Mar 22, 2021(Mon)17:00-17:45 (EST)
Okinawa Webinar:Technical Issues of Futenma Replacement Facility
Japan and the United States both continue to adjust their security strategies to counter China’s strategic and tactical military rise. As this happens, some experts are starting to reevaluate whether security infrastructure will meet the future demands of the East Asian security landscape. One facility being reevaluated is the Futenma Replacement Facility (FRF), which is being constructed by the Japanese and U.S. governments in Henoko, Okinawa. Various technical, operational, and environmental problems have arisen at the facility.
The soft ground located in the seabed of the construction site presents a particularly challenging technical problem, and the Japanese government is considering the need for additional improvement work to stabilize it. Under these circumstances, it will take at least an estimated 12 years before the FRF is fully operational, and the cost is currently expected to be four times the initial estimate. The seismic activities in the area have also been addressed by experts, who have expressed concern about the existence of active earthquake fault lines. In this webinar, we will welcome Associate Professor Shoji Kamao of Nihon University, who specializes in geotechnical engineering, to discuss the technical issues surrounding the construction of the FRF, the future outlook for the project, and the implications for the Japan-U.S. security alliance readiness.
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Guest Speaker
Dr. Shoji Kamao
Associate Professor, Nihon University
Dr. Kamao is an Associate Professor at the Department of Civil Engineering, Nihon University, where he leads the research team at the Environmental Geotechnics Laboratory. Dr. Kamao specializes in geotechnical engineering and has participated in a number of land evaluation and subsidence prediction projects on soft ground and highly organic soils. He holds expert knowledge on the relationship between natural disasters, construction projects and problematic soils, and has been warning against the risks surrounding the soft seabed in the construction site of the Futenma Replacement Facility (FRF) in Henoko, Okinawa. Dr. Kamao has published articles in journals such as the International Journal of GEOMATE, and presented his work in both domestic and international venues such as the International Conference on Science, Engineering and Environment. He also appeared in popular media explaining his research to a general audience. He earned his master’s degree and Ph.D in Civil Engineering from Nihon University.
Opening Remark
Satoshi Uechi
Director, Okinawa Prefecture
Washington D.C. Office
Moderator
Kenny Yamashiro
Deputy Director, Okinawa Prefecture Washington D.C. Office
The webinar will be recorded.
Please address your question(s) to the speaker in the registration form.