji fault, has the largest dislocation among them and its topographic features suggest its connection with the offshore plate boundary. As to Iriyamase fault, two parallel or en echelon faults seem to have developed on the west and east of the Kanbara Jishinyama. These results have been published as the “Seamless Geoinformation of the Northern Coastal Zone of Suruga Bay”, and can be downloaded from the website below.


(https://www.gsj.jp/researches/project/coastal-geology/results/s-5.html)

Figure 3.12. A part of the geological map of the Fujikawa-kako Fault Zone and its surrounding area. Programme Contact Person: Dr. Yuichiro Tanaka, Research Institute of Geology and Geoinformation, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected] 3.4.2. Three-Dimensional Geological Model in Coastal Urban Area The “Urban Geological Map” is a new style geological map in urban areas developed with 3D modeling of geological strata, based on borehole logs and other geological and geomorphological data. The map is under development in northern Chiba Prefecture on a trial basis. The provisional web site of the project (https://gbankdev.gsj.jp/urbangeol/) has opened in April 2016 and currently provides 2D geological map and standard borehole data obtained from drilling surveys. They are used as standard stratigraphic data in correlation procedures. The datasets represent stratigraphic divisions based on lithofacies, tephra, and microfossil analyses and radiocarbon dating. Most of the datasets include PS and density logs. The borehole data can be browsed and downloaded as a hand-drawn geological column (PDF) or in the JACIC format (PDF and XML). The 2D geological map was drawn by computational analysis of the 3D geological model based on the stratigraphic and geomorphic data. It can be zoomed in up to a scale of 1:25,000. The 3D geological map and geological cross sections will be distributed on the website soon.


Fig. 3.12. 2D geological map (left) and borehole logs in the JACIC format (right).

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 Okinawa/Ryukyu Islands and the adjacent regions is one of the GSJ’s projects, whose objective is to better understand the relationship between biogeochemical cycles and climate change at regional and global scales. The project consists of laboratory and field works. A series of culture experiments using coral reef organisms was conducted at the Sesoko Station of the Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus to test the potential influence of climate change. Global warming and ocean acidification have been recognized as severe threats to reef-building corals that support the coral reef ecosystems of the Okinawa Islands, but their effects on the corals in the early life stage are relatively unknown compared with those on calcification of adult corals. In this study, the effects of thermal stress and CO2-driven acidified seawater on fertilization in a reef-building coral, Acropora digitifera was evaluated. The fertilization rate of A. digitifera decreased in response to thermal stress compared with that under normal seawater condition. In contrast, the change of fertilization rates was not evident in acidified seawater. The results suggest that corals are more sensitive to global warming than ocean acidification. Taking into consideration the previous finding that sperm motility of A. digitifera was decreased by acidified seawater, the decrease in coral cover followed by that of sperm concentration might cause the interacting effects of global warming and ocean acidification on coral fertilization. The result was published in Zygote (Iguchi et al., 2015, v. 23, p. 631-635, doi:10.1017/S0967199414000185). Corals play a critical role in supporting high productivity and biodiversity in oligotrophic seawaters as a nutrient recycler. A long-term 15N-labelling experiment on corals were conducted using flow-through aquaria, where 15N-labelled nitrate was continuously supplied to the corals Porites cylindrica and Montipora digitata for two months. The analyses indicate that the large amount of nitrogen in coral animal tissue plays an important role in supporting endosymbiotic function, photosynthesis, and consequent


growth of coral reefs. The result was published in Ecological Modelling (Tanaka et al., 2015, v. 309–310, p. 163–169, doi: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2015.04.017).

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, typically caused by industrial activities, is considered as a “negative heritage” of industrial development. While soil contamination has become more serious in developing countries, environmental remediation of different kinds of contaminations in developed countries still remains a big challenge. R & D associated with the technologies that cover characterization, remediation and risk assessment of various kinds of contaminants together with continuous development of intellectual infrastructure have been strategically organized and performed in GSJ, especially by the Geo-Environmental Risk Research Group. Representative research topics in the last year are as follows: 1) Improvements in the rapid detection technology for low concentration radioactive cesium in water and its application: The technology has been developed to apply to both river and seawater, and has been used for long-term environmental monitoring and supporting agricultural activities in Fukushima Prefecture. 2) Improvement of the reliability associated with the characterization of the leaching properties of heavy metals in soils: Factors that affect both upward flow column test and batch experiment have been systematically discussed and the new findings have been used in the proposals for amending both ISO and national standards. 3) Bioremediation of multiple organic contaminants: Following the success of complete biodegradation of multiple contaminants including PCE, TCE, cis-DCE, DCM, VC, benzene and toluene, the Stable Isotope Probing (SIP) technique has been used to characterize functional microorganisms associated with biodegradation of specific contaminants. 4) Continuous improvement of the Geo-Environmental Risk Assessment System (GERAS): GERAS has been further improved to combine cost effectiveness analysis and to apply to a couple of contaminated sites through collaborative research with industry partners. 5) Development of intellectual infrastructure: Field survey and laboratory analysis to publish the Geochemical and Risk Assessment Map of Subsurface Soils of Kochi Prefecture have been completed. In addition, the group participates in committee activities associated with updating ISO as well as ASTM standards related to soil quality. Detailed information about the above research topics 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 for Geo-Resources and Environment, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected]


