A review of landslide hazards in Japan and assessment of their susceptibility using an analytical hierarchic process (AHP) method.

In spite of its small size, Japan suffers many landslide disasters due to intense rainfall and earthquakes. This article describes the distribution and topography of these landslides, and a new method of evaluating the susceptibility, the analytical hierarchic process (AHP). The method assigns scores to each factor of micro-topography of landslide-prone areas identified in aerial photographs, and assesses the susceptibility of landslide from the total score. In addition, a method of simulating sliding mass runout is briefly presented for the designating sediment-related disaster warning areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]