抄録
This paper examines how the social changes over the last 25 years have affected housing in Japan. It discusses how some
issues have been resolved and other new issues that were inconceivable 25 years ago have surfaced. The paper focuses on
the declining birthrate and aging population problem and their impact on housing culture.
It concludes that these issues have not been resolved or in fact, have grown more severe and proliferated. Globalism has
strengthened market capitalism, producing the new problem of growing disparity of wealth. Culture and customs unrelated
to the marketplace have declined, and people have lost their spiritual support. In the future, the decrease in population
should not be considered a minus; it should be recognized that population control was the earnest wish of the country for a
long time. What is needed to be created now is a social environment and system that is appropriate for a reduced
population.
