KOJI OKUMURA

Last Updated :2022/10/04

Affiliations, Positions
Morito Institute of Global Higher Education, Professor (Special Appointment)
E-mail
kojiokhiroshima-u.ac.jp
Self-introduction
Researcher on Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology, Seismology, Volcanology, and Geochronology

Basic Information

Major Professional Backgrounds

  • 2022/04/01, Morito Institute of Global Higher Education, Professor
  • 1996/10/01, 2001/03/31, Hiroshima University, Faculty of Letters, Associate Professor
  • 2001/04/01, 2007/03/31, Hiroshima University, Graduate School of Letters, Associate Professor
  • 1986/04/01, 1996/09/30, AIST-MITI, Geological Survey of Japan, Researcher

Educational Backgrounds

  • The University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Science, Geography, Japan, 1983/04, 1986/03
  • The University of Tokyo, Faculty of Literature, Greek and Latin Classics, Japan, 1975/04, 1981/03

Academic Degrees

  • Dr. Sc., The University of Tokyo

Research Fields

  • Complex systems;Geography;Geography

Research Keywords

  • Tephrochronology
  • active fault
  • Radiocarbon dating
  • seismic risk assessment
  • Quaternary
  • paleoseismology

Affiliated Academic Societies

  • Japan Association of Quaternary Research, 1983
  • Volcanological Society of Japan, 1984
  • Seismological Society of Japan, 1986
  • American Geophysical Union, 1990
  • Geological Society of America, 1991
  • Seismological Society of America, 1991
  • International Union for Quaternary Research, 1992
  • International Association of Volcanology and Earth's Interior, 1995
  • American Nuclear Society, 2013, 2016

