The following materials are available for investigating past disasters in Japan. Unless otherwise noted, the materials indicated are written in Japanese.
This webpage introduces materials for researching natural disasters (earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, typhoons, etc.), and some materials also include man-made disasters (accidents of various public transportation, pollution, mountain accidents, etc.). This webpage does not cover disaster prevention.
Numbers shown in brackets [ ] indicate the National Diet Library (NDL) call number. For materials which do not have call numbers shown, users need to search their titles via the NDL Search as their call numbers are different depending on the edition and volume.
Material Name (bibliographic information)* is the material whose table of contents and index are at the bottom of the screen. Please scroll down to see.

1. Records of disasters in Japan

1-1. General disaster history in Japan

• Showa saigaishi jiten (Nichigai Associates, Inc.,　1993.7- 1995.11　【EG77-E134】)*
• Showa saigaishi nenpyo jiten. 2 (Nichigai Associates, Inc.,　1992.6　【EG77-E134】)*
  This is a 6-volume material, including a general index, which contains approximately 12,000 cases of natural disasters (heavy rains, earthquakes, avalanches, etc.) and man-made disasters (accidents of public transportation, pollution, mountain accidents, etc.) that occurred in Japan from 1927 (Showa 2) to 1988 (Showa 63) in the order of occurrence. It outlines the number of casualties and the scale of damage.
• Heisei saigaishi jiten Heisei 1-Heisei 10 (Nichigai Associates, Inc.,　1999.5　【EG77-G532】)*
• Heisei saigaishi jiten Heisei 11-Heisei 15 (Nichigai Associates, Inc.,　2004.5　【EG77-H149】)*
• Heisei saigaishi jiten Heisei 16-Heisei 20 (Nichigai Associates, Inc.,　2009.3　【EG77-J139】)*
• Heisei saigaishi jiten. Heisei 21-Heisei 25 (Nichigai Associates, Inc.,　2014.3　【E2-L81】)*
• Heisei saigaishi jiten. Heisei 26-Heisei 30 (Nichigai Associates, Inc.,　2019.3　【E2-M9】)*
• Heisei saigaishi jiten Sosakuin(Nichigai Associates, Inc.,　2019.6　【E2-M24】)
  These materials list about 14,000 natural and man-made disasters that occurred in Japan from 1989 (Heisei 1/Showa 64) to 2018 (Heisei 30) in the order of occurrence. It outlines the number of casualties and the scale of damage.
• Nihon rekishi saigai jiten (Yoshikawa Kobunkan Inc.,　2012.6　【EG77-J1000】)*
  This is a material that summarizes disasters in Japan from 864 (Jyogan 6) to 2011 (Heisei 23), when the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred.
• Nihon saigaishi jiten. 1868-2009 (Nichigai Associates, Inc.,　2010.9　【EG77-J340】)*
  This material lists about 4,500 natural and man-made disasters that occurred in Japan from 1868 (Meiji 1) to 2009 (Heisei 21) in order of occurrence. It outlines the number of casualties and the scale of damage.

1-2. Great East Japan Earthquake

• Higashinihon daishinsai hisai shichoson no sugata: Tokei to chizu de miru (Japan Statistical Association　2012.3　【EG77-J984】)*
  It explains the population and economic conditions of the three affected prefectures (Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima) immediately before the earthquake, and the damage they suffered in the earthquake, using statistical data.
• 3.11 no kiroku: Higashinihon daishinsaishiryo soran: Shinsai hen (Nichigai Associates, Inc.,　2013.7　【E1-L12】)
• 3.11 no kiroku: Higashinihon daishinsaishiryo soran: Genpatsu jikohen (Nichigai Associates, Inc.,　2013.7　【E1-L11】)
• 3.11 no kiroku: Higashinihon daishinsaishiryo soran: Terebi tokushu bangumihen (Nichigai Associates, Inc.,　2014.1　【E1-L17】)
  This material contains books, articles of periodicals, audiovisual/electronic materials, and special programs related to the Great East Japan Earthquake that were published, listed, and reported during the two years from March 11, 2011 (Heisei 23).
• 3.11 no kiroku: Higashinihon daishinsaishiryo soran: Niki (Second Period　Nichigai Associates, Inc.　2022.7　 【E1-M23】)
  This material contains about them from 2013 to 2022.
• Higashinihon daishinsai e no seisaku taio to shokadai (Policy Response to the Great East Japan Earthquake and Problems) (Research material; 2011-4) (Research and Legislative Reference Bureau, National Diet Library　2012.3　【EG77-J816】)
  Among various problems of the Great East Japan Earthquake, this material summarizes the situation from immediately after the earthquake occurred in March 2011 (Heisei 23) to January 2012 (Heisei 24), the history of government policy responses, major challenges and issues regarding the reconstruction of the lives of the victims, the restoration and reconstruction of the affected areas, the compensation for the nuclear accident and radiation countermeasures, and the financial measures for earthquake disaster countermeasures. The text of this material is available in the National Diet Library Digital Collections.

