Yes? http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-15024911 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/1155413... And more close to the point, here's an example of the kind of work that goes into building really tall buildings in California, which makes them expensive to live in and not at all likely to become cheap housing: http://www.cnn.com/style/article/quakeproof-skyscraper-new-w...

Vast majority of Tokyo is small buildings. Skyscrapers are fucking expensive and exist in posh districts only.