Research Activities

Academic Papers

  1. Catalog for Late Quaternary marker-tephras in Japan II --Tephras occurring in Northeast Honshu and Hokkaido--, Geographical Reports of Tokyo Metropolitan University, 21, 223-250, 19860301
  2. Interglacial Climate and Relic Red Soils in Northern Japan Based on Pollen Records of Interglacial Deposits in Eastern Hokkaido, 18, 29-48, 19861201
  3. The 1986 eruption of Izu-Oshima volcano, Geological Survey of Japan, Miscellaneous Map Series 26, 26, 1 sheet + 8 pages-1 sheet + 8 pages, 19870301
  4. Toya Ash -- A Widespread Late Quaternary Time-Marker in Northern Japan --, The Quaternary Research, 26, 129-145, 19870701
  5. Recurrence of Large Pyroclastic Flows and Innovation of Volcanic Activity in Eastern Hokkaido, 518-521, 19880801
  6. ★, Collision Tectonics in Hokkaido, DELP Publication, 94-96, 19881201
  7. ★, Quaternary Tephra Studies in the Hokkaido District, Northern Japan, The Quaternary Research, 30, 379-390, 19910501
  8. Late Holocene Behavior and Seismogenic Potential of the Rodgers Creek Fault Zone, 113, 393-398, 19920110
  9. Mode of mixture of oceanic fragments and terrigenous trench fill in an accretionary complex: example from southern Sakhalin, Tectonophysics, 202, 361-374, 19920201
  10. ★, Recent Surface Faultin Events along the Middle Section of the Itoigawa-Shizuoka Tectonic Line -Trenching Survey of the Gofukuji Fault near Matsumoto, Central Japan, Zishin, 2nd Ser., 46, 425-438, 19941201
  11. Progress in Paleoseismology in Japan during the 1990s, 38, 253-261, 19960601
  12. ★, Recent Surface faulting Events along the Northern Part of the Itoigawa-Shizuoka Tectonic Line, Zishin, 2nd Ser., 50, 35-51, 19980301
  13. Paleoseismic investigations in the Santa Cruz mountains, 103, 17985-18002, 19980801
  14. Trench investigation along the Merida section of the Bocono fault (central Venezuelan Andes), Venezuela, Tectonophysics, 306(1-2), 1-21, 19990701
  15. Recent surface faulting of the North Antolian fault along the 1943 Ladik earthquake ruptures, 51, 29-35, 20000110
  16. Active Fault Research for the New Millenium - Proceedings of the Hokudan International Symposium on Active Faulting, Hokudan Co. Ltd., 606, 20000110
  17. Paleoseismology of the North Anatolian fault, 349-352, 20000110
  18. ★, Paleoseismology of the Itoigawa-Shizuoka Tectonic Line in Central Japan, Journal of Seismology, 411-431, 20010701
  19. Maps and data from a trench investigation of the Utsalady Point fault, Whidbey Island, Washington, U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map, MF-2420, 2420, 20030701
  20. Paleoseismicity of Two Historically Quiescent Faults in Australia Implications for Fault Behavior in Stable Continental Regions, Bulletin of Seismological Society of America, 93, 1913-1934, 20030801
  21. Evidence for Late Holocene Earthquakes on the Utsalady Point Fault, Northern Puget Lowland, Washington, Seismological Society of America Bulletin, 94(6), 2299-2316, 20041201
  22. Evidence for Late Holocene earthquakes on the Utsalady Point Fault, northern puget lowland, Washington, BULLETIN OF THE SEISMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA, 94(6), 2299-2316, 200412
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  23. Slip distribution, Fault Geometry, and Fault Segmentation of the 1944 Bolu-Gerede Earthquake Rupture, North Anatolian fault, turkey, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 95(4), 1234-1249, 20050701
  24. GEOLOGIC EVIDENCE FOR LATE QUATERNARY MOVEMENT ON THE CLAN ALPINE FAULT, WEST-CENTRAL NEVADA - TRENCH LOGS, SCARP PROFILES, LOCATION MAPS, AND SAMPLE AND SOIL DESCRIPTIONS, United States Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Map, 2891, 1 SHEET, 20050801
  25. Research on Active Faulting to Mitigate Seismic Hazards: the State of the Art. Abstracts, Hokudan International Symposium on Active Faulting, Hokudan Intrantioanal Symporium on Active Faulting, 185, 20050101
  26. ★, Surface Deformation and the Fault Responsible for the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake, Earthquake Spectra, 21(S1), 113-123, 20051201