2. Materials on earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes in Japan

• Bosai hakusho (White Paper on Disaster Prevention) (Cabinet Office Japan　Yearly publication　【Z71-K664】)*

• White paper disaster management in Japan(Cabinet Office Japan　Yearly publication　【Z61-K49】)
  This material explains about disasters in Japan and disaster countermeasures. The latest version and back numbers are posted on the webpage of the White Paper on Disaster Prevention on the Cabinet Office's website.

• Rika nenpyo (Chronological scientific tables) (Desktop version　Maruzen Publishing Co., Ltd.　Yearly publication　【Z43-470】)*
  This material summarizes the damage caused by natural disasters such as earthquakes, typhoons, and heavy snow. It also indicates the number of dead/missing, injured people, and completely/partially destroyed houses due to each disaster.

• Nihon no jishin chizu (New definitive edition Tokyo Shoseki Co., Ltd.　2019.4　【ME75-M3】)*
  This material compiles an overview of seismic activity, existing active faults, characteristics of past earthquake damage, major earthquakes which occurred in the past, and information on earthquake prediction, etc. in each region of Japan.

• Jishin chosaiinkai houkokushu (Earthquake Research Committee, Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion)

  Since August 1995 (Heisei 7), the Earthquake Research Committee, Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion has evaluated and published the current state of seismic activity every month (or on an ad hoc basis if there is significant seismic activity). This material compiles the evaluation result reports every year. The evaluation result reports are released on the website of the Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion(Some English versions available).

• Nihon higai jishin soran: 599-2012 (University of Tokyo Press　2013.9　【ME75-L20】)*
  This material contains the dates of occurrence (Christian era, Japanese calendar, time), epicenters' names, latitude/longitude, scale and depth of focuses, earthquakes' names, their explanations, reference materials, and charts (seismic intensity distribution map, damage status, etc.) for 1,000 damaging earthquakes that occurred in Japan from 599 (Suiko 7) to 2012 (Heisei 24).

• Nihon higai tsunami soran (2nd Edition　University of Tokyo Press　1998.2　【ME75-G48】)*
  This material explains tsunamis in two parts, "general" and "particular". For about 200 tsunamis that occurred in and around Japan from 684 (Tenmu 13) to 1996 (Heisei 8), the material contains the dates of occurrence (Christian era, Japanese calendar, time), tsunami sources (epicenters), latitude/longitude, depth, earthquake magnitude, tsunami magnitude, earthquakes' names, explanations, seismic intensity distribution maps, etc.

• Nihon Kakkazan soran (4th Edition　Japan Meteorological Agency　2013.3　【YU9-L41】)*
  This three-volume material describes 110 active volcanoes in Japan. The English version is available at the National Catalogue of the Active Volcanoes in Japan (The Fourth Edition, English Version) on the Japan Meteorological Agency's website.

