Akitsune Imamura - Akitsune Imamura

Seismologist. Born in Kagoshima Prefecture. Graduated from the Department of Physics at the Faculty of Science of the Imperial University in 1894 (Meiji 27), he served as a professor at the Army Academy and an assistant professor at the Imperial University, and was also active as a member of the Earthquake Disaster Prevention Research Committee. In 1929 (Showa 4), he founded the Seismological Society of Japan and became its president. In 1931, he moved from professor at Tokyo Imperial University to head the Physics Department of the Ministry of Education's Academic Research Council. In 1905 (Meiji 38), he had a major debate with Omori Fusakichi regarding the prediction of the Great Kanto Earthquake. When the Great Kanto Earthquake occurred in 1923 (Taisho 12), he played a central role in the research activities as the secretary of the Earthquake Disaster Prevention Research Committee. In the Showa era, he also actively planned crustal movement research through geodesy and surveying, which contributed greatly to the establishment of the basic methods of earthquake prediction research today, and was also active in raising awareness of earthquake disaster prevention. In addition to his main work, "Theoretical and Applied Seismology" (in English), he has also written many other educational books, including "Lectures on Earthquakes," "Conquering Earthquakes," "Catfish Jokes," and "The Land of Earthquakes."

[Yoichiro Fujii]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

地震学者。鹿児島県出身。1894年（明治27）帝国大学理科大学物理学科を卒業し、陸軍士官学校教授と帝国大学助教授を兼務、震災予防調査会委員としても活躍した。1929年（昭和4）地震学会を創立して会長となる。1931年東京帝国大学教授から文部省学術研究会議物理学部長に移る。1905年（明治38）関東大震災の予言問題に関連して大森房吉と大論争をおこした。1923年（大正12）の関東大地震に際しては、震災予防調査会幹事として調査活動の中心になった。また昭和に入ってからは、測地、測量による地殻変動調査を積極的に企図し、今日の地震予知研究の基本方法確立に貢献するところが大きく、震災防止の啓蒙(けいもう)活動にも積極的に意を用いた。主著『理論・応用地震学』（英文）のほか、『地震講話』『地震の征服』『鯰(なまず)のざれごと』『地震の国』などの啓蒙書も多い。

［藤井陽一郎］

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