3.5.2. CO2 Storage (CCS) A new project funded by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) “Development of technology for safety management of large-scale CO2 geological storage” has started in April 2016. It is carried out by the Geological Carbon Dioxide Storage Technology Research Association, the association newly organized by six members (OYO Corporation, INPEX Corporation, Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd., Taisei Corporation, Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth, and Geological Survey of Japan, AIST) to develop the technologies for large-scale geological storage of carbon dioxide suitable for the geological condition in Japan, and to enhance the social acceptance of CCS. In the project, GSJ will contribute to the development of the techniques for passive geophysical monitoring and geomechanic modeling, and the study on the geochemical processes of CO2 geological storage, based on the results from another METI-funded five-year project from FY2011 to FY2015, which aimed to develop multi-disciplinary monitoring techniques for CCS and to study seal integrity of caprocks and faults. GSJ continues high-resolution gravity monitoring using a superconducting gravimeter at a demonstration test site in Tomakomai, Hokkaido, where 100,000 tons CO2 has been injected per year by Japan CCS Co., Ltd. (http://www.japanccs.com/en/business/demonstration/) since April 2016. GSJ promotes technology exchanges and dissemination of our research and development results, taking every opportunity, such as CCOP’s CCS-M meetings, Japan-US cooperation on CCS research, and the eighth joint workshop on the CO2 geological storage, which was organized by GSJ and the Korea Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) at Busan, Korea in December 2015.

Programme Contact Person: Dr. Yuji Nishi, Research Institute of Geo-resources and Environment, GSJ, AIST Email: [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 from July 2015 to June 2016.

4.2. Publication (1) Maps Geological Survey of Japan (GSJ) has published eight map sheets and four CD/DVD-ROMs during the period of this report (July 2015–June 2016). Map sheets - 1:50,000 Geological Maps (4) - 1:200,000 Geological Maps (1) - Geochemical Map of Kanto Region (1) - Total Intensity Aeromagnetic Maps (1) - Eastern Asia Earthquake and Volcanic Hazards Information Map (1)


CD/DVD ROM - Marine Geological (Sedimentological) Maps (3) - Water Environment Maps (1) (2) Others Twelve 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.66, No. 3/4 - Vol. 67, No. 2) (7) - Annual Report on Active Fault and Paleoearthquake Researches (No. 15) (1) - GSJ Interim Report (No. 68-69) (2) Program Contact Person: Publication Office, Geoinformation Service Center, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected] 4.3. Data Services Two databases, MADAS (METI AIST Data Archive System) and the Urban Geological Map, have been released on the GSJ’s website this year (see the section 4.5 for the former and 3.4.2 for the latter). They are expected to become major databases of GSJ within a few years. All quadrangle geological maps published by GSJ have come to be downloadable in raster data (GeoTIFF and Jpeg) at scales of 1:50,000 and 1:200,000, while the vectorization of the former to Shapefile and kml is currently underway. The number of downloadable data has increased every year. GeomapNavi (https://gbank.gsj.jp/geonavi/) is a main viewer application that displays geological maps and overlays some open geospatial data on a screen. The website and the Active Fault Database (https://gbank.gsj.jp/activefault/index_e_gmap.html) enjoyed many visits soon after the Kumamoto Earthquake in April 2016. In January 2016, GSJ started an experimental activity to provide its geological information based on the Linked Open Data (LOD), one of the most available dataset for open data.

Program Contact Person: Mr. Toshiyuki Yoshikawa, Geoinformation Service Center, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected] 4.4. Data Archive GSJ has provided 1,500 metadata records of its maps to the Geographic Information Clearinghouse of the government, in the Japan Metadata Profile (JMP) ver. 2.0 format in this period. GSJ has also been operating a bibliographic database GEOLIS (Geological Literature Search System) since 1986, in which about 466,000 metadata are currently registered.

Program Contact Person: Publication Office, Geoinformation Service Center, GSJ, AIST E-mail: [email protected]


4.5. ASTER Value Added The Geological Survey of Japan (GSJ) has released ASTER Value-Added (hereafter ASTER-VA) product free of charge since April 2016 so as to meet industry needs. ASTER, an acronym for Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer, is an advanced optical sensor onboard NASA’s TERRA satellite. Its data of about 3 million images collected from 2000 to 2016 cover the entire globe, and have great potential for use in variety of businesses. Their free distribution with added value will promote their use in many fields as well as in resource exploration, which is the original purpose of GSJ’s involvement in its development. A new 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. GSJ has also released a web-based search system for the ASTER-VA data, MADAS. MADAS (https://gbank.gsj.jp/madas/) is a system to search for the ASTER-VA data. Browsing ASTER-VA, users can download the data in KML and GeoTIFF format from the site without registration. ASTER-VA data downloaded in KML can be displayed on Google Earth and other digital maps. The data in GeoTIFF format is also easily applicable to GIS software. ASTER-VA overlaid on a digital map displays the state of the earth surface in a pseudo-natural color image on screen. The images can be viewed on a tablet terminal or a smart phone by using software to view satellite imagery. Pushing the Tar button in the system, users can download ASTER-VA that contains all the ortho-rectified bands in ASTER and generated scene based DEM, except for the band3B data (some other bands may be excluded depending on the observation mode). Atmospheric correction is not applied for the image. Data is compiled in a single tar.gz file and can be uncompressed with free software. In order to ensure the download capacity for all users, data can be downloaded only on a scene-by-scene basis.

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

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