It is shocking to watch videos of the earthquake and subsequently the terrible tsunami that struck Japan.  Thousands of lives were lost.  Yet tens of thousands – perhaps hundreds of thousands – of lives were saved because of very strict building codes and top engineering.  From Kottke.org,

Over the years, Japan has spent billions of dollars developing the most advanced technology against earthquakes and tsunamis. The Japanese, who regularly experience smaller earthquakes and have lived through major ones, know how to react to quakes and tsunamis because of regular drills — unlike Southeast Asians, many of whom died in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami because they lingered near the coast despite clear warnings to flee.

Next time you want to give your local codes inspector grief or argue about the expense of a safety measure recommended by your architect or engineer, remember Japan.  We can definitely learn from them.

We are thankful that so many people were spared during this kind of horror.