[MMM]

After the the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995 a lot of foreign workers came to the Kobe area to help with reconstruction. The ones I knew were mostly from New Zealand and Australia. Unfortunately they were invited "under the table" as the Visa process would have been a nightmare, even to rebuild a devastated city. Some guys showed up with tools in their carry-ons and were turned home at the airport.

What I learnded from them is that Japanese construction and western construction techniques were very different. They don't use 2x4s, often use very limited insulation, etc.