  27. Late Quaternary faulting along the western margin of the Poronaysk Lowland in central Sakhalin, Russia, Tectonophysics, 407, 257-268, 20051001
  28. Slip distribution, fault geometry, and fault segmentation of the 1944 Bolu-Gerede earthquake rupture, North Anatolian fault, Turkey, BULLETIN OF THE SEISMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA, 95(4), 1234-1249, 200508
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  29. Seasonal patterns of carbon chemistry and isotopes in tufa depositing groundwaters of southwestern Japan, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 72(2), 480-492, 20080115
  30. A fault scarp in an urban area identified by LiDAR survey: A Case study on the Itoigawa-Shizuoka Tectonic Line, central Japan, Geomorphology, 101, 731-739, 20080501
  31. A fault scarp in an urban area identified by LiDAR survey: A Case study on the Itoigawa-Shizuoka Tectonic Line, central Japan, GEOMORPHOLOGY, 101(4), 731-739, 20081101
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  32. The response of Holocene pollen assemblages to local landform changes in Kamishiro Basin, Nagano Prefecture, The Quaternary Research, 51(1), 21-33, 20120101
  33. Active fault study along foothill zone of Kumaun Sub-Himalaya: influence on landscape shaping and drainage evolution, CURRENT SCIENCE, 106(2), 229-236, 20140125
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  34. Important Issues Solved and Unsolved on the Paleoseismology of the North Anatolian Fault, Proceeding of the 5th International INQUA Meeting on Paleoseismology, Active Tectonics and Archeoseismology, 94-96, 20140921
  35. Active Fault and Paleoseismic Studies in Kangra Valley: Evidence of Surface Rupture of a Great Himalayan 1905 Kangra Earthquake (M-w 7.8), Northwest Himalaya, India, BULLETIN OF THE SEISMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA, 105(5), 2325-2342, 201510
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  36. Paleoseismic evidence of the CE 1505 (?) and CE 1803 earthquakes from the foothill zone of the Kumaon Himalaya along the Himalayan Frontal Thrust (HFT), India, Tectonophysics, in press(in press), in press-in press, 20160727
  37. Studies of the Quaternary in Japan, Quaternary International, 397, 1-2, 20160318
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  38. Koji Okumura: Earthquake Geology of the April 14 and 16, 2016 Kumamoto Earthquakes, Proceedings of the 7th International INQUA Workshop on Paleoseismology, Active Tectonics and Archaeoseismology, 191-194, 20160530
  39. Surface rupture of a Great Himalayan 1905 Kangra earthquake (Mw7.8), NW Himalaya, India, Proceedings of the 7th International INQUA Workshop on Paleoseismology, Active Tectonics and Archaeoseismology, 162-165, 20160530
  40. Deciphering the landforms generated by large earthquakes, Journal of the Japanese Geotechnical Society, 65(4), 61-68, 20170401
  41. Risk evaluation method and measures for fault displacements by engineering approach (3) Hazard analysis for fault, Journal of the Atomic Energy Society of Japan, 59(8), 39-43, 20170801
  42. Characteristics of debris avalanche deposits inferred from source volume estimate and hummock morphology around Mt. Erciyes, central Turkey, Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, 18, 429-444, 20180207
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  43. A Worldwide and Unified Database of Surface Ruptures (SURE) for Fault Displacement Hazard Analyses, Seismological Research Letters, 90(6), n.a.-n.a., 20191101
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  44. Recognition of parallel scarps along the Kotanuka fault of the Shibetsu fault zone, eastern Hokkaido, revealed by an airborne LiDAR survey, Annual Report on Active Fault and Paleoearthquake Researhces, 19, 61-69, 20191210
  45. A Worldwide and Unified Database of Surface Ruptures (SURE) for Fault Displacement Hazard Analyses, SEISMOLOGICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, 91(1), 499-520, 202001
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  46. Development of model of seismic source characteristics at the Ikata site based on guidelines for SSHAC Level 3, Journal of Japan Association for Earthquake Engineering, 22, 2022

