Japan has pioneered earthquake-resistant building designs that allow structures to move safely with seismic forces rather than resist them. Through base isolation systems—using layered rubber, steel bearings, or sliding pads—buildings are separated from shaking ground, extending the duration of seismic waves and reducing impact. Many skyscrapers also incorporate tuned mass dampers, large weighted systems that swing opposite to a building’s motion, and viscous dampers that absorb energy like hydr