Japan earthquake and the tsunami across Pacific coasts

Watching coverage of the tsunami following the 8.9 Richter quake in Japan, one small thing that struck me is how secure (perhaps delusionally so) are at least some people in developed countries like Japan.  If a quake hits here in India, we'll drop whatever we're doing and just run!  But the BBC/CNN footage shows people in offices in Japan swaying but holding on to things, not really trying to run (perhaps that's by training, Japan being the most quake-prone country in the World).  A woman in a footage is actually talking on a (fixed) phone and trying to type on her computer keyboard, while crouching near her office desk!  Commendable courage under extreme stress, or misplaced trust in man's power to withstand nature - your pick?