LAB LOGA page on LabLog, a review site (not the lab's official page)
Subduction Zone Physics Lab
Machine-translated · View original
A lab that studies earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in Northeast Japan, centered on observation.
AboutAbout the lab
Understanding subduction zone earthquakes and volcanoes through observation
This page is based on the website of the whole center, which includes the research groups on inland earthquakes, volcanoes, offshore earthquakes, and global earthquakes and volcanoes.
The center focuses mainly on Northeast Japan, conducting fundamental research on earthquake and eruption prediction and aiming to contribute to progress in this field.
Northeast Japan lies in a typical subduction zone where one plate sinks beneath another. Earthquake and volcanic activity there is extremely high, making it a valuable research field even by global standards.
Centered on observation and in collaboration with experimental and theoretical research, the lab comprehensively studies the plate subduction process and the associated earthquake and volcanic phenomena.
Key terms
- Subduction zone
- A place where one plate sinks beneath another. Northeast Japan lies in a typical subduction zone
- Hotspot
- A location above a part of the mantle where material rises. Along with subduction zones, it is a subject of international collaborative research
- Fluids such as water and magma
- Materials that flow and move inside Earth, such as water and magma
NewsLab news
Professor Yusaku Ohta and colleagues, jointly with Hokkaido University, visualized strain across the Japanese archipelago using national and private GNSS networks
Professor Yusaku Ohta received the 2026 (Reiwa 8) Prime Minister's Commendation for Contributions to Disaster Prevention
A student received the Best Student Presentation Award at the Institute of Positioning, Navigation and Timing of Japan National Convention 2026 research presentation session
A paper by center faculty was selected as one of the 2025 Highlighted Papers of the journal Earth, Planets and Space (EPS)
Professor Yusaku Ohta received the Group Award of the 26th Tsuboi Award from the Geodetic Society of Japan
ResearchResearch themes
The Research Center for Prediction of Earthquakes and Volcanic Eruptions believes that a deeper understanding of the plate subduction process and the associated earthquake and volcanic phenomena is essential for earthquake prediction and volcanic eruption prediction. For this reason, it has pursued comprehensive research centered on observational studies, in collaboration with experimental and theoretical research.
*Illustrative imageObservational Research on Subduction Processes, Earthquakes, and Volcanoes
The lab has worked on modeling the plate subduction process and the generation processes of interplate and inland earthquakes, and on clarifying the deep structure of island arc volcanoes. Observation is the main approach, in collaboration with experimental and theoretical research.
*Illustrative imagePredictive Models for Subduction Zone Earthquakes and Volcanoes
Using observational data from the entire subduction zone, both on land and at sea, the lab aims for a deeper understanding of plate subduction dynamics. By clarifying the properties and behavior of fluids such as water and magma in Earth's interior, it aims to build eruption models and comprehensive predictive models of crustal activity.
*Illustrative imageInternational Collaborative Research in Overseas Subduction Zones
To deeply understand the plate subduction process, the lab takes a global perspective that includes other subduction zones and hotspots. It has conducted international collaborative research in the Alaska and South American subduction zones and on hotspot volcanoes in the East African Rift in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
MembersFaculty
The center's members consist of faculty, adjunct professors, project researchers, part-time lecturers, visiting researchers, observation technical staff, technical and administrative assistants, and doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students, with faculty from the International Research Institute of Disaster Science also joining in a concurrent capacity.As of 2026
- ProfessorDapeng Dapeng
- ProfessorRyota Hino
- ProfessorTomomi Okada
- ProfessorYusaku Ohta
- ProfessorMotoyuki Kido
- ProfessorYo Fukushima
- Associate ProfessorYasuo Yabe
- Associate ProfessorRyota Takagi
- Associate ProfessorKeisuke Yoshida
- Associate ProfessorGenti Toyokuni
- Assistant ProfessorMasahiro Ichiki
- Assistant ProfessorRyosuke Azuma
- Assistant ProfessorYoshiaki Matsumoto
- Assistant ProfessorFumiaki Tomita
- Assistant ProfessorQixian Tang
- Assistant ProfessorYutaro Okada
VoicesStudent voices
Ratings and reviews reflect the experiences of individual current or former students, not the lab's official views. Whether a lab has reviews, or how many, says nothing about the lab itself.
Students who take part in an interview may receive a thank-you gift worth ¥1,000, regardless of what they say.
Student ratings (0 students)
--
--
--
--
--
--
Student voices answer questions like these
- What's great about this lab?
- What did you learn after joining?
- What's the vibe, and what is the professor like?
- Who is this lab for?
- Where do graduates go?
Your experience can help younger students choose their lab. Your name won't be shown.
Write a lab reviewAnonymous · Your draft is saved if you stopRelatedLabs similar to Subduction Zone Physics Lab
Satellite Oceanography Lab (Ocean Environment Observation Section)Faculty of Science, Department of Astronomy and GeophysicsSatellite-based analysis of sea surface boundary processes a…
Seismology and Volcanology LabFaculty of Science, Department of Astronomy and GeophysicsComplex fault rupture, diverse volcanic eruption phenomena, …
Akiyama LabFaculty of Science, Department of Astronomy and GeophysicsObservational studies of the cosmological evolution of galax…
Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics LabFaculty of Science, Department of Astronomy and GeophysicsHeat and water exchange processes between the atmosphere and…The information on this page is compiled by the LabLog team from the lab's public information and interviews. For corrections or removal requests, please contact LabLog, not the lab.
Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Mayon Volcano eruption at Daraga Church” Jaycee Esmeria / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Observational Research on Subduction Processes, Earthquakes, and Volcanoes: “Tectonic plate boundaries2” USGS/USGov, modified by Eurico Zimbres / Public domain (cropped)
- Predictive Models for Subduction Zone Earthquakes and Volcanoes: “001 Volcano eruption of Litli-Hrútur in Iceland in 2023 Photo by Giles Laurent” Giles Laurent / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- International Collaborative Research in Overseas Subduction Zones: “Lava Lake Nyiragongo 2” Cai Tjeenk Willink (Caitjeenk) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Satellite Oceanography Lab (Ocean Environment Observation Section)): “NASA satellite view of Southern Ocean phytoplankton bloom (crop)” NASA Suomi NPP satellite / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Seismology and Volcanology Lab): “Ash Plume and Ash Fall of May 1994 Eruption of Mount Pagan volcano in Northern Mariana Islands” Frank Trusdell, USGS. / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Akiyama Lab): “Shooting Star over Gemini North (gemini-20100128-gn-ext-fe-tl-no-lasers-0484)” International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/J. Pollard / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics Lab): “Cumulonimbus sunset panorama, Albury NSW Australia” Thennicke / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
About LabLog
LabLog is a lab review app for students only. Student members at each university interview students in labs and publish what they say. Student voices can only be read by students who sign up with a university email address. Operated by bestiee Inc.
Learn more about LabLog ↗Search engines and AI may reference the basic lab info and rating summaries on this page and the description of LabLog. Student voices are for student members only. Automated collection by programs (scraping, or input to or training of AI) is prohibited under Article 8 of the Terms of Service. If you need data for research or analysis, please contact us.