Current Events #1

 My topic centers around housing in Tokyo. The city is well known for its unique and abundant high-rise apartments. However, what is less known is the housing shortage due to the high costs of homes. The article titled Vacant Homes and High Rise Condos: Japan's Housing Dilemma, explains how COVID-19 led to many people working from home, becoming aware of their cramped rented apartments (often with thin walls). In turn, buying homes became more appealing. However, due to inflated costs, many average and young people cannot afford to purchase their homes in suburban neighborhoods. Additionally, there is a shocking 8.49 million homes across Japan that stand empty, mainly because of sentimental attachments to properties (i.e., not wanting to sell a home). 

This article interests me because it mentioned a possible solution for this housing issue: to build more affordable housing in less desirable, lowland areas. The issue, of course, is that these homes would be susceptible to flooding or being destroyed by other natural disasters. When I think of housing in Japan (specifically in densely populated cities like Tokyo), I think of the Sangubashi neighborhood. Essentially, neighborhoods where there are average-costing apartments above convivence stores and lots of foot traffic. It would be interesting to see if the government will invest in more affordable housing in less desirable areas, as they would likely not include many small businesses in a region likely to be destroyed by the natural elements.