Cadastral surveys are normally conducted by city, town and village governments, and are the result of surveys, identifying the property owner, lot number and type of land, as well as measuring the site’s dimensions, area and boundaries with adjacent sites. Cadastral surveys also include the preparation of maps and books from these measurements. The cadastral maps and cadastral books prepared from the results of cadastral surveys are submitted to official registration offices where ,after being certified, they replace old maps under the Property Registration Law. The site descriptions in the original title register will also be rewritten.

Through cadastral surveys, the cadastre (the most fundamental level of information on land) is clarified, and land-transactions can be more easily conducted. Also, by clarifying personal rights and interests over land, cadastral surveys also contribute to the protection of land-based assets. At the same time, because cadastral information captures precise figuration and area measurements, administrative agencies are able to prepare basic maps for GIS purposes, and thus to utilize cadastral surveys as base information for drafting plans involving land, and for various other services to the general public.

<Case Study>  The Advantages of Cadastral Surveys during Disaster Restoration in  Ichinomiya
                          Town (Shisou-gun, Hyogo Prefecture)

Cadastral surveys commenced in certain areas of IchinomiyaTown, Shisou Gun,HyogoPrefecture in Fiscal Year 1969, including Hiranobe in the southern part of the town. These initial surveys were done in order to capture land information as an accurate starting-point for upgrading streets and developing industrial infrastructure.

When a large landslide disaster occurred in 1976, causing huge damage, it was possible to get quick restoration work underway because the cadastres had been clarified following the completion of cadastral surveys in the area.

The main problem was how to dispose of a huge amount of soil that had been deposited on the ground following the collapse of land surface. Since it would take considerable time and money to fix, and because removing the soil could induce another disaster, rather than restore the site to its original condition they promoted restoration work and a “land adjustment project” at the same time. Because the relevant cadastres had been clarified before the disaster, they proved very useful in the subsequent “land-lot re-plotting process” (see Chart 3-1-11).

Restoration was completed during the ensuing four years, and it was through this experience that the citizens of Ichinomiya came to recognize the important role of cadastral surveys in post-disaster restoration work. The experience has also been a great driving force for the completion of cadastral surveys throughout Ichinomiya Town as a whole.

In fact, the Town’s cadastral surveys were fully completed in Fiscal Year 2001, the first local government in Hyogo using cadastral information, has since been established, and is used in maintaining various systems, including town water, the sewerage system and the local forestry system.The Town Government also used the GIS system to prepare disaster prevention maps for Ichinomiya’s comprehensive wide-area disaster drill. Situation just after the Disaster

Chart 3-1-1    Landslide Disasters and Cadastres in Ichinomiya Town Situation before the Disaster  (cadastral map) Situation after Restoration (re-plotting map)