This state-of-the-art overview describes the influence of Japan's largest design and construction firms on the industry at large. Pointing to actual examples and case studies, Webster outlines the firms' technological capabilities, their research and development activities, and various aspects of Japan's industry in comparison with the United States. Chapters explore the relationship between the Japanese government, its universities, and the building design and construction industry; the way the design and construction industry has been affected by the economics of the Japanese real estate market; and the competitiveness of Japan's building design and construction industry compared with that of the United States in the global marketplace. About the Author Anthony C. Webster is director of Building Technologies and an assistant professor at Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, as well as a consulting associate of Weidlinger Associates in New York City.