Complex In Japan Research Articles

Unveiling Deep-Seated Gravitational Slope Deformations via Aerial Photo Interpretation and Statistical Analysis in an Accretionary Complex in Japan

The objective of this study was to identify the locations of deep-seated gravitational slope deformations (DGSDs) and define the numerical characteristics of these deformations to contribute to the sustainable management of social infrastructure in the event of an increased disaster. The topographic features of the DGSDs were quantitatively characterized based on their surface morphologies. Topographic features indicative of gravitational deformation in pre-slide topographic maps, such as terminal cliff failures, irregular undulations, and gullies, suggest that progressive deformation occurred over a prolonged period. To track the gravitational deformation over time, we interpreted aerial photographs of DGSDs from 1948 and 2012 associated with deep-seated landslides on the Kii Peninsula induced by Typhoon Talas on 2–5 August 2011. Corresponding numerical analysis of the gravitational deformations using 1 m digital elevation models reveals that landslide areas exhibit eight characteristic influencing factors, demonstrating that characteristic morphologies exist in areas that eventually experience landslides. One such morphological feature is the existence of a gently sloping area in the upper section of the deep-seated landslide mass, which comprises a catchment basin without a corresponding valley or gully. These findings suggest that rainwater penetrates the ground, and degrades and deforms the rock within the landslide mass, causing the slope to fail after torrential rainfall. This study holds great significance for advancing sustainable infrastructure development and management and mitigating environmental changes.

Eco-Friendly Smart Car Parking Management System with Enhanced Sustainability

Efficient car parking management systems that minimize environmental impacts while maximizing user comfort are highly demanding for a future sustainable society. Using electric or gasoline vehicle-type information, emerging computation and communication technologies open the opportunity to provide practical solutions to achieve such goals. This paper proposes an eco-friendly smart parking management system that optimally allocates the incoming vehicles to reduce overall emissions in closed parking facilities while providing comfort incentives to the users of electric vehicles (EVs). Specifically, upon arrival of a car, the most suitable parking spot is determined by minimizing an adaptive objective function that indirectly reflects anticipatory operation for the overall performance maximization of the parking facility using electric or gasoline vehicle-type information. The adaptive objective function includes a trade-off factor that tunes driving and walking distances, relating emissions and comfort to treat incoming vehicles appropriately. The proposed system is simulated for managing a model car parking facility in a shopping complex in Japan, and the aspects related to fuel consumption, CO2 emissions, and user comfort are evaluated and benchmarked with other standard parking management systems. The proposed system reduces CO2 emissions and fuel consumption and improves parking efficiency compared to the current parking management systems, while also prioritizing user comfort.

Minimum inhibitory concentrations of azithromycin in clinical isolates of Mycobacterium avium complex in Japan.

The latest guidelines include azithromycin as a preferred regimen for treating Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) pulmonary disease. However, serially collected susceptibility data on clinical MAC isolates are limited, and no breakpoints have been determined. We investigated the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of azithromycin and clarithromycin for all MAC strains isolated in 2021 from a single center in Japan, excluding duplicates. The MICs were determined using a panel based on the microbroth dilution method, according to the latest Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute recommendations. The MICs were determined for 318 MAC strains. Although there was a significant positive correlation between the MICs of azithromycin and clarithromycin, the MICs of azithromycin tended to be higher than those of clarithromycin. Among the cases in which the strains were isolated, 18 patients initiated treatment, including azithromycin treatment, after sample collection. Some patients infected with stains with relatively high azithromycin MICs achieved a microbiological cure with azithromycin-containing regimens. This study revealed a higher MIC distribution for azithromycin than clarithromycin, raising questions about the current practice of estimating azithromycin susceptibility based on the clarithromycin susceptibility test result. However, this was a single-center study that included only a limited number of cases treated with azithromycin. Therefore, further multicenter studies that include a greater number of cases treated with azithromycin are warranted to verify the distribution of azithromycin MICs and examine the correlation between azithromycin MICs and treatment effectiveness.IMPORTANCEThe macrolides serve as key drugs in the treatment of pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex infection, and the administration of macrolide should be guided by susceptibility test results. Azithromycin is recommended as a preferred choice among macrolides, surpassing clarithromycin; however, drug susceptibility testing is often not conducted, and clarithromycin susceptibility is used as a surrogate. This study represents the first investigation into the minimum inhibitory concentration of azithromycin on a scale of several hundred clinical isolates, revealing an overall tendency for higher minimum inhibitory concentrations compared with clarithromycin. The results raise questions about the appropriateness of using clarithromycin susceptibility test outcomes for determining the administration of azithromycin. This study highlights the need for future discussions on the clinical breakpoints of azithromycin, based on large-scale clinical research correlating azithromycin susceptibility with treatment outcomes.

