The March earthquake traumatized office workers and residents in tall buildings, thus Japan should consider curbing its construction of skyscrapers, said billionaire Akira Mori, the president of Mori Trust Co.
"People realized that it's difficult to live and work in high-rise buildings after this earthquake," said Mori, who heads the country's second-biggest privately held developer. "The buildings themselves are fine, but they swayed back and forth greatly. Some people got dizzy and that experience will probably leave a scar in their mind."
Mori, Japan's third-richest person, said the government should consider setting a standard height for new buildings at about 100 meters, a level for so-called base-isolation systems that shift and reduce the energy of quakes to work best. An increase in tenants' preference for office space on lower floors may also make taller buildings less attractive, he said.
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