June 8, 2012
The number of units of public housing has decreased by 32,000 in the past 5 years nationwide.
Citizens’ groups addressing the housing problem on June 7 learned this fact in the data which Japanese Communist Party lawmaker Kokuta Keiji obtained from the land ministry.
According to the findings, the number of rented houses owned by public organizations such as local governments, the Urban Renaissance Agency (public housing corporation), and the Housing Supply Corporation, has decreased by more than 32,000 in 5 years between 2005 and 2010.
By prefecture, the largest reduction in public housing units for the same period was 8,200 for Osaka Prefecture. It was followed by 5,700 for Hyogo Pref., and 2,600 for Aichi. Public housing units have been reduced particularly in metropolitan areas.
The ratio of public housing seekers to each provided public housing unit was 29.8 for Tokyo, the highest in the nation. It was 17.6 for Osaka, 13.5 for Chiba, and 13.2 for Kanagawa Prefecture. More people are applying for public housing as the gap between rich and poor has increased.
This housing shortage was triggered by the “structural reform” policy. Based on this policy, national and local governments have increasingly abandoned their responsibility for public housing, leaving it to the private sector.
To increase public housing is needed based on a principle that the right to residence is a fundamental human right.
Citizens’ groups addressing the housing problem on June 7 learned this fact in the data which Japanese Communist Party lawmaker Kokuta Keiji obtained from the land ministry.
According to the findings, the number of rented houses owned by public organizations such as local governments, the Urban Renaissance Agency (public housing corporation), and the Housing Supply Corporation, has decreased by more than 32,000 in 5 years between 2005 and 2010.
By prefecture, the largest reduction in public housing units for the same period was 8,200 for Osaka Prefecture. It was followed by 5,700 for Hyogo Pref., and 2,600 for Aichi. Public housing units have been reduced particularly in metropolitan areas.
The ratio of public housing seekers to each provided public housing unit was 29.8 for Tokyo, the highest in the nation. It was 17.6 for Osaka, 13.5 for Chiba, and 13.2 for Kanagawa Prefecture. More people are applying for public housing as the gap between rich and poor has increased.
This housing shortage was triggered by the “structural reform” policy. Based on this policy, national and local governments have increasingly abandoned their responsibility for public housing, leaving it to the private sector.
To increase public housing is needed based on a principle that the right to residence is a fundamental human right.
