The Rise in Vacant Housing in Post-growth Japan: Housing Market, Urban Policy, and Revitalizing Aging Cities

Description

This book explores how Japanese cities have transformed since the 1950s by describing housing and urban planning policies, urbanization processes, and maps with GIS analysis. It also discusses how housing vacancies have increased in shrinking Japanese cities, with case studies in Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Utsunomiya, and examines public–private partnerships and civil engagement to revitalize cities. Providing examples of how Japanese cities have addressed the issues of aging populations and urban shrinkage, it contributes to better decision-making by politicians, planners, local authorities, NPOs, and local communities in many rapidly urbanizing and potentially aging regions such as Asia. In the era of urban shrinkage, Japanese cities have struggled with aging populations, low fertility, population loss, and a decline in the economic base over decades. In particular, shrinkage in metropolitan suburbs and large cities (e.g., sites of prefectural government with 300 000–400 000 inhabitants) has caused serious social problems owing to the huge aging population and large areas covered. One typical problem that has emerged is an increase in vacancies in now empty and abandoned housing. Front Matter ....Pages i-xvi Front Matter ....Pages 1-1 Why the Rise in Urban Housing Vacancies Occurred and Matters in Japan (Tomoko Kubo, Michihiro Mashita)....Pages 3-22 Mapping the Problems of Housing Vacancies in Japan (Yoshiki Wakabayashi)....Pages 23-31 Changes in Essential Facilities of Housing Estates in an Aging Society: The Failure of City Planning in Japan (Yoshimichi Yui)....Pages 33-42 Front Matter ....Pages 43-43 Geodemographic Characteristics of Vacant Houses in the Resale Condominium Market in the Kansai Metropolitan Area (Yoji Kamimura, Masaya Uesugi, Keiji Yano)....Pages 45-72 The Decline in Price of Suburban Secondhand Housing in Hiroshima City (Yoshimichi Yui)....Pages 73-85 Distribution of Vacant Homes in Tama City in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area: Estimation Using GIS and Small Area Statistics (Hitoshi Miyazawa)....Pages 87-109 Urban Abandonment and Housing Vacancies in Japanese Local Cities: A Case of Kyo-machiya, Traditional Wooden Town Houses (Keiji Yano)....Pages 111-122 A Problem of Vacant Housing in Local Cities: Utsunomiya City, Tochigi Prefecture Case Study (Hiroyasu Nishiyama)....Pages 123-146 Front Matter ....Pages 147-147 Resolution of Vacant Housing Through Social Business: Kominka Renovation Business by Nakagawa Jyuken Corp (Hiroyasu Nishiyama)....Pages 149-160 Local Responses to a Rise in Housing Vacancies in the Nagoya Suburbs (Tomoko Kubo, Toshiyuki Otsuka)....Pages 161-175