Japan’s Reverse Housing Crisis

"It's not really a problem of building too many houses, but a problem of not having enough people." - Jeffrey Hall

Can we learn anything from Japan’s reverse housing crisis? The nation has millions of empty homes everywhere, particularly in the countryside. Its population has been declining for decades, resulting in an abundance of empty homes.

It is ironic that while most western nations are struggling with housing it’s citizens, Japan has millions of homes crying out for habitation. It is worthwhile considering the reasons why Japan has a birthrate so low, deaths exceed births. In 2022, Moody’s Analytics Economic Indicators, showed for every 6.3 births, there were 12.9 deaths.

Women and Societal Pressures

Japan’s patriarchal hierarchy is so strong that the gender gap, aka women’s rights, is ranked in the bottom quarter of 156 countries. One report declared … “patriarchy sidelines women”. Having a child out of wedlock in Japan is still frowned upon. If a woman marries, considerable pressure is placed upon her to have a child.

When she does give birth there are expectations upon her to parent in a traditional Japanese way. The woman also sacrifices a career, an income and independence. The cost-of-living places pressure on single income families. Should the wife consider rejoining the workforce, rising childcare costs are prohibitive. Another barrier to rejoin the workforce is the reluctance of companies to hire a married woman. It is unsurprising, that there is an increasing number of women in the workforce, who decide it is much easier to remain single, to live alone, rather than be put under pressure from a patriarchy. One commentator on social media expressed, “Because the incentives to have kids are still weaker than the reasons not too”.

Japan’s Industrial Success

Here is another irony, the very culture of loyalty, hours and hours of dedication to the company and the country, to build Japan’s economic strength came at a price so high, it could only be seen in hindsight. Daily, the long hours, left men without the energy or desire to find a partner to procreate. After 11 hours or more of work, exhausted men, preferred to wind down socially in convivial establishments with other equally exhausted men.

Japan

There is much to admire in Japan. I got lost on my first night in Tokyo, I had no idea where I was. It was early evening and getting darker, while I stood next to my suitcase. A

middle-aged man approached offering help. With his help I got to my hotel. Tokyo is a clean, orderly city, as is its metro and the apartments in which I stayed. People were friendly and helpful. I admire what Japan shows to the world.

Japan is not the only country dealing with a declining population. Whether it is too late for their politicians to turn it around, is yet to be seen. When you have men and women

unwillingly or unable to have children you have problems. Japan’s unique issue of millions of empty homes is a stunning outcome to most of us. Each nation will have its own problems to resolve, war, famine, pestilence, division, they all lead to societal upheaval and misery.

In peaceful countries, homelessness is an issue that can be addressed with political will. A will that has a philosophy that every citizen has a fundamental right to a home. A right that is as necessary to the air we breathe, not one that excessively enriches others through profit.

Such a pursuit will have us the majority become serfs to the few, lords and masters. Yes,

there are lessons we can learn from Japan’s reverse housing crisis.