Biosystematic studies on Lilium (Liliaceae) II. Evolutionary history and taxon recognition in the L. maculatum–L. pensylvanicum complex in Japan

AbstractTo clarify the evolutionary history of the Lilium maculatum–L. pensylvanicum complex in Japan and to improve the circumscription of its component taxa, we conducted phylogenetic analyses based on chloroplast and nuclear internal and external transcribed spacer (ITS, ETS) DNA sequences, a genome‐wide analysis of single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) using multiplexed ISSR genotyping by sequencing (MIG‐seq), and morphological observations. Topological differences between the chloroplast and nuclear ITS + ETS phylogenies indicate that ancient hybridization or incomplete lineage sorting were involved in the origin of “maculatum”, but the relatively long length of relevant branches indicates that incomplete lineage sorting is implausible. The results of STRUCTURE analysis (K = 3, the highest delta K value) using MIG‐seq indicate that “maculatum” has already developed its own cluster and can be considered a species (L. maculatum) that originated through the hybridization of L. pacificum (sp. nov.) and L. pensylvanicum. MIG‐seq Neighbor‐Net and STRUCTURE analyses (K = 3), as well as chloroplast DNA phylogeny, reveal that populations in disjunct limestone areas (L. maculatum var. bukosanense) originated via the hybridization of L. maculatum and L. pacificum, whereas populations in the Sado‐Tobishima Islands (L. maculatum var. sadoense, var. nov.) originated via hybridization between L. maculatum and L. pensylvanicum. These taxa appear to be more or less genetically isolated from other populations based on the STRUCTURE analysis (K = 5), although we do not know whether this isolation resulted from geographic distance or reproductive barriers. Based on available MIG‐seq and morphological data, respectively, we consider the two hybrid‐origin populations to be independent varieties. Furthermore, the morphology of seaside populations of L. maculatum in East Tohoku District appears to have deviated slightly from that of mountain populations (L. maculatum f. monticola); as such, coastal populations merit recognition as a form of L. maculatum (L. maculatum f. spontaneum, comb. & stat. nov.). Other seaside populations of L. maculatum in the West Tohoku District appear to have originated from populations of L. pacificum, but have been successively taken over by L. maculatum through introgression, and have consequently evolved into a form of L. maculatum (L. maculatum f. maculatum). In addition, we found putative extant hybrid populations of L. maculatum × L. pensylvanicum. We recognize three species, two varieties, two forms, and one hybrid in the L. maculatum–L. pensylvanicum complex in Japan.

Antifungal Resistance and Genotyping of Clinical Candida parapsilosis Complex in Japan.

Non-albicans Candida infections have recently gained worldwide attention due to their intrinsic resistance to different antifungal agents and the limited therapeutic options for treating them. Although the Candida parapsilosis complex is reported to be the second or third most prevalent Candida spp., little information is available on the prevalence of antifungal resistance along with genotyping of the C. parapsilosis complex. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the prevalence of antifungal resistance, the genetic basis of such resistance, and the genotyping of C. parapsilosis complex isolates that were recovered from hospitalized patients in Japan from 2005 to 2019. Our results indicated that, with the exception of one single C. metapsilosis isolate that was dose-dependently susceptible to fluconazole, all other isolates were susceptible or showed wild phenotypes to all tested antifungals, including azoles, echinocandins, amphotericin B, and flucytosine. Molecular analyses for azole and echinocandin resistance via evaluating ERG11 mutation and FKS1 hotspot one (HS1) and hotspot two (HS2) mutations, respectively, confirmed the phenotypic results. Genotyping of our isolates confirmed that they belong to 53 different but closely related genotypes, with a similarity percentage of up to 90%. Our results are of significant concern, since understanding the genetic basis of echinocandin resistance in the C. parapsilosis complex as well their genotyping is essential for directing targeted therapy, identifying probable infection sources, and developing strategies for overcoming epidemic spread.

