April 24, 2025

The ratio of owner-occupied houses to the total in Japan is 61.2%, higher than that in the United States and some European nations, according to data of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. The rate is about twice that of the United Kingdom and Germany, and nearly three times that of the United States.

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party, by insisting that securing housing is an individual responsibility, has been rolling back government responsibilities in relation to housing. Therefore, public rent subsidies are minimal, and protection measures for tenants who account for about 40% of the population are inadequate.

In the first place, rent accounts for a high portion of the overall cost of living in Japan. Now, many landlords are raising rents by using the ongoing price surge as an excuse.

Many people find it difficult to access public rental houses and apartments because of the strict move-in requirements and complicated procedures involved. In some public housing complexes, rents are prohibitively high.

Housing is a human right. The national and local governments should increase the number of public housing units and increase rent subsidies.