Member Organizations

DRA Member Organizations

Asian Disaster Reduction Center

The Asian Disaster Reduction Center (ADRC) was established in July 1998 with a mandate to facilitate multinational cooperation for disaster reduction in the Asian region. Collaborating with 31 member countries, international organizations such as UN and the World Bank, regional organizations such as ASEAN and INGOs, the ADRC has been conducting activities, including sharing of disaster related information, strengthening disaster management capacity from national to community levels and the use of satellite imagery in case of a large scale disaster, in pursuing safer and securer lives in Asia.

Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research

The Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN) is an inter-governmental network whose mission is to foster global change research in the Asia-Pacific region, increase developing country participation in that research, and strengthen interactions between the science community and policy makers. In order to achieve its goals the APN conducts a number of different activities that include supporting collaborative research and training activities; organizing scoping workshops to develop new research projects; disseminating global change information to scientists and policy makers; and providing opportunities for scientists and policy makers to discuss regional research priorities and other global change issues.

Disaster Reduction and Human Renovation Institution

DRI was established in order to pass on the experiences and lessons learned from the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake to the future, thus contributing to develop a resilient society.

Graduate School of Disaster Resilience and Governance, University of Hyogo

Established in 2017 to draw on the experience and lessons of the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake after two decades of recovery and reconstruction, and address issues arising from the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. Practical education and research are conducted in a distinctive Hyogo Prefecture style, to train specialists capable of leading programs in disaster resilience and governance.

Education and Research Center for Disaster Reduction (ERCDR), University of Hyogo

Established in 2011 to provide undergraduates with comprehensive understanding of disasters, as a basis for community or national service. Students obtain in-depth knowledge about disasters as well as recovery and reconstruction, and learn about practical preparedness through the Disaster Prevention Education.

Hyogo Earthquake Engineering Research Center

The Hyogo Earthquake Engineering Research Center was established on October, 2004, to manage research projects using the 3-D full-scale earthquake testing facility (E-Defense) and to operate and maintain the facility. E-Defense has the unique capacity to experiment with life-size buildings and infrastructural systems in real earthquake conditions, and stands as a tool of ultimate verification. With this feature, E-Defense should help expedite the transfer of various research outputs into the practice of earthquake disaster mitigation.

Hyogo Earthquake Memorial 21th Century Research Institute

Through the experiences of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, we research “development of a safe and secure community” and “creation of the convivial society” : the subjects of the modern civilization. And we perform the policy proposal about the value judgment or the realization policy about various subjects in mature society, and we develop many projects such as ①communicating our earthquake experiences and lessons learned to the people around the world, ②intellectual exchange of the researcher, governmental agency and research institution, and ③personal training.

Hyogo Emergency Medical Center

Hyogo Emergency Medical Center was developed based on the lessons learned from the Great Hanshin-Awaji earthquake, which claimed more than 6,000 lives of the people in 1995. This was established as the core facility of the Disaster Emergency Medical System of Hyogo Prefecture, and is the first of its kind founded by a municipality in Japan. This Medical Center provides life-saving emergency medical care as a Critical Care Medical Center and also works as an information center of emergency and disaster medical care. In addition, this center provides training programs on disaster management for disaster medical coordinators, Japan DMATs(Disaster Medical Assistance Teams),doctors, nurses, EMTs, pharmacists and other medical personnel.

Hyogo Institute for Traumatic Stress

In a present society where events such as disasters, accidents, crimes, child abuse take place,‘mental health care’for traumatized people has been called for by the public. Since the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in 1995, Hyogo prefecture has been addressing issues with regard to trauma and PTSD among victims of disasters and crimes.For these reasons, Hyogo Institute for Traumatic Stress was established. It is the first research institute for traumatic stress in Japan which has various functions; research, training, information provision/public education, liaison/networking, consulting and counseling.

International EMECS Center

Enclosed coastal seas such as bays and inland seas are difficult places to preserve and improve water quality because pollutants tend to accumulate easily due to poor exchange of water with open seas. In 1990 the first International Conference on the Environmental Management of Enclosed Coastal Seas (EMECS ’90) was held in Kobe, Japan to resolve these issues. In 1994, the International EMECS Center was established as an international organization for research and information exchange aimed at the preservation and appropriate utilization of the environments of enclosed coastal seas throughout the world.