Constitutive Behavior of Rocks During the Seismic Cycle

AbstractEstablishing a constitutive law for fault friction is a crucial objective of earthquake science. However, the complex frictional behavior of natural and synthetic gouges in laboratory experiments eludes explanations. Here, we present a constitutive framework that elucidates the rate, state, and temperature dependence of fault friction under the relevant sliding velocities and temperatures of the brittle lithosphere during seismic cycles. The competition between healing mechanisms, such as viscoelastic collapse, pressure‐solution creep, and crack sealing, explains the low‐temperature stability transition from steady‐state velocity‐strengthening to velocity‐weakening as a function of slip‐rate and temperature. In addition, capturing the transition from cataclastic flow to semi‐brittle creep accounts for the stabilization of fault slip at elevated temperatures. We calibrate the model using extensive laboratory data on synthetic albite and granite gouge, and on natural samples from the Alpine Fault and the Mugi Mélange in the Shimanto accretionary complex in Japan. The constitutive model consistently explains the evolving frictional response of fault gouge from room temperature to 600°C for sliding velocities ranging from nanometers to millimeters per second. The frictional response of faults can be uniquely determined by the in situ lithology and the prevailing hydrothermal conditions.

Spiranthes hachijoensis (Orchidaceae), a new species within the S. sinensis species complex in Japan, based on morphological, phylogenetic, and ecological evidence

The systematics of the Old World Spiranthes sinensis (Pers.) Ames species complex (Orchidaceae) has been complicated by its wide distribution and morphological variations. Within the species complex, S. australis Lindl. has been generally accepted as the only Spiranthes Rich. species distributed on the Japanese mainland. The present study provides morphological, phylogenetic, and ecological evidence for the recognition of S. hachijoensis Suetsugu as a new species of the S. sinensis species complex on the Japanese mainland. Spiranthes hachijoensis is morphologically similar to S. hongkongensis S.Y. Hu & Barretto and S. nivea T.P. Lin & W.M. Lin, sharing a degenerated rostellum, pollinia without a viscidium, and distinctly trilobed stigma. However, the taxon can be morphologically distinguished from S. hongkongensis by its glabrous rachis, ovaries, and sepals, and from S. nivea by its papillate labellum disc, larger papillate basal labellum callosities, and glabrous rachis, ovaries, and sepals. The autogamy and flowering phenology (i.e., earlier flowering) of S. hachijoensis are most likely responsible for premating isolation from the sympatric S. australis. A MIG-seq-based high-throughput molecular analysis indicated that the genetic difference between S. hachijoensis and its putative sister species S. sinensis is comparable to, or even greater than, the genetic difference between pairs of other species within the S. sinensis species complex. Our multifaceted approach strongly supports the recognition of S. hachijoensis as a morphologically, phenologically, phylogenetically, and ecologically distinct species.

A STUDY ON THE TRANSITION PROCESS FOR COLLECTIVE HOUSING FACILITIES TO DISTRICT PLAN

Currently, housing complexes in Japan have been preserved and maintained as a comfortable living environment by collective housing facilities. However, social conditions and residential needs have been changing since occupancy started. Then, there are concerns about the current regulations mismatching the actual situation. Thus, it will be arduous to respond flexibly to the needs of the future. In the study, analyzing the process of transitioning district plans and clarifying how the process by the target apartment complexes was transitioned. Then, looked up the ideal transition process.

Wide-Area Three-Dimensional Imaging of Mesophotic Coral Reefs Using a Low-Cost AUV

Abstract Surveys and monitoring are essential to study the biology and ecology of coral reefs in order to understand the reasons behind reef demise and recovery. However, mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) remain largely unknown compared to their shallow counterparts because it is difficult to observe the seafloor below 30 m depths. Here, we propose a seafloor observation method using a low-cost autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). This method was developed to allow many people to easily perform underwater observations of MCEs, and is also applicable to general seafloor surveys, such as underwater artificial structures, hydrothermal vent fields, etc. The method possesses three important attributes to achieve effective surveys. First, it can be applied in highly rugged terrains and enables the AUV to track omnidirectional surfaces at high speed (Max. ~1 m/s). Second, it can produce a reliable three-dimensional (3D) image of the seafloor based on a depth sensor. Third, it can be used to estimate the flow velocity field. The proposed method was tested by using the AUV HATTORI-2, which is a lightweight, one-man portable AUV equipped with commercial off-the-shelf sensors. Our study area is the Sekisei Lagoon in the South Ryukyus, which represents the largest coral reef complex in Japan. The method enabled us not only to obtain a wide and high-definition 3D image of mesophotic coral reefs that captures detailed characteristics of marine habitats but also to acquire environmental data, such as flow velocity field and seawater temperature, spatially and temporally aligned with the 3D image.