Publications such as books

  1. 2021/08/31, A Standard for Procedure of Fault Displacement Probabilistic Risk Assessment for Nuclear Power Plants 2021, Atomic Energy Society of Japan, 2021, 8, Scholarly Book, Joint work, 日本語, T. Itoi and 20 others (Atomic Energy Society of Japan, Standards Committee, Fault Displacement PRA Working Group), 978-4-89047-434-9, 306
  2. 2000/01, Active Fault Research for the New Millenium - Proceedings of the Hokudan International Symposium on Active Faulting , Hokudan Co. Ltd., 2000, 01, Compilation

Invited Lecture, Oral Presentation, Poster Presentation

  1. Rupture History of the Himalayan Frontal Thrust near Bagmati River crossing in Central Nepal, Koji Okumura, Prakash Pokhrel3, Hisao Kondo, Tomoru Yamanaka, Soma Nath Sapkota, Southern California Earthquake Center 2022 Annual Meeting, 2022/09/12, Without Invitation, English, Southern California Earthquake Center, Palm Springs, CA, U.S.A.
  2. EARTHQUAKE RISKS OF THE NORTH ANATOLIAN FAULT AND THE ANATOLIA, Koji Okumura, Thomas K. Rockwell, 34th International Geographical Congress, 2021/08/17, Without Invitation, English, International Geographical Union, Istanbul/Online
  3. Rupture History of the Himalayan Frontal Thrust near Bagmati River crossing in Central Nepal, Koji Okumura, Tomoru Yamanaka, Hisao Kondo, aPrakash Pokhrel and Soma Nath Sapkota, Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2021, 2021/06/06, Without Invitation, English, Japan Geoscience Union, Online
  4. Paleoseismology of the largest earthquakes from the Himalayan Frontal Thrusts, Okumura, K., Malik, J. N., Sapkota, S. N. and Pokhrel, P., Hokudan 2020 International Symposium on Active Faulting, 2020/01/16, Without Invitation, English, Operation Committee of the Hokudan International Symposium on Active Faulting, Awaji City
  5. The Past and the Future of Large Earthquakes on the Himalayan Frontal Thrust in India and Nepal, Koji Okumura, Javed N. Malik, Soma N. Sapkota, Prakash Pokhrel, Hisao Kondo, American Geophysical Union 2019 Fall Meeting, 2019/12/12, Without Invitation, English, American Geophysical Union, San Francisco
  6. Paleoseismology of the North Anatolian Fault, Koji Okumura, 20th Anniversary of the 1999 Marmara Earthquakes: 23rd Active Tectonics Research Group Meeting, 2019/10/17, Without Invitation, English, Active Tectonics Research Group of Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul
    Related URL
  7. Potential of Large Earthquakes in Central Nepal: Himalayan Front and Kathmandu Basin, Koji Okumura, Prakash Pokhrel, Soma Nath Sapkota, Hisao Kondo and Takuya Furuhashi, Geological Society of America 2019 Meeting, 2019/09/24, Without Invitation, English, Geological Society of America, Phoenix
  8. Geology of Earthquakes Against Extreme Hazards, Koji Okumura, International Conference in Commemoration of 20th Anniversary of the 1999 Chi-Chi Earthquake, 2019/09/16, With Invitation, English, National Center for Research of Earthquake Engineering (NCREE), National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction (NCDR) and Taiwan Earthquake Research Center (TEC), Taipei
  9. Paleoseismology of the largest earthquakes from the Himalayan front, Koji Okumura, Javed Malik, Prakash Pokhrel, and Soma Sapkota, Southern California Earthquake Center 2019 Meeting, 2019/09/09, Without Invitation, English, Southern California Earthquake Center, Palm Springs
  10. The Timing and Extent of the Last Surface Rupture Event on the Himalayan Frontal Thrust in Central Nepal around Butwal, Koji Okumura, Soma Nath Sapkota, Prakash Pokhrel, Hisao Kondo, Takuya Furuhashi, INQUA 20th Congress, 2019/07/30, Without Invitation, English, INQUA, Dublin
  11. Seismotectonic environments and landscape as keys to mitigate the impacts from unexpected hazardSeismotectonic environments and landscape as keys to mitigate the impacts from unexpected hazards, Koji Okumura, Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2019, 2019/05/29, Without Invitation, Japanese, Japan Geoscience Union, Makuhari, Chiba
  12. The Timing and Extent of the Last Surface Rupture Event on the Himalayan Frontal Thrust in Central Nepal around Butwal, Koji Okumura, Soma Nath Sapkota, Prakash Pokhrel, Hisao Kondo, Takuya Furuhashi, Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2019, 2019/05/29, Without Invitation, Japanese, Japan Geoscience Union, Makuhari, Chiba
