The purpose of this paper is to reveal how discussions on national housing statistical surveys developed and how the results of these discussions were reflected in actual surveys in Japan.
A previous study revealed that national housing statistics in Japan were established by the "Housing survey of industrial cities" and the "Housing survey of larger cities" in 1941. Another study focused on discussions from 1939 to 1941 and revealed how these surveys were conducted.
This current study revealed the following:
(1) Importance of the 1930 national census and related discussions
In 1923, the "Housing Problem Council" made up of people from the Department of Social Affairs of the Ministry of Interior, Tokyo City, Tokyo Prefecture, and other organizations was founded. The council set a goal to include a housing survey in the 1930 national census.
In 1927, R. Nagaoka, the Director of the Department of Social Affairs and one of the members of the "Housing Problem Council" proposed to the Statistics Bureau of the Cabinet that the census include housing-related items.
Between 1927 and 1929, the Statistics Bureau attempted to include several items in the national census. However, due to the lack of funds, only "number of rooms" was considered.
In 1928, the "Housing Statistics Committee" was established at the Architectural Institute. In 1930, the committee submitted the "Proposal on housing-related items in the national census." It recommended including more housing・ related items only in cities with a population of 50,000 or more. However, this proposal was also not adopted.
Previous studies have not considered the 1930 national census important because "number of rooms" did not provide valid data, given the structure of Japanese housing and the Japanese lifestyle. This current study revealed the importance of the 1930 national census in the process of conducting national housing statistical surveys in Japan because it has led to research and discussions related to methods and items.
(2) Continuity and change of discussions on national housing statistical surveys
After the 1930 census, discussions on the national housing statistical surveys started again in 1939.
The leading figures who led the 1923-30 discussions were R. Nagaoka, T. Sano, Y. Uchida, and Y. Nakamura. They also played an important role in conducting the "Housing survey of industrial cities" and the "Housing survey of larger cities." This means that the results of the discussions up to 1930 were reflected in the discussions after 1939.
On the other hand, during this time, they were changing their policy on national housing statistical surveys. Their goal around 1928 was to obtain housing statistics in all parts of Japan. However, in the process of the execution of the 1930 national census, they learned that it was difficult to conduct it. Therefore, they changed their goal and aimed to conduct a survey that targeted urban housing only. In addition, after the start of the Sino-Japanese War in 1937, the survey was limited to houses located in "industrial cities" and "larger cities" because solving the housing shortages in these cities was a top priority in carrying out the war.
This article revealed that the "Housing survey of industrial cities" and the "Housing survey of larger cities were not conducted based on short・term discussions during the war, but were conducted as a result of long-term discussions and a response to social conditions.