Local governments' response to accidents in chemical factories in Japan: Focus on petroleum industrial complexes special accident prevention areas

This study analyzes the current situation and issues associated with the response of local governments to accidents in chemical factories, with a focus on chemical petroleum complexes in Japan. A questionnaire survey was conducted with 134 local governments of special accident prevention areas based on the Act on the Prevention of Accidents in Japan, and 67.2% responded. A quarter of the respondents stated that they experienced more than 20 accidents in the last 5 years. However, the number of local governments that have formulated accident response manuals and prepared evacuation plans was almost half. About 12% described the range of information provided to the residents in advance. The results of the analysis revealed that preparedness of local governments in responding to accidents varies substantially and that local governments that have many factories tend to formulate response manuals and evacuation plans. The study suggests that municipalities should formulate evacuation plans and response manuals, while prefectures should take the initiative to streamline responses for accidents and provide information to residents based on the analysis results.

A 4π time-of-flight detector for the ND280/T2K upgrade

ND280 is a near detector of the T2K experiment which is located in the J-PARC accelerator complex in Japan. After a decade of fruitful data-taking, ND280 is scheduled for upgrade. The time-of-flight (ToF) detector, which is described in this article, is one of three new detectors that will be installed in the basket of ND280. The ToF detector has a modular structure. Each module represents an array of 20 plastic scintillator bars which are stacked in a plane of 2.4 × 2.2 m2 area. Six modules of similar construction will be assembled in a cube, thus providing an almost 4π enclosure for an active neutrino target and two TPCs. The light emitted by scintillator is absorbed by arrays of large-area silicon photo-multipliers (SiPMs) which are attached to both ends of every bar. The readout of SiPMs, shaping and analog sum of individual SiPM signals within the array are performed by a discrete circuit amplifier. An average time resolution of about 0.14 ns is achieved for a single bar when measured with cosmic muons. The detector will be installed in the basket of ND280, where it will be used to veto particle originating outside the neutrino target, improve the particle identification and provide a cosmic trigger for calibration of detectors which are enclosed inside it.

Morphological and ecological diversification of Conocephalum conicum complex in Japan and Taiwan

Morphological and ecological diversification of Conocephalum conicum complex in Japan and Taiwan

Surface eruptive dynamics of 2018 small phreatic eruption of Iwo-Yama volcano, Japan: Constraints from seismo-acoustic observation and mud suspension rheology

The 2018 small phreatic eruption that occurred at Iwo-yama (Ebinokogen Ioyama) volcano of the Kirishima Volcanic Complex in Japan was recorded by infrasonic, seismic, and visual (video) observations within 1 km from eruption vents, which provides a good opportunity to investigate infrasound mechanisms and associated surface eruptive dynamics. The monitoring camera captured a widening of the vent about 3 h after the eruption onset, and then the infrasound stations recorded pulse-like intermittent signals. We carried out seismoacoustic analysis mainly focusing on the pulse-like infrasound, and also referred to rheological properties of mud suspension sampled from the rim of the vent to consider mechanical processes of the infrasonic pulse generation. The observed infrasonic pulses exhibited clear transitions in their waveforms and spectral contents. Based on the results of the seismoacoustic analysis and rheological measurements, we infer that the infrasonic pulse transition may have been caused by the shift of bubble bursting styles at the surface of the mud suspension, through the decrease of yield stress and viscosity due to increasing water fraction. The vent widening can be attributed to a collapse of soil around the vent due to the addition of water and the resultant weakening of the soil strength. We also observed high-frequency continuous infrasound (infrasonic tremors), which coupled into the ground and were recorded by the seismometers as well. The high-frequency infrasonic tremors had spectral features similar to those known for jet noise and might have been caused by the ash-steam mixture jet from the vent. Finally, we propose a conceptual model of the transition process of the surface eruptive activity by attributing them to the rheological change of the mud suspension with the increase of the water fraction.

Petrogenesis of amphibole-rich ultramafic rocks in the Hida metamorphic complex, Japan: Its role in arc crust differentiation