  13. The Last Surface Rupture Event on the Himalayan Frontal Thrust in Central Nepal near Butwal, Koji Okumura, P. Pokhrel, S. N. Sapkota, H. Kondo, and T. Furuhashi, American Geophysical Union 2018 Fall Meeting, 2018/12/11, Without Invitation, English, American Geophysical Union, Washington D.C., U.S.A.
  14. Communication on earthquake hazards and risks in Japan since 1995 Kobe earthquake, Koji Okumura, Geological Society of America 2018 Annual Meeting, 2018/11/06, Without Invitation, English, Geological Society of America, Indianapolis
  15. Fault displacement at the surface and beneath, Koji Okumura, Taiwan-Korean-Japan joint symposium on survey and evaluation technologies of underground environment, 2018/10/03, With Invitation, English, Department of Earth Sciences, National Central University Ministry of Science and Technology, Taichung, Taiwan
  16. Performance of paleoseismology for disaster mitigation in recent large earthquakes in Japan, Koji Okumura, 9th International INQUA Meeting on Paleoseismology, Active Tectonics and Archeoseismology, 2018/06/17, Without Invitation, English, INQUA International Focus Group EGSHaz, Possidi, Greece
  17. Importance of geologic information on recurring large earthquake from paeoseismology in Japan, India, and Turkey, Koji Okumura, International Conference for the Decade Memory of the Wenchuan Earthquake with The 4th International Conference on Continental Earthquakes, 2018/05/12, With Invitation, English, Ministry of Emergency Management of the People's Republic of China, People's Government of Sichuan Province, China Earthquake Administration and The 4th ICCE, Chengdu, China
  18. Tectonics and earthquakes of the North Anatolian fault and surrounding area, Koji Okumura, Workshop on Tectonic Deformation and Earthquake Mechanism, 2018/05/10, With Invitation, English, STATE KEY LABORATORY OF EARTHQUAKE DYNAMICS, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing
  19. Re-evaluation of the Seismic Risks From the Most Dangerous Onshore Fault, the ISTL (Itoigawa-Shizuoka Tectonic LIne Active Fault System in Central Japan, Koji Okumura, American Geophysical Union 2017 Fall Meeting, 2017/12/14, With Invitation, English, American Geophysical Union, New Orleans
  20. Paleoseismology of the Himalayan Frontal Zones, Koji Okumura, Javed N. Malik, Joint Scientific Assembly of the International Association of Geodesy (IAG) and International Association of Seismology and Physics of the Earth's Interior (IASPEI), 2017/08/04, With Invitation, English, International Association of Geodesy (IAG) and International Association of Seismology and Physics of the Earth's Interior (IASPEI), Kobe
  21. How to optimize the response of the earth science commnity toward severe hazards, Koji Okumura, Japan Geophysical Union and American Geophysical Union 2017 Joint Meeting, 2017/05/25, With Invitation, Japanese, Japan Geophysical Union and American Geophysical Union, Makuhari, Chiba
  22. Introduction to the session on the surface ruptures during earthquakes, Koji Okumura, Japan Geophysical Union and American Geophysical Union Joint Meeting 2017, 2017/05/24, Without Invitation, English, Japan Geophysical Union and American Geophysical Union, Makuhari, Chba
    Related URL
  23. Paleoseismology of the Collision Plate Boundary on the Himalayan Front, Koji Okumura, Javed N. Malik, Seismological Society of America 2017 Annual Meeting, 2017/04/20, Without Invitation, English, Seismological Society of America, Denver, U.S.A.
  24. Quaternary Activity of the Erciyes Fault Southeast of the Kayseri Basin, Turkey, Koji Okumura, Yuichi S. Hayakawa, Ryoichi Contani, Fikri Kulakoglu, American Geophysical Union 2016 Fall Meeting, 2016/12/25, Without Invitation, English, American Geophysical Union, San Francisco
  25. Kumamoto earthquake: a complex earthquake sequence with large strike-slip ruptures, Koji Okumura, Southern California Earthquake Center 2016 Annual Meeting, 2016/09/14, With Invitation, English, Southern California Earthquake Center, Palm Springs, CA
