The feasibility of accelerating the discovery of new knowledge on the seismic behavior and response of the built environment and the complex civil infrastructure systems comprising major urban centers, and of synthesizing, transferring and utilizing this knowledge effectively in mitigating the potential life, physical, social and economic losses resulting from a major urban earthquake was explored at a bilateral Workshop convened in Maui, Hawaii during December 14 through 16, 1995. The 51 participants at the workshop were selected from leading experts from Japan, the U.S. and elsewhere in a wide variety of disciplines from engineering, social science and public policy research. The objective of this Workshop was to identify a research agenda related to urban earthquake loss reduction through a synthesis of available knowledge about the Hyogoken, Nanbu and Northridge earthquake disasters.