For whatever the reasons - the Japanese government decided that opportunities of building taller buildings outweighs the risks involved. Both California and Ja

For whatever the reasons - the Japanese government decided that opportunities of building taller buildings outweighs the risks involved. Both California and Japan have a long history of earthquakes and know the danger involved. When you look at the numbers, more people have died due to earthquakes in Japan than in California. Prime example: CA 1994 Northridge earthquake (6.7 magnitude, 70 people died, $20B in damage) vs Hanshin earthquake (6.8 magnitude, 6400+ died, $100 billion in damage). Are the fears irrational? Each culture has a different approach. I agree with other comments though - fear of earthquakes is a minor footnote in the grand scheme of property development in California.