Japanese apartments are famously small — tiny, in fact. While some urbanites are lucky enough to live in houses, others live in condos with multiple rooms, and a good deal of us live in one- or two-room apartments.
The lack of living space is worth it for some, weighed out in favor of proximity to amenities, work and the excitement a city offers. But the reality of Japan's cramped living conditions have compounded as the population is being asked by the government to stay at home. Trading space for proximity to restaurants, bars and gyms has become a defunct benefit when none of those establishments are there to enjoy.
Nationwide, 5.7 million people live in a home smaller than 19.7 square meters, and 1.4 million of them are in Tokyo. Things get smaller still — just 9.8 square meters of living space (not including the toilet and closets) is the norm for almost 76,000 Tokyoites.