After the Second World War, the Japanese housing market was transformed from one tied to public welfare to one characterized by owner-occupied residences. In order to attain a social presence, people rushed into homeownership... [ view full abstract ]
After the Second World War, the Japanese housing market was transformed from one tied to public welfare to one characterized by owner-occupied residences. In order to attain a social presence, people rushed into homeownership in the suburbs. Under such circumstances, the devastation of the residential environments of suburban neighborhoods has progressed at a surprising speed. There are several reasons behind this trend: 1) During the urbanization of Tokyo, traditional housing customs, such as patriarchal familial/housing systems and a strong preferences for newly built residences, and housing policies encouraged most middle-class people to remain in their purchased houses for decades. 2) After about 30 years, these residents grew older and their children left home, which resulted in suburban neighborhoods populated by elderly couples/singles. 3) As many residents passed away, many abandoned houses became sites for crimes or threats to local residents.
On the other hand, deregulation in urban planning and building standards, or housing mortgage market stimulated new housing developments in central Tokyo from the late 1990s. New condominium developments firstly targeted single women’s homeownership. As super high-rise ones were built on reclaimed lands in the Tokyo Bay area, young families, young and elderly couples in addition singles started to live in central Tokyo. The new city-center lifestyles attracted young people who have grown up in old suburban neighborhoods, accelerating ageing process of the Tokyo suburbs.
This study summarize the huge gap between central Tokyo and its suburbs regarding urbanization process, housing market and policy, and changes in residential preferences of potential homeowners.
