Among developed countries, Japan’s housing safety net system has
been particularly flimsy. However, along with prolonged economic stagnation,
it has become progressively difficult for those on low incomes to find adequate
housing in the sphere of the market. Moreover, a decline in public housing, as well
as employee housing and low-rent private housing, has caused the system of
providing affordable housing to low-income groups to disintegrate. With the
reduced availability of public and other low-rent housing, a new housing crisis
has provoked a sharp increase in the number of people who are unable to secure
dwellings. The author concludes that it is likely that the Japanese government will
be pressed to undertake a substantial restructuring of housing policy beyond
neoliberalism and to increase investment in low-income housing