Institute for Global Environmental Strategies

With“Business and Environment”as the theme of its research, IGES Kansai Research Center develops innovative policy instruments for the realization of sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region, and conducts strategic and practical research into formulating environmental strategies. As an IGES center for activities in the Kansai region(the area which includes Kobe, Osaka and Kyoto), IGES Kansai Research Center conducts research, cooperating with universities, reseach institutes, private companies and environment-related organizations in the region.

International Recovery Platform (IRP)

The International Recovery Platform (IRP) was established following the Second UN World Conference on Disaster Reduction in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan in 2005 to support the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) with the role of addressing the gaps and constraints experienced in the context of post-disaster recovery. After a decade of functioning as an international source of knowledge on good recovery practice, IRP, following the adoption of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, embraced a more specialized role as an international mechanism for sharing experience and lessons associated with build back better.

Japan International Cooperation Agency Kansai Center (JICA Kansai)

JICA assists and supports developing countries as the executing agency of ODA (Official Development Assistance) in accordance with its vision of “Leading the World with Trust”. JICA Kansai, based on the mission statement of “We, JICA Kansai, wish to connect Kansai region to developing countries with a spirit of trust and contribute to the achievement of SDGs“, promotes international cooperation through Knowledge Co-Creation Programs together with various stakeholders in Kansai region in many fields including DRR. For that purpose, JICA Kansai also supports for private enterprises to extend their business to developing countries and conducts Partnership Programs with citizens, etc.

Japanese Red Cross Hyogo Chapter

The Japanese Red Cross Society was formed out of the desire to aid those people who are suffering, and we safeguard the life, health, and dignity of all. We utilize the worldwide Red Cross network to lend a supportive hand to those suffering from conflicts, disasters, and diseases. In Japan, the Red Cross conducts disaster relief, provides instruction in first aid courses and related topics, conducts blood programme and other medical services, trains nurses and other medical personnel, and is involved in the Junior Red Cross, social welfare, and Red Cross volunteer activities. These activities are made possible with your support and cooperation.

Japanese Red Cross Kobe Hospital

Japanese Red Cross Kobe Hospital aims to provide medical service for everyone’s health,based on medical ethics and the spirits of humanitarianism and charity.Under this basic principle,we are actively engaged in offering advanced
medical treatment emphasizing expertise as a hospital function; we also conducting relief activities in the aftermath of disasters in Japan and overseas. We are designated a core disaster medical center in Hyogo Prefecture, along with the Hyogo Emergency Medical Center
adjacent to our hospital, and play a central role in disaster medical care in Hyogo Prefecture.

Kobe Local Meteorological Office

Kobe Local Meteorological Office, constantly monitoring natural phenomena such as heavy rains, typhoons, earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions, announces information on these phenomena. These information include disaster reduction information to protect the people’s lives and property from natural disasters, information to support traffic safety, industry information, life information, environmental information and so on. By providing these information to disaster prevention related organizations, local public organizations, and the press, we contribute to the prevention and mitigation, improvement in the convenience of people’s life, and environmental preservation.

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) Kobe Office

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) was established in 2000 (Headquarters is in Geneva). The main aims of the organization are to achieve a substantial reduction of disaster losses and to build resilient communities and nations as an essential condition for sustainable development. UNDRR serves as catalyst and focal point in coordinating international efforts in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and developing international frameworks for DRR. In cooperation with many partners, UNDRR promotes mainstreaming of DRR and building resilience against disasters and supports the implementation and follow-up of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, which was adopted by the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction as the successor of the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015. The UNDRR Kobe Office was established in October 2007.

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Kobe Office

OCHA coordinates the global emergency response to save lives and protect people in humanitarian crises. We advocate for effective and principled humanitarian action by all, for all. Established in 2002, Kobe Office strengthens collaboration with Japanese Government and humanitarian partners in the country and the region.

OCHA FaceBook

World Health Organization Centre for Health Development (WHO Kobe Centre)

The World Health Organization (WHO) Centre for Health Development, created in 1995, is a global and interdisciplinary research centre that addresses major challenges to health and development in the 21st Century. Its major role is to develop and coordinate international and local collaborative research, to nurture partnerships and global networks with government, academic, and nongovernmental institutions, and exchange of lessons. Urbanization, rapid population ageing, and climate change are among the key drivers of health outcomes worldwide. The Centre’s research currently promotes implementation of universal health coverage, innovation and ageing, as well as for specific issues related to disaster risk management. The Centre focuses on reducing health inequalities, the social determinants of health, and intersectoral action.