The number of natural disaster monuments marked on the GSI Map, a web-based map of the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan, or GSI, has been increasing steadily since the adoption of a dedicated map symbol five years ago.
In a related development, amid concerns over the weathering of such monuments, which convey the impact of tsunami, flood and other disasters to future generations, a smartphone "rubbing app" has been developed to enable users to record inscriptions easily, raising hopes for its use in disaster preparedness and response education.
Stone monuments inscribed with descriptions of the damage caused by past natural disasters and lessons from forerunners have been erected throughout Japan since ancient times.