Amphibole controls major and trace element chemistry of arc magma via fractionation, therefore its formation process is the key to understand arc crustal evolution. Amphibole-rich cumulates, occasionally found associated with felsic plutons or metamorphic rocks, provide complementary insights into the arc magma differentiation. In this study, we conducted a petrological examination of amphibole-rich ultramafic rocks from the Hida metamorphic complex in Japan to better understand its role in arc crust evolution. The studied samples are characterized by large poikilitic amphibole and orthopyroxene enclosing olivine grains with corroded margins. Amphibole showed high Cr2O3 and TiO2 contents (up to 0.9 and 1.2 wt%) and light rare earth element enrichment relative to heavy rare earth elements. Microscopic and geochemical features of amphibole and olivine suggest that the amphibole formed at the expense of early crystalized olivine (± clinopyroxene) from hydrous juvenile magma at a deep crustal level, which is consistent with the estimated crystallization pressure of 0.7–1.0 GPa based on an empirical Al-in-hornblende geobarometer. Considering the arc affinity of parental magma and the amphibole-fractionation trend in bulk chemistry of the Mesozoic plutonic rocks from the Hida Belt, it is implied the formation of amphibole-rich plutonic rocks contributed to arc crustal evolution as amphibole-rich residue complementary to differentiated magma.

Muonium response to low oxygen levels in haemoglobin and other biological aqueous solutions and potential application towards monitoring hypoxia

Low oxygen concentration or hypoxia plays a crucial role in the diagnosis and treatment of tumours and cancer. Although there are some existing techniques, such as proton magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), for the detection of molecular oxygen in tissues, new non-invasive techniques for directly measuring the extent and spatial distribution of hypoxia in cancerous or tumorous tissues are still needed. In this study, we propose a new non-invasive method using muons that are available in accelerator facilities, such as the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex in Japan and the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in the UK. Unlike existing MRI methods, the proposed muon-based method can be applied without any external magnetic field. With the help of muonium response in solutions, we measured oxygen concentration in the aqueous solutions of various biological materials, such as haemoglobin, albumin, serum, and tris-buffered saline, under controlled molecular oxygen concentrations. The observed relaxation rate pattern of muonium through a fixed oxygen concentration sample and that with a sample concentration of less than 1% oxygen shows that this method may be applicable in detecting molecular oxygen levels in various tissues of the human body. Based on our experimental results, we have estimated the expected muonium spectra in normal physiological concentrations of haemoglobin in blood. Further systematic studies on other biological solutions are required before a potential clinical application of the method is devised.

Marine osmium isotope record during the Carnian “pluvial episode” (Late Triassic) in the pelagic Panthalassa Ocean

The Carnian Pluvial Episode (CPE) was a global environmental change and biotic crisis that occurred during the Carnian (Late Triassic). The climate during the CPE was characterized by a short-lived period of extreme rainfall, and an extinction of marine taxa is known to have occurred during the latest Julian (i.e. early Carnian). Although these events are considered to have been caused by the Wrangellia Flood Basalt (FB) volcanism, existing studies have found little direct evidence to support this. We investigated the temporal relationship between the eruption of Wrangellia FB and CPE using high-resolution microfossil biostratigraphy and paleo-seawater Os isotope data of an Upper Triassic bedded chert succession from an accretionary complex in Japan, which accumulated in a pelagic deep-sea environment in an equatorial region of the Panthalassa Ocean. Our biostratigraphic analysis, based on conodonts and radiolarians, and osmium isotope data show: (i) a continuous decline of initial Os isotope ratios (187Os/188Osi) in the early Julian; (ii) low 187Os/188Osi ratios during the late Julian; and (iii) an abrupt increase in 187Os/188Osi ratios at the end of the Julian. The decrease in 187Os/188Osi ratios throughout the Julian suggests an increased input of unradiogenic Os from the eruption of the Wrangellia FB into the ocean. Moreover, redox-sensitive elements, such as V and U, increased abruptly at the end of the Julian, which is the first evidence of reducing conditions during the CPE within the pelagic deep-sea Panthalassa Ocean. Marine anoxic event in the late Julian has been recognized from widespread deposition of black shales and organic-rich marls in intermediate to shallow water Tethyan sections. Thus, oxygen-depleted conditions occurred at the Tethyan shallow continental margin, as well as in the pelagic deep-sea Panthalassa Ocean, at the end of Wrangellia FB volcanism.

