Chairman's Message at the Start of 2012 Junichiro Niwa Chair of JSCE Concrete Committee PDF version 2011 was truly a tough year for Japan. The Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11 caused nearly 20,000 fatalities and affected the lives of vast numbers of people. Many are still unable to return to their homes because of the aftermath of the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. I would like to express my heartfelt condolences to those who have lost loved ones, and my deepest sympathy to all those affected by the disaster. Additional challenges resulted from last year's unusually hot summer and the need for strict energy conservation measures. In 2012, recovery must be accomplished as soon as possible. In addition to participating in JSCE-wide special committees, the Concrete Committee has dispatched its own survey team to investigate the damage, especially with regard to concrete structures of general roads, expressways, and railways. This survey has revealed that most of the damage to concrete structures in the Great East Japan Earthquake resulted not from earthquake motion, but from the tsunami. There was a clear lack of tsunami-related provisions and descriptions in the Standard Specifications for Concrete Structures. Therefore, a research committee for the evaluation of tsunami wave forces on bridge structures was established under the Concrete Committee in July 2011 (chairman: Professor Kyuichi Maruyama, Nagaoka University of Technology). This committee has already begun studies aimed at the stipulation of design procedures for tsunami in the Standard Specifications. A new 2012 edition of the Standard Specifications for Concrete Structures will be issued this year, and this will involve intensive revision work. We are moving ahead with rigorous efforts on the new revision. One important characteristic of the new edition will be greater thoroughness in the section on specifications for “general application.” It is the responsibility and also the challenge of concrete engineers to plan, design, build, and maintain quality infrastructure facilities that provide safety and security. We will do our utmost to prepare Standard Specifications for Concrete Structures that will be truly helpful for people and society.