3. Bibliographies

• Jiko saigai reference book (Nichigai Associates, Inc.,　2015.8　【E1-L23】)*
  This catalog, published from 1990 (Heisei 2) to 2014 (Heisei 26), introduces reference books on accidents and disasters.
• Saigai bunken daijiten: 1945 (Showa 20) -2008 (Heisei 20) (Nihon Tosho Center Co.,Ltd　2009.6　【E1-J12】)
  This material introduces about 4,000 books on disasters published from 1945 (Showa 20) to 2008 (Heisei 20). An abridged table of contents is also included for about 3,200 of them.
• Saigai bosai no hon zenjoho: 45/95 (Nichigai Associates, Inc.,　1995.8　【M1-G1】)*
• Saigai bosai no hon zenjoho: 1995-2004 (Nichigai Associates, Inc.,　2005.4　【M1-H20】)
• Saigai bosai no hon zenjoho. 2004-2012 (From the Mid Niigata Prefecture Earthquake to the Great East Japan Earthquake) (Nichigai Associates, Inc.　2012.8　【E1-J29】)
• Saigai bosai no hon zenjoho. 2012-2020 (Nichigai Associates, Inc.　2020.12　【E1-M16】)
  These materials are lists of books related to disasters and disaster prevention, classified by subject, published from 1945 (Showa 20) to August 2020(Reiwa 2).
• Hanshin Awaji daishinsai kanren bunken mokuroku 1995-2000 (Nichigai Associates, Inc.　2000.10　【E1-G82】)*
  This material is a list of books and articles of periodicals related to the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, classified by subject, which were released from January 1995 (Heisei 7), when the earthquake occurred, to July 2000 (Heisei 12).

4. Internet resources

• Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) (Some English versions available)
  This is an organization established in the wake of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake (1995) to conduct research on earthquakes. It releases evaluation reports on the current state of seismic activity.
• Active fault database of Japan (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology) (Some English versions available)
  This material contains data on active faults with a length of 10 km or more all over Japan. Users also can search literature on active faults.
• Volcanoes of Japan (Geological Survey of Japan, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology) (Some English versions available)
  This website releases detailed information on active volcanoes in Japan, a 1/200,000 map of Japanese volcanoes, etc.
• NDL Great East Japan Earthquake Archive (Nickname: HINAGIKU) (The National Diet Library) (Some English versions available)
  This database, offered by the National Diet Library, contains audio/video, photos, web information, etc. related to the Great East Japan Earthquake. The earthquake chronological table contains links to the Committee for Technical Investigation on Lessons Learned from Past Disasters (Cabinet Office), HINAGIKU search term examples, etc. related to earthquakes that caused great damage during the Edo period (1605-1868) and from the Meiji period onward (1868-).
• Digital Typhoon (National Institute of Informatics) (Some English versions available)
  This database offers more than 255,000 meteorological satellite images related to typhoons and tropical cyclones since 1979 (Showa 54). The Typhoon Damage Database shows the damage of typhoons after 1951 such as the number of dead/missing, injured, and damage to houses in descending order based on the disaster information of the Fire and Disaster Management Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and data such as Rika Nenpyo (chronological scientific table).
• Japan Meteorological Agency (Some English versions available)
  This website offers Information in Japanese on past disasters."Major earthquake and tsunami disasters in the past"(Japanese) summarizes earthquake and tsunami disasters which left 100 people or more dead or missing in Japan from 1872 (Meiji 5) to 1995 (Heisei 7). "Major volcanic disasters in the past" (Japanese) summarizes volcanic activities that left 10 people or more dead or missing in Japan since the 18th century.
• Disaster Management in Japan (Cabinet Office) (Some English versions available)
  This webpage offers information on disaster prevention measures and disaster prevention policies of the Cabinet Office, in addition to information on disasters and the damage they caused. It also posts Information on disasters that occurred in Japan, "White Paper on Disaster Management", etc.

5. Related Institutions

• Disaster Management Library
  A special library that holds materials related to disasters, disaster prevention/mitigation, etc.
• Earthquake Research Institute Library, The University of Tokyo(Some English versions available)
  This is a library in the University of Tokyo specialized for research on earthquakes and volcanoes, etc.

Related Search Guides.

• Searching Disasters and Accidents (Japanese)
• Searching past disasters (earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, floods, etc.) (Japanese)
• Searching earthquakes (Japanese)