Japan is now in an active phase of earthquakes from the first half of this century and on March 11th, 2011, we were visited by the unexpected earthquake of “Great East Japan Earthquake”. Hence it seems that it is important to build up the risk management system for massive earthquakes such as the Earthquake Directly under the Capital as soon as possible. A massive earthquake not only has severe repercussions on corporate activities, but also worsens the credit quality of the correspondent financial institution’s investment and loan portfolio, and may cause the institution to default. And it may finally result in malfunction of the whole financial system. As a massive earthquake occurrence brings various financial risk concentrations, financial institutions must conduct the voluntary internal risk management. We incorporate the valuation methodology for the long term earthquake occurrence probability into the portfolio credit risk valuation framework and provide a quite new valuation methodology for the portfolio credit risk triggered by a massive earthquake.

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We tried to measure and confirm the diameter of particles collected on micro fiber sheets (MFS) which provide a simple monitoring method of particular matter (PM) in the ambient air. And we investigated the potential for using MFS as an indicator of the concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and environmental risks of ∑PAHs in the atmosphere. In addition to this, we also set up MFS at a large number of sites in built-up areas and evaluated the risk of PAHs in the ambient air. The results of this indicated that the MFS were able to point out the PM, ∑PAHs and environmental risks of ∑PAHs. The results of measuring the PAH risks at multiple points showed that risks that cannot be ignored exist not only in main roadside areas but also in residential areas in regional cities.

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In Japan, the initial risk assessment of chemical is carried out in two organizations. Although the result of these initial assessments is in agreement in general, chemicals in which results differ also exist. In the case of carbon disulfide, it became clear from comparison with the result of detailed risk assessment that the disagreement of two initial assessments originates in use of the human no observed adverse effect level derived from animal study and underestimate of exposure level accompanying use of monitoring data. Moreover, exposure around the handling facilities is not appropriately estimated in these initial assessments. Although these problems are improved in the method of the risk assessment under the Chemical Substances Control Law in Japan, it is necessary to verify and improve the method using the result of detailed risk assessment, if needed.

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A new method of Science Communication is needed to make ordinary people familiar with Genetically Modified (GM) foods. Science communication device called “Kitchen Science” was designed and tried successfully. In Kitchen Science, two kinds of corn margarine were used for the speaker and audience to cook cakes(one is corn margarine made of non-GM corn, the other is that made of non-segregated non-GM corn), then listening to the lecture on GM food and its safety and tasting the cakes cooked by themselves followed. According to the answers of questionnaires after the “Kitchen Science”, the participants enjoyed and felt a kind of familiarity to GM food. Those people who like science may join science communication while ordinary people who do not like science may attend “Kitchen Science” eventually to arrive at a science communication level. Thus, “Kitchen Science” is expected as an easy way for ordinary people to join in science communication.

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