A talk by SAYAKA FUJII Visiting Professor, Department of Human Geography, University of Toronto, Scarborough;
Division of Policy and Planning Sciences, University of Tsukuba
DEPT. OF HUMAN GEOGRAPHY & CITY STUDIESTHURSDAY, OCT. 31, 2–4PM, MW324
Challenge of Reform and Renovation Projects of Public Housing in Japan: And What Can Be Learned from Toronto’s Experience?
The Japanese government has engaged issues of public housing
and community development in multiple ways since the end of World War II. Japan faced a significant
shortage of housing in metropolitan areas during the post war period. The Japan Housing Corporation (JHC),
a nation-wide public housing and urban development corporation, was established in 1954 to cope with the
housing shortage. From the 1950s to the 1980s, JHC made significant contributions to providing affordable
housing in urban areas. The corporation also played an important role in popularizing new multi-unit housing
models as it built many mid- and high-rise apartment buildings that had not been common in Japan before
the war. The housing estates constructed by JHC are widely known as “Danchi” in Japanese. Unlike public
housing in western countries, living in Danchi public housing was a dream of middle income commuters at that
time. There are approximately 750,000 dwellings and 1,800 Danchi all over Japan. Many housing structures
are dilapidated, with obsolescent facilities, so reform and renovation projects are needed in Danchi estates.
The Urban Renaissance Agency (URA), which is the new agency established after several successors of JHC, is
now working on its stock utilization plan. The URA has conducted several interesting renovation experiments
as pilot projects in Danchi. This presentation introduces some of their projects and shows why Toronto’s
experience of public housing renovation projects such as the Regent Park are interesting for Japan.