Japan is increasing its size, due to land reclamation projects of enormous scale.
This is not new. The first man-made island in Japan was Kyogashima in Kobe, built in 1173. But it has grown in scale since the end of the second world war, when Japan undertook vast land reclamation projects to house maritime and industrial factories, particularly in Osaka Bay, Kawasaki, Nagasaki and Kobe. Recent projects have included Kansai International Airport (which is sinking at a rate of 7cm a year), Yokohama’s Hakkeijima and Wakayama Marina City. Tokyo Bay is adding new islands. 80-90% of Japan's tidal flatlands are man-made.
The only real concern is that reclaimed land and man-made islands are particularly susceptible to liquefaction during an earthquake. Reclaimed land is made mostly from landfill and waste materials. The best ideas we've seen are sports fields and small garden allotments on the wide flat land set on either side of canals and controlled rivers. If there was a landslide, there would be minimal damage (unless there were people on it at the time), but in the meantime the land is put to good use. The worst is high-rise buildings and highways, which would be a nightmare scenario in an earthquake.
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