  26. Motivation for High-resolution mapping: Kumamoto Earthquake sequence, prior geological works, and high resolution topography in Japan, Koji Okumura, Southern California Earthquake Center Summer School, 2016/07/26, With Invitation, English, Southern California Earthquake Center, Lake Arrowhead Resort, CA
  27. The Kumamoto, JAPAN earthquakes of April 2016, Koji Okumura, 7th International INQUA Workshop on Paleoseismology, Active Tectonics and Archaeoseismology, 2016/05/30, With Invitation, English, GEO-HAZ Consulting, Inc., Crestone, Colorado, U.S.A.
  28. Quaternary research for the studies of earthquake hazards, Koji Okumura, Takashi Azuma, JPGU 2016 Meeting, 2016/05/25, Without Invitation, Japanese, Japan Geoscience Union, Chiba, Japan
  29. Upper plate crustal faults and earthquakes in and around the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant, Koji Okumura, JPGU 2016 Meeting, 2016/05/22, With Invitation, Japanese, Japan Geoscience Union, Chiba, Japan
  30. The Kumamoto, JAPAN earthquakes of April 2016, Koji Okumura, Seminar on the Kumamoto Earhtuqke, 2016, 2016/05/03, With Invitation, English, Laboratoire de Tectonics, Institute de Physique du Globe, Paris, Institute de Physique du Globe, Paris
  31. Kumamoto Earthquake of April 16, 2016 in Japan, Koji Okumura, Seminar on the Kumamoto Earthquake of April 16, 2016 in Japan, 2016/04/28, With Invitation, English, Earth Science Department, Oxford University, Earth Science Department, Oxford University
  32. Surface Ruptures and Deformation Associated with 3 Recent Earthquakes of 2004, 2007, and 2014 in Central Japan, Koji Okumura, Kick-off meeting for surface rupture database for Seismic Hazard Assessment, 2015/10/28, With Invitation, English, Institut Radioprotection Sûreté Nucléaire, France, Institut Radioprotection Sûreté Nucléaire, France
  33. Global seismic safety issues after the Fukushima Daiichi accident: On Identification and Treatment of Uncertainty about Seismic Issues --How we treat fault displacement issues in NPP sites?--, Koji Okumura, American Nuclear Society 2014 Winter Meeting, 2014/11/11, With Invitation, English, American Nuclear Society, Disneyland Hotel, Anaheim, CA, U.S.A.
  34. Important Issues Solved and Unsolved on the Paleoseismology of the North Anatolian Fault, Koji Okumura, 5th International INQUA Meeting on Paleoseismology, Active Tectonics and Archeoseismology, 2014/09/14, Without Invitation, English, INQUA Focus Group on Paleoseismology and Active Tectonics, Busan, Korea
  35. Global seismic safety issues after the Fukushima Daiichi accident--How to treat capable faults in NPP sites, Koji Okumura, American Nuclear Society 2014 Annual Meeting, 2014/06/17, With Invitation, English, American Nuclear Society, Reno, NV.
  36. The Timing of the Recent Two Faulting Events on the Himalayan Frontal Fault in Ramnagar Area, Uttarakhand, India, Koji Okumura, Malik, J. N., Santiswarup, S., Naik, S. P., and Khan, A., Seismological Society of America 2014 Annual Meeting, 2014/05/02, With Invitation, English, Seismological Society of America, Anchorage, AK

Social Activities

History as Committee Members

  1. Section President, 2019/08, 2021/08, Japan Association for Quaternary Research
  2. Expert Committee Member of the Headquarter for the Earthquake Research Promotion, 2016/04, Headquarter for the Earthquake Research Promotion, The Government of Japan
  3. Vice President, 2013/08, 2017/08, Japan Association for Quaternary Research
  4. Director, 2012/05, 2018/05, Japan Geophysical Union
  5. Scientific Committee Member, 2008, 2020, IAEA International Seismic Safety Center
  6. President of INQUA Committee, 2007/10, 2018/09, Science Council of Japan
  7. Vice President, 2007, 2015, International Union for Quaternary Research
  8. Expert, 2001, 2012, Nuclear Safety Committee

Organizing Academic Conferences, etc.

  1. 北淡国際活断層シンポジウム実行委員会, Secretary General, 2020/01, 2020/01
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  2. International Union for Quaternary Research XIX Congress, Vice President of the Organizing Committee and INQUA Vice President, 2012/01, 2016/03
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  3. 5th International INQUA Meeting on Paleoseismology, Active Tectonics and Archeoseismology, Organizer, 2014/09, 2014/09