On April 22, 1992, a series of underground explosions ripped through the Reforma sector of Guadalajara, Mexico’s second-largest city. Over the course of roughly an hour, at least ten powerful blasts traveled along the main sewer collector, tearing open more than 8 km of streets, destroying blocks of homes and businesses, and killing over 200 people.

For American Professional Engineers, Japan’s experience offers both technical insight and a broader professional lesson. Earthquake resilience is not achieved through a single device, material, or calculation method. It emerges from a consistent philosophy that accepts movement as inevitable and focuses on managing it intelligently. As seismic risk awareness continues to expand beyond traditional high-risk regions in the United States, Japan’s engineering practices provide a compelling example of how performance-based thinking, system integration, and long-term planning can shape safer and more resilient communities.

Should the public be expected to guess whether the person calling themselves an engineer is qualified? Wyoming answered that question in 1907. By issuing its first engineering license to Charles Bellamy on August 8 of that year, the state set in motion a system of professional accountability that continues to define engineering practice today.