(LinkAsia: May 25, 2012)
Yul Kwon:
Over in Japan, a new building called the Tokyo Skytree has now claimed the title of the world's tallest tower. Now just to give you some perspective, it's twice the height of the Eiffel Tower. And just as the Eiffel Tower has come to symbolize Paris, the Skytree may one day become synonymous with Tokyo. Here's NHK with the story.

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NHK World NEWSLINE
Airdate: May 22, 2012

Reporter:
Many of the features of this broadcasting tower can be seen in this country's shrines and temples. For example, if you look at it from certain angles, the tower appears to have both concave and convex curves. But the cylindrical concrete pillar at the center of the Skytree is most noticeable. The column is structurally isolated from the surrounding steel frame. Designers borrowed this idea from traditional five-story pagodas.

When an earthquake happens, there will be a lag so the column and the frame sway at different speeds. Engineers have also installed tremor-absorbing oil dampers between the column and the steel frame. And there's more. The structure's steel beams are twice as strong as those normally used in high-rise buildings. Operators say these measures will reduce the Skytree's swaying by half.