Abstract
In Japan, a great many houses for mine workers were built from the 1880's to the 1960's. However, since the government changed its energy policies in the sixties, the coal mining industries declined and mine workers who lost their jobs left the coal mining districts. In the 1970's, rehabilitation programs of the district were emphasized. For this report, the author studied both the historical changes of housing for coal miners and also the process of renewing timeworn houses. Since the coal mining industry is located on the site where coal is found, workers have been forced to live closed to the mines. Also to facilitate labor management, workers have been made to live collectively. In our country this type of collective housing for coal miners was called NAY (barn), KOYA (hut), or HANBA (meal place). With the improvement of labor-management relations the names have been changed to KOFU-NAGAYA (houses for mine workers), KOFU-SHUKUSHA (lodging for mine workers) or TANKO-ROMUSHA JUTAKU (housing facilities for coal miners). The term TANKO-ROMUSHA JUTAKU has become particularly current after the war. As the dialogue between labor and management increased, the name was shortened to TANKO-JUTAKU, as it is commonly referred to in administrative circles. This paper is divided into two main parts. In the first part, we examine the origin of the housing that was built for miners between 1880 and 1960. Through previously gathered data as well as through a field survey of the lodgings that still exist, we made a comparative study of the policies and plans of collective housings of the same period. This clarifies the supply policies and plannings of housing for coalminers who played an important role in Japan's labor situation. In the second part, we consider how the old type of mine workers' housings were reduced, reorganized, or improved after 1960. “Project for Improving Housing Districts” which was put into practice during this period is studied in detail and some examples are analyzed. Studies were made on typical mining towns to clarify their changes and development over eighty years. Then we had a discussion on issues to come about in the future in the sphere of supply policies of housing.