Eustatic, Climatic and Tectonic Controls on the Evolution of a Middle to Late Holocene Coastal Dune System in Shimokita, Northeast Japan

The Pacific coast of the Shimokita Peninsula, Northeast Japan, is occupied by one of the larger dune complexes in Japan. This coastal aeolian dune complex developed during the Holocene in a monsoon-influenced temperate climatic belt. The stratigraphic and sedimentological characteristics of outcrops, exposures and cores indicate that four generation of aeolian dunes are presented. These dunes developed during eustatic regression following the post-glacial sea-level highstand. Seaward shoreline movement, combined with strong winds from the Pacific Ocean, enhanced aeolian grain transport on the beach, resulting in the onset of dune growth and the consequent shrinkage of the coastal forest. Northeast Japan is located in a transitional zone affected largely by monsoonal circulation from Siberia and Southeast Asia. Thus, the regional climate is responsible for atmospheric changes on a hemispheric scale. Intensified monsoons contributed to flooding produced by rains and snow-melt. Steep increases in annual precipitation at 7200–6300, 4700–3600, 3050–2500, 1850–1100, and 550–200 calendar years before present (cal. yr. BP) increased the amount of surface erosion, causing a large volume of sediment discharge toward the coast. Shimokita has experienced frequent earthquakes and tsunamis, which have reduced dune landform relief by sediment displacement.

The Use of a Public Space in a Public Housing Complex by Senior Citizens: A Qualitative Study

Recently, many community gathering spaces (CGSs) have been built as platforms for senior citizens to socialize. This study constitutes an ethnographic examination of how senior citizens use a CGS in a public housing complex in Japan. The results depicted six characteristic styles in which senior citizens used the CGS: visiting a park, attending a school, using a library, using a meeting room, shopping for commodities, and participating in events. Frequency of CGS use and group cohesion were two properties that distinguished among the six styles. Moreover, environmental features of the CGS enabled senior citizens with various physical and social conditions to use the CGS.

Oceanic-arc subduction, stagnation, and exhumation: zircon U–Pb geochronology and trace-element geochemistry of the Sanbagawa eclogites in central Shikoku, SW Japan

In the Iratsu and the quartz-bearing eclogite bodies of the Sanbagawa high-pressure type metamorphic belt, southwest Japan, zircon U–Pb dating and trace-element analysis of the mafic gneiss combined with its geologic structure revealed that the protolith basaltic rock constituted the topographic high on a seafloor in relation to intra-oceanic arc magmatism at ca. 195 Ma. Moreover, the metamorphic zircon U–Pb data and the rare-earth element patterns obtained from the subordinated metasedimentary rocks of the Iratsu and the quartz-bearing eclogite bodies indicate that both bodies were subducted from a trench at ca. 120 Ma and underwent the eclogite facies metamorphism between ca. 120 and 90 Ma. This study, combined with previous studies for the Sanbagawa rocks and the Jurassic-Cretaceous accretionary complexes in Japan, identifies the following constraints that led to the tectonic evolution of the Sanbagawa eclogites: 1) the metamorphic unit including the Iratsu and the quartz-bearing eclogite bodies (the Besshi unit) was subducted from a trench at ca. 120 Ma. 2) This unit was stagnated at the depth of the eclogite–facies condition between ca. 120 and 90 Ma. 3) The eclogites in the Besshi unit was exhumed with the younger metamorphic rocks which were subducted at ca. 100–90 Ma (Asemi-gawa unit). 4) The Besshi unit is a high-pressure metamorphic equivalent of the non- or weakly metamorphic Sanbosan accretionary complex and the Mikabu greenstones from a standpoint of age similarity on accretion. The probable mechanism for the stagnation of the Besshi unit at the depth of the eclogite–acies condition needs 1) the detachment of oceanic-arc material from the subducting slab, driven by the resistance against the subduction of the topographic-high part underneath the forearc, and 2) the oceanward movement of the entire arc-trench system, which might have depressed the subduction of the Besshi unit into a deeper depth than its eclogite depth.

A Proposal for the Development of a Building Management System for Extending the Lifespan of Housing Complexes in Japan

A modified periodic inspection reporting system based on Article 12 of the Building Standards Act was enforced on 1 April 2008 in Japan. The Periodic Inspection Reporting System based on the article entered its 11th year since its enforcement in 2019. We investigated more than 100 residential building inspection reports based on this article in Kitakyushu of Japan and found what kind of defects can be reported in this investigation system. In this paper, we show the typical defects and related problems of Japanese residential buildings. According to the data, we scrutinized existing building inspection and maintenance procedures defining the problematic areas of older housing complexes and outlined some deterioration trends. We analyzed, in particular, the state of building foundations, exterior and interior walls, roofs, evacuation passages, facilities, and the state of exterior tiles in the function of solar orientation, and quantified the number of problems correlated to the age of the buildings. In parallel, we reviewed the current state of the laws and policies applied to building quality and management in Japan. We analyzed the whole building inspection process, identifying some flaws that limit its effectiveness and reach, due mostly to miscommunications between the property owners, local government, and the contractors. Based on that, we proposed an alternative and improved building management system.