Japan’s housing starts fell 1.3% year-on-year in December 2025, easing sharply from an 8.5% drop in the previous month and beating market expectations of a 4.1% decline. While marking the eighth contraction of the year, it was the mildest pace since September 2024. The slowdown reflected softer declines in starts for owner-occupied homes (-1.8% vs. -9.5% in November) and rental units (-3.4% vs. -5.5%). In contrast, built-for-sale housing returned to growth (1.9% vs. -11.3%), alongside a rebound in two-by-four homes (2.8% vs. -2.7%). Meanwhile, prefabricated housing contracted more sharply (-6.1% vs - 4.1%). source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan

Housing Starts YoY in Japan decreased by 1.30 percent in December from -8.50 percent in November of 2025. Housing Starts YoY in Japan averaged 1.88 Percent from 1961 until 2025, reaching an all time high of 67.60 Percent in March of 1972 and a record low of -44.00 Percent in September of 2007. This page includes a chart with historical data for Japan Housing Starts YoY. Japan Housing Starts YoY - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on February of 2026.

Housing Starts YoY in Japan decreased by 1.30 percent in December from -8.50 percent in November of 2025. Housing Starts YoY in Japan is expected to be 5.00 Percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the Japan Housing Starts YoY is projected to trend around 0.80 Percent in 2027, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2025-12-25 05:00 AM
Housing Starts YoY
Nov -8.5% 3.2% 0.4% 0.5%
2026-01-30 05:00 AM
Housing Starts YoY
Dec -1.3% -8.5% -4.1% -4.4%
2026-02-26 05:00 AM
Housing Starts YoY
Jan -1.3%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Construction Orders YoY 20.20 9.50 percent Dec 2025
Housing Index 143.45 141.04 points Nov 2025
Housing Starts 59524.00 71871.00 Units Nov 2025
Housing Starts YoY -1.30 -8.50 Percent Dec 2025
Price to Rent Ratio 138.00 136.40 points Sep 2025
Residential Property Prices 4.16 3.66 Percent Sep 2025


Japan Housing Starts YoY
In Japan, housing starts refers to the year-on-year change in volume of new housing construction started.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
-1.30 -8.50 67.60 -44.00 1961 - 2025 Percent Monthly
NSA

News Stream
Japan Housing Starts Drop Less than Expected
Japan’s housing starts fell 1.3% year-on-year in December 2025, easing sharply from an 8.5% drop in the previous month and beating market expectations of a 4.1% decline. While marking the eighth contraction of the year, it was the mildest pace since September 2024. The slowdown reflected softer declines in starts for owner-occupied homes (-1.8% vs. -9.5% in November) and rental units (-3.4% vs. -5.5%). In contrast, built-for-sale housing returned to growth (1.9% vs. -11.3%), alongside a rebound in two-by-four homes (2.8% vs. -2.7%). Meanwhile, prefabricated housing contracted more sharply (-6.1% vs - 4.1%).
2026-01-30
Japan Housing Starts Unexpectedly Drop
Japan’s housing starts fell 8.5% year-on-year in November 2025, missing market forecasts of a 0.4% increase and reversing a 3.2% gain in the previous month. It marked the seventh decline recorded this year, as weakness was broad-based across housing categories, including owned homes (-9.5% vs -8.2% in October), rented units (-5.5% vs 4.2%), built-for-sale homes (-11.3% vs 14.8%), prefabricated housing (-4.1% vs 9.2%), and two-by-four homes (-2.7% vs -3.8%).
2025-12-25
Japan Housing Starts Unexpectedly Expand
Japan’s housing starts rose 3.2% year-on-year in October 2025, defying market expectations of a 5.2% decline and reversing a 7.3% fall in September. It was the first annual increase since March, driven by rebounds in rented units (4.2% vs -8.2%), built-for-sale homes (14.8% vs -8.3%), and prefabricated housing (9.2% vs -0.4%). However, weakness persisted in owned homes (-8.2% vs -5.6%), while issued units slumped sharply (-36.3% vs 53.7%) and two-by-four homes also turned negative (-3.8% vs 2.1%).
2025-11-28