Commentary / Japan Aug 28, 2016
Building dreams in Japan
by Kevin Rafferty
Buying or building your dream home in Japan can be nearly impossible.
National Apr 30, 2016
12,000 buildings could collapse in quake-hit Kyushu
The land ministry says data collected on more than 43,000 buildings in Kumamoto Prefecture showed 12,013 to be “dangerous,” warning they could collapse due to aftershocks.
Editorials Dec 26, 2015
Perils of a slow-shaking quake
A new study finds that a long-lasting mega-quake in the Nankai Trough off Japan could imperil high-rise buildings hundreds of kilometers away.
Commentary / Japan Dec 6, 2015
It should be home sweet home, but not in Japan
by Kevin Rafferty
The destructive nexus between construction companies, bureaucracy and politicians is largely responsible for Japan's glut of rapidly depreciating houses.
National Nov 30, 2015
70% of residents at tilting condo complex want entire site rebuilt
Nearly 70 percent of condo owners in the Yokohama complex with a tilting building want the entire site rebuilt, according to a survey conducted by the management association. The results, revealed by the association Sunday, show that 476 of the 705 households want the developer ...
National Nov 12, 2015
Prime contractor for tilting Yokohama condo makes first public apology
The vice president of Sumitomo Mitsui Construction, the prime contractor for the tilting condominium building in Yokohama, has apologized over the incident — the first such acknowledgment of regret by the company since the scandal broke mid-October. "We deeply apologize for causing troubles and worries," ...
Business / Corporate Nov 11, 2015
Sumitomo Mitsui Construction says it cannot estimate earnings impact of scandal
Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co. said Wednesday it cannot estimate the impact on future earnings of a scandal that began with falsified data for pilings of a now-tilting condominium building. Speaking at a news conference to announce earnings results, Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Vice President Yoshio Nagamoto ...
Editorials Nov 11, 2015
Piling scandal needs deep probe
The probe into the piling data scandal mustn't end with individual companies and workers; instead it should dig deep into the very foundation of the construction industry and get at the real root of the problem.
Issues | LAW OF THE LAND May 10, 2015
Perfect storm of factors conspires to empty Japan
by Colin P.A. Jones
While "empty-house syndrome" may seem like a problem mostly afflicting rural Japan, it is already an issue in metropolises such as Tokyo and Osaka, and will become more so in the years to come.
National May 5, 2015
Toshima Ward Office, residents to share new high-rise
by Kazuaki Nagata
Visitors to the new Toshima Ward Office in Tokyo may wonder why it's housed in a super high-rise when it opens Thursday. In fact, the ward office only occupies the first nine floors of the 49-story skyscraper. Residential dwellings account for the rest. It's the ...
National Mar 17, 2015
Toyo Tire told to speed up checks of substandard quake-absorbing materials
The infrastructure ministry calls on Toyo Tire & Rubber to report on substandard quake-absorbing building materials sold by a subsidiary.
How-tos | LIFELINES Aug 24, 2014
New buildings can take the sunshine out of life
by Louise George Kittaka
As residents of Japan, most of us probably expect that our right to sunlight is protected by law. However, as reader Y found, that isn't really the case.